As a powerful institution of social reproduction, schools are locations in which racial inequalities and anti-Black racism play out in ways that contribute to the larger racial disparities that many Black communities experience. The way race informs the experiences of Black students in schools justifies the need for anti-racist and anti-bias…

The purpose of this study was to identify common areas of strength and weakness in teacher preparation programs based on the perceptions of teacher candidates and novice teachers from 14 higher education institutions across three states. The areas investigated included perspectives on teacher preparation related to "Instructional…

Obstacles encountered by young adults with intellectual disability (ID) during the transition from high school to post-school employment have great potential to limit an individual's opportunity and/or capacity for self-determination with regard to employment. This qualitative study examines the challenges to self-determination experienced by a…

Educating 21st century students to participate in reasoned, civil discourse is a moral imperative. A strong democracy depends upon the ability of its citizens to hear and consider opposing views, to view others as partners rather than adversaries, to cooperate and compromise when addressing important issues, to collaborate in order to accomplish…

This point of view paper explores the power of words to build respect and understanding around issues of diversity, equity and inclusion. As instructors in our courses who work to build self-awareness and unpack systems of power and privilege for ourselves and for our students, there are many lessons we can learn to make teaching and learning more…

This qualitative case study examines the impact of a workshop on culturally responsive teaching on preservice elementary teacher candidates' ability to conceptualize and apply culturally responsive instruction. The "Rethinking Columbus" workshop teaches students to read critically as text detectives, asking questions such as, "Whose…

Democracy--with its complicated problems, multiplicity of positions, and often deeply held convictions--has always been messy. How do we prepare students to participate meaningfully in this type of world, where issues are complex and opinions vary widely? Knowledge about democratic ideals and development of civic dispositions is important, but for…

This paper proposes a framework for the development of culturally responsive practices in beginning teachers to meet the needs of diverse students in multicultural classrooms. The framework describes the trajectory beginning teachers undergo toward becoming culturally responsive and discusses how teacher educators in liberal arts colleges can…

Informed by the narrative inquiry approach (Connelly & Clandinin, 1990), this qualitative study examined preservice teachers' narratives to investigate what they think, know, and believe in teaching English learners. Beyond just telling stories, narrative structures and meanings were examined with the goal of gaining insight of the preservice…

Supporting the reading development of college students is the responsibility of all professors. As experts in the field, with experience navigating and interpreting readings in a particular discipline, professors are obligated to think of themselves as master artisans apprenticing their students to the craft of reading. Texts in all subject areas…

Despite greater responsibility for creating equitable and inclusive classroom models, some research suggests that educators "may not have the necessary attitudes, dispositions, or perhaps more important, the professional skills to successfully instruct students in diverse, inclusive classrooms" (Van Laarhoven, Munk, Lynch, Bosman & Rouse, 2007, p.…

Effective teaching values the classroom as a learning community in which instructional approaches optimize learning for all students. Contrary to the principles of an equitable learning environment is the use of "me" language by teachers, a practice that promotes the role of teacher as high status and inadvertently excludes students from the…

A study group from the Quality Teacher Network in Reading (QTN/R) reviewed the achievement gap data between Black and White fourth-grade readers in Minnesota. From the results of the review, the study group developed a professional development series. The investigation helped the study group determine from a professional development standpoint how…

Although teachers may strive to create inclusive, multi-cultural classrooms, they may lack the requisite knowledge and skills to successfully accomplish the task. Drawing on case study research that illuminates challenges encountered by White teachers of multicultural literature, I propose a comprehensive diversity component for teacher education.…

This study is part of a larger study that uses mixed methods (qualitative and quantitative methods) to investigate preservice teachers' knowledge and understanding of multiculturalism and to prepare preservice teachers to work in diverse classrooms. The results indicate two findings: 1) that preservice teachers come from homogeneous backgrounds;…