Teacher Interns Leading Discussions in Middle School Inclusion Science Classrooms: Increased Expectations for All

• In Event: 79.031 - Ambitious Teaching and High-Leverage Practices: Preparing Preservice Science Teachers Across Contexts

Abstract

We describe two teacher interns’ enactment of the “high-leverage” teaching practice of leading classroom discussion, as part of their coursework in our middle school science and mathematics teacher preparation program. We focus on these TIs’ science classrooms because they worked in inclusion classes with students with disabilities, allowing a unique perspective on opportunities and challenges associated with teaching in heterogeneous classrooms. These descriptions of enactment of practice demonstrate how, in the context of a practice-based teacher education program TIs can lead meaningful discussions in inclusion classes about scientific phenomena, eliciting and responding to students’ thinking

Authors

• Daniel M. Levin, University of Maryland - College Park

• Susan De La Paz, University of Maryland

• Alexander Chumbley, University of Maryland - College Park

• Crystina Desiree McShay, University of Maryland - College Park

• Erika Thomas, University of Maryland - College Park