Preparing and Retaining Urban Teachers through Training around Social-Emotional Learning and Culturally Responsive Teaching Practices

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Thursday 3:35 pm Four Seasons Ballroom 2-3
  In Roundtable Session: Empowering Teacher Candidates and Educators: Navigating Critical Issues, Culturally Responsive Practices, and Professional Development (Table 10)

Abstract

This study explored factors that influence how new teachers perceive their readiness for teaching in urban classrooms in the 21st century. The goal is to gain insights to improve strategies for retaining and developing new teachers. A mixed-method approach was used to investigate how new teachers viewed their preparedness and how professional development in Social Emotional Learning (SEL) and Culturally Responsive Teaching (CRT) impacts their teaching approaches. A mixed-method explanatory sequential design gathered data from surveys completed by 25 new teachers and semi-structured interviews conducted with five new teachers. The results indicated gaps in socio-emotional and behavioral readiness despite strong content knowledge and instructional abilities, emphasizing the importance of more practical, interactive, and personalized professional development opportunities in SEL and CRT.

Author

• Darryl T. Powell, District of Columbia Public Schools