Best Practices in Teacher Preparation for Inclusive Education

2020 ◽  
pp. 52-68
Author(s):  
Holly H. Pinter ◽  
Lisa A. Bloom ◽  
Charmion B. Rush ◽  
Cameron Sastre
Keyword(s):  
Teacher Education ◽  
Teacher Preparation ◽  
Best Practices ◽  
General Education ◽  
Inclusive Education ◽  
Best Practice ◽  
School Partnerships ◽  
University School Partnerships ◽  
Teacher Education Faculty ◽  
Education Courses

Research regarding best practice for preparing both special education and general education teachers for inclusion has been sparse in the US. The purpose of this chapter is to systematically review and summarize research regarding teacher preparation for inclusion. A thorough search uncovered 35 relevant studies. Themes that emerged from analysis of this research of best practices for teacher preparation for inclusive education included content for inclusion infused in teacher education courses, attention early and often to attitudes and dispositions toward inclusion, opportunities for collaboration and co-teaching, strong university-school partnerships, and collaboration to teacher education faculty.

Best Practices in Teacher Preparation for Inclusive Education

2022 ◽  
pp. 822-840
Author(s):  
Holly H. Pinter ◽  
Lisa A. Bloom ◽  
Charmion B. Rush ◽  
Cameron Sastre
Keyword(s):  
Teacher Education ◽  
Teacher Preparation ◽  
Best Practices ◽  
General Education ◽  
Inclusive Education ◽  
Best Practice ◽  
School Partnerships ◽  
University School Partnerships ◽  
Teacher Education Faculty ◽  
Education Courses

Research regarding best practice for preparing both special education and general education teachers for inclusion has been sparse in the US. The purpose of this chapter is to systematically review and summarize research regarding teacher preparation for inclusion. A thorough search uncovered 35 relevant studies. Themes that emerged from analysis of this research of best practices for teacher preparation for inclusive education included content for inclusion infused in teacher education courses, attention early and often to attitudes and dispositions toward inclusion, opportunities for collaboration and co-teaching, strong university-school partnerships, and collaboration to teacher education faculty.

Teacher Preparation Considerations

2013 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jay Dorfman
Keyword(s):  
Teacher Education ◽  
Teacher Preparation ◽  
General Education ◽  
Music Teachers ◽  
Music Teacher ◽  
Teacher Preparation Programs ◽  
Preparation Programs ◽  
Email Communication ◽  
Music Department ◽  
Teacher Education Faculty

In order to accommodate the growth of technology-based music classes in schools, institutions that educate music teachers—both prior to their service and during—must begin to implement structures for inclusion of TBMI in their curricula. In this chapter, I will examine some of the models of inclusion of TBMI in teacher education. I will do so with the understanding that teacher education in music is a constant work in progress, and that adding TBMI in already crowded curricula is a very difficult task. Students working toward music teacher certification typically take a course focused on the uses of technology. Music teacher education faculty members generally agree that it is necessary for the skills embedded in these classes to be developed. In addition, the accrediting bodies that enable teacher preparation programs to grant licensure credentials suggest inclusion of such a course. Courses in teacher preparation programs frequently address many of the standards delineated in the previous chapter, specifically the types of skills suggested by the TI:ME standards. An emphasis of some of these courses lies in the area of information management and communication. Students are often engaged—though sometimes unnecessarily so—in activities such as database creation and management, email communication, simple website development, and the uses of general education software. This is often the case when pre-service teachers are required to take courses in information technology or education departments of the university other than the music department in which the focus of the courses is general educational technology, devoid of a content area emphasis. Requiring these types of classes denies the existence of the critical intersections built into the TPACK model, which suggests that content, technology, and pedagogy influence each other. Music teacher educators should carefully consider whether such non-specific courses are advantageous for their students; perhaps there are better ways for future music teachers to gain proficiency with technologies that will be more meaningful for them in their careers.

