How pre-service teachers’ sense of teaching efficacy and preparedness to teach impact performance during student teaching

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between early childhood/elementary pre-service teachers’ sense of teaching efficacy and feelings of preparedness and actual performance during student teaching. Findings indicate that both perceptions of preparedness and sense of teaching efficacy increased significantly during student teaching. Pre-service teachers’ performance in the classroom was positively correlated with their feelings of preparedness to teach but not with their teaching efficacy. Results of a multiple regression (F(2,46) = 54.66, p = .038) indicate that there was a moderate but significant predictive relationship between Efficacy and Preparedness in combination, explaining 13% of the variance of performance during student teaching. Responses to open-ended questions indicated the most important part of pre-service teachers’ preparation included the observing and participating in classrooms; the opportunity to learn from more than one experienced teacher; and feedback from their cooperating teachers and university supervisor.

KEYWORDS:

• Preservice teacher efficacy
• student teaching
• preservice teacher preparedness; student teaching

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Amber L. Brown

Amber L. Brown graduated from the University of North Texas with a doctorate degree in Early Childhood Education. She is a former preschool and elementary teacher as well as a former preschool director. In addition to many years of private and public school experience, Dr. Brown has conducted parent involvement training for teachers and parent educators at school districts as well as state and national conferences. Dr. Brown is currently an Assistant Professor in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction at the University of Houston – Clear Lake. Her research focuses on early childhood intervention, parent and family engagement, and development of efficacy in pre-service teachers. Recent publications are in the Teacher Education and Practice, Journal of Early Childhood Research, and Early Education and Development.

Joyce Myers

Dr. Joyce Myers is a Clinical Assistant Professor in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction at the University of Texas Arlington. She completed her doctorate in Early Childhood Education at the University of North Texas. She has been a faculty member in the Elementary Education program at the University of Texas Arlington for nine years. She is a former elementary school principal and classroom teacher.

Denise Collins

Dr. Denise Collins is the Associate Dean of Educational Field Experiences in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction at the University of Texas at Arlington. She has been a faculty member in the Elementary program at UTA for 11 years. She was the Director of Preschool Teacher Education at Southern Methodist University. For 14 years at Eastfield Community College, she was an instructor in the teacher Education program and the lead instructor in the “Preschooler’s at Risk” grant. She was a consultant in the Early Reading Program for Educational First Steps and the Parent Education Coordinator for Dallas Association for Parent Education. She taught several courses at Texas Woman’s University.