Urban Schools, Teacher Preparation for Diversity

Transcription

1 Urban Schools, Teacher Preparation for Diversity Author: Karen Hunter Quartz Date: 2012 Series Number: PPBP001-X This is an electronic version of an article published in J.A. Banks (Ed.), Encyclopedia of Diversity in Education. Thousand Oaks: Sage, It is reprinted here with permission. The CENTER XCHANGE is a repository of documents produced by and about UCLA students, alumni, and faculty on the work of transforming public schools. The CENTER XCHANGE is managed by an editorial board that reviews submissions and develops new content. Access to these resources vary with copyright selection, however Center X strives to provide open and free access whenever possible. Copyright UC Regents 2013 Center X is part of the Graduate School of Education and Information Studies of UCLA 1320 Moore Hall Box Los Angeles, CA

2 Originally published in J.A. Banks (Ed.), Encyclopedia of Diversity in Education. Thousand Oaks: Sage, URBAN SCHOOLS, TEACHER PREPARATION FOR DIVERSITY Preparing new teachers for the diversity of students and experiences they will find in urban schools is crucial to their professional success. The term urban school is typically used to signify more than its location in a city or densely populated area. It usually refers to city schools serving predominantly low-income students, immigrant students, English learners, and students of color. Preparing new teachers to be successful in these schools involves an integrated program of study and field experience designed to develop the skills, knowledge and attitudes needed to become an effective teacher of these student groups within the context of urban communities and city school systems. This entry describes the diverse characteristics, strengths and needs of students and families in urban school communities, the socio-political context of teachers work in urban schools and districts, and common features of teacher education programs designed to prepare new teachers for this work. Urban School Students, Families and Communities Most of the nation s teachers are White middle class women from surburban or rural communities. For this reason, programs that prepare new teachers for urban schools often focus on the differences between the average teacher candidate and the characteristics of students and families in urban communities. In this sense, teacher preparation for diversity in urban schools Quartz Urban Schools, Teacher Preparation - 1

3 refers to the differences between White middle class, suburban and rural cultures and the cultures of non-white racial and ethnic groups living in cities, many of whom live in poverty, are recent immigrants, and do not speak English at home. Preparing all teachers, including teachers of color, for diversity also refers to an active and critical stance that advocates for the value of different cultures, races, religions, languages and perspectives to the educational process as well as the larger civic project of public schooling. Understanding both of these meanings requires an accurate portrayal of the characteristics, strengths, and needs of urban students, families and communities. In 2009, 29% of the nation s almost 50 million public school students attended an urban school. Fifty-eight percent of these students were poor, measured by their eligibility for free and reduced price lunch, in contrast to 36% in suburban communities and 40% in rural areas. Central city schools have the greatest percentage of ethnic minority students enrolled in public schools and this diverse population continues to grow, particularly the Latino student population. The largest 20 school districts in the nation enroll 80% minority students compared with 42% in all school districts. For example, in cities such as Los Angeles, Chicago, and Miami, urban schools enroll less than 10% Anglo students and serve predominantly students of color. Urban public schools also enroll more English learners (18.5%) than suburban (9.8%) or rural (5.7%) public schools. Many educators look beyond the demographic characteristics of students and families in urban schools to understand their funds of knowledge. These educators criticize the use of demographics as well as cultural stereotypes to focus on urban students deficits instead of their strengths. For example, rather than focusing on students classification as English learners, they acknowledge that students speak a first, home language, are becoming bilingual, and often serve Quartz Urban Schools, Teacher Preparation - 2

4 as translators for their parents. In their study of the funds of knowledge working class Latino students bring to school, Luis Moll and his colleagues found culturally rich bodies of knowledge and skills that are typically overlooked and undervalued as learning resources, for example, a student s knowledge of Mexico and international commerce from frequent cross border family trips. In addition, the reality of living in diverse urban communities affords students many opportunities to interact and learn from people of different cultures. Along with urban students strengths and funds of knowledge are a diversity of needs associated with poverty, immigration status, and language in urban communities. Living in poverty is associated with risks that place students health and well-being in jeopardy, for example, limited access to health care and higher rates of victimization from crimes and violence. Immigrant families also have a variety of needs ranging from legal counsel, housing, and asylum to linguistic and cultural integration. Schools are often the first point of contact for these families outside of their communities and students need support to help their parents and other caregivers navigate the education and broader social system. Urban Schools and Districts In addition to educating urban teacher candidates about the diversity associated with their students lives and communities, teacher preparation programs also include study and fieldwork on the socio-political context of urban schools and districts. School organizations located in cities face challenges associated with population density, resources, and staffing. The largest urban school districts, New York and Los Angeles, serve approximately 1.1 million and 700,000 students respectively. In these and other cities, massive student populations often translate into Quartz Urban Schools, Teacher Preparation - 3

