Developing professionals: Graduates of a professional development school teacher preparation progra

The purpose of this study is (1) to document the relationship between participation in a professional development school (PDS) teacher preparation program and subsequent teaching practices as perceived by five graduates. Furthermore, it intends (2) to examine what elements of the teacher preparation graduates perceive to have had the greatest and least impact on them as potential teachers, and (3) to study what contextual factors the participants perceived to have supported or hindered their becoming the kind of teacher advocated by their preparation program. Additionally, it intends (4) to examine how these perceptions relate to the literature on PDSs.;The PDS advocacy literature promotes a model of teacher preparation to prepare teachers to be collaborative, reflective teachers who use learner-centered teaching practices to ensure success for all students, and are involve in inquiry of teaching and learning. This study examines the teaching practices of five graduates three to six years after graduation. The graduates were all from the University of Southern Maine's Extended Teacher Education Program, which is nationally recognized as an established PDS program.;This narrative inquiry study provided the forum for the graduates to express their perceptions. Data collection included a series of four interviews with each participant, classroom observations, and document collection.;Five major findings were identified: (1) the graduates perceived that their teacher education program had a strong positive influence on their beliefs and practices; (2) the internship experience was reported to be the most influential part of the program on their subsequent teaching practices; (3) the goals of the PDS advocacy literature were experienced by graduates during their teacher preparation and continued to influence their teaching except for the goal of inquiry; (4) the graduates represent a range on a continuum of learner-centered teaching practices; and (5) the graduates each push the boundaries of the PDS goals in their current teaching contexts.