Preparing for the Classroom: What Teachers Really Think about Teacher Education

This book explores and examines current topics and issues in teacher education through the lens of eight practicing teachers. Their voices add a new perspective on the effectiveness and practicality of current trends and reforms in teacher education. Their insights may help to better prepare the next generation of teachers for success and longevity in the classroom. While most teachers rate their own experience as positive, many are not satisfied with the effectiveness of current pre-service teacher education programs as a whole. In fact, less than half of the teachers surveyed by the author were mostly or very satisfied with current pre-service teacher education. This book explains why so many teachers are unsatisfied. In their own words, the teachers explain the thoughts and reasoning behind the views expressed throughout the book. Although teachers offer both praises and critiques of teacher education, the overall message is one of collaboration and partnership.

Table of Contents:
ForewordPreface Chapter 1 – A Voice for TeachersChapter 2 – Perspectives on Teacher Education Chapter 3 – Talking with Teachers About Teacher Education Chapter 4 – What Teachers Really Think About Their Teacher Education Experience Chapter 5 – What Teachers Really Think About Current Teacher Education Chapter 6 – What Teachers Really Want to Change About Teacher Education Chapter 7 – Meet the Teachers Satisfied with Their Teacher Education Experience Chapter 8 – Meet the Teachers Dissatisfied with Their Teacher Education Experience Chapter 9 – What Teachers Really Value in Teacher Education Chapter 10 – Points to Remember Final Recommendations Final Thoughts Appendix A – Teacher Survey Instrument Appendix B – Teacher Interview Instrument Appendix C – Teacher Survey Data References About the Author

About the Author :
Kevin O. Mason is an Assistant Professor of Science Education in the School of Education at the University of Wisconsin-Stout and has served as the Program Director for Science Education at UW-Stout since 2006. He previously held positions as a chemistry instructor at Wisconsin Indianhead Technical College in Rice Lake, Wisconsin, a chemistry and physics teacher at Middleton High School in Middleton, Wisconsin, and a chemistry and physics teacher at Chippewa Falls High School in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin.

Review :
Mason offers a unique approach to learning about those who provide instruction in today’s classrooms in America. He examines current practices in pre-service teacher education through the lens of practicing teachers. The author surveyed and interviewed teachers about their views on pre-service education. The use of two research methodologies allows for the triangulation of data. The survey methodology allows for a greater sample size so that the results, in this case the views of teachers, can be better generalized. The interviews provide a qualitative lens to explore the views of a smaller sample of in-service teachers in more depth. The sample was randomly selected from a list of middle and high school teachers in the state of Wisconsin. One thousand teachers were sent the survey and 191 responded (a response rate of 19.1 percent), which resulted in a confidence level of 95 percent and a margin of error of 7.1 percent for the survey results. The author reveals the core beliefs, values, and interests of the teachers interviewed, such as realistic preparation, field experience, classroom management, content preparation, group psychology professionalism, respect, and concern for unprepared student teachers. Summing Up: Recommended. Upper-division undergraduate, graduate, research, and professional collections. In the current highly politicized environment in the United States concerning public education, the conversation between university educators, pre-service teachers, and practicing teachers that is the subject of this book takes on added significance. Kevin Mason’s important work addresses the issues that concern this central conversation in an critically insightful manner, and it should become a central source in the discussion.