The Adequacies and Inadequacies of Three Current Strategies to Recruit, Prepare, and Retain the Best Teachers for All Students¹

Abstract

This paper analyzes the strengths and weaknesses of three of the major approaches to teacher education reform in the United States: the professionalization agenda, the deregulation agenda, and the social justice agenda. Although each of these approaches to reform has contributed in positive ways to improving teacher education in a manner that would lessen the achievement gap in U.S. public schools, they each have certain weaknesses that undermine this goal. There are also important issues of inequality in U.S. society that are not addressed by any of the reform agendas.

Learning to advocate for educational equity in a teacher credential program

“…Hundreds of new teachers in 29 districts in central California reported ELLs' learning needs among the greatest challenges in their work, and many had no credential or little teacher education preparation to meet these needs (Baron, 2006). Even when teacher education programs incorporate aspects of multicultural education, typically little attention is given to issues of linguistic diversity and ELLs (Zeichner, 2003). Teacher education efforts in this field also have been impaired by insufficient placements in schools with adequate numbers of ELLs, lack of supervisor knowledge to guide relevant instruction, and a slim research base that has yet to inform educators about which disciplin ary and pedagogical bases best prepare teachers for such work in which kinds of communities (Merino, 1999).…”

Conceptualising teachers’ advocacy as comedic trickster behaviour: Implications for teacher education

“…In order to mitigate this power imbalance, there are increasing calls for teachers to act as advocates for all students (Kelly 1986;Zeichner 2003), but especially for students who have been traditionally denied full participation in school contexts (Barolomé 2004;Roberts & Siegel 2012). At first blush, one might wonder why teachers are charged with the duty to advocate.…”

Le décrochage enseignant : état des connaissances

“…Les programmes de soutien à l'insertion professionnelle semblent particulièrement prometteurs (ACE 1992;Brill and McCartney 2008;Guarino et al 2006;Hudson et al 2008;Martineau 2008). À cet égard, le National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) (1997) et Smith et Ingersoll (2004) font part d'une association positive entre les programmes d'assistance aux nouveaux enseignants et leur rétention, bien que cette formule reste à améliorer et à systématiser (NCES 1997;Zeichner 2003). Les communautés virtuelles d'enseignants semblent également présenter un potentiel fort intéressant (Martineau 2008;Muhling 2004;Nault 2008 …”