North Carolina Middle School Teachers Rate their Preservice Programs and their First Year of Teaching

This article is based on a survey given to first year middle grade teachers in North Carolina. Four hundred and sixty-six responded to the survey which investigated their pre-service programs in relation to their first year of teaching. Comparisons are made between responses of middle grade teachers and teachers at other levels. When asked what could have been added to their college program to make it more valuable, middle school teachers identified survival skills and more field experiences earlier in their academic experiences. They also reported feeling less than adequate in working with learning disabled and gifted and talented students. As a group they identified their student teaching and methods courses as the most valuable aspects of their preservice programs.