Reflective teaching in the practicum: associate teachers' perceptions of how they guide the development of student teachers' reflective practice

Abstract

Developing teachers who are reflective professionals is a key emphasis in pre-service teacher education in New Zealand. The practicum is an integral component of teacher education programmes and the school-based associate teacher is recognised as a key influence in the student teacher's learning about teaching. In recent years several studies have raised concerns about the quality of the student teacher's learning from the practicum experience. This study describes and analyses the perspectives of a group of associate teachers about the ways in which they guide the development of their student teachers' reflective teaching. The participants were drawn from associate teachers who have completed an extensive programme of study to develop their own reflective teaching. They were also consulted as to their views on professional development for associate teachers and for developing the partnership between teacher educators. The results indicate associate teachers believe that the student teachers' development of reflective teaching must be centred upon their own practical teaching experience. They believe that for student teachers, reflection in the practicum is essentially a process of thinking about, evaluating, analysing and questioning one's teaching in purposeful and constructive ways, in order to seek improvement. Their focus is to support the student teacher to successfully undertake classroom teaching and to encourage them to develop the skills, attitudes and dispositions that to become professionals who use reflection as an integral part of the process of learning about teaching. The strategies these associate teachers use to guide their student teachers' development of reflective teaching are focussed upon questioning, modeling and constructivist teaching practices. The results of the study point to the importance of teacher educators having shared goals for student teachers' learning from the practicum and to the valuable contribution the school-based teacher educator can make to the student teachers' development as a reflective teacher. The study revealed associate teachers' commitment to their student teachers' learning from the practicum experience and to the partnership between educators in pre-service teacher education. Participants advocate a focus for professional development for associate teachers which supports each teacher's own reflective practice and keeps them informed of the content of pre-service teacher education programmes. One of the findings of the study is that associate teachers can be supported in their work in the practicum, through professional development which introduces specific collaborative strategies for guiding their student teachers' reflective thinking.