In this issue, we offer five articles that take a unique approach to preservice teacher preparation. Two articles, one by Banville et al. and one by Jennerjohn, Peterson, and Cavanaugh, address the curriculum approaches for preservice teachers offering a look into after-school programs and interdisciplinary content for elementary preservice teachers. Next, we have an article that addresses the continuing and growing issue of a dwindling teacher pipeline in Preparing Community Teachers Early: Exploring Aspiring Teacher Learning and Identity Development in a Grow Your Own Program. The last two pieces address the need for inclusivity in teacher preparation. Oamek researches white teachers and anti-racisit education, while Pazey, Eddy, and Bump offer an investigation into equity in STEM.
In Struggles and Successes of Pre-Service Teachers When Implementing a Student-Centered Curriculum in an After-School Program, Banville and colleagues used a case study to examine nine pre-service teachers (PSTs)’ experience in implementing a student-centered curriculum, REACH, integrating physical activity and literacy in an after-school program (ASP). Through a variety of data sources including interviews with the PSTs, PSTs’ journals, field notes, observation notes, as well as notes on the fidelity of the implementation of the curriculum, researchers identified three themes. Specifically, PSTs were able to apply their developing pedagogical and content knowledge in the afterschool setting, after going through some challenges with the curriculum and time management. Implementing the student-centered literacy-based physical activities, especially motivating students to engage in these activities, seemed to be challenging for these PSTs. Despite the challenges they encountered, all PSTs had grown professionally and/or personally through their experience. This study shed light on the possibility of using ASPs to increase PSTs’ practical experiences.
In Nearby Nature: An Interdisciplinary Science, Literacy, and Technology Project Situated within a Traditional Teacher Preparation Program, Jennerjohn, Peterson, and Cavanaugh continue a focus on preservice curriculum by investigating how interdisciplinary models work in a teacher preparation program. The elementary education program offers a technology, literacy, and science focused course that allows the instructor to co-plan and teach. Researchers found promise for teacher education pedagogies, use of technology tools, and interdisciplinary collaboration.
Next, in the qualitative study, Preparing Community Teachers Early: Exploring Aspiring Teacher Learning and Identity Development in a Grow Your Own Program, Chu and Weems conducted, they examined the experience of six aspiring teachers who attended a pre-collegiate Grow Your Own (GYO) teacher program. Through in-depth interviews with these aspiring teachers, they indicated that by participating in a variety of field-based learning activities, not only were they able to learn more essential knowledge about teaching, but also, they understood the teacher profession and teacher responsibilities better. These aspiring teachers developed a strong awareness of biases and inequities related to education in their communities and started to advocate for a culturally responsive learning environment. Role models from their mentors facilitated their construction of their own understandings and images as future educators, and ongoing teacher identity development. This study showed the positive influence of GYO on teacher preparation and recommended institutionalized collaboration with district and community partners to meet the needs of local schools and communities.
In White Preservice Teachers and Antiracist Practice: Enabling Trajectories of Learning and Identity in Teacher Preparation, Kimberly Oamek offers readers valuable insights and viable inspiration into the preparation of White antiracist teachers grounded on social learning theories (Wenger, 1998) and constructs associated with learning trajectories and identity resources (Louie, 2017; Nasir & Cooks, 2009). Oamek delineates political clarity as praxis for understanding and utilizing antiracist teaching and learning. The results of this study indicate that the paths that teacher candidates adopt to guide and support their trajectories of learning and their frameworks of identity are affected significantly by their access to pragmatic resources and accumulation of professional repertoire. Delving into various resources and developing a diverse repertoire equips and empowers teacher candidates with antiracist practices that provide robust opportunities and rigorous experiences uplifting teaching, learning, and living that promote equity and justice for all preK-12 students, classroom teachers, teacher candidates, and teacher educators readily applicable across circumstances and contexts.
The authors of Applying an Equity Framework to Develop Inclusive Visions of STEM Teaching: Honoring the Voices of Students with Dis/Abiities invite classroom teachers, teacher educators, and school administrators in preK-12 and/or higher education classrooms to recognize the voices and the ways of knowing for students with dis/abiities, particularly students enrolled in STEM classrooms. Framed by four equity dimensions (Gutiérrez, 2012) encompassing access, achievement, identity, and power, the authors used a case study methodology to identify themes and subthemes associated with the descriptions shared by students with dis/abilities (SWD). The findings from this qualitative study provide readers with specific strategies beneficial to all learners, particularly students with dis/abilities contextualized in STEM classrooms, to honor diversity, establish equity, and ensure inclusion authentically and academically.
This first issue of 2024 provides a range of professional research that addresses current and compelling topics in teacher education. With a range of topics from curriculum to equity to teacher pipelines, the editors hope all teacher educators will find a point, thought, question, or strategy to take into their practice. As always, we will continue to work to provide insightful and innovative research on all issues this year.