The Effects of the Teaching Practicum on Becoming a Teacher

Abstract

In order to clarify the effects of the teaching practicum upon motivation towards becoming a teacher, college students were asked before and after their teaching practicum experiences about their motivation and images of the teaching profession. The main results were as follows : 1. Teaching practicum experience raises motivation. Forty-two percent of the students who had rated their motivation as low before completing their practicum rated in higher afterwards. 2. Levels of post-practicum motivation correlated with pre-practia motivation, positive impressions of the teaching profession and self-satisfaction during the practia. 3. Completing the teaching practicum caused many students to develop more affirmative impressions towards the teaching profession. 4. Before completing their teaching practicum, many students had reported that they were suffering from anxiety but afterwards they recalled them as very happy and meaningful experiences.