Changes in High School Students’ Perceptions of Class and Relationship Experiences with Student Teachers

Abstract

This study explored how high school students perceive teaching practicums through class and relationship experiences with student teachers (pre-service teachers). A survey involving 118 high school students in G-province was conducted before and after a 4-week practicum, and the data were analyzed using a convergent mixed methods design. The quantitative results showed that post-test scores were significantly higher than pre-test scores across all five indicators: class enjoyment, relationship and communication, class atmosphere improvement, school life enjoyment, and academic helpfulness. The analysis of open-ended responses revealed that initial expectations for new classes coexisted with concerns about instructional inexperience, exam preparation, and a reservation of judgment. After the practicum, students highlighted the student teachers’ passion, empathy driven by age proximity, positive atmospheric changes, and counseling experiences. However, some students raised the need for instructional systematicity, alignment with exams, and complementary interventions from cooperating teachers. Notably, a follow-up on 32 respondents who initially reserved judgment showed their average scores across the five indicators also increased, with many specifying positive experiences in their post-descriptive responses. Comprehensively, while students embraced student teachers as accessible advisors, they maintained a cautious stance regarding academic stability. These findings suggest the necessity of designing practicums to integrate instructional systematicity, assessment preparation, collaborative feedback from cooperating teachers, and the mentoring roles of student teachers.