Navigating Disorienting Dilemmas: Teacher Candidates' Responses to Deficit Orientations in Clinical Practice

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Friday 1:45 pm
  In Roundtable Session: Reframing Educational Leadership and Supervision: Integrating Cultural, Organizational, and Instructional Perspectives

Abstract

Despite asset-based teacher education programs, teacher candidates experience a significant disconnect when they encounter deficit-oriented school climates during clinical experiences. This study examines how two teacher candidates navigated disorienting dilemmas when confronted with deficit orientations toward multilingual students and families, and how power dynamics shaped their responses. Data were collected through interviews, written cases, field notes, and transcripts. Using transformative learning theory, micropolitical literacy, and bounded autonomy as frameworks, analysis revealed disorienting dilemmas around language practices, families, and classroom management. Response patterns ranged from stunned silence due to hierarchical power structures to strategic counternarratives and advocacy. Findings demonstrate how teacher candidates navigate institutional constraints while maintaining professional principles. Implications include preparation for school micropolitics and processing deficit narratives in clinical settings.

Author

• May H. Lee, Pennsylvania State University