From Vision to Practice: Aligning Cooperating Teachers with Program Mission/Vision for Cohesive Teacher Preparation

• In Event: Reimagining Mentor Support: Learning, Positionality, and Equity in Teacher Residency Programs

Abstract

Purpose
Bridging theory and practice remains a persistent challenge for many residency programs. Teacher candidates learn key concepts in coursework but encounter different practices in their clinical placements. This study examines how increased collaboration with CTs who share a program’s mission and vision can strengthen alignment between coursework and clinical practice. It explores how shared expectations and coordinated support enhance mentor engagement, improve mentoring quality, and foster relational trust, role clarity, and collaboration in preparing critically responsive educators (Glover et.al., 2024).

Theoretical framework
A practitioner-researcher perspective that values the lived experiences of educators and centers their insights in program design grounds this study. It assumes that strong alignment between coursework, clinical practice, and mentorship is essential for meaningful teacher preparation. The work views mentoring as a relational and developmental process, where CTs are co-constructors of learning rather than passive participants (Orange et.al., 2019). An assumption is that stakeholder engagement deepens when their expertise is acknowledged and their input shapes program decisions.

Methods
A mixed-method approach was employed, integrating practitioner inquiry with iterative programmatic design. Data were collected through open-ended interviews, surveys, structured observations, and informal feedback loops across multiple stakeholder groups, including CTs, faculty and staff, STEs, teacher candidates, and district partners.

Data Sources
The study draws on a range of data sources including: (a) stakeholders interviews and feedback forms/surveys; (b) pre/post surveys from events, workshops, and District Cooperating Teacher (DCT) Summer Institute; (c) CT and teacher candidate reflections; (d) usage of data and engagement metrics; (e) quarterly newsletters; (f) STE and CT placement and onboarding protocols; and (g) observations from teachers candidates, such as lesson co-planning and feedback exchanges.

Results
CTs highlighted several impactful program features, including clear onboarding processes, the Summer Institute, intentional communication, and access to resources helped develop a strong sense of purpose and service as key motivators for their participation, along with opportunities for professional growth and recognition. Structured placement protocols, consistent outreach, and co-constructed norms with district leaders improved mentor and teacher candidate clarity and validation. Data revealed that CTs’ commitment deepened when they felt part of a larger professional community and saw their feedback meaningfully reflected in program decisions. CTs also expressed a clearer understanding of their roles and expectations and shared that they felt valued when their input was acknowledged and incorporated.

Scholarly Significance
This work is focused on the development of new teachers, in bridging the gap and aligning academic coursework and field-based practice. The CT and teacher candidate relationship plays a critical role, serving as a bridge in which theory and practice are meaningfully connected. This study offers valuable insight into how residency-based teacher education programs can design equitable and sustainable systems of support for both CTs and teacher candidates. By promoting collaboration, the study contributes to the growing body of scholarship on clinically rich teacher preparation. It also provides practical, research-informed models for residency programs across the country seeking to center, support, and sustain mentor teacher participation in ways that are both impactful and responsive.

Author

• Frances Valdovinos, University of California - Riverside