Providing authentic and responsive experiences: insights from an embedded social studies methods course at a PDS school

Purpose Taught in a P12 school, an embedded preservice education course provides a uniquely contextualized learning experience by leveraging the resources of the host school to integrate preservice teachers into the culture of the host school. This article presents the development, structure and impact of an embedded middle-level social studies methodology course as part of a formal school-university partnership over a three-year span of time. Design/methodology/approach Presented through four reflective vignettes, this article documents the experience through the perspectives of the professor of the course, a social studies teacher at the school, the principal at the school and a former student in the course. Findings Through the creation of reflective vignettes, we were able to consider how, through the use of a structure using characteristics of a professional learning community, the embedding of the social studies methodology course provided authentic and responsive learning for both preservice teachers and the teachers in the social studies department. By intentionally positioning preservice teachers and teachers to interact as colleagues, the embedded course increased the sense of ownership and professionalism for all participants. Originality/value Unique to our embedding of a social studies methods course was the inclusion of teachers from the partner school as both leaders and learners. Through documenting our four perspectives, we demonstrate how the course positioned preservice teachers to feel like a part of the school and offered teachers opportunities for growth.