Understanding Partnership Challenges in Teacher Recruitment Programs

Mary D. Burbank, Richard Diaz

Salt Lake City School District Salt Lake City United States of America.
The University of Utah Urban Institute for Teacher Education Salt Lake City United States of America.

DOI: 10.4236/ce.2012.326154                

Abstract

This investigation examined perspectives on student eligibility and the curriculum for a teacher education seminar linked to a community-based collaborative. Project data identified: 1) perceptions on the qualifications of preservice teachers in a recruiting program for first-generation and ethnic minority teachers; and 2) viewpoints on the necessary curriculum for these preservice teacher participants. Our data indicate varied perspectives by project participants ranging from deficit to asset-based stances regarding prospective teachers from underrepresented communities. Our findings speak to the need for honest conversations within collaborative partnerships designed to diversify the teaching profession.

Keywords

Partnerships; Collaboration; Teaching; Diversity

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

References

[1]	Andrews, D. (2009). The hardest thing to turn from: The effects of service learning on preparing urban educators. Equity & Excellence in Education, 42, 272-293. doi:10.1080/10665680903060261
[2]	Arminio, J. L., Carter, S., Jones, S. E., Kruger, K., Lucas, N., Washington, J., Young, N., & Scott, A. (2000). Leadership experiences of students of color. NASPA Journal, 37, 496-510.
[3]	Ball, W. J. (2005). From community engagement to political engagement. Political Science and Politics, 38, 287-291. doi:10.1017/S1049096505056507
[4]	Bryant J., & West, M. (2004). Mutual benefits that can accrue to universities and communities from the interactions with each other. New Directions in Civic Engagement: University Avenue Meets Main Street, Pew Partnership for Civic Change, 1, 80-89.
[5]	Burbank, M. D. (2011). Reform begins at home: A 21st century response to teacher education. In M. Issa Saleh, & K. S. Myint (Eds.), Teaching teachers: Approaches in improving quality of education (pp. 99-116). New York: Nova Publishers.
[6]	Burbank, M. D., & Hunter, R. (2010). Families, Intercollegiate Collaboration, and Routes to Studying Teaching. In R. David, & Slater, J. (Eds.), Collaboration in education (pp. 183-190). New York: Routledge.
[7]	Burbank, M. D., Bates, A., & Schrum, L. (2009). Expanding teacher preparation pathways for paraprofessionals: A recruiting seminar series. Teacher Education Quarterly, Spring, 36, 201-216.
[8]	Buys, N., & Bursnall, S. (2007). Establishing university-community partnerships: Processes and benefits. Journal of Higher Education Policy and Management, 29, 73-86. doi:10.1080/13600800601175797
[9]	Campbell, J. R. (1999). Reclaiming lost heritage: Land grant and other education initiatives for the twenty-first century. Boston, MA: Iowa State University Press.
[10]	Cochran-Smith, M. (2004). Walking the road: Race, diversity, and social justice in teacher education. New York: Teachers College Press.
[11]	Crisp, G., Nora, A., & Taggart, A. (2009). Student characteristics, pre-college, college, and environmental factors as predictors of majoring in and earning STEM degree: An analysis of students attending a Hispanic serving institution. American Educational Research Journal, 46, 924-942. doi:10.3102/0002831209349460
[12]	Delgado Bernal, D., Aleman, E., & Garavito, A. (2009). Latina/o undergraduate students mentoring Latina/o elementary students: A borderlands analysis of shifting identities and first-year experiences. Harvard Educational Review, 79, 560-585.
[13]	Denzin, N. K. (1989). The research act (3rd ed.). Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall.
[14]	Donaldson, M. (2009). Into-and out of-city schools: The retention of teachers prepared for urban settings. Equity & Excellence in Education, 43, 347-370. doi:10.1080/10665680903034753
[15]	Excelencia in education (2009). URL (last checked 16 February 2009). www.edexcelencia.org
[16]	Flores, B. B., Clark, E. R., Claeys, L., & Villarreal, A. (2007). Academy for teacher excellence: Recruiting, preparing, and retaining latino teachers through learning communities. Teacher Education Quarterly, 34, 53-69.
[17]	Frankenberg, E. (2009). The demographic context of urban schools and districts. Equity & Excellence in Education, 42, 255-271. doi:10.1080/10665680903032294
[18]	Gay, G. (2010). Acting on beliefs in teacher education for cultural diversity in teacher. Journal of Teacher Education, 6, 143-152. doi:10.1177/0022487109347320
[19]	Gay, G. (2002). Preparing for culturally responsive teaching. Journal of Teacher Education, 53, 106-116. doi:10.1177/0022487102053002003
