Publication Type: Paper Presentation
Abstract: Abstract
The purpose of this paper is to: (a) investigate the issues and challenges inherent in the teacher induction process; (b) develop an emerging conceptual framework of teacher development; and (c) discuss the relationship between teacher induction and teacher retention. This paper reviews factors in the literature on teacher development that may lead to teacher retention. The emerging conceptual framework of teacher development illustrates the teacher preparation phase, teacher induction phase, and teacher retention phase of a teacher’s career. The conceptual framework of teacher development is proposed to assist in guiding future research on teacher retention. Lastly, conclusions and implications for further research are articulated.

Publication Type: Conference Paper/Unpublished Manuscript
Abstract: Researchers have tried to explain teachers’ negative perception of black students by examining the match between the teachers and students’ race. This research hypothesizes that teachers will have negative perceptions of students when there is mismatch between the social origins of teacher and student (Alexander, Entwisle, and Thompson 1987). In racial and class terms, this means that we would expect white, middle-class teachers to have negative perceptions of poor black, students. While this research helps explain teachers’ perceptions of black students, it does not help us understand teachers’ perceptions of other racial minorities such as Latinos and Asians. In addition, this racial mismatch hypothesis does not explain why teachers might have positive perceptions of students who are different from themselves.
In this paper, I argue that teachers’ racial and ethnic beliefs affect teachers’ perception of students. I propose a model where teachers’ race interacts with their beliefs to influence their perception of students. Examining teachers’ racial and ethnic beliefs along with their racial status allows us to understand the process by which teachers attach meaning to their students’ race. In addition, I argue that teachers’ racial and ethnic beliefs are influenced by ideologies that shape their perception of students. Due to these ideologies, I argue that a racial mismatch can lead teachers to have a positive instead of negative perception of racial minorities under certain circumstances. Using a sample of interviews with teachers and administrators at nine Chicago schools, I explore faculty’s evaluative comments about students of different races.

Publication Type: Interactive Dialogue
Abstract: Traditionally teacher development is viewed as the responsibility of teacher preparation programs which are often responsible to national and state accreditation requirements. Professional development is the responsibility of the K-12 structure and is often dictated by district needs and/or state mandates. Rarely do the different “worlds” work together to ensure a seamless system of building teacher quality and enhancing teacher quality from the beginning stages (preservice) to continuing professional growth. (inservice/professional development). “Although the importance of developing professional community in schools has been widely addressed in the research literature (see for example, Dufour and Eaker, 1998; Newmann, King, and Youngs, 2000; Westheimer, 1998; Wegner, 1998), scholars and practitioners in higher education have not always paid attention to the importance of community building in universities as well as schools” (Darling-Hammond & Bransford, 2005; p. 454). It is inherent that we begin to analyze the separate systems or silos and create a new horizontal thread that weaves the importance of community building all the way from teacher preparation through teacher professional development. It is necessary to rethink the separateness of teacher preparation and the separateness of K-12 professional development in order to maximize limited amounts of resources (monetary and time) in teacher preparation programs, state agencies, and K-12 districts, to proactively adjust curriculum requirements in teacher preparation in order to prevent the need for immediate remediation of new beginning teachers’ knowledge and skill set. This presentation will showcase a multidimensional collaborative partnership model for aligning the development of teachers via teacher preparation with the professional development of teachers in a seven county area surrounding the local college. This partnership includes two state agency partners which service the surrounding seven county K-12 communities which are responsible for professional development around curriculum and pedagogy, special education, leadership, technology and instructional technology and the teacher preparation program at the college.

Publication Type: Conference Paper/Unpublished Manuscript
Abstract: Research on newer cooperating teachers with 4-6 years teaching experience will be presented. Successes, challenges, teacher education strategies, and impact on longer-term career thinking will be explored.

Publication Type: Symposium Paper
Abstract: Drawing from various disciplines and studies that have expressed the importance of students’ voices in their own learning, two former teacher candidates discuss their perspectives on dispositions. As part of the studies described in Papers 1 & 2, former teacher candidates from each of the programs were asked: How did the opportunity to self-reflect and receive feedback on professional dispositions in your teacher education program influence your development and effectiveness as a beginning teacher?