Variation in teacher preparation: How well do different pathways prepare teachers to teach

Does teacher education influence what teachers feel prepared to do when they enter the classroom? Are there differences in teachers ’ experiences of classroom teaching when they enter through differ-ent programs and pathways? This study examines data from a 1998 survey of nearly 3000 begin-ning teachers in New York City regarding their views of their preparation for teaching, their beliefs and practice, and their plans to remain in teaching. The findings indicate that teachers who were prepared in teacher education programs felt significantly better prepared across most dimensions of teaching than those who entered teaching through alternative programs or without preparation. Teachers’views of their preparation varied across individual programs, with some programs gradu-ating teachers who felt markedly better prepared. Finally, the extent to which teachers felt well pre-pared when they entered teaching was significantly correlated with their sense of teaching efficacy, their sense of responsibility for student learning, and their plans to remain in teaching. In recent years, questions have been raised about whether and how teacher education makes a difference in teachers ’ practice, effec-tiveness, entry, and retention in teaching. Re