Cynthia Northington-Purdie

In the United States, the experience of student teaching tends to define whether or not a candidate is prepared for the career. The 8 – 10 months of student teaching experiences can take many forms, depending upon the needs of the cooperating teacher (or teaching mentor) whose class the teaching candidate will join. Transcribed interviews and survey data will reveal: the amount, quality, and extent of the cooperating teacher’s involvement. It is proposed that there are four basic characteristics of mentoring (cooperating teacher to student teacher) that most student teaching experiences appear to have in common. These characteristics partially resonate to those of Diana Baumrind’s parenting style research (in which authoritarian, authoritative, permissive, uninvolved styles are reflected) more than that of mentoring research. Results of this ongoing study will reflect the extent to which the student teaching experience adequately prepares candidates for the career of teaching.

Professional Interests

Behavioral Development of children and adolescents
International perspectives on classroom management.
Corporal punishment in schools.
Teacher preparation for classroom management