Lessons Learned from Paired Field Experience Placements

Sue MauIPFW

Samantha McGlennen, Southwest Allen County Schools

Better Together

IPFW is an Equal Opportunity/Equal Access University.

How this all began

• Problem: Interns had no experience working with the entire class prior to student teaching

• Student teaching seemed like being thrown into deep (and perhaps ice) water

• Attended AMTE Annual Conference in 2008Romagnano, Peterson, Leatham, Evans, Gilmore, & Takahasi

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Request to Sam (and Cathy Paff)• Can we come as groups of four, plan with you,

teach in pairs, and reflect with you?

• Oh, and by the way, can I videotape them and you during teaching?

• Can we do this for two rounds—meaning six weeks?

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First year assignments…

• Reflective writing prompts determined as I watched them teach

• Lesson plans turned in to me

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And then things changed…

• Single placements now for student teaching.

• The field experience model was not ideal.

• We became more purposeful in our work.

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Second-year placement details…• Interns came on consecutive days.

• Interns came to the same class each day.

• Some interns wishing they had known dates and times prior to the start of the semester.

• One summer, interns contacted about placement details—dates and times.

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Second-year purposeful assignments• List all questions on video 1 and sort them by

Bloom’s taxonomy.

• List all answers and sort them by Bloom’s taxonomy.

• Watch video 2 or 3. Analyze the math talk in light of NCTM Professional Teaching Standards.

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Informal, but purposeful, assignments• Because they came to methods directly from

field experience, Sam would send e-mail about the day’s joys and struggles.

• Because Sam was beginning to take ownership, she would assign reflective writing to be sent to her…and say to me, “I hope that’s okay.”

• Sue was elated!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Future Plans…four years ago…• Desire to mimic student teaching experience on

smaller scale as closely as possible.

• Through OASIS, interns will register for a specific section of field experience during specific dates.

• Hope that other colleagues at IPFW will partner in this to extend the time in middle school classrooms.

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Where things stand now

• Scheduling issues at IPFW • Work schedules• Class schedules

• Scheduling issues at Summit• Same classes back-to-back• Traditional versus block

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Where things stand now

• We have all 60 hours in Sam’s classroom.

• Sue’s methods colleagues give assignments for field based on the interns’ presence in Sam’s room.

• There’s meat to methods class.

• Sam’s Sharks take ownership.

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Where things stand now

• Lesson planning dovetails with CAEP Key Assessment—unit plan.

• Surprisingly, or not, all that we have experienced fits nicely with the current research on paired field and/or student teaching placements.

IPFW is an Equal Opportunity/Equal Access University.

Briefly, research says PSTs…• Engaged in more frequent and varied

communication (Bullough et al., 2002; Gardiner & Robinson, 2009; Gardiner & Robinson, 2011),

IPFW is an Equal Opportunity/Equal Access University.

Briefly, research says PSTs…• Engaged in more frequent and varied communication

(Bullough et al., 2002; Gardiner & Robinson, 2009; Gardiner & Robinson, 2011),

• Increased their willingness to take pedagogic risks (Gardeiner & Robinson, 2009; Bullough et al., 2002; Bullough et al., 2003),

IPFW is an Equal Opportunity/Equal Access University.

Briefly, research says PSTs…• Engaged in more frequent and varied communication

(Bullough et al., 2002; Gardiner & Robinson, 2009; Gardiner & Robinson, 2011),

• Increased their willingness to take pedagogic risks (Gardeiner & Robinson, 2009; Bullough et al., 2002; Bullough et al., 2003),

• Improved their levels of reflection (Gardiner & Robinson, 2009),

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Briefly, research says PSTs…• Found methods for collaboration and

cooperation in the teaching action (Bullough, 2003; Gardiner & Robinson, 2009; Gardiner & Robinson, 2011),

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Briefly, research says PSTs…• Found methods for collaboration and cooperation in the

teaching action (Bullough, 2003; Gardiner & Robinson, 2009; Gardiner & Robinson, 2011),

• Had better classroom management (Bullough et al., 2003),

IPFW is an Equal Opportunity/Equal Access University.

Briefly, research says PSTs…• Found methods for collaboration and cooperation in the

teaching action (Bullough, 2003; Gardiner & Robinson, 2009; Gardiner & Robinson, 2011),

• Had better classroom management (Bullough et al., 2003),

• Found strategies to handle tensions in perspective and performance (Gardiner & Robinson, 2011),

IPFW is an Equal Opportunity/Equal Access University.

Briefly, research says PSTs…• Found that PSTs worried that a paired placement

did not reflect the reality of employment as a teacher (Bullough et al., 2003; Gardiner & Robinson, 2011).

IPFW is an Equal Opportunity/Equal Access University.

Students learned…

• It’s not all about the math.

The first day we taught felt so hectic and overwhelming, but the more we go, I’ve started to feel more laid back and confident working with the students.

We feel so stupid. We’re math majors ….we should be able to do this simple math!

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Students learned…

• It’s not all about the math…or is it?

The biggest surprise so far is just how many different ways there are to look at a single problem or concept...some students’ ideas have seemingly come from way out in left field. It’s been a challenge to figure out where they’re coming from and whether or not their ideas are valid mathematically.

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Students learned…

• Questioning is hard—it’s so much easier to tell them.

In all honesty I am completely in shock right now; I thought my questioning was one of my greatest skills and turns out I have very little aptitude for it. … I also need to ensure that the students have something mathematical to be thinking about throughout the lesson rather than just looking at me talk.

IPFW is an Equal Opportunity/Equal Access University.

Students learned…

• Questioning is hard—it’s so much easier to tell them.

Asking the right questions and using the responses students give to promote a good class discussion is not an easy task.

