Challenging and Rewarding: Being Both a Paraprofessional and a Preservice Teacher during a Global Pandemic

Abstract

The role of the preservice teacher, during the final semester of the collegiate journey, has typically consisted of a fixed amount of time spent in one classroom as an opportunity to learn the day-to-day operations. This includes lesson planning, classroom management, and all other duties of the assigned teacher. Factor in a global pandemic, and the process shifts. In this study, the researchers present a new dynamic to the preservice teacher experience – serving as a paraprofessional. This qualitative analysis provides a snapshot of four preservice teachers’ experiences in this newly developed dual role of student teacher and paraprofessional during a pandemic.