“I’ve overcome a mountain that had little hills”: teacher candidates’ perspectives of student teaching during a global pandemic

Abstract In the fall of 2020, two teacher educators conducted a qualitative study to better understand how 14 female undergraduate, early childhood education teacher candidates completing student teaching at a large public university in a Midwestern state, navigated student teaching during a global pandemic. Analyzing data from transcripts of regularly submitted teaching reflections, we examined how these novice educators perceived and reacted to this situation, to determine the influence of this unique event on their professional growth. Findings revealed that while some elements of student teaching appeared similar to the experience of candidates completing student teaching in earlier times, these candidates’ experience was colored by the unavoidable challenges of a global pandemic, including altered instructional experiences, professional interactions, student relationships, and pedagogical options. Because candidates student teaching during the pandemic had such different experiences than their earlier counterparts, a traditional menu of learning opportunities and mentoring will likely be insufficient to meet their varied development requirements as new teachers. It will be critical to scrutinize the skills, knowledge base, and emotional perspectives of each early career educator and to create individualized development and support plans that build on the unique opportunities and challenges they will carry into their first teaching positions.