THE CHALLENGES FACED BY PRESERVICE SCIENCE TEACHERS DURING TEACHING PRACTICE

Abstract

This study investigated the challenges of teaching preservice science teachers (PSTs) articulated within the context of their practice teaching in mentor schools. Six PSTs were interviewed at the end of their fourth year in science teacher education program. All PSTs completed their practice teaching in the same mentor school. They observed two different science teachers in six, seven, and eight grade science classrooms as well as teach in those classrooms. The constant comparative method was used to analyze their interview data. The results indicated that PSTs encountered five main challenges during their teaching practice. All PSTs expressed that there were students with disabilities in the mentor school and they were not trained for teaching science in inclusive classrooms. As a result, those disable students were not involved in classroom activities. The next problem PSTs identified was that they were not allowed to make enough teaching practice in mentor schools due to mentor teachers’ concerns about covering the curriculum. The third one they clarified was that they do not have enough pedagogical content knowledge. Preservice science teachers also experienced problems with classroom assessment and classroom management due to lack of enough training. Although they took one course for measurement and evaluation, they thought they were not knowledgeable enough for assessing science learning effectively.  In terms of classroom management, they believed that they learned the theory but they lacked practice. Results were discussed and implications were made for teacher education programs.