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Problematic placement : pathways pre-service teachers’ perspectives on their infant/toddler placement
journal contribution
posted on 2012-03-01, 00:00 authored by Liz RouseLiz Rouse, Anne-Marie MorrisseyAnne-Marie Morrissey, Mark RahimiMark RahimiThe inclusion of an infant/toddler placement in a ‘pathways’ early childhood teaching degree, where students already have qualifications and experience in working with young children, can be problematic. This pilot study investigated student teachers’ views on their infant/toddler (birth-to-two-years) placement. Sixty-six students completing their early childhood education degree at an Australian university responded to a survey seeking their perspectives on the effectiveness of the placement in developing teacher confidence, knowledge and skills, and the quality of the supervision they received. The participants had entered their degree with a two-year Diploma of Children’s Services. Responses indicated significant dissatisfaction with the quality of supervision, the absence of teacher-mentors, and the lack of opportunities to practise new approaches. Participants commented that they ‘already knew’ how to work with this age group, and that they aspired to work with older children. The results align with other findings on factors associated with positive placements, and raise questions about the effectiveness of the infant/toddler placement in its current form.
History
Journal
Early years : an international journal of research and developmentVolume
32Issue
1Pagination
87 - 98Publisher
RoutledgeLocation
Abingdon, EnglandISSN
0957-5146Language
engPublication classification
C1 Refereed article in a scholarly journalCopyright notice
2011, Taylor & FrancisUsage metrics
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