The teaching practicum: Making personal decisions

Abstract

In New Zealand the teaching practicum is an important aspect of pre-service teacher education programmes.

The relationship between the associate teacher and the student teacher for the practicum is therefore crucial. For the associate teacher and student teacher to develop a 'rich' (Elliott, 1995) professional relationship both must be active in the relationship.

In a study which investigated professional relationships the notion of personal connectedness developed as one of the themes and also became a key principle that appeared to underpin all aspects of the development of effective professional relationships between associate teachers and student teachers.

This paper discusses the factors identified in the study as being essential to the development of personal connectedness in the professional relationship.