Strengthening developmental trajectories toward responsiveness: Learning to teach at the middle-level

Abstract

Many middle level teacher education programs attempt to explicitly address goals such as developmental responsiveness, empowerment and equity. Over the past 3 years, faculty at a regional comprehensive university explored perceptions of professional growth among middle level teacher candidates in a program that attempts to meet these aspirations. Analysis of reflective essays written in response to course assignments have documented ways that participants expressed views of themselves as teachers who reflected the values emphasized during professional courses and internships. Reflecting on internships provided opportunities for participants to analyze classroom experiences using these values as lenses, questioning themselves at times and affirming their values with concrete examples at other times. Insights from this study have guided faculty in designing a developmental framework that scaffolds teacher learning more precisely. Examples from student work provide illustrations of one candidate’s learning trajectory.

Keywords:

• curriculum
• learning trajectory
• middle grades teacher education

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Holly H. Pinter

Holly H. Pinter, Ph.D., is an assistant professor of middle grades education at Western Carolina University in Cullowhee, NC. E-mail: [email protected]

Kim K. Winter

Kim K. Winter, Ph.D., is the Dean of College of Education and Allied Professions at Western Carolina University in Cullowhee, NC. E-mail: [email protected]

David Strahan

David Strahan, Ed.D., is a distinguished professor of middle grades education at Western Carolina University in Cullowhee, NC. E-mail: [email protected]