Vickie E. Lake

Love, Love, and More Love for Children: Exploring Preservice Teachers' Understandings of Caring.

Abstract The development of an ethic of care is seen as a central concern of teacher education, however little attention has been paid to the preconceived conceptions of caring held by preservice teachers. In this article we share the results of a recent study of a group of preservice elementary teachers in which we examined the understandings of the relationship of caring and teaching brought by these novices to their first field placement experiences. Rather than seeing our students’ partial and limited understandings as problematic, we argue that the student teachers’ preconceptions can be an ideal starting point for productive, educative dialogue about caring and elementary school teaching practice.

Preparing beginning reading teachers: An experimental comparison of initial early literacy field experiences

This randomized-control trial examined the learning of preservice teachers taking an initial Early Literacy course in an early childhood education program and of the kindergarten or first grade students they tutored in their field experience. Preservice teachers were randomly assigned to one of two tutoring programs: Book Buddies and Tutor Assisted Intensive Learning Strategies (TAILS), which provided identical meaning-focused instruction (shared book reading), but differed in the presentation of code-focused skills. TAILS used explicit, scripted lessons, and the Book Buddies required that code-focused instruction take place during shared book reading. Our research goal was to understand which tutoring program would be most effective in improving knowledge about reading, lead to broad and deep language and preparedness of the novice preservice teachers, and yield the most successful student reading outcomes. Findings indicate that all preservice teachers demonstrated similar gains in knowledge, but preservice teachers in the TAILS program demonstrated broader and deeper application of knowledge and higher self-ratings of preparedness to teach reading. Students in both conditions made similar comprehension gains, but students tutored with TAILS showed significantly stronger decoding gains.

Integration of science and mathematics methods and preservice teachers’ understanding of constructivism

Abstract The study examined the integration of science and mathematics methods courses and preservice teachers’ understanding of constructivism. The participants were 50 preservice teachers who were enrolled in early childhood education mathematics and science methods courses, and an early childhood practicum. The two methods courses were integrated and the instructors adopted a collaborative approach, including common syllabi, texts, assignments, and teaching strategies. The preservice teachers completed e‐journal reflection that were subsequently coded and analyzed. The findings suggested that the instructional approach enabled students to develop and refine their understanding of constructivism.

Integrating mathematics and science in undergraduate early childhood teacher education programs

Abstract In this article, we examine the integration of science and mathematics teaching in early childhood education. We explore the meaning of integration and offer a rationale for integrating science and mathematics methods classes for pre‐service teachers. The case is made that pre‐service teachers should develop an understanding of the connections between mathematics and science so that they can be better prepared to teach with an emphasis on the connections between these two content areas.

Preservice teachers' struggle to transfer metacognitive processes from their integrated mathematics and science methods classes to their field classrooms

Abstract This study determined the extent to which preservice teachers used metacognitive lessons and prompts when teaching science and mathematics to kindergarten and first‐grade children. Twenty‐eight preservice teachers taught 10 mathematics and/or science lessons to various classes of kindergarten and first‐grade children. Their children used journaling to record the procedures, observations, conclusions, and reflections employed during the lesson. Most journal entries were used to record content while some were used to reflect on the meaning of the activities. The findings are discussed in terms of preservice teachers’ apparent difficulties in applying in their field settings what they have learned in their methods courses.

Literacy Focused Service-Learning Projects as a Tool to Augment Children's Literature Courses.

Abstract Teacher educators are often searching for methods and/or techniques to enhance and expand the content of their courses. As teacher educators, we do not want to introduce new methodology that detracts our students’ attention away from the course content. However, we need to keep our courses current and interesting for ourselves as well as for our students. Several teacher educators at one institution have begun including service‐learning projects into their preservice and inservice teachers’ courses as a way to augment the standard curriculum. The focus of this study is to illustrate how service‐learning was incorporated into the existing childrens literature course and share the five cooperative projects that resulted from this integration.

‘Practice in teaching should be practice in caring’ fidelity in teacher education

Abstract As we move forward in the new millennium, the call for reform in teacher education programs increases. One reform model, offered by Nel Noddings, focuses on the students’ affect, emotion, and intellect. Noddings proposes the use of fidelity—focusing on the individual and the quality of relationships—as a cornerstone in teaching and teacher education. Fidelity in teacher education utilizes a process that includes modeling, dialogue, practice, and confirmation. This paper explores the fundamentals of a fidelity‐based approach to teacher education and examines a university course and its fieldwork component by analyzing the structure and methods of each using the fidelity framework. If we expect our pre‐service teachers to create caring learning environments, they must first be taught about caring environments by their professors. The use of fidelity in teacher education programs is one model that allows for caring environments as well as content application.

Children's stories of hope: moving toward an expanded understanding of the world children live in

This qualitative study that allowed children to be the dominant voice examined childrens stories of hope. Twenty‐nine kindergarten children through to third graders were interviewed using familiar school items: story board, pictures, puppets, and so on. One elementary school, located in a large southwestern metropolitan city, was selected for this study. Data was coded and prominent themes emerged illustrating that children are much more moral than many adults give them credit for. Approximately one‐half of the stories shared focused not on the childrens wants or “hopes”, but on others – classmates, friends, family, or extended relatives. The findings support research that highlights the issues of care, concern, and compassion that are a priority for young children.