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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 has on their future success. This yearlong study investigated elementary teacher candidate sense of preparedness across three U.S. institutions and across semesters. Qualitative data indicated that practical strategies during coursework and opportunities to apply theory to practice in actual classrooms had the biggest influence on feelings of preparedness. Teacher candidates felt well prepared to plan lessons and less prepared for classroom management, making accommodations and modifications, and assessment. While aspects of teacher candidates' sense of preparedness aligned with the study's theoretical framework, Fuller's concern theory, some teacher candidates never progressed to the concern with impact stage. Considerations for research and practice regarding teacher preparation programs are provided.

Teaching is a complex profession. Much of the work of teachers is hidden from view, happening behind the scenes. It is not until one becomes a teacher that they fully understand the complexities. Preparing teacher candidates before they enter their own classrooms for the potential tensions between their individual perspectives and educational contexts can support their development. This study explores the experiences of teacher candidates as they engage in reflection on and discussions about challenging scenarios they are likely to experience when they enter the profession. Through qualitative analysis of end-of-semester reflections, we identified salient themes including realization and assuredness related to the scenarios with which they were presented. Based on our findings, we share implications for teacher educators and school leaders to support novice teachers to recognize and take on the challenges they will undoubtedly experience. Creating productive spaces for teacher candidates to practice thoughtful adaptations may support novice teachers as they navigate tricky situations and may also impact teacher retention.

This longitudinal qualitative inquiry delves into the experiences of three novice teachers in the United States. Over the first four years of their teaching career, participants were interviewed multiple times, during which they created artifacts to capture the complex and emotional aspects of their experiences. The researchers utilized thematic analysis and restorying to illuminate the participants' professional identity development and career trajectories. The findings underscore the realities of entering the teaching profession during a global teacher shortage and the tensions and vulnerability inherent in teacher identity development. The insights gleaned from these novice teachers provide fresh perspectives for educators, policymakers, and teacher educators to reimagine support systems to better sustain teachers in the profession. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to compare teacher candidates' sense of self-efficacy across institutions and at two different points within the teacher preparation program. Teacher candidate characteristics such as age and hometown were also explored in relation to reported levels of self-efficacy. Data in this study were collected from 143 teacher candidates enrolled at three Midwest institutions utilizing the Teachers' Sense of Efficacy Scale (TSES). Data analysis identified no statistically significant differences in teacher candidates' self-efficacy across three institutions, at two different points in the teacher preparation program, or based on age or hometown. Rasch results indicated that the TSES was invariant across age and teacher preparation programs. Implications for future research and teacher education are discussed.

This collective case study examines how two teacher candidates' digital story projects created in literacy methods courses made visible their negotiated and evolving visions of teaching and learning. The digital stories were created to show and describe their future literacy classrooms. Using metaphoric analysis, the researchers uncovered the implicit metaphors of teachers and students present in each of the teacher candidates' digital stories. Looking across these metaphors, tensions and alignments between how the teacher candidates envisioned the role of teacher and the role of student and how these relate to prominent models of education including Industrial and Inquiry models are apparent. Implications for practice include modifications made to literacy methods courses to support teacher candidates to begin the negotiation of their professional identities as they explore multiple experiences of teaching and learning. These modifications include: (a) prompting teacher candidates to see themselves as readers, writers, and inquirers; (b) modeling and experiencing inquiry in teacher education coursework; and (c) providing opportunities for teacher candidates to experience purposeful tensions within their teacher education classes.

This qualitative research study examined how teacher candidates' (TCs) participation in reflection cycles involving recording and viewing video of their teaching practice served to support their development as reflective practitioners. The reflection cycle included viewing and annotating one's own teaching, receiving peer and instructor dialogic feedback, and synthesizing the feedback to identify strengths, evidence of student (dis)engagement and learning as well as areas for continued professional growth. Analysis of the TCs' written reflections at the end of each reflection cycle underscored Larrivee's (2008) assertion that reflection is a complex and interweaving developmental process that is not necessarily linear. The findings highlight the role of teacher educators in supporting TCs to become more critically reflective.

Teaching is a complex profession. Much of the work of teachers is hidden from view, happening behind the scenes. It is not until one becomes a teacher that they fully understand the complexities. Preparing teacher candidates before they enter their own classrooms for the potential tensions between their individual perspectives and educational contexts can support their development. This study explores the experiences of teacher candidates as they engage in reflection on and discussions about challenging scenarios they are likely to experience when they enter the profession. Through qualitative analysis of end-of-semester reflections, we identified salient themes including realization and assuredness related to the scenarios with which they were presented. Based on our findings, we share implications for teacher educators and school leaders to support novice teachers to recognize and take on the challenges they will undoubtedly experience. Creating productive spaces for teacher candidates to practice thoughtful adaptations may support novice teachers as they navigate tricky situations and may also impact teacher retention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to compare teacher candidates' sense of self-efficacy across institutions and at two different points within the teacher preparation program. Teacher candidate characteristics such as age and hometown were also explored in relation to reported levels of self-efficacy. Data in this study were collected from 143 teacher candidates enrolled at three Midwest institutions utilizing the Teachers' Sense of Efficacy Scale (TSES). Data analysis identified no statistically significant differences in teacher candidates' self-efficacy across three institutions, at two different points in the teacher preparation program, or based on age or hometown. Rasch results indicated that the TSES was invariant across age and teacher preparation programs. Implications for future research and teacher education are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This collective case study examines how two teacher candidates' digital story projects created in literacy methods courses made visible their negotiated and evolving visions of teaching and learning. The digital stories were created to show and describe their future literacy classrooms. Using metaphoric analysis, the researchers uncovered the implicit metaphors of teachers and students present in each of the teacher candidates' digital stories. Looking across these metaphors, tensions and alignments between how the teacher candidates envisioned the role of teacher and the role of student and how these relate to prominent models of education including Industrial and Inquiry models are apparent. Implications for practice include modifications made to literacy methods courses to support teacher candidates to begin the negotiation of their professional identities as they explore multiple experiences of teaching and learning. These modifications include: (a) prompting teacher candidates to see themselves as readers, writers, and inquirers; (b) modeling and experiencing inquiry in teacher education coursework; and (c) providing opportunities for teacher candidates to experience purposeful tensions within their teacher education classes. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This qualitative research study examined how teacher candidates' (TCs) participation in reflection cycles involving recording and viewing video of their teaching practice served to support their development as reflective practitioners. The reflection cycle included viewing and annotating one's own teaching, receiving peer and instructor dialogic feedback, and synthesizing the feedback to identify strengths, evidence of student (dis)engagement and learning as well as areas for continued professional growth. Analysis of the TCs' written reflections at the end of each reflection cycle underscored Larrivee's (2008) assertion that reflection is a complex and interweaving developmental process that is not necessarily linear. The findings highlight the role of teacher educators in supporting TCs to become more critically reflective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]