The equity equation: Equality of opportunity and identifying student teacher attributes and the need for support services

The purpose of this article is to examine the literature as it pertains to specific characteristics and attributes of candidates attending teacher edu cation programs. This review formulates the second branch of a four-compone nt conceptual framework from which to study issues of wellness among studen t teachers. The central premise of this article is that a greater notion of equality will be achieved if teacher educators better understand the needs of their students and thus work toward tailoring support services to meet these needs. Topics of discussion include: equity and equal opportunity; st udent teacher attributes and the need for support services, followed by the effect of student teacher attributes on schoolchildren. Subsequent discuss ion turns to the attributes of student teachers, per se, focusing on: grade -level influences; personality and behavioral differences; immoral conduct, deviant behavior, and mental illness; age; gender; the locus of control; a nxiety levels; outlook toward field experiences: ethnicity; and academic ac hievement.