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Students learned…

• Questioning is hard—it’s so much easier to tell them.

I need to answer less, question more, and ask my questions in such a manner that they will fall into the synthesis and analysis categories of Bloom's Taxonomy. … As much as I hated the thought of typing all the questions and answers from my first video, this has truly helped me. Thank you.

IPFW is an Equal Opportunity/Equal Access University.

Students learned…

• Classroom management is more than classroom discipline.

Classroom management and asking thought provoking questions I believe have a symbiotic relationship. The better the questions are, the easier the class is to manage.

IPFW is an Equal Opportunity/Equal Access University.

Students learned…

• Classroom management is more than classroom discipline.

I want to get comfortable with the silence of students’ thinking. If the students are actively thinking about the problem, they more likely than not will not be able to give an instantaneous response.

IPFW is an Equal Opportunity/Equal Access University.

Students learned…

• Classroom management is complicated.

I feel like I need six brains to keep track of everything!

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Students learned…

• Reflection takes time…and sometimes that time comes in the car during the drive back to campus.

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Students learned…

• Reflection takes time.

What I didn't realize is that true teaching takes place when the students are prompted to discover concepts on their own and are allowed to struggle in the process.

I'll be a good teacher, because I'll use my mistakes to make me a better teacher.

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And finally …

The experience has given me a true appreciation for the effort that goes into their daily process for planning, teaching, analyzing, and revising…it gives me more insight on the challenges of their job.

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And finally …

Yet again, what I remember is better than what’s on the tape.

We’ve not seen teaching like this at the high school! We are so thankful for this opportunity to plan, teach and reflect together.

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We learned…

• Interns need to come on consecutive days to see the results of their teaching.

• Interns need time to reflect—time between teaching and reflection and time with peers for reflection.

• Consecutive days helped interns build relationships with students and school corporation.

• Four interns makes a difference.

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What Sue learned…

• A good field experience can lead to exceptional teacher/math talk during methods class.

• A good field experience can help me think about what teachers need to know.

• A good field experience can enhance one’s professional life.

• A good field experience leads to the comfort of a colleague.

IPFW is an Equal Opportunity/Equal Access University.

What Sam learned…

• The advantage of learning and reflecting on researched-based strategies helps me be a better teacher.

• Opening my classroom forces me to take time to reflect on my own teaching.

• Mentoring is a “two-way street.”

IPFW is an Equal Opportunity/Equal Access University.

Moral of the story

• Four brains isn’t quite six, but it’s better than one.

IPFW is an Equal Opportunity/Equal Access University.

Moral of the story

• Four brains isn’t quite six, but it’s better than one.

• Those interns in the back notice what’s happening at the front.

IPFW is an Equal Opportunity/Equal Access University.

Moral of the story

• Four brains isn’t quite six, but it’s better than one.

• Those interns in the back notice what’s happening at the front.

• Nearly immediate reflection begins to be effective.

IPFW is an Equal Opportunity/Equal Access University.

Moral of the story

• Four brains isn’t quite six, but it’s better than one.

• Those interns in the back notice what’s happening at the front.

• Nearly immediate reflection begins to be effective.

• Metacognitive and reflective teaching is in their future.

IPFW is an Equal Opportunity/Equal Access University.

Reference• Bullough, R. V., Jr., Young, J. Erickson, L., Birrell, J. R., Clark, C. D., Egan,

M. W., Berrie, C. F., Hales, V., & Smith, G. (2002). Rethinking field experience: Partnership teaching versus single-placement teaching. Journal of Teacher Education, 53(1), 68-80.

• Bullough, R., V. Jr., Young, J., Birrell, J. R., Clark, C. D., Egan, M. W., Erickson, L., Frankovick, M., Brunette. K/. & Welling, M. (2003). Teaching with a peer: A comparison of two models of student teaching. Teaching and Teacher Education, 19, 57-73.

• Bullough, R. V., Jr., Young, J. R., Hall, K. M., Draper, R. J., & Smith, L. K. (2008). Cognitive complexity, the first year of teaching, and mentoring. Teaching and Teacher Education, 24, 1846-1858.

IPFW is an Equal Opportunity/Equal Access University.

Reference• Gardiner, W., & Robinson, K. S. (2009). Paired field placements: A means for

collaboration. The New Educator, 5(1), 81-94. ISSN: 1549-9243 online.

• Gardiner, W., & Robinson, K. S. (2009). Peer field placements with preservice teachers: Negotiating the challenges of professional collaboration. The Professional Educator, 35(2). http://www.theprofessionaleducator.org/articles/Gardiner_final.pdf

• Leatham, K. R., & Peterson, B. E. (2010). Purposefully designing student teaching to focus on students’ mathematical thinking. AMTE Monograph 7, Mathematics Teaching: Putting Research into Practice at All Levels. Pp. 225-239.

IPFW is an Equal Opportunity/Equal Access University.

Reference

• National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE). (2008). http://ncate.org/Standards/tabid/107/Default.aspx

• National Council of Teachers of Mathematics SPA Standards http://www.ncate.org/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket-ePLYvSRCulg%3d&tabid+676

• National Council of Teachers of Mathematics SPA Standards draft 2012 http://www.nctm.org/uploadedFiles/Math_Standards/NCTM%20NCATE20%20Standards%20Revision%20and%Math%20Content%20-%20Secondary.pdf

IPFW is an Equal Opportunity/Equal Access University.

Reference

• Romagnano, L., Peterson, B., Leatham, K., Evans, B., Gilmore, D., & Takahasi, A. (2008). Lesson Study in Preservice Mathematics Teacher Preparation: Alternative Models of Student Teaching. Annual meeting of the Association of Mathematics Teacher Educators, Tulsa, Oklahoma.