Learning to teach science in urban schools by becoming a researcher of one’s own beginning practice

Abstract

An urgent goal for science teacher educators is to prepare teachers to teach science in meaningful ways to youth from nondominant backgrounds. This preparation is challenging, for it asks teachers to critically examine how their pedagogical practices might adaptively respond to students and to science. It asks, essentially, for new teachers to become researchers of their own beginning practice. This study explores the story of Ben as he coauthored a transformative action research project in an urban middle school as part of a teacher education program and, later, over his first year of teaching at that same school. We describe how Ben and his partner teacher created innovative spaces for science learning. This offered Ben an opportunity to make some of his deeply engrained pedagogical beliefs come alive within a context of distributed expertise, which provided for him a space of moderate risk where he could afford the chances of failure without undermining how he felt about his own capacity as a teacher. Our study highlights the importance of creating reform opportunities within the context of teacher education programs that may help beginner teachers construct positive images of teaching that they can hold on to in their future practice.Executive Summary (Spanish) Una demanda urgente para los formadores de maestros y profesores de ciencias es la de preparar docentes que puedan enseñar ciencia de modos significativos para los jóvenes de contextos no-dominantes, especialmente de escuelas

Good Practices in Science Teacher Education for Schools in Disadvantaged Contexts: A Case Study from a School Improvement Program in Argentina

“…We and others have previously shown that the process of learning to teach through inquirybased methods is a long and demanding journey, which requires a mix of careful planning and flexible improvisation (Furman et al 2012). Inquiry-based lessons need teachers to put students at the center of the teaching process, without forgetting lesson goals, and allowing room for debate while incorporating student findings, in order to progressively build scientific knowledge.…”

Social Justice and Teacher Education: Context, Theory, and Practice

“…The studies reviewed below illustrate this potential in developing socially just teachers. Furman, Barton, and Muir ( 2012 ) described how an urban middle school student teacher collaborated with his cooperating teacher on a transformative action research project, taking pedagogical risks and studying the resultant student learning. Findings showed the preservice teacher shifted from defi cit views of his students to an asset perspective, with himself serving as co-constructor with them, rather than direct provider, of knowledge /relevance.…”

Social Justice in Practice? Exploring Teacher Candidates’ Commitment Toward Change Agency Through Action Research

“…For example, pre-service and practicing teachers conducted AR projects that examined social and cultural factors that may influence schooling such as the impact of social class on community institutions (e.g. libraries) (Martin, 2005); teacher collaboration to meet the needs of diverse learners (Church, 2010); use of differentiation and culturally responsive pedagogy to increase students' academic performance (Manfra, 2009b); use of empowering science pedagogy in a high-poverty urban school (Furman, Barton, & Muir, 2012); literacy instruction for ELLs (Sowa, 2009;Razfar, 2011); instruction at a faith-based school in a rural area (Kane & Chimwayange, 2014); and exploring the achievement gap for ELLs and African American students (Jacobs, Yamamura, Guerra & Nelson, 2013). As a result of conducting critical AR, pre-service and practicing teachers reported actions such as engaging in culturally responsive teaching (Furman, Barton, & Muir, 2012, Manfra, 2009b; implementing democratic practices in the classroom (Furman, et al, 2012, Kane & Chimwayange, 2014, Sowa, 2009; developing meaningful relationships with communities of color (Jacobs, et al, 2013); developing a model to increase teacher collaborations to meet diverse learners needs (Church, 2010); and participating in activism related to their AR projects (Martin, 2005;Razfar, 2011).…”