Section archive - Instruction in Teacher Training

This article explores the possible role of teaching portfolios as an effective tool both for the negotiation of identity and for the demonstration of teaching competence. Through examining the perceptions of teachers who are in their first five years of teaching, the authors seek to re-frame teaching portfolios in relation to repertoires of practice, a sociocultural historical phrase referring to shared competencies within a given community. The authors conclude that this re-framing enables novice teachers to understand competencies as the repertoires of the teaching profession and that they can enact these repertoires, or competencies, through a range of different practices.

The goal of this study was to determine if levels of teacher education and experience would influence how teachers respond to children's play needs in a preschool classroom. Eight teachers participated in the study. The interactions of the teachers were videotaped and analyzed. Findings show that teachers with high levels of education and experience were more likely to perform good-fit play interactions. In contrast, low/high teachers were more likely to provide poor-fit responses to play, often giving direct support when none was needed.

This paper describes the first three years of collaboration between a university's early childhood teacher education program and a hospital's program for families of children with special needs. Using a transdisciplinary model, the mission of this partnership is to prepare a new generation of teachers who excel in helping children with and without disabilities thrive.

The current paper describes challenging practicum situations that provided three early childhood education students with leadership opportunities to promote best practices in child care centers. Using excerpts from student journals and meetings, the article documents students' initial discouragement at practices observed.