Teacher Candidate Perceptions and Extended Student Sense-Making in Historical Discussions: Tensions and Possibilities

• In Event: Understanding Perspectives and Experiences of Preservice and New Social Studies Teachers

Abstract

Classroom discussions represent challenging practices in teacher education, and contested purposes for social studies education. This study examines teacher candidates’ planning, facilitation, and reflection about student sensemaking to understand what candidates prioritize and value about social studies discussions, and their relationship with disciplinary goals. For their methods course, two candidates were tasked with facilitating disciplinary discussion around a historical question and document-based argumentation. Our analysis centers on episodes of self-sustained, student-driven discourse in each classroom. We discuss how teacher candidates interpreted these moments as aligned with personal instructional goals and purposes for discussion, even when divergent from their methods course. We draw implications for teacher education that supports candidates in facilitating discussions aligned with their instructional visions and sociocultural contexts.

Authors

• Jenni Conrad, Temple University

• Abby Reisman, University of Pennsylvania

• Lightning Jay, Binghamton University - SUNY

• Timothy Patterson, Temple University

• Joseph Eisman, Temple University

• Avi Kaplan, Temple University

• Wendy Chan, The University of Pennsylvania