A Communities of Practice Approach to Field Experiences in Teacher Education

This article argues that prospective teachers who have the most productive experiences withinpre-student teaching field experiences are those whose field sites allow them to become membersof communities of practice, the conditions of which, according to Wenger (1998) include jointenterprise, mutual engagement, and shared repertoire. Employing interviews and contentanalysis of documents, the researchers explored the experiences of a cohort of teacher candidatesin a pre-student teaching practicum to better understand elements of field experience that mightinfluence identity development. We highlight the cases of two prospective teachers as illustrativeand contrasting experiences of the cohort as a whole. We conclude by offering recommendationsfor how teacher education programs might assist prospective teachers with negotiating forconditions within field sites that allow for productive participation and growth.