5 chronically overcrowded schools, some on multi-track year-round calendars. In addition to large class sizes and higher student-teacher ratios, the physical conditions of urban schools are much poorer than schools located in suburban or rural communities. Jonathan Kozol, in an influential 1992 book, referred to these and other differences as savage inequalities. Teachers working in urban schools typically have fewer resources available to them and less control over their curriculum than teachers in other locations. They are also more likely to be inexperienced and leave teaching than their peers in more affluent schools. This revolving door of teachers contributes to a negative working climate making turnover both a cause and a result of urban school dysfunction. Teacher turnover also undermines school improvement and teacher education initiatives that require a strong and stable professional culture. Exacerbating poor school-level working conditions, urban teachers must also navigate complex district bureaucracies and their competing programs and requirements to be hired, paid, and to advance. Although there are many high-functioning urban school organizations that defy this characterization, the overall conditions of educational work in cities are challenging and require specialized knowledge, skills and persistence to navigate and affect change. Preparing New Teachers An integrated course of study and fieldwork to prepare teachers for urban schools focuses explicitly on the diverse characteristics, strengths, and needs of urban students, families, communities and schools. Although some teacher education programs locate this focus on diversity in courses on multiculturalism and/or urban student teaching placements, other programs treat diversity as integral to all elements of teacher education: learning theory, curriculum and instruction, classroom management, assessment, grouping, and school culture. Quartz Urban Schools, Teacher Preparation - 4

6 Many programs with an integrated focus on diversity also assume a social justice perspective that defines preparation for teaching in urban schools. Teacher educators Jeannie Oakes and Martin Lipton define this social justice perspective in terms of three activities practiced in many urban teacher education programs. In these programs, novice teachers (1) consider the values and politics that permeate educational and social institutions; (2) think critically about how the current conditions in urban schools came to be and who benefits from them; and (3) pay explicit attention to inequalities associated with social categories such as race, language, social class, and gender. The aim of these programs is to prepare teachers as agents of social change as well as caring and skilled professionals in the classroom. Courses of Study Common practices in urban teacher preparation for diversity include studying theories of multiculturalism and diversity and how these theories relate to what and how students are taught. For example, teacher candidates may study theories about how to differentiate learning to meet the needs of linguistically diverse students and then use these theories to evaluate educational strategies and programs designed for English learners. In addition, teacher educators often engage candidates in using theories of multiculturalism to reflect on their own identity and assumptions about race, gender, diversity, culture, and so on. The goal of this study is to challenge stereotypes, reduce prejudice, and encourage teacher candidates to recognize how their own personal history and culture shape their beliefs about students and schooling. Social justice-oriented urban teacher education programs also engage teacher candidates in learning about the political economy as it relates to the history of schooling and inequality in urban communities. The intention of this study is to critically examine the current structure, Quartz Urban Schools, Teacher Preparation - 5

7 norms and politics of the educational system in order to learn how to transform this system to be more just, equitable and humane. Integrated Field Work Learning how to link theory and practice in the field is a hallmark of teacher preparation for diversity. Programs approach this is many ways, ranging from class projects that require some fieldwork to short-term student teaching placements to year-long residencies in urban schools. For example, teacher candidates may deepen their understanding of Moll s theory of funds of knowledge by mapping the assets and bodies of knowledge in a local urban community and then using this asset map to design culturally-responsive units or lessons. Another common activity during student teaching placements is to try out these lessons with the support of a supervising teacher and then reflect and learn from the experience. Going one step further, residency-based teacher preparation programs engage candidates as co-teachers alongside mentors for an entire year during which the candidates learn by example, collaborate in lesson planning, and gradually assume increased responsibility for instruction. When the mentor is supported by the program and highly skilled at teaching for diversity, this scaffolded approach to learning holds much promise, particularly when the mentor and candidate have opportunities to reflect on how theory and practice play out in their classroom. Finally, preparing teachers for diversity in urban schools also involves field experience beyond the classroom. Programs may engage candidates in community-based internships to learn more about their students families and neighborhood. In residency-based programs, candidates are supported to participate in the professional life of the school, learning first-hand Quartz Urban Schools, Teacher Preparation - 6

8 how to respond to the norms, politics and structures of the workplace. To help navigate the challenges associated with working conditions in urban schools, some programs support candidates by organizing networks or inquiry groups to sustain them through their first few years. These and other efforts help prepare teachers to advance diversity and disrupt inequitable patterns of underachievement in urban schools. Karen Hunter Quartz Further Reading Banks, J.A. (1994). An introduction to multicultural education. Needham Heights, MA: Allyn and Bacon. Gay, G. (2000). Culturally responsive teaching: theory, research, and practice. New York: Teachers College Press. Hollins, E. & Guzman, M.T. (2005). Research on preparing teachers for diverse populations. In M. Cochran-Smith & K.M. Zeichner (Eds.), Studying teacher education (pp ). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum. Kozol, J. (1991). Savage inequalities: Children in America's schools. New York: Harper. Lippman, L., Burns, S., and McArthur, E. (1996). Urban schools: The challenge of location and poverty. U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Educational Statistics, NCES Moll, L., Amanti, C., Neff, D. and Gonzalez, N. (2001). Funds of knowledge for teaching: Using a qualitative approach to connect homes and classrooms. Theory into practice, XXXI, 2, Oakes, J., & Lipton, M. (1999). Teaching to change the world. Boston: McGraw-Hill. Quartz Urban Schools, Teacher Preparation - 7