Bilingual Interns' Barriers to Becoming Teachers: At What Cost Do We Diversify the Teaching Force?

Abstract

In this article I present a critical ethnographic study of three Mexican-American bilingual interns reflecting on the ability of an alternative licensure program to address barriers that have traditionally prevented individuals from underrepresented groups in the United States from entering teaching. Most financial and work schedule barriers are addressed through a federal grant supporting the program and the availability of evening and weekend coursework. However, in this program they face new barriers including reduction in salary during the internship, a stressful workload, passing required teacher exams, inability to use their bilingual education knowledge and skills, and mentors with no experience in bilingual education and/or experience at the interns' grade level. In this article, the author offers a vision for transforming alternative licensure programs aimed at diversifying the teaching force.