International Association of Educators   |  ISSN: 2834-7919   |  e-ISSN: 1554-5210

Original article | International Journal of Progressive Education 2017, Vol. 13(2) 165-179

Pre-Service Teachers’ Evaluation of Their Mentor Teachers, School Experiences, and Theory–Practice Relationship

Ecenaz Alemdağ & Pınar Özdemir Şimşek

pp. 165 - 179   |  Manu. Number: ijpe.2017.021

Published online: June 01, 2017  |   Number of Views: 572  |  Number of Download: 1475


Abstract

This case study investigated practicum experiences of pre-service teachers by focusing on their evaluation of mentor teachers, school experiences, and theory–practice relationships. Interviews were conducted with six teacher candidates, and observations in the participants’ practice schools were made. The results revealed that mentor teachers had both positive and negative qualities with respect to social support, professional support, and role-modeling mentoring functions. Moreover, pre-service teachers reported that they mostly experienced or felt difficulty in classroom management; parallel with this difficulty, their learning gains in classroom management were the highest. These teachers also emphasized that there was no relationship between theory and practice in teacher education and that developmental psychology and communication courses and those presenting teaching-related cases were effective at building readiness for the teaching profession. Based on the findings, several suggestions for future practices were proposed in the study.

Keywords: Teacher education; cooperating teacher; teaching practice; student teachers; professional development


How to Cite this Article?

APA 6th edition
Alemdag, E. & Simsek, P.O. (2017). Pre-Service Teachers’ Evaluation of Their Mentor Teachers, School Experiences, and Theory–Practice Relationship. International Journal of Progressive Education, 13(2), 165-179.

Harvard
Alemdag, E. and Simsek, P. (2017). Pre-Service Teachers’ Evaluation of Their Mentor Teachers, School Experiences, and Theory–Practice Relationship. International Journal of Progressive Education, 13(2), pp. 165-179.

Chicago 16th edition
Alemdag, Ecenaz and Pinar Ozdemir Simsek (2017). "Pre-Service Teachers’ Evaluation of Their Mentor Teachers, School Experiences, and Theory–Practice Relationship". International Journal of Progressive Education 13 (2):165-179.