Identifying Exemplary Multicultural Educators for Urban Classrooms in Diverse Democracies

• In Event: Critical Issues in Urban Teacher Education: Focus on Teacher Preparation

Abstract

This paper presentation includes a discussion of the findings of a research project into the professional development of exemplary teachers for socially just work in urban and diverse schools. We examine how teachers identify and define themselves and their practices as exemplary. Through discussion of our teacher participants’ responses on surveys and interviews, we will highlight teachers’ concepts of exemplary teaching and their perspectives on exemplary teachers. We also explore our participants’ perspectives on their own practices that they associate with leading exemplary socially just urban classrooms that are oriented toward multicultural education. Furthermore, we consider social justice in educational research that is focused on teaching practices for scaffolding diverse democracies.

Authors

• Jennifer H. Waddell, University of Missouri - Kansas City

• Candace M. Schlein, University of Missouri - Kansas City

• Omiunota N. Ukpokodu, University of Missouri - Kansas City