Poulsen, John

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Second chance: if at first you do not succeed, set up a plan and try, try again
(David Publishing, 2011) Poulsen, John
Student teachers make errors in their practicum. Then they learn and fix those errors. This is the standard arc within a successful practicum. Some students make errors that they do not fix and then make more errors that again remain unfixed. This downward spiral increases in pace until the classroom becomes chaos. These students at the University of Lethbridge require a focused and planned second attempt at student teaching. This paper will examine the reasons why the “second chance” students were not successful in their first attempt, and then it will outline an initiative that has increased the chances of success. The program has four sections, each of which seems to be important in increasing the capabilities of the student teacher. The four components are as follows: (1) reflection; (2) identification of problem areas; (3) creation of a plan with timeline; and (4) mentor