This study sought to investigate sixteen New Zealand primary student teachers in the second year of their three-year Bachelor of Teaching (Primary) initial teacher education (ITE) programme. Specifically, how these participating student teachers planned for science, technology, and the arts as they worked to be both more effective and culturally…

Learning to plan for teaching mathematics is the focus of an extended research project in initial teacher education. This paper discusses one early part of this project, based on a focus group interview where ten first year primary student teachers reported their planning experiences at the end of their first school practicum. Their one…

The social climate in the classroom can impact students' mental well-being, behaviour and peer-learning opportunities. This article describes one way that elementary teachers can understand students' social networks using a sociogram. Findings show variation in classroom cohesion and reveal groups of students who are at higher risk of social…

In response to community and sector needs, in 2020 an Initial Teacher Education (ITE) provider in Aotearoa/New Zealand developed a Bachelor of Teaching (Primary) programme with a unique design as an alternative pathway into the profession. The design elements of the programme included being field-based, online, and with a bicultural kaupapa. This…

Purpose: The purpose of this New Zealand study is to analyse the influence of the literacy course from an initial teacher education degree, to support beginning teachers to view themselves as policy actors, not mere policy subjects. In our role as teacher educators, we sought to support beginning teachers to find freedom within the constraints of…

Mathematical and statistical thinking is involved across the breadth of people's home and work life and leisure activities. This paper reports on an aspect of a project that aimed to develop preservice teacher awareness of the mathematical and statistical thinking required across the breadth of primary teachers' professional role. This thinking is…

This article reports on a joint research project across two countries, Germany and New Zealand, where there have been relatively successful measures in curbing the spread of the COVID-19 virus, though using somewhat different strategies given the different contexts with Germany being situated in centre of Europe and New Zealand being an island…

In this article, the authors report on a small-scale study set in a context of a firstyear mathematics education course for preservice primary teachers. Professional documentation from three different sources were analysed in relation to the national document "Tataiako: Cultural Competencies for Teachers of Maori Learners," which was…

This paper describes how one third and final year pre-service (PST) used curriculum materials when planning for primary mathematics teaching on practicum. The findings were drawn from a semi-structured focus group interview, where four PSTs recalled how they planned for primary teaching during a previous practicum. This case study shows how one…

Classroom experience is an important part of initial teacher education (ITE) and the teachers who work with student teachers in schools have a significant impact on learning in this context. While many studies have documented what the role of these teachers should be, it is also important to consider how the role is conceptualised by the teachers…

The first year of teaching is a significant period in a teacher's life but for many it can signal the end, rather than the beginning, of their career. The demands of beginning teaching are well documented (Devos et al. in "Teach Teach Educ" 28(2): 206-217, 2012; Fantilli and McDougall in "Teach Teach Educ" 25(6): 814-825, 2009)…

This research examined preservice teachers' self-efficacy beliefs immediately prior to and after the final practicum for an undergraduate three-year primary education teaching program. The primary purpose of the study was to explore the effect of the capstone practicum experience on the students' teacher self-efficacy beliefs. A secondary…

The issue of behaviour management is one that is consistently reported as a concern facing teachers in today's classrooms. This study, which surveyed 110 teachers of Year 1 to Year 4 students, examined the behaviour management training teacher respondents had received both pre-service and inservice, as well as the behaviour management strategies…

A digital dilemma has emerged in Initial Teacher Education (ITE) in which student teachers' (STs) confidence and competence to use actively digital pedagogy has been undermined by a mismatch between digital expectations and the reality of programme experience. This mismatch has a potentially negative impact on a ST's ability to develop confidence…

Five factors for Maori teacher success in Aotearoa/New Zealand are identified in the success narratives of alumnae of a pre-service teacher education programme: whanau support, collegial working environments, feeling valued, risk-taking, and pursuing ongoing learning opportunities. Strong links to key Maori values are evident within these factors.…