Los Angeles Math and Science Residency Program: Balancing Content, Context, and Practice

• In Event: Urban Teacher Residencies, Year 1: Looking Across Models and Contexts

Abstract

The Los Angeles Math and Science Residency Program (LAMS) is one of 17 urban teacher residency programs in the Urban Teacher Residency United (UTRU) network, a national network of residency programs aimed at advancing student learning and equity through context-specific approaches to teacher preparation. Launched in 2010, LAMS is a partnership between Loyola Marymount University’s School of Education, the LMU Center for Math and Science Teaching, the College Ready Promise, and two charter management organizations dedicated to making college a reality for diverse, high need students across Los Angeles. Grounded in situated learning theory (Lave & Wenger, 1991), LAMS leverages the extensive knowledge and expertise of its partner organizations to develop highly trained, effective math and science teachers who will become future transformative leaders in math and science education. By providing residents with a rigorous, year long apprenticeship experience alongside an experienced mentor teacher; placing students at the core of teaching and learning; applying mathematical and scientific thinking in all aspects of teaching, learning, and research; and developing school cultures where collaboration, new teacher support, transparent practice, and professional growth are valued, encourages, and expected, LAMS is poised to retain highly effective mathematics and science teachers for its high need urban partner schools.

LAMS applies a data-driven, perpetually reflexive approach to the work of teacher preparation and closing the equity gap, deeply informed by Stiggins (2000) theories of assessment for learning. In line with this approach, LAMS collected data throughout its first year of implementation in the form of quarterly questionnaires, semi-structured interviews, and end year “exit focus groups” with mentors and residents. Observation of resident practice; mentor-resident co-teaching; mentor-resident coaching sessions; and residents’ monthly Defense of Instruction (DOI) also served as data. In collaboration with UTRU, LAMS also conducted mid year and end year surveys with residents, mentors, and training site principals to assess residents’ perceived efficacy; the confidence all three stakeholder groups’ have in residents’ performance; and stakeholder attitudes toward the UTR. Analyses of these multiple data forms reveal that LAMS stakeholders experience theory and practice as tightly aligned and believe deeply in the relevance of university coursework, intentionally designed to situate all learning in context. Further, residents and mentors work together to foster dynamic, student-centered learning experiences in their secondary classrooms that value collaboration and an experiential, inquiry-based approach to math and science. Interestingly, however, survey data indicate that LAMS mentors appear more confident in their residents’ instructional, engagement, and management capacities than do residents. Relatedly, focus groups reveal that while residents built strong relationships with their mentors, they at times felt undervalued by their mentors and host schools. While believing in their individual potential to be effective, residents expressed the need for more affirmation and inclusiveness to truly feel effective. These findings are compelling, and suggest that by engaging host schools more strategically and strengthening mentors’ coaching skills, LAMS can also strengthen residents’ sense of efficacy, and the relevance of the residency across all members of the partnership.

Author

• Katharine Clemmer, Loyola Marymount University