Donna M. Sobel

Addressing the discontinuity of students’ and teachers’ diversity: a preliminary study of preservice teachers’ beliefs and perceived skills

Abstract The authors of the present investigation provide baseline data regarding preservice teachers’ beliefs about addressing the needs of students whose backgrounds and abilities differ from their own. These data provide the guidance for subsequent in-depth longitudinal investigations about the ways in which preservice teachers’ beliefs inform their classroom behaviors toward the aforementioned students, as well as suggestions for teacher educators about program improvements.

Rich Contexts to Emphasize Social Justice in Teacher Education: Curriculum and Pedagogy in Professional Development Schools Special Issue: Partnering for Equity

Teacher preparation typically follows one of three paths, including a professional development school (PDS) model developed by university and P–12 school faculty. Regardless of the program model, it is a research interest to determine the extent to which courses and field experience can prompt preservice teachers to advocate for the elimination of societal inequities and deliver effective inclusive instruction that informs and empowers all students. This article reports on a study of the elements of curriculum and pedagogy identified by preservice teachers as affecting their knowledge and ability to provide effective instruction in multicultural, multilingual, and inclusive classrooms. Preservice teachers found value in (a) guided exposure to “real-world” cross-cultural interactions in PDSs, (b) observations of theory-practice applications in course work and PDSs, and (c) observations of and interactions with the clinical teacher.

Culturally Responsive Pedagogy: Teaching Like Our Students’ Lives Matter

Views culturally responsive teaching as a contextual and situational process for both teachers and students—the students—including those who are from a diversity of languages, cultures, racial/ethnic backgrounds, religions, economic resources, interests, abilities, and life experiences.

Blueprint for the Responsive Classroom

After college, I worked for a company selling hair supplies and for a while it was a fun job. Yet, I knew that I needed something in my life with meaning, so I began to volunteer at a local agency that provided after-school tutoring for students at risk. It didn’t take long for me to realize this was what I wanted to do. After I completed my program in elementary education I was offered a thirdgrade teaching position in a large urban, inclusive school. Whew, was I ever in for a shock. Nothing about the school, the neighborhood, or the students resembled anything like I had ever experienced. I kept wondering how I was going to do this job. What should my classroom look like? What kind of environment could I create that would support all students regardless of their needs or backgrounds? What visuals or aids could I display so that respect and supportiveness permeates my room? How will I ever be able to teach in a way that meets all of my students’ needs?

Merging General and Special Education Teacher Preparation Programs to Create an Inclusive Program for Diverse Learners.

This article describes a number of internal organizational initiatives within an urban teacher education program designed to foster inclusive, responsive practices by newly licensed general and special education teacher candidates. After implementing a merged preparation program for both special and general educators, we captured faculty and student perspectives.

Shared Accountability: Encouraging Diversity-Responsive Teaching in Inclusive Contexts.

of diversity in our classrooms? • What contributes to our understanding of cultural and language issues? • What about issues of sexual orientation in school? • How can we promote equity in race, gender, age, and ability? • What part does socioeconomic level play in school? Questions like these can go on and on when educators begin seriously addressing diversity in the school—in particular, how to respond to such issues with understanding, with equal opportunity, and with equity for all (see box, “What Does the Literature Say?”). Diversity-responsive teaching is the focus of this article. Focused educational observation, mentoring, and supervision of teachers’ professional development serve to promote excellence in instruction for all learners. The collaborative process is essential in meeting the challenge of ongoing quality teacher effectiveness. Collaboration, however, calls for school district and higher education faculty to join together in conversations to improve the educational opportunities for all students—no matter how difficult those conversations might be. This article reports on a team effort by faculty from a large public school district and an urban university to create an observation tool to be used to evaluate and mentor preservice and inservice teachers’ abilities to meaningfully address issues of diversity in their classrooms. We report on the district and university missions, present demographic information, and describe the model used to guide shared accountability for teacher evaluation. Finally, we provide suggestions for implementing the observation tool.

Teacher Evaluation Standards in Practice: A Standards-Based Assessment Tool for Diversity-Responsive Teaching.

Abstract Although there is no question about the need for preservice and inservice teachers to have the skills to meet the diverse needs of students in todays classrooms, the issue of how to assess those same skills has proved to be problematic. This article reports on a joint effort by faculty from an urban university and a large public school district to create an observation tool that will assess and mentor preservice and inservice teachers’ abilities to address issues of diversity in their classrooms meaningfully. The authors will first report on missions and background information representing both the university and the school district and then on the development of a standards‐based assessment tool. Lastly, suggestions that compliment a comprehensive body of evidence of teacher evaluation will be discussed.

Here Comes the Sun Team!: Collaborative Inclusion at Work

A young boy in kindergarten will benefit from the collaborative, inclusive approach to special education in this elementary school. The school is part of an innovative district that has developed a collaborative program in response to the need for technical assistance and support for students with severe disabilitie being served at various neighborhood schools. This project provided intensive support to individual schools so that all students would experience more

Scaffolded Support Systems: Examining a Multi-Tiered Support Plan Protocol for Struggling Teacher Candidates

Teacher candidates train in an educational world that has changed dramatically. The tensions and challenges that preservice teachers experience are a reality for teacher education programs and must be planned for. The authors from a teacher preparation program describe the steps they have taken to support more authentic and integrated work with teacher candidates who struggle in their performance during their licensure program. After implementing a program‐wide support plan protocol and professional action plan tool, we examined the issues that signaled the need for intervention, the types of supports provided, and the resulting program decision. We captured staff perspectives regarding the effectiveness of the support plan protocol and conclude with recommendations to support teacher candidates in acquiring the conceptual and technical knowledge, skills, and disposition needed to teach in today’s classrooms.

Chapter Eleven Mentoring and Supporting Culturally Responsive Teaching Practices

Views culturally responsive teaching as a contextual and situational process for both teachers and students—the students—including those who are from a diversity of languages, cultures, racial/ethnic backgrounds, religions, economic resources, interests, abilities, and life experiences.