Through a combination of rich description, and qualitative and quantitative program data, this book makes the case that university programs focused on communities they serve, can ensure more effective, learner-ready teachers who remain in the profession longer. This text is of value to educational leaders, policymakers, and researchers.
Why are preservice teachers often told by veteran teachers to "forget what you learned" in teacher preparation programs? Why is there a gap between pedagogical practices employed at schools and those taught at colleges and universities? And why, after evidence from countless studies, are there still so few teachers of color working in our rapidly diversifying schools?
These questions are addressed in this book, which describes a reconceptualized teacher preparation program based on a teacher residency model. This model is grounded in three core beliefs: first, that teacher quality is a shared responsibility between universities and school districts; second, that all students have a right to high-quality teachers who are as racially, ethnically, and linguistically diverse as the students they teach; and third, that for education to be transformative, future educators must have the right balance of theoretical knowledge and practical experiences grounded in specific contexts.
Through a combination of rich description and qualitative and quantitative program data, the authors make the case that university programs focused on the communities they serve can ensure more effective, learner-ready teachers who remain in the profession longer. By providing a detailed blueprint for program development, the contents of this book will be of value and interest to educational leaders, policy makers, and researchers.
A Case for Change in Teacher Preparation could not have been published at a better time. COVID-19 has exacerbated many of the longstanding challenges facing public education: a severe and worsening teacher shortage; a demographic mismatch between a White, middle-class teaching force and a diverse population of students; and high rates of teacher turnover, especially in urban schools. As the leader of a School of Education who is passionately committed to public schools, I am always looking for creative ways to be of greater service to our local districts-but never more desperately than now! I am grateful to Julie Gorlewski and her co-authors for presenting a theoretically grounded, empirically proven, and thoroughly described plan for how to diversify the teacher corps and better prepare candidates for success in urban schools, all in close collaboration with district partners.
Isabel Nuñez, Purdue University Fort Wayne
A Case for Change in Teacher Preparation: Developing Community-Based Residency Programs?is a must-read for those seeking to create a sustainable pipeline of committed, diverse, and highly-effective teachers for urban and rural districts. The authors make the case for a dramatically reconstituted teacher preparation model-teacher residencies-that can bridge the historic divide between theory and practice through an intensive, community-based clinical experience that honors the knowledge and expertise of practitioners and university faculty. The book explores all aspects of the challenges and structures needed to successfully implement a residency model and provides specific details and concrete recommendations for those looking for a blueprint to design a teacher residency program.
Therese Dozier, Director of Center for Teacher Leadership and Richmond Teacher Residency Program, Virginia Commonwealth University
A Case for Change makes it clear that transforming university-based teacher preparation into quality residency partnerships may take work, but the task is both worthwhile and within reach. The authors' documentation of the University at Buffalo's program shifts offers an incredibly helpful roadmap. The book is grounded in commitments to equity, strong theory, and current research, and is focused on sharing the story of how every part of their program shifted over the course of a few years. Any preparation program wanting to strengthen clinical practice would do well to read this timely volume.
Karen DeMoss, Executive Director Prepared To Teach,?Sustainable Funding for Quality Teacher Preparation, an initiative out of Bank Street College