Positive aspects of the teacher training supervision: The student teachers’ perspective

This paper explores the student teachers’ perceptions about the most positive aspects of the supervision provided during their teaching practice. The authors developed a study based on the reflections of a group of 224 student teachers about their cooperating teacher’s and university supervisor’s performance. Student teacher’s appraisals regarding their supervisors, the learning and progress perceived as resulting from their co-working with more experienced teachers, and the emotional aspects of this relationship are among the main aspects analysed in the study. Results show the importance attributed to the supervisors’ personal features and to the quality of the interactions established with their student teachers. These aspects were clearly regarded as an essential aspect of the student teachers’ emotional balance and resistance to the difficulties emerged during their entrance in the teaching profession. Some differences were perceived in terms of the students teachers’ evaluations regarding the moment of the practicum (beginning versus end) and the type of supervisor (university versus school). Some enquiry and suggestions for future research emerge as final contributions.