Perception’s of Preservice Teachers ’Toward Children’s Literature

Children’s literature is used across the curriculum in elementary classrooms today. How is this literature viewed by preservice teachers and how will their viewpoints affect their use of literature with students? The purpose of this study was to describe preservice teachers’ written responses to children’s literature with geometric content. Six related, but distinct themes emerged after multiple readings of the responses; these themes depict preservice teachers who are: (1) making personal connections with literature, (2) reading for children, (3) being the teachers, (4) looking for the math, (5) finding instructional ideas, and (6) focusing on the morals.