Leave Your Attitude at the Door

Finding and troubleshooting placements in the field for teacher candidates can be challenging, frustrating, and sometimes amazing. This book is a compilation of the experiences of three clinical instructors at the University of Central Arkansas. They share stories of their challenges and their victories as well as ideas and suggestions for creating a successful experience for candidates in their field experiences. The material in the book reflects experiences in both undergraduate and nontraditional graduate programs. If you have struggled with creating successful field experiences, you may enjoy reading this book. Misery loves company.

The book is filled with humor, allowing readers to let their guards down a little and see the need for inculcating professionalism in work settings. The authors narrate accounts of students in training who cite seemingly legitimate reasons for absences only to be caught – thanks to social media – going on cruises…. As readers make their way through the book, a realization soon emerges. Transcending the this-is-my-obligation attitude in order to come to a place where ‘we make promises and keep them’ (59) is key. Commitment, talent, and care for the educational setting are tested by problems, dispositions, and attitudes (77). Anyone interested in navigating these realities would benefit from engaging this work., Teacher educators in all capacities as well as teacher candidates will gain important and inspirational insights from this well-developed book about field experiences in teacher preparation. Reflecting the breadth and depth of their experiences in K-12 schools and higher education, the authors share the nuances of navigating field experiences in ways that benefit everyone. Capitalizing on the theme of preparing teachers for successful and satisfying careers in the classroom woven throughout this helpful and humorous text offers guidance and support for all readers., Check Your Attitude at the Door! Dispositions and Field Experiences in Education is an accurate and colorful account of the joys and challenges of preparing teacher candidates for clinical experiences. The authors skillfully identify the ways in which dispositional deficiencies can interfere with and derail a teacher candidate’s success. Their honest account provides insight and offers practical solutions and useful resources to help the teacher educator in their goal to produce highly competent and professional neophytes., A partnership between a university and school district don’t just happen with signatures on a memorandum of agreement. The authors of Check Your Attitude at the Door! Dispositions and Field Experiences in Education use experience, not research to guide readers to understand partnerships are firmly established relationships built on honesty, open communication, and with individuals present and willing to be proactive, open-minded, take risks, and work as a team., Check Your Attitude at the Door is a valuable resource for field supervisors and field placement coordinators. This book fills a gap in the professional literature by addressing both dispositional attitudes of preservice teachers and interventions strategies for redirecting teacher candidates in need.

Amy Thompson serves as a clinical instructor, MAT Field Placement Coordinator, and MAT Program Coordinator for the University of Central Arkansas. Before moving into higher education, Amy spent fourteen years in the Little Rock School District as a third and fourth grade teacher. Amy is also currently working on her PhD in Interdisciplinary Leadership at the University of Central Arkansas.Crystal Voegele serves as the coordinator for middle level and secondary field placement and clinical instructor for the University of Central Arkansas. She is pursuing her doctorate in higher education administration at the University of Memphis. Crystal has served in education for eighteen years, fourteen of which have been spent serving as a literacy and ESL teacher. Chris Hogan serves as a clinical instructor at the University of Central Arkansas, Conway, Arkansas. Chris was a teacher in Conway Public Schools in elementary and middle levels for fourteen years and an elementary and middle level principal and program coordinator for Mayflower Public schools for eighteen years, prior to joining the staff at the university.