| This interpretive biography is actually two stories woven together. It is the story of the professional and personal development of a cooperating teacher during her ten year involvement with Idaho State University. It is also the story of the discovery of a research process. It is an insight into the world of teacher preparation before and after the implementation of the Professional Development School (PDS) model for field experiences. It is also an insight into the relationship formed between informant and biographer.; Initially, the purpose of this study was singular; to discover how the implementation of a PDS site, as one effort towards teacher education reform, affects a cooperating teacher's perceptions of teaching and teacher preparation. During the collection and interpretation of data a second purpose emerged; to describe the professional and personal growth of a teacher.; True to the progressive-regressive tradition, this study started with who D'Ann was in the spring of 2001. I then traveled back to her early years as a student and beginning teacher and followed her growth until we again reached the present day. Each chapter described D'Ann's story. The following “Interludes” were an opportunity to weave my interpretations throughout her narrative.; In the telling of this cooperating teacher's story three themes were identified; We Feed Each Other, Message From the Teacher and In This Classroom. The following interpretations provided insights for teachers, principals, university faculty and teacher education students. |