“When Things Get Messy”: New Models for Clinically Rich and Culturally Responsive Teacher Education

2021 ◽  
Vol 123 (4) ◽  
pp. 1-26
Author(s):  
Alice Ginsberg ◽  
Marybeth Gasman ◽  
Andrés Castro Samayoa
Keyword(s):  
Teacher Education ◽  
Clinical Practice ◽  
Teacher Education Program ◽  
Research Question ◽  
Student Assessment ◽  
Classroom Teachers ◽  
Mutual Respect ◽  
School Site ◽  
School Partnerships ◽  
University School Partnerships

Background/Context Many teacher education programs are trying to build partnerships with local schools to create ongoing opportunities for their candidates to observe and practice in authentic settings. Prior research on university–school partnerships, however, has found that the structure and design of these partnerships have a huge impact on whether they turn out to be mutually beneficial, meaningful, and sustainable. One of the most commonly cited challenges is the lack of regular communication, respect, and trust between university professors and PK–12 classroom teachers and administrators. Purpose/Objective/Research Question This article focuses on Blocks, an initiative in the teacher education program at New Mexico State University (NMSU). Candidates spend their entire day at a single elementary school site, alternating between coursework and clinical practice. Research Design We conducted qualitative interviews and focus groups with teacher education professors, teacher candidates, and classroom teachers and administrators in the Blocks program to understand the core components and strategies that buoyed its success, as well as the major challenges and opportunities inherent in such a transformative model. Findings Given that NMSU is a Hispanic-serving institution that already prioritized university–school–community relationships, we were also interested in how the Blocks model might be replicated in teacher preparation programs at predominantly White institutions. Key findings include that (1) Blocks is a nonhierarchical model based on mutual respect and full collaboration, wherein professors and classroom teachers are both viewed as having equally valuable knowledge about teaching and learning, and both parties share ownership of the success of the program; (2) candidates’ coursework and clinical practice are not simply held at the same site, but are strategically sequenced and integrated to raise real-time questions of practice and provide candidates with a more cohesive and authentic preparation for becoming teachers of record; and (3) candidates do more than “observe” or “student teach”; they are given meaningful, progressive, and scaffolded opportunities to be involved in lesson planning, coteaching, student assessment, parent conferences, and extracurricular activities, all of which help them develop stronger teacher dispositions and identities. Conclusions/Recommendations Key recommendations for teacher education include the importance of intentionality and mutual respect when designing and forging university– school partnerships, including ensuring that all participants have a clearly defined role and a valued voice in the process; that clear communication and opportunities for self-reflection are strategically built into the collaborative process; and that faculty are rewarded for work that takes place in community settings.

Incorporating Social Justice Into Science Teacher Education Courses

2020 ◽  
pp. 208-224
Author(s):  
Seema Rivera ◽  
Amal Ibourk
Keyword(s):  
Teacher Education ◽  
Preservice Teachers ◽  
Social Justice ◽  
Teacher Preparation ◽  
Science Teacher ◽  
Instructional Strategies ◽  
Teacher Educators ◽  
Science Teacher Education ◽  
Teaching For Social Justice ◽  
Education Courses

In this chapter, the authors cover the importance and challenges of incorporating teaching for social justice in science teacher education courses. The chapter starts by providing an overview of the literature on social justice, specifically in science education, and define the terms social justice, equity, and diversity. Then, the authors, who are teacher educators from under-represented groups, share their own experiences about what led them to do social justice work. In addition, the authors present examples from their courses with their preservice teachers and instructional strategies they used. The chapter concludes with recommendations of ways in which we might consider implementing social justice practices in teacher preparation courses.

Advancing Teacher Candidates' Capabilities for Differentiated Instruction

2021 ◽  
pp. 77-99
Author(s):  
Alpana Bhattacharya
Keyword(s):  
Teacher Preparation ◽  
General Education ◽  
Preservice Teacher ◽  
Differentiated Instruction ◽  
Inclusive Education ◽  
Teacher Candidates ◽  
Pedagogical Practices ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Future Research Directions ◽  
Psychology Course

This chapter illustrates pedagogical practices from an undergraduate educational psychology course focused on preparing preservice teacher candidates for inclusive education in grades 7-12 general classes. First, literature related to teacher preparation for multi-tiered inclusive education is reviewed. Next, an inclusive instructional project is showcased to pinpoint pedagogical approaches used for promoting preservice teacher candidates' capabilities for differentiated instruction and technology-enhanced instruction in general education. Finally, implications of pedagogical practices for promoting preservice teacher candidates' aptitude for teaching diverse students via differentiated instruction are discussed, and future research directions for examining effectiveness of teacher preparation in general education for inclusive education are suggested.

scholarly journals Views of Inclusive Education From the Perspectives of Preservice and Mentor Teachers

