Revisiting the Two-Worlds Pitfall: Student Teachers and Scripted Curriculum

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Wednesday 1:45 pm - Gold 1
  In Roundtable Session: Flip the Script: Reframing Teacher Education for Professional Growth, Learning, and Justice

Abstract

This qualitative study investigates how scripted curricula shape preservice teachers’ (PSTs) experiences during student teaching. Drawing on interviews with 17 PSTs, findings reveal tensions between pedagogies emphasized in university preparation and the rigid mandates of scripted instruction. Early childhood and elementary PSTs, in particular, faced limited autonomy, constrained opportunities for differentiation, and curricular misalignment with asset-based, culturally responsive practices. Framed by the “two worlds pitfall,” this study highlights the disconnect between theory and practice and its impact on novice educators’ development. The study urges teacher preparation programs and districts to collaboratively address the curricular misalignment that threatens the integrity of responsive pedagogical training.

Authors

• Danielle Sutherland, Towson University

• Stephanie Michelle Moody, Towson University

• Bethany M. Rice, Towson University

• Laura Jacobs, Towson University