Teacher preparation for urban teaching: a multiple case study of three primary teacher education programmes

Abstract

Teacher educators wonder how to prepare student teachers for urban teaching. Beginning teachers in urban environments experience multiple challenges, such as responding appropriately to language differences and cultural diversity. This study aims to provide insight into how Dutch teachers are prepared for teaching in urban schools. A multiple case study, including qualitative analysis of curriculum documents and interviews with programme directors, teacher educators, and students (N = 18) from three primary teacher education programmes, showed that several aspects of urban teaching, such as considering social and ethnic differences between children and (in)equality, were not addressed, or only to a limited degree. The programmes prepared teachers for urban teaching in different ways, including (compulsory) internships at urban schools or special assignments around urban themes. Internships had particularly high value for students, programme directors, and teacher educators. Results of the study can be used to develop adequate preparation for beginning urban teachers.

Preparing and Supporting Beginning Teachers for the Challenges of Teaching in Urban Primary Schools

“…First of all they are confronted with cultural diversity (Groulx, 2001;Erskine-Cullen & Sinclair, 1996;Duncan, 2014). Urban teachers work with children and parents from different cultures, with different backgrounds and values many of whom may and who speak a language other than the teacher's native language (Gaikhorst et al, 2019). Zeichner (2003) points at the increasing gap between the backgrounds of students and teachers, which makes it difficult to teach at urban schools.…”

“…A key question is to what extent the seven dimensions of urban teaching are reflected in the current curricula of teacher education institutes. A study in Dutch teacher education showed that the extent to which these dimensions were addressed differed between institutes (Gaikhorst et al, 2019). More specifically, the dimensions of language development, adaptive teaching, and (inter)professional collaboration appeared to receive more attention in the teacher education programs than the dimensions of lesson content and critical knowledge construction, parental collaboration, social processes and (in)equality, and context.…”

“…Another example was parental contact. The focus in the institutes was not specifically on differences between the SES-backgrounds of parents whereas class background does play an important role in the challenges that beginning teachers experience in (European) urban primary schools (Gaikhorst et al, 2019).…”

“…Some of the dimensions of urban teaching, and, more specially, certain urbanrelated aspects within these dimensions (e.g., considering social differences between children, (in)equality and collaboration with parents from diverse backgrounds), were not addressed or were addressed only to a limited degree in teacher education programs (Gaikhorst et al, 2019), whereas it is known from previous research that it is important for urban teachers to develop expertise in these areas (see, e.g., Severiens et al, 2014). Internships in urban schools can help student teachers to be better prepared for urban teaching (Matsko & Hammerness, 2014).…”

Teaching in culturally diverse classrooms

“…It might be helpful for teachers to receive the tools and support they need to implement more inclusive multicultural teaching practices. And although teacher training programs in the Netherlands do pay attention to teaching in diverse classrooms, research has indicated that these programs may lack discussion of social inequalities in the classroom and intergroup relations (Gaikhorst, Post, März, & Soeterik, 2020;Hermans, 2002;Severiens, Wolff, & van Herpen, 2014). Thus, it might be worthwhile to develop and include methods for more inclusive multicultural teaching practices into curricula for teacher training programs.…”