Chapter 28: Shifting Paradigms: Enriching Early Field Experiences

The focus in this book chapter is on how multiple and varied field experiences coordinated early in a liberal arts college-based teacher preparation program with a partner elementary school provides opportunities for first- and second-year preservice teachers to grow their understanding, engagement, and reflection around teaching. Although field experiences are common within advanced coursework of teacher preparation programs, early experiences designed as hybrid spaces for learning across a teacher preparation program are rare. Through these early field experiences, preservice teachers have more time to experience, to practice, to engage, and to prepare increasing their readiness to enter the classroom after graduation. We discuss the goals and development of three early field experiences (book and writing club, one-on-one literacy teaching and mentoring, and an after-school program) in collaboration with the same partner school. We believe our work highlights the critical role that partnering schools play as powerful allies of field experiences in preservice teacher education.