The Study
Teacher educators are not only preparing future teachers to be professional, but also knowledgeable about education reform and new methods of teaching. For interns involved in student teaching, their search for a professional identity often becomes frustrating in classrooms where more traditional teaching practices exist. Cheryl L. Rosaen, a professor of teacher education at Michigan State University, and Pamela Schram, a professor of teacher education at Appalachian State University in Boone, North Carolina, developed what they called a "language of possibility" in a support or "inquiry" group to provide seven interns with a way to discuss and work toward positive outcomes with such conflicts.

The Findings
Rosaen and Schram led the group, which met throughout the year not only to support the students, but also to give them the tools to express concerns, share expertise and foster reflection on what they were learning. The experiences described in this paper illustrate how the discourse of the group supported two interns, Maureen and Deanna, in finding ways to control their own professional learning and to act on their emerging philosophies in the midst of powerful challenges from existing classroom norms. During interviews at the end of the yearlong program, the interns described these group experiences as very positive and successful. Maureen recalled it as an "inspiring time," and referred to the group as a place to "remember all my old goals and my way of thinking," as well as a place to "vent" in a "safe environment." The findings also suggest that interns were able to accomplish things in the group that they could not have accomplished by working alone. When Deanna came to the group after what she called the "worst lesson" of her life involving a rote worksheet on zero and division, the group played a central role in turning Deanna's attention away from her frustration and toward what she could do to follow up on the topic with her students.

What It Means to You
A support group for interns may work as a model for school districts that wish to provide student teachers with encouragement and help when they confront what sometimes can become conflicting sets of expectations within the school and university contexts. Does your school or district provide opportunities for interns and student teachers to meet and discuss teaching methods?

More Information
To learn more about this inquiry group, consult Rosaen, C. L., and Schram, P., "Becoming a Member of the Teaching Profession: Learning a Language of Possibility," Teaching and Teacher Education, 1998, Vol. 14, No. 3., pp. 283-303.

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