Who’s teaching, who’s learning? Analyzing the professional growth of graduate student tutors

Abstract

This qualitative study examined the professional growth of literacy teachers as they scaffolded students’ one‐to‐one literacy learning within a university reading clinic tutoring experience. These teachers – graduate students within a reading education program – documented both their own learning and that of their students through various venues. These included the data sources considered for this study: teaching videotapes, email correspondence with the university instructor, online discussions with colleagues, and final reflective essays. Findings suggested that substantive learning by these literacy teachers influenced not only their tutees but also their own professional growth, impacting their classroom practice and the wider educational community. Implications of such teacher learning within educational settings employing high‐stakes testing and accountability were considered.