Field-based Interns' Philosophical Perspectives on Teaching.

Elementary and secondary preservice teachers' philosophical perspectives were examined before and after their participation in field-based activities in a professional development school. A philosophical perspective survey was administered at the start and again at the end of the semester. The five categories were existentialism, behaviorism, perennials, essentialism, and progressivism. The preservice teachers were enrolled in university courses conducted at public school sites taught by a faculty member from the university. T-tests were conducted to examine whether or not overall differences occurred in philosophical outlooks for both the elementary and secondary preservice teachers. The interns had a statistically significant difference in their student-centered-progressive outlook. The elementary interns were more existentialist than the secondary interns, and the secondary interns held a stronger view regarding behaviorism. Qualitative data were collected from the secondary preservice teachers' journals. Generally, both quantitative and qualitative data suggested that the program was influential in affecting philosophical changes, in particular a trend toward combining existentialism and progressivism. The experiences that the interns faced during their program at the public school changed their outlook toward stronger student-centered views of teaching. Recommendations for improving a professional development school are provided. The philosophical perspective survey is appended. (Contains 16 references.) (Author/ND)