This study of student teachers' reflective abilities defines reflecting about teaching as the capability and willingness of prospective teachers to question and critically analyze their teaching and teaching experiences. In discussing differences between student teachers in psychological and personal dimensions, the characteristics examined were:…

Presents a case study of how a pre-service teacher addressed the complexities of supporting the literacy learning of students in a learning-disabled class and a regular class setting. Suggests the pre-service teacher was a reflective practitioner with high expectations for her students' success and a high focus of control regarding her…

Explores the linguistic rationale for using children's literature and other authentic texts in literacy instruction. Describes some aspects of one literature-based approach in a field-based preservice teacher-education program. (SR)

This paper describes challenges associated with preparing preservice teachers in the 21st century to accept responsibility for devising and presenting lessons that link reading and writing with multiple sign and symbol systems, such as drama, musical composing, film, visual art, and computer technology. It proposes the portal school concept as a…

This case study looked at one preservice teacher during field experiences prior to her student teaching as she addressed the complexities of supporting the literacy learning of students in a class for students with learning disabilities and in a regular class setting. The preservice teachers' lessons emphasized multiple literacies. Data were…

This paper describes a teacher education program at the University of Southern Mississippi, Long Beach designed to prepare future teachers for diversity so they can successfully meet the challenges of educating all students in the 21st century. The program provides significant and varied opportunities for education majors to develop appreciation…

Prospective teachers in early field placements may gradually develop more mature concerns for pupils if they are given opportunities to reflect upon classroom experience. This study provides information concerning a reflective inquiry model compatible with early field placement. Participants were 12 student teachers engaged in classroom teaching…

This study was conducted to examine the value of analyzing student teachers' metaphors for purposes of early identification of beliefs and teaching orientations. Participants were 2 university professors and 23 female elementary education majors enrolled in a reading/language arts methods course designed as an early field placement. During the…

The influences of elementary school context were studied with 88 preservice teachers student teaching in 2 different university field programs. Data support the benefits of pluralistic school experiences for future teachers and suggest that contextual conditions unique to a particular school may influence preservice teachers' learning and…

As part of course requirements, preservice teachers in the reading/language arts early field program at the University of Southern Mississippi write two case narratives per semester about their teaching experiences in an urban elementary school. This paper discusses the benefits of case writing for preservice teachers and explains the specific…

This intrinsic case study looks closely at one pre-service teacher in an early field program as she addressed the complexities of supporting the literacy learning of a group of students in a class for learning disabled students and a group of students in a regular class setting. Data were collected through surveys, observation notes, dialogue…

This paper presents the story of a university/public school collaborative program that in June 1991 was awarded the American Association of Higher Education's Presidents' Forum Award for Exemplary Work in Accelerating Minority Achievement. The Louisiana program was implemented by the College of Education of the University of New Orleans and two…

The aims of this paper are to: (1) illustrate a practical, collaborative methodology that helps to provide insights into teaching perspectives and practices; (2) provide information about a self-study approach that had the potential to assist educational practitioners in diverse roles and contexts develop understanding about themselves, their…

This paper presents information regarding two university field programs in two elementary schools in New Orleans (Louisiana), serving culturally diverse children, and it attempts to reveal the influences of each school context on preservice teachers' acquisition of pedagogical content knowledge, their concerns and dilemmas, and their frames of…

The purpose of this longitudinal qualitative inquiry was to describe the socially constructed, negotiated, and contextual nature of an early field placement in an urban elementary school. The objectives were to document subtle changes over time in preservice teachers' reading/language arts subject matter knowledge and teaching beliefs and…