Innovations in Teacher Preservice Programs.

Overview & Synopsis

This paper describes a preservice elementary education program that incorporated more time spent at school sites. The program consisted of three consecutive semesters of courses combined with fieldwork. The first semester included a methods course, a reading class, and a children's literature class. Additional time was spent in the field observing and teaching elementary students. The next semester, students took five methods courses (mathematics, science, social studies, language arts, and reading). They spent every day in their field sites and an intensive week at their assigned schools, where they were expected to teach longer projects and units. Student teaching encompassed the third and final semester of the program. Special education and early childhood education students often felt overwhelmed by the requirements of their majors as well as those of the program, so a better curriculum was designed for them. When they realized that the program's courses could help them better prepare for their roles as future teachers, the courses became more relevant to them. The program addressed specific strategies that all students could use to individualize teaching (e.g., cooperative learning and thematic projects). Today, a cohesive atmosphere exists between students in special education, early childhood education, and elementary education. (SM)