[20]	Gay, G., Dingus, J., & Jackson, C. (2003). The presence and performance of teachers of color in the profession (a monograph). Washington, DC: Community Teachers Institute.
[21]	Genzuk, M., & Baca, R. (1998). The paraeducator-to-teacher pipeline: A five year retrospective on an innovative teacher preparation program for Latina(os). Education and Urban Society, 31, 73-88. doi:10.1177/0013124598031001006
[22]	Glaser, B., & Strauss, A. (1967). The discovery of grounded theory. Chicago: Aldine.
[23]	Guarino, C. M., Sanatiba?ez, L., & Daley, G. A. (2006). Teacher recruitment and retention: A review of the recent empirical literature. Review of Educational Research, 72, 173-208. doi:10.3102/00346543076002173
[24]	Hunter, R., Munro, S., Dunn, L., & Olsen, K. (2009). Bridging university and community: The power of collaborative partnerships for social change. In K. Mohrman, J. Shi, S. E. Feinblatt, & K. W. Chow (Eds.), Public universities and regional development (pp. 289-311). Sichuan, Sichuan University Press.
[25]	Hodgkinson, H. (2002). Demographics and teacher education. Journal of Teacher Education, 53, 102-105. doi:10.1177/0022487102053002002
[26]	Kane, P., & Orsini, A. (2005). The colors of excellence: Hiring and keeping teachers of color in independent schools. New York: Teachers College Press.
[27]	Kemmis, D. (1995). The good city and the good life: Renewing a sense of community. New York: Houghton Mifflin Company.
[28]	Komives, S. R., & Wagner, W. (2009). Leadership for a better world: Understanding the social change model of leadership development. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
[29]	Kugler, G., & Acosta Price, O. (2009). Go beyond the classroom to help immigrant and refugee students succeed. Phi Delta Kappan, 41, 48-52.
[30]	Perlich, P. (2011). Census 2010: A first look at State Name results. State Economic business review, 71, 2-15.
[31]	Perlich, P. (2002). State name minorities: The story told by 150 years of census data. Salt Lake City, UT: The University of Utah.
[32]	Maurrassee, D. (2001). Beyond the campus: How colleges and universities form partnerships with their communities. New York: Routledge.
[33]	Miles, M. B., & Huberman, A. M. (1994). Qualitative data analysis: An expanded sourcebook (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
[34]	McIntyre, D. J., Byrd, D. M., & Foxx, S. M. (1996). Field and laboratory experiences. In J. Sikula, T. J. Buttery, & E. Guyton (Eds.), Handbook of research on teacher education (2nd ed., pp. 171-193). New York: Macmillan.
[35]	National Center for Education Statistics. (2003). The condition of education. Washington DC: Department of Education.
[36]	Nieto, S., & Bode, P. (2008). Affirming diversity: The sociopolitical context of multicultural education, (5th ed.). New York: Pearson.
[37]	Recruiting New Teachers, Inc. (2003). Paraeducators programs. URL (last checked 4 April 2012). http://www.ericdigests.org/2002-3/paraeducators.htm
[38]	Rivas, M., Perez, J., Alvarez, C., & Solarzano, D. (2007). UCLA Chicano Studies Research Report (2007). Latina/o transfer students: Understanding the critical role of the transfer process in California’s postsecondary institutions. Los Angeles, CA: UCLA Latino Research Program.
[39]	Sleeter, C. (2001). Preparing teachers for culturally diverse schools: Research and the overwhelming presence of Whiteness. Journal of Teacher Education, 52, 94-106.
[40]	Stanford, B. (1999). Tapping the wisdom of positive, persevering teachers: The South Central L. A. study. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association. Montreal.
[41]	Strand, K., Marullo, S., Cutforth, N., Stoecker, R., & Donohue, P. (2003). Community-based research and higher education. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
[42]	Stratton, T., Ooka Pang, V., Madueňo, M., Park, C., Atlas, M., Page, C., & Oliger, J. (2009). Immigrant students and the obstacles to achievement. Phi Delta Kappan, 41, 44-47.
[43]	Suarez-Balcazar, Y., Davis, I., Ferrari, J., Nyden, P., Olsen, B., Alvarez, J., Molloy, P., & Toro, P. (2004). University-Community Partnerships: A framework and an exemplar. In L. Jason, C. Keys, Y. Suarez-Balcazar, R. Taylor, & M. Davis. (Eds.), Participatory Community Rsearch: Theories and methods in action (pp.105-120). Washington DC: American Psychological Association.
[44]	Swartz, E. (2003). Teaching white preservice teachers: Pedagogy for change. Urban Education, 38, 255-278.
[45]	Torres, J., Santos, J., Peck, N., & Cortes, L. (2004). Minority Teacher Recruitment, Development, and Retention. Providence, RI: The Education Alliance at Brown University.
[46]	United States Census Bureau (2008). URL (last checked 23 October 2012). http://www.census.gov/acs/www/data_documentation/2008_release/
[47]	Villegas, A., & Lucas, T. (2002). Educating culturally responsive teachers: A coherent approach. Albany, NY: SUNY Press.