Teaching to Transgress: Implementing and Sustaining an Urban Teaching Seminar

• In Event: Teaching to Transgress: Implementing and Sustaining a Culturally Responsive Teacher Education Program

Abstract

1. Objectives or purposes:
The purpose of this paper is to describe the implementation and sustainability of an Urban Teaching Seminar (UTS). The UTS supports our Teacher Quality Partnership (TQP) students as they focus on deepening their understandings of culturally relevant pedagogy and social justice, as well as exploring the lived experiences that shape, and have shaped, our approaches to teaching, learning, and leading. With informed understandings, the goal is for students to be able to better prepare and facilitate engaging, culturally relevant learning experiences for students in urban educational contexts. An additional component of service learning more directly engages our participants in the urban communities, and has been an extremely successful component. This paper will show the impact of the program on our preservice teachers and will share mentor teachers’ perspectives on this new component to the educator preparation program. Strategies for sustaining this highly-successful and innovative program will also be shared.

2. Perspective(s) or theoretical framework
This topic is approached from a lens of interorganizational collaborations and partnerships (Nowell 2009; Thomson & Perry, 2006). The goal is to create systemic change in policy and practice within and across contexts. Partners include a university, an urban school district, and numerous state and community partners.

3. Methods, techniques, or modes of inquiry
This study employs a multi-phase, mixed-methods design that combines concurrent and sequential collection of quantitative and qualitative data over multiple phases of program study. Data are analyzed, triangulated and integrated to elicit a full understanding of the impact of the reform initiatives implemented in this program.

4. Data sources, evidence, objects, or materials
Project evidence includes teacher candidate data collected at admission, during the preservice program, and during the first three years of induction into the school setting. Data from other participants (e.g. mentor teachers, faculty, etc.) were collected twice during each academic year. Surveys of participating and non-participating candidates, teachers, and school leaders, reflections, focus groups and individual interviews were also used.

5. Results and/or substantiated conclusions or warrants for arguments/point of view
The study outcomes fall into two main categories: program/policy and practice. The partnerships enabled the creation of unique incubation spaces, which resulted in enduring and scalable programs. Preliminary evidence indicates that candidates moving through this program demonstrate competence in student-directed instruction, focus on learning goals, understand content knowledge, create positive learning environments, and employ culturally relevant pedagogical practices.


6. Scientific or scholarly significance of the study or work
Many educator preparation programs are striving to find a successful model to provide prospective teachers with the knowledge, skills and passion to promote social equity in their classrooms. Many are using culturally responsive practices to engage their students by infusing aspects of their cultural backgrounds into the instruction. According to Gloria Ladson-Billings, “It is an approach that empowers students intellectually socially, emotionally, and politically by using cultural referents to impact knowledge, skills and attitudes.” The Urban Teaching Seminar has been successful in this quest. Strategies for implementing and sustaining this program will be shared.

Authors

• Valerie Kinloch, The Ohio State University

• Laquore J. Meadows, The Ohio State University - Columbus

• Sandra A. Stroot, The Ohio State University

• Tamara T. Butler, Michigan State University