Some Causes of Student Teacher Failure

Why, even with the best efforts of cooperating teachers i the schools and university supervisors, do a certain number of student teachers fail in their student teaching? We started a research survey with this question in mind because failure in this final step before certification to teach is costly-in time and effort, and in terms of career changes made late in a student's college years. Student teachers fail in various ways. Some drop out before com pleting the semester. Others receive a negative placement file recommendation. Still others require extensive refer ences and counseling with no real change of attitude or performance. A certain percentage will always receive a grade of failure in student teaching.