Infant/toddler mentor teachers’ professional learning through weekly co-planning meetings with preservice teachers

Abstract

ABSTRACT Using communities of practice as a theoretical framework, the present study explored seven infant and toddler teachers’ professional learning in the context of weekly co-planning meetings with preservice teachers in four classrooms over one semester. Data sources included semi-structured interviews, observations, video-recordings, documents, and fieldnotes. The findings show that the teachers considered co-planning as crucial to their professional development. During co-planning, the teachers gained multiple perspectives through collective discussions; engaged in critical reflection; created new ideas of practice collaboratively; and enhanced their sense of professionalism. In addition, the preservice teachers were catalysts for the teachers’ reflection. The discussion highlights co-planning as a vehicle for sustaining a culture of reflective practice and collaborative inquiry; an opportunity to co-construct new knowledge and practice; and a space where teacher autonomy, collaboration, and experiential learning intersect to empower teachers in professional learning. Lastly, the study discusses ways to honor and support infant and toddler teachers’ professionalism.