Inclusion ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
pp. 189-202
Author(s):  
Jennifer A. Kurth ◽  
Anjali Forber-Pratt
Keyword(s):  
Preservice Teachers ◽  
Teacher Preparation ◽  
General Education ◽  
Students With Disabilities ◽  
Inclusive Education ◽  
Teacher Educators ◽  
School Experiences ◽  
Mentor Teachers ◽  
Inclusive Practices ◽  
Barriers To Implementation

Abstract The trend of educating students with disabilities in inclusive general education settings is expanding. Consequently, teacher preparation for inclusive practices is a necessary consideration for teacher educators. An important component of shaping preservice teacher dispositions comes from school experiences and interactions with mentor teachers. It is through this relationship that preservice teachers formulate their own attitudes, beliefs, and skills about inclusive practices. This article reports the findings from a set of surveys containing both closed- and open-ended responses related to inclusive education from both preservice (student) and mentor teachers. Analysis of the open-ended responses revealed definitions of inclusive education focused on student deficits and barriers to implementation of inclusive practices that focused on deficits in the capacity of the environment. Implications for teacher preparation, including challenging deficit-based assumptions, are discussed.

From Mediated Fieldwork to Co-Constructed Partnerships: A Framework for Guiding and Reflecting on P-12 School–University Partnerships

2019 ◽  
Vol 71 (1) ◽  
pp. 122-134
Author(s):  
Greer Burroughs ◽  
Amy Lewis ◽  
Dan Battey ◽  
Mary Curran ◽  
Nora E. Hyland ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Clinical Practice ◽  
Teacher Preparation ◽  
Teacher Candidates ◽  
Learning Opportunities ◽  
Teacher Preparation Programs ◽  
Preparation Programs ◽  
School Partnerships ◽  
University Partnerships ◽  
Essential Component ◽  
University School Partnerships

An essential component of teacher preparation is clinical practice that allows teacher candidates (TCs) to observe, reflect upon, test their ideas, and adjust and improve their methods in classrooms. Weaknesses in the structure and organization between coursework and clinical practice in teacher preparation programs often present barriers from fully achieving these goals. University–school partnerships have the potential to overcome these challenges and create spaces for mutually beneficial learning opportunities for all stakeholders. In this article, we identify six levels to illustrate the continua of work with schools in the preparation of TCs that describe how a program might move from current partnership practice to the kinds of partnership practice described by McDonald and colleagues and the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP). While developing partnerships with schools is work that has inherent challenges, the potential of this work to meaningfully transform the preparation of teachers is crucial.

Teacher Education and Inclusivity

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah L. Alvarado ◽  
Sarah M. Salinas ◽  
Alfredo J. Artiles
Keyword(s):  
Teacher Education ◽  
Preservice Teachers ◽  
Teacher Preparation ◽  
Students With Disabilities ◽  
Inclusive Education ◽  
Professional Training ◽  
Teacher Educators ◽  
Learning Differences ◽  
Access To Books ◽  
Formative Experiences

Inclusive teacher education (ITE) defines the professional training of preservice teachers to work in learning spaces encompassing students from all circumstances, regardless of race, linguistic background, gender, socioeconomic status, and special education needs (SEN). This preparation includes the content, pedagogy, and formative experiences required for teachers to work in inclusive schools. To fully understand ITE, it is necessary to examine what is meant by inclusive education (IE). Indeed, it is essential to explore ITE’s definition since scholars and teacher educators have struggled to agree on what is meant by IE. In addition to disagreements about IE’s definition, support for this idea and its implementation may vary due to the cultural, historical, and political differences specific to local contexts. For these reasons, it is necessary to recognize the inclusive policies, practices, and processes that often shape definitions and concepts related to ITE. Notwithstanding the ambitious meanings of ITE across the globe, researchers, professionals, and policymakers tend to emphasize a vision of teacher preparation for working with students with disabilities (SWD) or SEN. Also, there is no consensus about which particular aspects matter in teacher education programs, primarily based on ideological differences about the core goals of IE. These differences in views and beliefs have resulted in limited understandings and applications of ITE. For instance, a student with an SEN may also come from a family living in poverty, with no access to books in the home, or speak multiple languages, including languages that are not a part of their first (formal) educational experiences. In such circumstances, there is no agreement about whether ITE programs should focus on students’ linguistic, socioeconomic, learning differences, or multiple factors. We review the research on ITE in various national contexts. We also discuss how scholars have conceptualized the preparation of future teachers and the implications for greater clarity on how teacher preparation can improve IE in an increasingly diverse society.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document