Howard and Aleman (2008) also added that teachers need to have a “consciousness” regarding their role within the school and their ability to be an “agent of change.” I wonder if consciousness is something that can be taught, or does it develop as a teacher moves through his/her career? What is my role as a Partnership Resource Teacher when it comes to helping my residents develop this consciousness? What if a principal doesn’t view teachers as the agent of change, how might this affect the culture of the school and the ability to build consciousness?
The field experience is vital to the growth of preservice teachers. Leko, Brownell, Sindelar and Murphy (2012) shared that the active learning opportunities in the field provided students with feedback that changes their understandings about diverse learners. As we continue to make discoveries about the impact of teacher education on student learning, the one thing that continues to remain constant is when a student can link the theory that they are learning to what they are doing in the classroom learning and growth takes place.