Shared Perceptions: How Interns and Their Cooperating Teachers View Concerns Facing Interns

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to compare the perceptions of intern concerns held by cooperating teachers and their interns. Measures of instructional, classroom management, discipline, and attitudinal concerns were obtained before and after a 10-week internship, using a researcher-developed instrument. Subjects were 56 interns in early childhood and elementary education and 37 public school teachers who served as cooperating teachers for these students. Data analysis indicated that prior to the internship 27 of 39 items on the survey were concerns shared by both groups, primarily instructional or discipline concerns. After the internship, one remaining concern was shared by both groups. Fifteen continuing concerns were expressed by cooperating teachers but not by interns.