Abstract
The purpose of this article is to promote discussion of how teacher education programs can better prepare teacher candidates to teach for social justice in ethnically and culturally diverse schools. The authors suggest that teacher education programs must develop teacher candidates’ capacity to teach for social justice through preparation programs that encourage critical reflection and awareness of one’s beliefs, perceptions, and professional practice. The authors ask the following questions: How can teacher educators provide structures in professional preparation programs that will produce reflective practitioners? How might we prepare teacher candidates who are constantly thinking about how they perceive their students and their families and how those perceptions affect the way they relate to students? Through a discussion of five case scenarios, the authors discuss prior research on preparing teachers for culturally diverse schools and offer suggestions for improving professional education programs.
References
Achinstein, B., & Barrett, A. (2004). (Re)framing classroom contexts: How new teachers and mentors view diverse learners and challenges of practice. Teachers College Record, 106, 716–746.10.1177/016146810410600404Search in Google Scholar
Banks, J. (2008). An introduction to multicultural education (4th ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson.Search in Google Scholar
Brown, M. (2007). Educating all students: Creating culturally responsive teachers, classrooms, and schools. Intervention in School and Clinic, 43, 57–62.10.1177/10534512070430010801Search in Google Scholar
Chen, D. W., Nimmo, J., & Fraser, H. (2009). Becoming a culturally responsive early childhood educator: A tool to support reflection by teachers embarking on the anti-bias journey. Multicultural Perspectives, 11, 101–106.10.1080/15210960903028784Search in Google Scholar
Clark, C. T. (2010). Preparing LGBTQ-allies and combating homophobia in a U.S. teacher education program. Teaching and Teacher Education, 26, 704–713.10.1016/j.tate.2009.10.006Search in Google Scholar
DeCastro-Ambrosetti, D., & Cho, G. (2011). A look at “lookism” A critical analysis of teachers’ expectations based on student appearance. Multicultural Education, 18, 51–54.Search in Google Scholar
Gay, G. (2002). Preparing for culturally responsive teaching. Journal of Teacher Education, 53, 106–116.10.1177/0022487102053002003Search in Google Scholar
Gorski, P. (2008). The myth of the culture of poverty. Educational Leadership, 65, 32–36.Search in Google Scholar
Ladson-Billings, G. (1994). What we can learn from multicultural education research. Educational Leadership, 51, 22–26.Search in Google Scholar
Marshall, C., & Oliva, M. (2006). Leadership for social justice: Making revolutions in education. Boston, MA: Allyn and Bacon.Search in Google Scholar
Nieto, S. (2006). Solidarity, courage and heart: What teacher educators can learn from a new generation of teachers. Intercultural Education, 17, 457–473.10.1080/14675980601060443Search in Google Scholar
Pew Hispanic Center. (2005). The new Latino South: The context and consequences of rapid population growth. Retrieved June 21, 2010 from http://pewhispanic.org/files/reports/50.1.pdfSearch in Google Scholar
Poplin, M., & Rivera, J. (2005). Merging social justice and accountability: Educating qualified and effective teachers. Theory Into Practice, 44, 27–37.10.1207/s15430421tip4401_5Search in Google Scholar
Smolen, L., Colville-Hall, S., Liang, X., & Mac Donald, S. (2006). An empirical study of College of Education faculty’s perceptions, beliefs, and commitment to the teaching of diversity in teacher education programs at four urban universities. The Urban Review, 38, 45–61.10.1007/s11256-005-0022-2Search in Google Scholar
South Carolina Department of Education. (2006). Quick facts about S.C. education. Retrieved April 30, 2008, from http://ed.sc.gov/agency/offices/research/documents/44932_QuickFacts06.pdfSearch in Google Scholar
Terrill, M. M., & Mark, D. L. H. (2000). Preservice teachers’ expectations for schools with children of color and second-language learners. Journal of Teacher Education, 51, 149–155.10.1177/002248710005100209Search in Google Scholar
Villegas, A. M. (2007). Dispositions in teacher education: A look at social justice. Journal of Teacher Education, 58, 370–380.10.1177/0022487107308419Search in Google Scholar
Villegas, A. M., & Lucas, T. (2002). Preparing culturally responsive teachers: Rethinking the curriculum. Journal of Teacher Education, 53, 20–32.10.1177/0022487102053001003Search in Google Scholar
Walling, D. R. (1997). Gay and lesbian issues. In D. R. Walling (Ed.), Hot buttons: Unraveling 10 controversial issues in education, 147–166. Bloomington, IN: Phi Delta Kappa Educational Foundation.Search in Google Scholar
- 1
The following teacher candidates are composite characters representing our experiences in higher education.
©2014 by De Gruyter
Articles in the same Issue
- Frontmatter
- Executive Editors’ Comment
- Editors’ Comments: Seeing Beyond the Eyes in Valuing Human Differences
- Assessment Practices of Multi-disciplinary School Team Members in Determining Special Education Services for English Language Learners
- In Search of Peace: Navigating through the War on Educational Equality in America
- Increasing Reading Engagement in African American Boys
- Teaching Diversity to Preservice Teachers: Encouraging Self-Reflection and Awareness to Develop Successful Teaching Practices
- Building an Academic Community: Minority Serving Institutions and How They Influence Students Pursuing Undergraduate Degrees in STEM
- Cultural Signification through Reader’s Theatre: An Analysis of African American Girls and Their Hair
Articles in the same Issue
- Frontmatter
- Executive Editors’ Comment
- Editors’ Comments: Seeing Beyond the Eyes in Valuing Human Differences
- Assessment Practices of Multi-disciplinary School Team Members in Determining Special Education Services for English Language Learners
- In Search of Peace: Navigating through the War on Educational Equality in America
- Increasing Reading Engagement in African American Boys
- Teaching Diversity to Preservice Teachers: Encouraging Self-Reflection and Awareness to Develop Successful Teaching Practices
- Building an Academic Community: Minority Serving Institutions and How They Influence Students Pursuing Undergraduate Degrees in STEM
- Cultural Signification through Reader’s Theatre: An Analysis of African American Girls and Their Hair