What Cannot Be Taught In a Classroom for Pre-Service Teachers: Cooperating Teachers Fill the Gap

Abstract

Teacher education programs face several common areas of concern for beginning teachers that include struggles with classroom management, organization, curricular and pedagogy concerns, self-efficacy, commitment to the profession, and leadership. Successful student teaching experiences are the key factor in developing future teachers, increasing student success, and keeping effective teachers in the classroom. The teaching profession is often associated with a high level of attrition in beginning teachers. School systems world-wide are faced with high turnover, which negatively impacts student learning. This paper discusses the research explored in a case study regarding cooperating teachers, their impact on self-efficacy, and the key characteristics of cooperating teachers that predict successful student teaching experiences. The study incorporated a Likert scale survey, open-ended surveys, observations, and information-gathering interviews; allowing the researcher to gain insight about student teaching experiences. The information gathered will enable others to modify teacher education programs and pre-service experiences leading to more successful initial teaching experiences.