"I Would've Been a Lost Puppy": Communities of Practice to Support Novice Teacher Educators

• In Event: Sheraton Roundtable Session 7
  In Roundtable Session: Learning to Teach Teachers: Teacher Educator Development Across University Contexts

Abstract

Novice teacher educators face many challenges yet there is limited research exploring structures to support them. This paper addresses this need by exploring the lived experiences of two teaching assistants for a mathematics teaching methods course and how a community of practice supported them as novice teacher educators. Qualitative data were collected in the form of participant journals, interviews, and team meetings. Findings from the study suggest that the community of practice supported the novice teacher educators in two ways by: 1) providing reassurance, and 2) creating a space for critical reflection of professional practice.

Authors

• Limin Jao, McGill University

• Gurpreet Sahmbi, University of Toronto - OISE

• Ying Syuan Huang, McGill University