Critical Reflective Teaching: A Constructivist Approach to Professional Development in Student Teaching.

This paper compares the professional beliefs and teaching behaviors of traditional and nontraditional/adult teacher candidates during their student teaching experience. Data for the study came from 45 elementary student teachers' structured, weekly autobiographical critical reflections written during their student teaching. Participants were predominantly white females who ranged in age from 20 to 47 years. The reflections facilitated their ability to examine their assumptions, operational theories, and focus issues, illustrating the self-evaluation dynamics of becoming critically reflective beginning teachers. Students were given structured questions that guided their weekly reflections. Analysis of the journal entries, observations of student teaching, and preand post-lesson interviews provided data for the study. Results indicated that there were marked differences in the developmental process of becoming a teacher. Most nontraditional students entered the experience with more self-confidence and were convinced they wanted to teach after a week in the schools, whereas most traditional candidates expressed doubts about ever becoming teachers. Despite their doubts, the traditional students were rated as highly as their nontraditional counterparts in the teacher education program's competencies and requirements. Nontraditional students viewed and interacted with cooperating teachers as peers and friends, whereas traditional candidates felt they could not overstep boundaries. Nontraditional candidates were more career focused. (Contains 25 references.) (SM) ******************************************************************************** * Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made * from the original document. * ******************************************************************************** CRITICAL REFLECTIVE TEACHING: A CONSTRUCTIVIST APPROACH TO PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN STUDENT TEACHING American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education Annual Meeting in New Orleans, Louisiana February 25 28, 1998 Dr. Yvonne E. Rodriguez Professor of Education Areas of Specialization: Adult and Continuing Education, Management and Organization Pre-service Teacher Education Curriculum and Instruction; Multicultural Education; Bilingual/ESL Education; Outcomes Assessment; Urban Education BEST COPY AVAILABLE Dr. Barbara R. Sjostrom Associate Professor of Education Ms. Ida lis Alvarez Student Teacher Researcher Rowan University 201 Mullica Hill Road Glassboro, New Jersey 08028-1701 New Jersey 08028-1701 (609) 2564500 x 3807 or 3811 (o) (609) 783-5970 (h) Fax: (609) 256-4918 E-mail: Rodriguez@Rowan.edu PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE AND DISSEMINATE THIS MATERIAL HAS BEEN GRANTED BY TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) 1 U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Office of Educational Research and Improvement EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) This document has been reproduced as received from the person or organization originating it. Minor changes have been made to improve reproduction quality. Points of view or opinions stated in this document do not necessarily represent official OERI position or policy.