Is experience the best teacher? The potential of coupling classroom and community-based field experiences

Dewey argued that personal experiences in schools are critical to the educa tion of teachers; however, he also argued that all experiences are not nece ssarily educative. This study examines the potential of a novel approach to providing prospective teachers with experiences with children. This articl e describes the benefits of teacher education students' participation in co ncurrent field placements, one in the conventional classroom setting and th e second in a community-based after-school program. Prospective teachers' r eflections on these experiences indicated that contrasting settings for lea rning and teaching were instrumental in their understanding the multiple so urces of influence that create both opportunities and constraints to teachi ng and learning at each site.