What They Didn't Teach Us: New Teachers Reflect on their Preparation Experiences

This article describes findings from a qualitative, practically-focused study of how novice teachers perceive the relevance and effectiveness of their teacher preparation coursework. Interviews and focus groups were conducted with fourteen teachers at two highly diverse elementary schools in an urban area. Participating teachers were in their first, second or third year of teaching, and administrators and teacher mentors were interviewed to provide background information and corroborating input as well. Teachers indicated they felt well prepared in areas such as lesson planning but poorly prepared with respect to skills such as data analysis and relationship-building with students and families. This article concludes with recommendations for improved teacher preparation in areas related to both university coursework and field-based placements.