Fostering Inclusive Beliefs and Practices During Preservice Teacher Education Through Communities of Practice

Abstract

Increasingly classroom teachers are expected to create inclusive classrooms and make adaptations for exceptional learners. A field-based course in a teacher education program with an extended early practicum undertook to foster the beliefs and practices of preservice teachers about adapting teaching for exceptional learners. The teacher candidates discussed dilemma cases in communities of practice, on-campus and in schools. We analyzed dilemma cases written by 28 elementary teacher candidates about their experiences with inclusion. Themes included maintaining a critical stance, questioning one's own assumptions, and recognizing unresolved ambiguities. We also analyzed the adaptations as well as the content of written peer responses to the cases. Most of the cases were dilemmas and the peer responses showed challenging and supportive dialogue among the members of the school-based communities. The cases demonstrated beliefs and practices regarding inclusion and suggest that using case approaches within communities of practice may foster inclusive beliefs and practices during preservice teacher education.

A community of practice in music teacher training: The case of Musicalização Infantil

“…Working with Raphael within the context of the community certainly transformed the perceptions of Ana and Cristina towards the education of children with disabilities. Consistent with previous research (see VanWeelden & Whipple, 2007), the shared 'hands on' experience (Hutchinson & Martin, 1999) afforded by Musicalização Infantil also affected their teacher role identities (see Dolloff, 1999). New professional possibilities unfolded for a participating student-teacher.…”

“…It may also lead to the creation of misconceptions and stereotypes, which are often hard to change. According to Hutchinson and Martin (1999), it is important to promote changes in both studentteachers' beliefs and educational practices regarding the education of individuals with disabilities. One way to do so is to promote dialogue in communities of peers, enabling student-teachers 'to be challenged by and experiment with new beliefs and practices, and to view teaching as a moral endeavor' (Hutchinson & Martin, 1999, p. 235).…”

Breaking the Cycle: Preparing Pre-Service Teachers for Disability-Related Discussions

“…Nevertheless, due to the wide variety of factors that influence the degree to which teachers emulate their own schooling experiences, it is imperative for teacher education programs to directly address pre-service teachers’ prior assumptions about disability. Hutchinson and Martin (1999) described how classroom teachers are increasingly asked to create inclusive environments for students with disabilities; however, inclusion may have looked different (or perhaps may not have existed) when today’s pre-service teachers were in school, and disability may not have been explicitly discussed. This lack of experience with discussions related to disability specifically as well as with teaching in general likely hinders pre-service teachers in connecting their beliefs about inclusion to their teaching practices (Hutchinson & Martin, 1999).…”

The process of teacher education for inclusion: the Maltese experience

“…The general feeling in the faculty has been that specific units on inclusive education are necessary and that these, together with master's level courses for the training of support personnel, should lead to the build‐up of research and skills in the area of responding to diversity. However, it is also understood that the most impact is achieved through teaching practice where issues of inclusion are highlighted (Abt‐Perkins, Hauschildt and Dale et al., 2000; Hutchinson and Martin, 1999; Jacobs, 2006). Because teaching practice supervision is mainly the responsibility of subject specialists, it becomes essential that these lecturers are themselves supportive of the inclusion agenda. In order for this to be achieved, one has to make use of all opportunities for staff development in the area.…”