Challenges and Inspirations: Student Teachers' Experiences in Early Childhood Special Education Classrooms
Source: Teacher Education and Special Education, Vol. 34 Issue 2, p133-151, (May 2011).
The current study explores the potential challenges and learning opportunities that self-contained settings offer early childhood special education teachers in training.
The participants were five early childhood preservice students seeking dual certification.
The participants reflected on their placements in self-contained early childhood special education classrooms.
Through an analysis of their weekly student teaching journals, the authors explored students' experiences in segregated early childhood special education classrooms and implications for teacher education.
The findings revealed that including a self-contained setting as one of several field experiences encouraged future teachers to think flexibly about teaching children with special needs while enhancing their understanding of the principles behind the continuum of services.