The focus of this research was on student teachers who are anomalies, in particular those who appear to begin their practicum in a state of affirmation, able effectively to negotiate many of the roles of "teacher" and appear to have few classroom problems. In this report these student teachers are referred to as "Naturals." This investigation sought to explore variation and examine the sources of difference focusing on both the context and the individual. A Natural student teacher was identified, and, utilizing qualitative methodology, observational and interview data were used to create a case to describe this student teacher's experience and unique characteristics. The case of Wendy as a student teacher demonstrated that her practicum semester was characterized by: an ongoing state of enjoyment, flourishing relationships with her cooperating teacher and students, and a focus on a productive learning environment. Using Csikszentmihalyi's (1975) theory of optimal experience and flow, the unique characteristics of Wendy's student teaching are found to be both individual and contextual in source.
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