In this action research article, we describe our efforts as teacher educators to connect pedagogical theories and strategies with practical experiences through a back-to-back integrated teaching approach. We explore how this experience provided early childhood teacher candidates with opportunities to engage with culturally appropriate practices in an authentic classroom setting. During this experience, teacher candidates were responsible for planning, teaching, and assessing children over a series of consecutive days. Using community of practice theory rooted in sociocultural perspectives, we provide a discussion of the themes that emerged as 13 early childhood teacher candidates navigated the organizational structures of this assignment. (author abstract)