Chelsea Cole

Culturally competent teaching practices are necessary for student and teacher success in the modern classroom. This mixed-methods study examined preservice teacher’s growth toward becoming a culturally competent pedagogue and the barriers they faced in developing this identity. The participants in this study included 57 undergraduate students who were in two sections of the same multicultural education course. Thirty-eight of these participants were identified as pre-service teacher majors while the others were non-education majors and took the class as a diversity elective. Data were collected through a diversity attitude survey (DAS) and student response artifacts. Results suggest that the multicultural education course did improve preservice teacher’s cultural competence and that by promoting certain practices in the classroom students are more likely to implement this identity in their teaching career. Findings highlight how other programs may formulate their diversity coursework to increase students’ efficacy as culturally competent practitioners.

This study utilized Self-Study of Practice methodology to examine stories of our teacher development to explore the role of reflection in helping us grapple with challenging experiences in our teaching. Through emergent coding and collaborative analysis, we examine how reflection critically impacts the trajectory of practicing teachers. Our stories and subsequent discussion reveal recurring themes that suggest practices, attitudes, and skills reflective teachers implement to improve their understanding of the teacher-self and influence positive student outcomes.

Editorial on using inquiry and problem posing to improve pre-service teacher programs.

Significant research and ongoing inquiry highlight the importance of understanding and recognizing the development of identities and beliefs among teachers. These studies use techniques of reflection on the past or present to elucidate the developmental process of teacher identities and beliefs and their impact on the profession. Based on this research, the development of teacher identities and beliefs commence during childhood. Yet studies have depended on reflection rather than the actual accounts children provide concerning their emerging development of teacher identities and beliefs from their perspective. This study uses qualitative methods. Through the analysis of focus groups and individual interviews findings about the identities and beliefs held by fifth-grade students who plan to become teachers emerged. Revealing the early developing identities of future teachers provides necessary insight into the emerging curricular needs of teacher education programs.

Editorial on the phenomenon of teacher agency