Stephanie M. Moody
Abstract
Eliciting student thinking within group discussions is a core practice for all educators, but perhaps particularly for those who teach early childhood grades. Despite this, little preparation on eliciting exists in most teacher education programs. This article presents a pilot study in which a model of practice-based teacher education was used to train a group of preservice teachers studying early childhood education at one mid-Atlantic university on the art of eliciting student thinking within group discussions. This qualitative study seeks to answer the question: After participating in a series of PBTE-based modules and a virtual simulation, what challenges in eliciting student thinking in group discussions were faced by the PSTs? Four emergent themes were identified, including uncovering hidden biases, a deep understanding of students and content, minimizing teacher talk, and being a good listener. Themes are discussed and implications for teacher educators are presented.
Recommended Citation
Moody, S. M. (2026). Using practice-based teacher education to cultivate the skill of eliciting and interpreting student thinking. Midwest Journal of Education, 3(1). https://doi.org/10.69670/mje.3.1.6
DOI
Corresponding Author
Stephanie M. Moody, Assistant Professor of Early Childhood Education, Towson University, Towson, MD: USA, 8000 York Road, Towson, MD 212532
Email: [email protected]
ORCid: 0000-0001-7796-130X