The purpose of this study was to determine the perceptions of cooperating teachers regarding the importance of certain teacher traits, behaviors, and skills as predictors of a successful student teaching experience. The sample consisted of teachers who had served as cooperating teachers ( N = 519). Participants rated a list of 40 teacher traits, behaviors, and skills based on their (perceived) importance as predictors of student teacher success. I constructed ranked lists for each demographic grouping of respondents by the mean score for each item, and these lists were examined using a method put forward by Teachout. Results revealed that the highest-rated items regardless of demographic grouping variables were demonstrating appropriate social behavior, stress management, fostering appropriate student behavior, establishing a positive rapport with others, and enthusiasm. All participant groups rated personal traits, behaviors, and skills as most important; followed by teaching traits, behaviors, and skills; then musical traits, behaviors, and skills. Content analyses of open-ended questions revealed that no items had a universal meaning among participants in this study.
Student teaching from the perspectives of cooperating teachers and pupils
