A controversial innovation within the rapidly expanding field of teacher education is the relocation of teacher preparation to new graduate schools of education (nGSEs), which are not university based but are state authorized and approved as institutions of higher education to prepare teachers, endorse them for initial teacher certification, and…

The articles within this issue of "Teacher Education Quarterly" examined the role and impact of equity within teacher preparation. Each author described a commitment to preparing teachers with equitable, social justice minded practices to meet the needs of the diverse learners in U.S. classrooms, yet, demonstrated a need for a closer…

Our education system promotes moving from theory to practice; however, this often ends up being performative and thus perpetuates the disenfranchisement of historically marginalized communities. Preservice and in-service teachers share dissatisfaction with the amount of time, training, resources, and support they are given. This response…

This study aims to examine coherence in a teacher preparation program relative to equity. Using performance assessments and artifacts from coursework, we explore how candidates define equity, what equitable practices they enact in their field placements, and whether a relationship exists between their conceptualizations and their practice. We…

This study investigated a framework for supporting English teacher candidates' efforts to reconcile theory and practice in classrooms that are subject to the tensions and challenges presented by contemporary, standardized education reforms that often ignore students' diverse cultural contexts, needs, and interests. Using the transcripts of seminar…

Teacher candidates' sense of preparedness is integral to success as a teacher and longevity in the profession. Beyond preparing teacher candidates with content knowledge and pedagogy, elementary teacher preparation programs must be cognizant of teacher candidates' sense of preparedness and teacher candidates' concerns because of the impact each…

The current study is part of a larger case study of faculty and staff methods at a teacher residency program. Teacher residencies, which were founded in the early 2000s, have an explicit mission of serving historically marginalized populations. However, more research is needed to better understand how these programs implement social justice…

In this article, the authors detail their attempt to encourage apprentices to merge theory and practice in a way that is atypical in teacher education. They base their approach on the idea that before stepping into the active work of teaching on their own, apprentices need more time observing children and seeing learning. Observing is hard to do…

The educational research community has underscored the importance of preparing teachers to embrace a culturally responsive pedagogy for all their students. At the same time, teacher education programs have been criticized for being overly theoretical and lacking a bridge for preservice teachers to connect theory to practice. Teaching cases allow a…

The relentless press for steadily improved student learning outcomes requires that prospective teachers enter the classroom knowing how to fine-tune their teaching to meet the learning needs of individual students. Frequently, teacher candidates have difficulty conceptualizing their students as learners, looking more immediately to their own…

The authors designed the project described her in order to address their students' expressed frustrations at the perceived disconnect between theory and practice. The project combined course readings, journaling, collaboratively created observation protocols, and classroom observation into a semester-long iterative assignment. The students' work…

This study focuses on the learning of a small group of pre-service teachers in a literacy methods course and their instructor, Cindy, a literacy methods professor. The pre-service teachers in Cindy's literacy methods courses conduct literacy practicum experiences at a local city school that is populated by children from non-dominant backgrounds.…

By educating pre-service teachers about new pedagogical strategies and techniques, the intention is to address and change ineffective practices in physical education so that children learn to love movement and engage in regular physical activity for their health and wellness. However, as Lortie (1975) suggests, experience is more powerful than…

The authors believe that many teacher educators are charged with teaching and advising those seeking initial teacher licensure. They must make a concerted effort to have students reflect seriously on the meanings they are constructing of their work. They need to ask them to gauge continually their confidence in their career choice when they are…

A key factor in learning to teach during student teaching is the cooperating teacher, who supports and mentors prospective teachers. In the apprenticeship that is student teaching, the cooperating teacher serves as a gatekeeper to the experiential learning of pre-service teachers. Although several studies indicate the significant influence…