ERIC Number: EJ819739
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2006-Jul
Pages: 12
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1366-4530
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
Safety Net or Free Fall: The Impact of Cooperating Teachers
Duffield, Stacey
Teacher Development, v10 n2 p167-178 Jul 2006
Over the past 20 years, the Professional Development School (PDS) model has been proven to be a successful way to induct teacher candidates into the teaching profession. Induction has been recognized as a way to counteract attrition from a profession that loses as many as 50% of its teachers within five years of entry. Using the PDS model of teacher preparation, one Midwestern university created the potential for teacher candidates to become immersed into the environment of an elementary school (i.e. kindergarten through to sixth grade). The study employed qualitative methods to explore what factors lead to perceived success by the teacher candidates participating in the program. The type of support offered by the cooperating teachers who hosted the candidates emerged at the most influential factor. The cooperating teachers who were welcoming, trusting and could share ownership in the classroom provided the teacher candidates the most successful experience. (Contains 1 table.)
Descriptors: Professional Development Schools, Cooperating Teachers, Beginning Teacher Induction, Best Practices, Program Effectiveness, Elementary School Teachers, Interviews, Student Teacher Attitudes, Field Experience Programs, Performance Factors, Teacher Education Programs, Teaching Experience
Routledge. Available from: Taylor & Francis, Ltd. 325 Chestnut Street Suite 800, Philadelphia, PA 19106. Tel: 800-354-1420; Fax: 215-625-2940; Web site: http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Evaluative
Education Level: Higher Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A