In Their Own Words: What Student Art Teachers Say They Learn and Need

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The student teaching experience is often consideted to be the final phase of art teachers' preservice preparation. For most, the internship is a time of relating theory to reality, of putting learning into practice. At its best, student teaching helps make prior training relevant and establishes a positive professional outlook in beginning teachers (Kowalchuk, 1999). The practicum can also be a period of great challenge as novices try to balance unfamiliar demands with their own views of what it takes to be a successful teacher. While some interns seem to easily step into being an art teacher, many sere with this role throughout their placements. What specific challenges do art interns …