SUCCESSFUL TEACHER PREPARATION PROGRAM CHARACTERISTICS

The purpose of this research was to pinpoint specific characteristics of a successful teacher preparation program which produces successful teachers for the K-12 educational system. Today’s K-12 educational systems have evolved faster than most teacher preparation programs. The researcher utilized four mixed methods surveys to ascertain the viewpoints of administrators, teachers, and recent teacher candidate graduates from the past two years, as well as teacher preparation program faculty perceptions of the recent graduates’ self-reported opinions. In addition, two small focus groups discussed survey topics into further depth. One key aspect of the research exposed classroom management as the quintessential skill new teachers must possess to be successful, yet most new teachers, administrators, and seasoned teachers reported ill-preparedness. Vast amounts of clinical experiences were exposed as the crucial element of a teacher preparation program. The measurements researcher credited an extensive and intentional clinical experience program as the most important piece of a teacher preparation program. Due to the localized research, this study is not transferrable but may be used as a stepping stone for further research.