Bonded Relationships: Supporting Pre-service Teachers to Develop Confidence and Competency as Elementary Literacy Educators
Abstract
Relationships matter in learning and in particular they matter for pre-service teachers engaged in learning how to teach in Midwest University, USA. This article reports findings from an 18-month long study that investigated how relationships supported and constrained four elementary pre-service literacy teachers’ professional identities as competent and confident novice teachers. Through discourse analysis, findings indicate an establishment of a bonded relationship between participants and with mentors. Language reveals the bonded relationships offer critical support for pre-service teachers in construction of their professional identities as knowledgeable and confident teachers. Implications for teacher educators to create spaces conducive to bonded relationships are included.
Reference
Ticknor, A., & Cavendish, L. (2015). Bonded relationships: Supporting pre-service teachers to develop confidence and competency as elementary literacy educators. Teacher Development, 19(4), 520-534.
Journal
Teacher development
Analysis
Is this article part of a larger project or series of studies?
yes
Does this study draw on a large, preexisting data set?
no
Research Approach
Geographic Setting
Institutional Context
Certification Level
Programatic Focus
Research Location Context
Preservice Participants
- Undergraduates in a Reading and Language Arts methods course
Preservice Sample Size
4
Duration of Data Collection
Data Sources
Data Analysis Tools
- Content analysis
- Discourse analysis (conversational analysis)
Researcher Positionality
Research Questions
"How did relationships support and constrain four elementary pre-service teachers’ professional identities as competent novice teachers in a teacher education program in the Midwest region of the United States?" (p.3).
Is this research question explicit from the manuscript? Yes