Coteaching in early childhood clinical field experiences: a cross-case study of learning affordances

ABSTRACT

Coteaching, a model for learning to teach, places teacher candidates alongside clinical educators in classrooms. Learning occurs through shared practice and on-going explication of thinking and reflection. This cross-case study of six dyads from an undergraduate early childhood inclusive preservice education program examines ways that coteaching afforded opportunities for developing collaborative and adaptive expertise. It was found that opportunities for learning these skills were afforded through coteaching student teaching experiences, although in different ways, and that limited affordances outnumbered strong learning opportunities. Implications for further development of the early childhood coteaching teacher education model, and for professional development, are discussed.

KEYWORDS:

• Collaborative teaching
• coteaching
• preservice
• teacher thinking and knowledge
• student teaching
• teacher learning

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Jennifer Gallo-Fox

Jennifer Gallo-Fox is an Assistant Professor in Human Development and Family Sciences at the University of Delaware. Her research interests include early childhood teacher education including teacher preparation and learning in field experiences, and early childhood science teacher education and curriculum.

Lauren Stegeman

Lauren Stegeman is a PhD student in Human Development and Family Sciences at University of Delaware. Her research interests include teacher preparation, early childhood science teacher education and young children’s scientific development.