The teaching practicum as an opportunity for professional growth: perceptions of three associate-teachers /

The purpose of this study was to examine the student-teaching practicum as an opportunity for professional growth for associate-teachers. Three associate-teachers from one school board in southern Ontario were purposefully selected to participate in the study. Participants were interviewed before and after one 4-week teaching practicum. They were asked to keep a reflective journal during the practicum, and provided with questions to guide their reflection. The literature suggests that meaningful professional development is contextual and requires reflection on practice. For example, Schon's (l987b) hall of mirrors phenomenon occurs when teachers reflect on their own practice while observing and guiding the practice of others. Findings from this study suggest the teaching practicum has the potential to be a valuable professional development opportunity for associateteachers, but that the university and the school board affiliated with the participants do not conceptualize it as such. As well, the research suggests that although all participants found the teaching practicum valuable, the extent to which they were able to grow professionally depended on their professional personality. In addition, it was found that the reflective journal enhanced opportunities for associate teacher reflection. This research suggests that universities and school boards may wish to consider the studentteacher practicum as a professional development opportunity.

Novice teachers' perceptions of the extent to which the Brock University teacher education program focused on methods of promoting responsibility in students

The purpose of this study was to determine novice t~ache~s' perceptions of th~ extent to which the Brock University teacher education program focused on strategies for promoting responsibility in students. Individual interviews were conducted with ten randomly selected teachers who were graduates of this teacher education program between the years of 1989 and 1992, and a follow-up group discussion activity, with the same teachers, was also held. Findings revealed that the topic of personal responsibility was discussed within various components of the program, including counselling group sessions, but that these discussions were often brief, indirect and inconsistent. Some of the strategies which the teachers used in their own classrooms to promote responsibility in students were ones which they had acquired from those counselling group °sessions or from associate teachers. Various strategies included: setting ~lear expectations of students with positive and negative consequences for behaviour (e.g., material rewards and detentions, respectively), cemmunic?ting'with other teachers an~ parents, and -. suspending students from school. A teacher's choice of any particular strategy seemed to be affected by his or her personality, teaching sUbject and region of employment, as well as certain aspects of the teacher education program. It was concluded that many of the teachers appeared to be controlling rude and vio~ent- behaviour, as opposed to promoting responsible behaviour. Recommendations were made for the pre-service program, as well as induction and inservice programs, to increase teacher preparedness for promoting responsible student behaviour. One of these recommendations addressed the need to help teachers learn how to effectively communicate with their students.

A Handbook for Ontario J/I Pre-Service Teachers Developing Inclusive Pedagogy: Understanding Pre-Service Teachers' Thoughts and Feelings About Diversity

This project presents a handbook for Ontario Junior/Intermediate (J/I) pre-service teachers, Ontario J/I teacher education instructors, and J/I associate teachers that facilitates the identification, analysis, and reorganization of J/I pre-service teachers’ thoughts and feelings about diversity characteristics to develop inclusive teaching pedagogy. The handbook outlines collaborative and independent learning activities designed for integration into compulsory J/I Bachelor of Education (B.Ed.) program courses, practicum placements, and independent reflective situations. The handbook is composed of 5 sections: (a) Rationale for Importance; (b) Cross-Curricular Activities for J/I B.Ed. Courses; (c) Course-Specific Activities; (d) Practicum Placement Activities; and (e) Resources for Inclusive Educators. A critical content analysis of a 2011-2012 J/I B.Ed. program in Ontario enabled the creation of the handbook to address specific teacher education programming focused on helping pre-service teachers understand their thoughts and feelings about diversity for the development of inclusive teaching pedagogy. This research contributes to the advancement of theory and practice regarding development of teacher education programming that promotes J/I pre-service teachers’ inclusive pedagogy.

Associate-Candidate Relationships: A Study of Teacher Education Field Experiences

Past research has identified the importance of the relationship between teacher candidates and their associate teachers during field experiences. Through the research questions that framed the study, I sought to contribute to a growing understanding of how the associate teacher-teacher candidate relationship develops from the perspective of teacher candidates. Using an interpretive lens, I explored the associate teacher-teacher candidate relationships of 5 teacher candidates at a mid-sized university in Southern Ontario. In this instrumental multicase study, the 5 participants described 13 pairs of relationships with associate teachers who modeled varying practices. The qualitative data surrounding these case relationships were collected through a focus group and semistructured interviews. Participants’ responses were analyzed using axial coding and constant comparative analysis. Participants identified feedback, guidance, support, genuine interactions, and relationship dynamics as central to successful field experiences. Participants also suggested that associate teachers might be better supported in their role if they were offered increased professional development from the faculties of education that organize the field experiences. The findings documented offer a fresh perspective of the role of the associate teacher in successful teacher education programs, particularly as experienced by the 5 participants.

