The Role of the Prepracticum in Lessening Student Teacher Stress: Student Teachers' Perceptions of Stress During Practicum

Research on the student teaching practicum indicates that it is a time of enormous stress. The purpose of this study was to gather information from student teachers regarding their perceptions of stress while in the midst of their practicum. The questions were designed to gather information that could be used to create a less stressful practicum. Thirty-three students participated during three practicums over an 11-week period. Each week of the practicums, student teachers provided feedback on what aspects of the practicum were causing stress, their level of stress, their struggles, what made them feel good about their week, and the areas they felt they needed help with. Students in this study indicated a moderate to low level of stress during their practicums. This study considers the possibility that previous teaching experience gained during prepracticum experiences may have resulted in lower levels of stress for professional-year students.