What Pre-service Teachers Taught Us About Teaching Writing

This article discusses results of a descriptive study in which two university doctoral students observed two pairs of undergraduate preservice teachers tasked with instructing small groups of elementary aged students during a structured, writing-methods, and field experience course. Descriptive data enumerated within this study include: observational data, student generated e-texts, student generated videos, texts samples, and discussion with peers. Using a reflexive stance, the authors interrogate their own instructional choices and challenge the assumptions about teaching writing in light of the lessons learned from the pre-service teachers. Their results demonstrate the power of reflection and engagement in the teaching process.