Open AccessTeacher Candidates as the Teacher of Record Assists Partner School Districts With the Teacher Shortage
Author(s) -
G M A Stephen Rich,
Linda G. Smith,
Kristi Alexander
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
educational renaissance
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 2161-1602
DOI - 10.33499/edren.v9i1.131
Subject(s) - economic shortage , medical education , quality (philosophy) , teacher preparation , perception , school district , teacher education , political science , psychology , pedagogy , medicine , mathematics education , physics , linguistics , philosophy , quantum mechanics , neuroscience , government (linguistics)
This research essay examined a growing trend in a rural area of the Midwest where PK–12 school districts are partnering with a local university to hire teacher candidates (TCs) as the Teachers of Record (TORs). Many rural school districts are challenged to address the teacher shortage. As a result, many school districts are hiring TCs as the TOR during the TC’s student-teaching experience. Due to the limited research on the topic, this paper aimed to determine if appointing the TC as the TOR was an effective practice. We used three data sources to gauge the perceptions of the TC, the TC’s mentor, and the TC’s administrator. Meeting the needs of partnering districts and providing quality placements for TCs engaged in the culminating field experience can be mutually beneficial for teacher candidates, the school district, and the university.