Preparing Teacher Candidates to be Effective Urban Educators: Adapting to the Needs of Culturally Diverse Students

• In Event: Preparing Urban Teachers in a Postindustrial City

Abstract

1. Objective: The purpose of this study is to examine to what extent a teacher education program prepares initial certification teacher candidates to be effective urban educators who are reflective, innovative, and committed to diversity based on the perceptions and insights from teacher candidates.

2. Theoretical Framework: As the nation grapples with an extreme range of outputs from our public schools, an investigation into such an integral component of developing effective educators is essential, if not mandatory (Spring, 2009). Given the goals and standards for educators today, teacher education programs have to consider their role in this process and determine what is required of them to support teachers who are prepared for multiple experiences and a diverse group of students (Darling-Hammond, 2006). While effective educators challenge themselves to be exemplary in the field, teacher education programs are equally challenged to provide experiences and the necessary pedagogy that will demonstrate and model the expectations of these teacher candidates.

3 & 4: Methodology & Data Sources: This study will examine the claims presented by Wayne State University’s College of Education and its role in the preparation of teacher candidates. The methodology for this research will be a qualitative case study to evaluate the initial certification program’s students and their perception of developing a university’s claims of preparing its students to be reflective, innovative urban practitioners who are committed to diversity. A collection of student interviews, surveys, artifacts, field notes and reviewed documents will be analyzed and the findings presented in a rich and detailed account. While there are several qualities of an effective educator, this study will focus on three qualities that have emerged from the College of Education’s theoretical foundation of constructivism and a review of the literature; it is the ability to be an effective urban educator who is reflective, innovative and committed to diversity.

5. Results and/or substantiated conclusions or warrants for arguments/point of view/
• Teacher Candidates need to understand the importance of absorbing the culture at each school site.
• Teacher Education Programs call for effective communication with the community they are situated in when working within culturally diverse populations.
• As teachers enter the classroom they need to let go of their preconceived notions of what they anticipate will take place in a particular setting. This may allow the teachers to listen to the students in that community in order to work collaboratively and rebuild the cultural knowledge as a learning community.


6. Scholarly significance:
• Teacher candidates can benefit from reflective practices that may cause disequilibrium of their prevailing discourses about teaching in a postindustrial city.
• Teacher candidates can benefit from conversations with mentors and other candidates in order to synthesize their experiences as they develop their pedagogy to work as change agents for the communities in urban settings.

Author

• Chavon Jackson, Wayne State University