Navigating Tensions in the Design of a New Equity-Focused Elementary Teacher Preparation Program

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Abstract

Working as concerned colleagues grappling with the notion that today’s schools are often characterized by racial, ethnic, social class, linguistic and cultural diversity with school curricula, instructional strategies, and teacher demographics that rarely reflect this diversity, this reflexive self-study sought to explore the following question: What tensions did a team of teacher educators experience and navigate when designing an equity centered initial teacher preparation program in a predominately white institution (PWI)? To make visible the complexity inherent in enacting an equity focused teacher preparation program, this paper illuminates our design process, three significant tensions that emerged, and the corresponding navigation strategies that were utilized to implement our vision of progressive teacher-education.

Authors

• Timothy M. Vetere, University of Florida

• Nancy Fichtman Dana, University of Florida

• Lauren Weisberg, University of Texas - Arlington