| Educational or teaching practice is very crucial for the development of preservice teachers. Preservice teachers’ problems during teaching practice have been focused on in the domain of teacher development for a long time. Preservice teachers experience various kinds of problems, varying from role identity and role transition problems to some other adaptability problems.Teaching practice is a significant practical curriculum in normal universities. In order to improve their teaching abilities, students in normal universities should take part in the required teaching practice. This study focused on four senior students in a normal university who took part in the teaching practice, researching the cognitive and psychological conflicts that they experienced at the beginning of their teaching practice.The data of the study are collected from twelve interviews made with four participants (three for each), and the reflective journals written by them in the period of teaching practice.On the basis of the previous studies, data analysis of the twelve interviews and participants’journals, the study revealed two major dimensions of preservice teachers’ contradictions:cognitive conflicts and psychological conflicts.The study finds that the contradictions preservice teachers suffer can be summarized as five sorts:(1) psychological conflict in the teaching environment;(2) cognitive conflict and psychological conflict of role transition;(3) Cognitive conflict of teacher beliefs;(4) Psychological conflict of relationships with students;(5) Cognitive conflict of teaching ideas.The researcher suggested that normal university could make change in curriculum setting, like providing some practical courses and some courses that can help students improve their practical teaching ability. What’s more, preservice teachers should attach importance to the teaching practice and try to make full preparation before the practice. In addition, preservice teachers’ reflection of practice should be encouraged. |
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