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Additional research can be added throughout the course.

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Additional research can be added throughout the course.

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Inquiry Project Guiding Question: How can we close the theory to practice gap in teacher preparation?

Resource #1 Review Example

Citation: McDonald, M., Kazemi, E., Kelley-Peterson, E., Mikolasy, K., Thompson, J., Valencia, S., & Windschitl, M. (2014). Practice makes practice: Learning to teach in teacher education. Peabody Journal of Education, 89(4), 500-515.

Summary: The purpose of this research was to develop coherence in teacher ed. regarding the what (curriculum) and how (pedagogy) that undergirds the program. Staff of the University of Washington highlight two specific innovations with content methods courses in their Masters of Teaching programs (i.e. elementary and secondary education). These programs graduate 120 candidates who conduct their clinical work in local K-12 classrooms as clinical interns. This research is about how they attempt to bridge the theory to practice gap using mediated field placements.

Analysis:

• In the research, university faculty posit that they attempt to bridge the theory to

practice gap for increased clinical practice time but with specific focus on “design and implementation, organizational structures and policies, content and curriculum, and teacher education pedagogy” (p.501). Through this work, they developed two innovations 1) core practices for teaching to guide what teachers will learn in each of their classes 2) mediated field placements, where university faculty and K-12 teachers work closely together.

• They try to teach preservice teachers the way to approach to the work of teaching through collaboration and of disciplinary learning in school. They use what they refer to as “Core Courses’ Pedagogy of Practices.” These practices include the following: a) children as sense makers b) becoming a student of your students c) rigorous and equitable academic work d) clear instructional goals e) responsive to the school environment.

• University faculty work to decompose the instructional activities being observed in schools using guided feedback. They also support sense making during the activity and anticipate classroom patterns of discourse and plan for a purposeful sequence of instruction. They engage in discourse/discussion using common language to teach their preservice teachers. It would important to investigate how they develop the shared understanding of these practices and the protocols they use to engage in discussion about these practices.

• One of the challenges they face is that theory taught in college is often different from the way in which cooperating teachers talk about and engage in practice in the field. They often talk of “covering the curriculum.” Thus, the instructional team consists of one university teacher educator and two former elementary school teachers for 30 teacher candidates. So preservice teachers are able to work in small collaborative teams (4-5 students) with multiple mentors. I’m wondering about

how preservice teachers experiences are different based on the mentors they are given. Not all of these experiences can be the same; it matters who your mentor is.

• These mentors and small teams engage in a modeling, rehearsing, and practice cycle. The teacher educator and classroom teacher model teaching strategies, novices plan and then work with one student or small group to practice and discuss strategies.

• Five-hour course sessions involve intensive planning, implementing (co-teaching with two candidates), and evaluating of lessons. Opportunities to work with students: plan and teach, video, and review/reflect, and receive feedback. Their research has found this to be mutually beneficial to all participants.

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Timing Is Everything _ Understanding the Importance of Timing, Length, and Sequence of Activities _ NAEYC

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Timing Is Everything _ Understanding the Importance of Timing, Length, and Sequence of Activities _ NAEYC

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Inquiry Project Guiding Question: How can we close the theory to practice gap in teacher preparation?

Resource #1 Review Example

Citation: McDonald, M., Kazemi, E., Kelley-Peterson, E., Mikolasy, K., Thompson, J., Valencia, S., & Windschitl, M. (2014). Practice makes practice: Learning to teach in teacher education. Peabody Journal of Education, 89(4), 500-515.

Summary: The purpose of this research was to develop coherence in teacher ed. regarding the what (curriculum) and how (pedagogy) that undergirds the program. Staff of the University of Washington highlight two specific innovations with content methods courses in their Masters of Teaching programs (i.e. elementary and secondary education). These programs graduate 120 candidates who conduct their clinical work in local K-12 classrooms as clinical interns. This research is about how they attempt to bridge the theory to practice gap using mediated field placements.

Analysis:

• In the research, university faculty posit that they attempt to bridge the theory to

practice gap for increased clinical practice time but with specific focus on “design and implementation, organizational structures and policies, content and curriculum, and teacher education pedagogy” (p.501). Through this work, they developed two innovations 1) core practices for teaching to guide what teachers will learn in each of their classes 2) mediated field placements, where university faculty and K-12 teachers work closely together.

• They try to teach preservice teachers the way to approach to the work of teaching through collaboration and of disciplinary learning in school. They use what they refer to as “Core Courses’ Pedagogy of Practices.” These practices include the following: a) children as sense makers b) becoming a student of your students c) rigorous and equitable academic work d) clear instructional goals e) responsive to the school environment.

• University faculty work to decompose the instructional activities being observed in schools using guided feedback. They also support sense making during the activity and anticipate classroom patterns of discourse and plan for a purposeful sequence of instruction. They engage in discourse/discussion using common language to teach their preservice teachers. It would important to investigate how they develop the shared understanding of these practices and the protocols they use to engage in discussion about these practices.

• One of the challenges they face is that theory taught in college is often different from the way in which cooperating teachers talk about and engage in practice in the field. They often talk of “covering the curriculum.” Thus, the instructional team consists of one university teacher educator and two former elementary school teachers for 30 teacher candidates. So preservice teachers are able to work in small collaborative teams (4-5 students) with multiple mentors. I’m wondering about

how preservice teachers experiences are different based on the mentors they are given. Not all of these experiences can be the same; it matters who your mentor is.

• These mentors and small teams engage in a modeling, rehearsing, and practice cycle. The teacher educator and classroom teacher model teaching strategies, novices plan and then work with one student or small group to practice and discuss strategies.

• Five-hour course sessions involve intensive planning, implementing (co-teaching with two candidates), and evaluating of lessons. Opportunities to work with students: plan and teach, video, and review/reflect, and receive feedback. Their research has found this to be mutually beneficial to all participants.