1. Talking to Paper Doesn't Work: Factors that Facilitate Preservice Teacher Reflection
- Author
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Stevenson, Heidi J. and Cain, Kellie J.
- Abstract
Encouraged in large part by the work of Schon (1983), teacher education programs have spent the last two decades providing preservice teachers with experiences designed to help them examine their beliefs and develop reflective habits (Roskos et al., 2001; Tsangaridou & Siedentop, 1995; Zeichner & Liston, 1987). The present study investigated participants' reflective practices throughout their teacher education program, from coursework through student teaching. An interview and eight post-observation conferences were conducted with each participant during student teaching, and the results derived from constant comparative analysis (Glaser & Strauss, 1967) present intriguing patterns in terms of factors facilitating participants' reflection. Though the results of the present study provide interesting insights into participants' reflection, they also raise intriguing questions. Preservice teachers frequently experience a disconnect between the values espoused by their education program and practices taught regarding reflection (O'Donoghue & Brooker, 1996). Therefore, it seems important to ask, "As most teacher education programs address reflection in their mission, how do they ensure that all educators in their program (e.g., professors, supervisors, and cooperating teachers) have a consistent and well-articulated understanding of reflection and how to foster it?" It may also be intriguing to investigate traits of cooperating teachers that actively and regularly encourage reflective practices and whether this population shares any common traits.
- Published
- 2013