The English Methods Class Matters: Professor D and the Student Teachers

Abstract

The primary question that guided this year‐long study was “To what degree do student teachers use principles and methods from their university‐based methods class in their student teaching experiences?” To respond to this question, the secondary English methods class was studied, and the prevailing theme and concepts were identified as points of emphasis. The student teaching experience in secondary English was explored through case studies of four students from the methods class. An analysis of the data revealed that the methods class and the methods professor matter, as do the student teachers’ own personal themes, which became their guiding teaching principles.