69ý

Opinion
Teacher Preparation Opinion

3 Ways to Give Preservice Teachers Meaningful Classroom Experiences

Developing confidence and finding their own style are essential
By Allison Kilgore Thompson — March 19, 2024 3 min read
A novice teacher shadow is cast across an empty classroom.
  • Save to favorites
  • Print
Email Copy URL

I recently completed a study for my dissertation that focused on a group of 11 preservice teachers during their practicum semester, just before their student-teaching would begin. One of the participants made a poignant observation that has resonated with me: Her experience felt like “the awkwardness that comes with babysitting, where you’re not really sure how much you can tell someone else’s kids … what to do because you are pretty much just a guest.”

I thought about the preservice teachers who visited my classroom and the amount of agency (or lack thereof) I had given them to practice their skills.

As I read over the participants’ reflections, I realized that we mentor teachers sometimes do a poor job of letting teacher-candidates take over our classes—we don’t want to alter the classroom culture and expectations we’ve worked hard to establish. Creating authentic practice opportunities for preservice teachers is also extra work, often taking up precious time that we need for planning, grading, and other duties. But this extra work is necessary. It’s important for future teachers to find their unique style, voice, and confidence in their teaching ability, which often comes with trial and a lot of error.

To ensure our preservice teachers get the most out of a visit, here are three significant ways we can engage and support them.

Find ways to help preservice teachers build relationships with students. Almost all participants mentioned that they felt more confident about standing in front of the class and delivering a lesson when the mentor teacher encouraged relationship-building activities with their students. One participant said, “It became quite clear that creating genuine connections with students is an important aspect of the teaching profession.”

Creating student-engagement opportunities can look like leading small-group discussions, one-on-one tutoring, or other class activities that enhance the preservice-teacher-student relationship. As another participant noted, the biggest takeaway from her practicum was “the importance of having good relationships with students.”

It’s important for future teachers to find their unique style, voice, and confidence in their teaching ability.

Be willing to relinquish control, give preservice teachers autonomy, and let them take risks. As a classroom teacher faced with daily pressure to prepare students for top performance on standardized tests, I fully understand why many are hesitant to hand our students over to a newbie educator. However, we need to also consider the importance of supporting the next generation of teachers so that they, too, can be successful. Many of my participants reported that having a mentor teacher who allowed them to experiment with teaching strategies was essential to their developing confidence as emerging teachers. One preservice teacher noted that they felt pretty nervous about developing their own teaching style until the mentor encouraged them to “get creative” and not be afraid to experiment.

Encourage preservice teachers. Research shows that confident teachers have a positive influence on student achievement, and mentor teachers who boost teacher-candidates can help build self-efficacy. Part of mentoring teacher-candidates includes keeping the lines of communication open between the mentor and the preservice teacher. One participant emphasized that being able to ask lots of questions or request help when needed made her feel like there was less risk involved in finding her instructional style. Another participant noted that when the mentor gave affirmative comments—even after mistakes—they felt more confident about learning from their efforts and trying again.

Today’s preservice teachers will soon be our colleagues. As mentors, we can support them by helping develop them into confident, self-assured educators who will stay the course.

A version of this article appeared in the April 17, 2024 edition of Education Week as How to Give Preservice Teachers Meaningful Classroom Experiences

Events

This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Artificial Intelligence Webinar
AI and Educational Leadership: Driving Innovation and Equity
Discover how to leverage AI to transform teaching, leadership, and administration. Network with experts and learn practical strategies.
Content provided by 
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
School Climate & Safety Webinar
Investing in Success: Leading a Culture of Safety and Support
Content provided by 
Assessment K-12 Essentials Forum Making Competency-Based Learning a Reality
Join this free virtual event to hear from educators and experts working to implement competency-based education.

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide — elementary, middle, high school and more.
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.

Read Next

Teacher Preparation Opinion Ed. 69ý Face a Choice: Reform or Fade Away
If schools of education are to be revitalized, it will likely be red states leading the way, an education professor argues.
Robert Maranto
5 min read
Illustration of a college campus fading away.
Education Week + iStock
Teacher Preparation Democrats and Republicans Agree Teacher Prep Needs to Change. But How?
Teacher-prep programs "have been designed essentially to mass-produce identical educators," a dean said at a congressional hearing.
7 min read
A 1st grade teacher at Capital City Public Charter School leads a lesson about bee colonies with her students.
A 1st grade teacher at Capital City Public Charter School leads a lesson about bee colonies with her students. At Sept. 25 congressional hearing focused on the quality of the nation's teacher-preparation programs.
Allison Shelley for All4Ed
Teacher Preparation Teachers' Unions Are Starting Teacher-Prep Programs. Here's What to Know
The Washington Education Association is pioneering a teacher residency for special education. Other unions are noticing.
10 min read
Patrice Madrid, left, leads a Functional Core Program for 3rd through 5th graders as part of a teacher residency program under the guidance of staff teacher Shannon Winthrow, right, at Star Lake Elementary in Kent, Wash., on May 7, 2024.
Patrice Madrid, left, leads a special education classroom for 3rd through 5th graders as part of the Washington Education Association's teacher residency program under the guidance of staff teacher Shannon Withrow, right, at Star Lake Elementary in Kent, Wash., on May 7, 2024.
Meron Menghistab for Education Week
Teacher Preparation These Preparation Programs Are Creating a 'Tutor to Teacher' Pipeline
A new pipeline offering an authentic glimpse of the profession is growing, despite patchy financial cover.
8 min read
Photograph of an adult Black woman helping a female student with an assignment.
iStock/Getty