Second-Career Adults: Issues Encountered in Teacher Education Programs

The purpose of this case study was to gain an in-depth understanding of the experiences of 3 second-career males prior to and during their participation in teacher education programs. Case study research techniques were used to elicit data from 3 participants who had completed teacher education programs and were actively teaching in various capacities in Ontario. Data were collected through an email questionnaire, 2 open-ended, one-on-one interviews, and the researcher's field notes and reflections of the interview process. These data were coded, analyzed for emerging trends, collated, and presented as a series of findings. The study revealed that these 3 second-career males transitioning into teacher education programs encountered a number of difficulties, some of which are a result of the way program providers structure their recruitment processes and present their curricula. Findings indicated that the second-career males in this study appeared to be inadequately prepared to work in a female-dominated profession. The study also found incompatibilities between associate teachers and these second-career candidates during practice teaching sessions. The findings and implications are of interest to teacher educators, school boards, teacher federations, and prospective adult candidates that may be considering teaching as an alternative second career.

Une étude descriptive d’un modèle de supervision en distanciel faisant appel aux TIC lors des stages réalisés dans les milieux scolaires éloignés de leur université

Les différents acteurs impliqués dans la formation pratique en milieu scolaire doivent composer avec les réalités culturelles et territoriales des régions du Québec. Les étudiants issus des régions éloignées des universités souhaitent retourner dans leur milieu d’origine afin d’y réaliser un de leur stage. L’omniprésence des technologies de l’information et des communications (TIC) dans les milieux scolaires et universitaires et l’exigence du Ministère de l’Éducation du Québec (MEQ) (2001) à développer une compétence professionnelle qui vise à intégrer les TIC aux fins de préparation, de pilotage et de gestion de l’enseignement concourent à mettre en place un modèle de supervision qui puisse répondre aux exigences liées au domaine de la formation pratique. Les enjeux sont de taille et méritent que l’on s’y attarde. Prenant en considération le fait que l’observation et la communication entre les différents partenaires de la supervision du stagiaire sont à la base d’une formation efficiente qui puisse répondre aux besoins des étudiants, la présente étude propose un modèle de supervision pouvant accroître la présence des universités dans les milieux plus éloignés et ainsi assurer un accompagnement optimal des stagiaires sur l’ensemble du territoire québécois. Cette recherche a pour objectif de mieux comprendre les avantages et les limites d’un modèle de supervision en distanciel faisant appel aux TIC lors des stages réalisés dans les milieux scolaires éloignés de leur université. Plus précisément, l’étude répond à trois objectifs en identifiant (1) les avantages et (2) les limites liés à la supervision des stages lorsqu’ils se déroulent par l’entremise des TIC et en contribuant à (3) comprendre l’efficience d’un modèle de supervision en distanciel appuyé par les TIC sur l’accompagnement des stagiaires dans le développement de leurs compétences professionnelles de l’acte d’enseigner et de l’identité professionnelle. Afin de saisir les enjeux d’un tel modèle, une étude qualitative descriptive s’avère être le choix qui s’impose. Une rigoureuse collecte de données menée auprès de quatre stagiaires, leur enseignant associé respectif et leur superviseur à l’aide de grilles d’observation, d’enregistrements vidéo, de journaux de bord et d’entrevues semi-dirigées permet de répondre à quatre questions de recherche. Ces dernières s’interrogent sur l’efficience d’un modèle de supervision en distanciel au plan de l’encadrement du stagiaire avant, pendant et après sa prestation, au plan du développement des compétences professionnelles de l’acte d’enseigner et de l’identité professionnelle et au plan de la communication entre les partenaires de la supervision. Les données recueillies à partir des différents outils permettent la présentation d’une description de chaque étape et des avantages et des limites de chacune d’elles : l’accueil, l’observation, les échanges-partenaires et la rétroaction. L’étude permet également de mieux comprendre les avantages et les limites d’une supervision en distanciel appuyé par les TIC lors des stages se déroulant dans les milieux scolaires éloignés de leur université. Ainsi, l’étude fait ressortir que chaque étape du modèle de supervision en distanciel proposé contribue, à différents égards, à rendre la supervision efficiente sur le plan de l’accompagnement au développement des compétences professionnelles. Des recommandations et des pistes de recherches sont proposées afin de maximiser le potentiel du modèle.

