ABSTRACT
The central ideas regarding clinical experiences in this chapter are guided by a constructivist perspective on learning to teach as represented in the conceptualization of teaching as an interpretive practice/process. Clinical experiences involve the application to practice of the knowledge base for teaching and teacher preparation comprised of the best available research, theory, and evidence from practice. The essential practices for learning to teach include the collection of data for planning instruction, the instructional planning process, the enactment of planned instruction, and the assessment of student learning. Particular attention is given to framing the curriculum by positioning new knowledge within the structure of the discipline, focusing on the purpose and benefit of the new knowledge, and contextualizing new knowledge within what students know and value. Guidance for candidates’ learning during clinical experiences is focused on essential aspects of competent teaching. Teacher educators and mentor teachers use specific tools to guide learning in clinical experiences including pre-and post-observation instruments and an observation checklist. Clinical experiences occur in authentic contexts with students from diverse cultural and experiential backgrounds.
