“What Is ‘Tenure-Worthy’ Work?” A Duoethnographic Exploration of What "Counts" in Teacher Education (Poster 31)

• In Event: Saturday Poster Session 1:15 pm
  In Poster Session: Teacher Education and Student Experiences

Abstract

Drawing on frameworks of a “caring higher education teacher” (Walker & Gleaves, 2016) and “cultural taxation” (Padilla, 1994), we utilize duoethnography (Sawyer & Norris, 2013) to examine our experiences as tenure-track women of color who also direct teacher licensure programs, a role that involves what we refer to as “teaching-service” (e.g., fieldwork coordination, practicum supervision). Our dialogic inquiry explored the following question: Why isn’t the service part of teacher education related to individual support of students in transitioning into teaching viewed as tenure-worthy? We highlight how “teaching-service” work is often systematically rendered invisible and/or unimportant and we ask the field to envision teacher preparation where supporting teacher candidates and their teacher development is a priority and, perhaps even, “tenure-worthy”.

Authors

• Christine Montecillo Leider, University of Massachusetts - Lowell

• Christina L. Dobbs, Boston University