“It hinders me”: Understanding How Role Strain Shapes Clinical Experiences for Teacher Candidates of Color

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Abstract

This qualitative study examined how 72 teacher candidates of color perceived their clinical experiences, completed for their teacher preparation program required for licensure. Findings indicate that participants faced difficulties related to the financial costs of student teaching, their relationship with and quality of mentor teachers, and the challenges of navigating non-teaching tasks. This study offers insight into how teacher candidates’ experiences of their clinical requirements may facilitate or constrain their progress toward licensure, and how the licensure process serves to divert or dissuade candidates from teaching. Given the persistent lack of racial diversity in the teacher population across the country and in our study’s state context (Tennessee), examining this important clinical experience is crucial to improving the teaching pipeline overall.

Authors

• Kelly Slay, Vanderbilt University

• Daniel Hay, Vanderbilt University

• Aarushi Dutt, Vanderbilt University

• Hope Murphy, Vanderbilt University