Resilience or resistance? The value of subject knowledge for drama teachers

This paper reports on research undertaken by the author into what secondary school drama teachers think they need to possess in terms of subject knowledge in order to operate effectively as subject specialists. ‘Subject knowledge’ is regarded as being multi faceted and the paper reports on how drama teachers prioritise its different aspects. A discussion of what ‘subject knowledge’ may be seen to encompass reveals interesting tensions between aspects of professional knowledge that are prescribed by statutory dictate and local context, and those that are valued by individual teachers and are manifest in their construction of a professional identity. The paper proposes that making judgements that associate propositional and substantive knowledge with traditionally held academic values as ‘bad’ or ‘irrelevant’ to drama education, and what Foucault has coined as ‘subjugated knowledge’ (i.e. local, vernacular, enactive knowledge that eludes inscription) as ‘good’ and more apposite to the work of all those involved in drama education, fails to reflect the complex matrices of values that specialists appear to hold. While the reported research focused on secondary school drama teachers in England, Bourdieu’s conception of field and habitus is invoked to suggest a model which recognises how drama educators more generally may construct a professional identity that necessarily balances personal interests and beliefs with externally imposed demands.

The Child development associate program : prototype model : CDA training provider improvement system /

"Contract number 105-78-1016."

Experiences from the course “Pedagogical Intervention in Preschool Education”: the vision from the faculty trainers, preschool teachers and students

As part of the educational formation of students from II level of the Associate dregree, from the Pedagogy major with an emphasis on preschool teaching from Universidad Nacional. There is a course named “Pedagogical Intervention in Early Childhood Education” which carries out the process of the intensive practicum. In this article you will find a review of the program’s objetives, experiences and challenges, taking the experiences from the academic team, who have guided this process over the past two years, and the point of views from students and preschool teachers.

O esporte paralímpico na formação do profissional em educação física : percepção de professores e acadêmicos = The paralympic sport in physical education professional forming: perceptions of teachers and students

Universidade Estadual de Campinas . Faculdade de Educação Física

The Process of Simulation Authoring/Creation by Chemistry Teachers: A Service Learning Experience

Two case studies are presented to describe the process of public school teachers authoring and creating chemistry simulations. They are part of the Virtual Didactic Laboratory for Chemistry, a project developed by the School of the Future of the University of Sao Paulo. the documental analysis of the material produced by two groups of teachers reflects different selection process for both themes and problem-situations when creating simulations. The study demonstrates the potential for chemistry learning with an approach that takes students' everyday lives into account and is based on collaborative work among teachers and researches. Also, from the teachers' perspectives, the possibilities of interaction that a simulation offers for classroom activities are considered.

Knowledges and practices of successful literacy teachers (Brazil, 1950-1980)

Significant changes have marked Brazilian education in the period focused on by this research. Aiming to understand the configurations of the teaching profession in that period, this work focuses on the issue of the school success in the area of literacy by means of an analysis of the practices of literacy teachers who were at work between the 1950s and 1980s. The research is based on life-history accounts. The study aimed at describing the various experiences of these teachers identifying the knowledges and practices that sustained their successful literacy work as well as the various factors of a social, religious, political, familiar or other nature that, in the history of each of these teachers, favoured the development of a pedagogical style of literacy particular to each one of them. Despite the peculiarities and originality of each history, the success in the literacy process, as the defining feature of the profile of the four teachers, results from two main aspects: first, the autonomy that each one managed to keep in the development of his/her teaching work, particularly in the organisation of the teaching practices that indicated greater chances of a pupil`s learning to read and write; second, their trust in the capacity of every child for learning, independently of his/her social, economic and cultural conditions. Based on this evidence it is argued that the success of the pedagogical work, particularly during the early years of schooling, lies in an ethics of the teaching work with a double implication: first, it requires the teachers` dedication to their pupils, and second, it requires respect for the work of the teacher, so that she/he can maintain her/his autonomy and inventiveness. These aspects indicate the need for reflection on teaching work and a review of current teacher education policies, particularly the policies targeted at teachers working with literacy practices.