"I can't wait to see Carlos!": Preservice teachers, situated learning, andpersonal relationships with students

In this study, we examined the reflections of 71 preservice teachers as the y tutored literacy in a predominantly Hispanic American, low-income school. The carefully structured, intensively. supervised practicum for each prese rvice teacher combined situated learning with guided critical reflection in the context of a relationship with one elementary student. Working within the framework Of caring and its influence on socially mediated learning, we also explored the nature of personal relationships. Judging from their ref lections, the experience of working one-on-one with a student positively in fluenced preservice teachers' content and procedural knowledge and self-con fidence as teachers. Although not all relationships were easy to establish, the tutors' strong emotional ties with students resulted in their increase d personal satisfaction, learning about teaching, and feelings of responsib ility for their child learning. Further, as tutors got to know their studen ts, many rejected deficit notions and labels like "slow learner," "limited- English proficient," and "at risk" and came to regard their students as uni que, valuable individuals.