Kindergarten Internship: Conditions for Early Childhood Preservice Teachers' Learning

• In Event: 46.087 - Poster Session 8
  In Poster Session: 46.087-1 - Division K Section 6 Poster Session. Field Experiences: Student Teaching, Supervision, School/Community Collaborations, and Approaches in Teacher Education

Abstract

This study is an examination of early childhood pre-service teachers’ kindergarten internship experiences to identify the supportive and challenging conditions for their learning, and explore in what ways those conditions are productive or unproductive. Qualitative data were collected from weekly seminar notes and field notes by the researchers, focus group with the pre-service teachers, and course evaluation feedback. Through constant comparative analysis approach, the findings indicate that both supportive and challenging learning conditions were created by collaborating teachers, pre-service teachers, and the university supervisors. The findings illuminate the complex responsibilities of early childhood teacher educators to develop horizontal expertise for both themselves and pre-service teachers so they can negotiate the best practices from research and the reality of school contexts.

Authors

• H. Sophia Han, University of South Florida

• Victoria Damjanovic, University of South Florida