Middle Grades IRL: A Collective Self-Study of Practices and Problems of Practice in the Context of Middle-Grades Teacher Education

• In Event: Disrupting the Status Quo in Middle-Grades Education: Strategies to Mediate and Create Change

Abstract

The researchers conducted a collective self-study about their work with pre-service and in-service middle grades teachers. In doing so, the researchers sought to critically consider their practices and approaches to middle grades teacher education from the dual vantage points of university-level teacher educator and middle school teacher instructional coach. Using these stances, the researchers worked as critical friends to interrogate the ways in which facets of their work---programmatic practices grounded in theory, instructional/support practices, approaches, and frameworks --- aligned/misaligned with the realities of practice for the day-to-day work of the 2020’s middle school classroom teacher.

Authors

• Kristina Nicole Falbe, Illinois State University

• Kristie W. Smith, Columbus State University