In this semester-long, phenomenological case study the author investigated graduate education majors' development of relational care (i.e., dispositions of concern, sensitivity, attention, and commitment to students and their needs) as they engaged in service-learning tutoring connected to a required writing methods course. The author wanted to…

Few inquiries have investigated master's students in education as they mentor preservice teachers. In this embedded case study I explored the professional development of 15 master's students as they mentored 35 preservice teachers for eight weeks in a summer literacy camp. Data sources were e-mail exchanges, written reports, and transcriptions…

As part of course requirements twenty-eight preservice teachers in a field-based content reading course created a series of self-portraits that illustrated their concerns and perceptions about teaching content reading. They accompanied their drawings with dialogue. Analysis of the portraits indicates that arts-based techniques have the potential…

This phenomenological inquiry looked at 28 preservice teachers as they participated in a field-based curricula restructuring initiative that connected the disciplines of creative arts, science, and reading. The preservice teachers offered weekly interdisciplinary lessons to kindergarten and first grade students. A survey, teaching cases, and a…

Analyzes the case narratives of preservice teachers about linking the visual arts with literacy education. States that 11 themes were uncovered by examining the case narratives. Presents excerpts from four narratives and addresses the implications for both teacher education and the elementary school curriculum. (CMK)

This inquiry examined graduate students' and preservice teachers' e-mail communication as they made decisions about supporting the instructional needs of children at-risk in a community of practice summer literacy camp. The correspondence gradually evolved from impersonal to interpersonal communication over a ten-week time span, and influenced the…

In order to determine preservice teachers' reflective thinking and concerns as they addressed the complexities of supporting and augmenting their students' literacy instruction through computer activities, a systematic qualitative inquiry was conducted. The study was conducted in three schools within the same school district in south Mississippi.…

This qualitative inquiry examines preservice teachers' cases describing their reflective thinking, hopes, concerns, problems, and achievements as they address the complexities of devising and offering literacy-based arts lessons to students in two urban elementary schools. The researchers examined and categorized 203 teaching cases written by 8…

This qualitative inquiry examined the value of collecting and analyzing preservice teachers' pre- and postsemester metaphors about teaching by comparing the orientational content of the metaphors to preservice teachers' expressed beliefs and practices. Results show the usefulness of metaphors as a source of information about teachers' professional…

This inquiry applied an innovative sociocultural framework to examine transformations in preservice teachers' professional development as they worked with children at-risk in a summer literacy camp. The camp incorporated a community of practice model in which teams of masters and doctoral students mentored small groups of preservice teachers. The…

This study investigated common themes in preservice teachers' case writing, noting how the thematic content diversified since teacher educators first added case writing to the course agenda. The study examined contributing factors that influenced expansions in preservice teachers' case writing perspectives and theme variations in preservice…

This 9-month intrinsic case study followed 2 preservice teachers as they learned to teach literacy in 2 consecutive, field-based methods courses. Analysis of data from surveys, dialogue journals, observations, conversations, e-mail notes, and telephone conversations showed a recursive yet distinct hierarchical progression in the preservice…

Describes a workshop on phonics for preservice teachers developed by a staunch whole language literacy teacher. Notes that evaluations by participants were mixed at best. (RS)

Examined and categorized 203 teaching cases written by 8 groups of preservice teachers offering literacy-based arts lessons to elementary school students. Analysis revealed 11 major themes, 10 of which related to problematic issues. Only one theme highlighted the achievements and success of the preservice teachers as they recognized the increased…

Study examined the relationship between future teachers' reflections and growth in their teaching abilities in an early field placement. Analysis of data gathered over one semester from reflective journals and multiple observations indicated teacher preparation programs should foster reflective thinking as an important facet of growth in teaching…