Looking Back at Their Futures: Preservice Middle Level Teachers’ Examination of Past Educational Experiences

Abstract

The researchers investigated the reflections of preservice middle school teachers (PSMTs) who were enrolled in an activity-based middle level social studies methods course. These reflections concerned the students’ past educational experiences. Through weekly journals, the PSMTs were encouraged to reflect on course activities and relate them to the perceived effectiveness of teacher-centered and student-centered methodologies experienced in K–12 and college settings. Findings indicated that the analysis and evaluation of past educational experiences grew in complexity throughout the course. As the course progressed, the participants actively integrated the current activities into reconceptualizations of their past experiences. The researchers recommend future work with preservice teachers’ reflections to address preservice teachers’ perceptions of the reflective process and the effects on future practice.