1. Other People’s Children Teachers’ Voices: Rethinking Teacher Education for Diversity

2. Diversity in our schools Hispanics, Asians, Native Americans make-up 30% of our school-age population, the minority is considered to be the majority of our twenty-five largest cities. Climbing up to 40% by the turn of the century in American classrooms. Hispanics, Asians, Native Americans make-up 30% of our school-age population, the minority is considered to be the majority of our twenty-five largest cities. Climbing up to 40% by the turn of the century in American classrooms.

3. Reformation of Teacher Education Non-white teachers represent less than 10% of our teachers in schools Non-white teachers represent less than 10% of our teachers in schools Currently, schools consist of mostly white teachers and will continue to increase in the future. Currently, schools consist of mostly white teachers and will continue to increase in the future.

4. Why the decline in non-white teachers? Decline of the number of college bound students from ethnic groups Decline of the number of college bound students from ethnic groups Widening opportunities for people of color Widening opportunities for people of color Increase in prevalence of competency examinations Increase in prevalence of competency examinations Lack of prestige in the teaching field and low salaries Lack of prestige in the teaching field and low salaries Less than optimal working conditions Less than optimal working conditions

5. How are we “Fixing the Problem?” Increasing financial aid to people of color Increasing financial aid to people of color Recruiting non-traditional college students Recruiting non-traditional college students Providing instruction geared to increasing passing rates on various state exams Providing instruction geared to increasing passing rates on various state exams Raising salaries Raising salaries Providing more opportunities for career advancement Providing more opportunities for career advancement But, the problem still exists

6. “The Study” Twelve in depth, two-hour ethnographic interviews with the educators had surprising consensus on the following issues: Twelve in depth, two-hour ethnographic interviews with the educators had surprising consensus on the following issues:

7. Consensus #1: Participants believed that the accounts of their own experiences were not validated during their teacher education programs or in their subsequent teaching experiences. Participants believed that the accounts of their own experiences were not validated during their teacher education programs or in their subsequent teaching experiences. University professors and students were mostly interested in research and had little interest in one’s experiences. If one couldn’t quote Vygotsky, then you didn’t have any validity to speak about your own experiences. Professors often dismissing what these teachers had to contribute. University professors and students were mostly interested in research and had little interest in one’s experiences. If one couldn’t quote Vygotsky, then you didn’t have any validity to speak about your own experiences. Professors often dismissing what these teachers had to contribute.

8. Consensus #2: The teachers interviewed, frequently encountered negative and or stereotypical cultural and racial attitudes directed towards themselves and toward ethnic minority children in education as a whole. The teachers interviewed, frequently encountered negative and or stereotypical cultural and racial attitudes directed towards themselves and toward ethnic minority children in education as a whole. They also noticed black students were not being taught efficiently as the white students. They also noticed black students were not being taught efficiently as the white students. Sharing comments such as, “Some children are hard to teach because they didn’t know how to think.” Many teachers believed that bright children deserved attention while others were considered students who just couldn’t learn. Sharing comments such as, “Some children are hard to teach because they didn’t know how to think.” Many teachers believed that bright children deserved attention while others were considered students who just couldn’t learn. Example of racial bias at one of the teacher’s tracked home school: The school’s highest track was made up of white, the middle track was mixed and the lowest tracked was all black children. Her comment was the children of minority races seemed to be “tolerated at best.” Example of racial bias at one of the teacher’s tracked home school: The school’s highest track was made up of white, the middle track was mixed and the lowest tracked was all black children. Her comment was the children of minority races seemed to be “tolerated at best.”

9. Consensus #3 Teachers interviewed reported significant differences from their white colleagues in classroom pedagogy (strategies of instruction) and discipline, stating that their teaching styles were most influenced by their own experiences as learners from their cultural bearers in their community. Teachers interviewed reported significant differences from their white colleagues in classroom pedagogy (strategies of instruction) and discipline, stating that their teaching styles were most influenced by their own experiences as learners from their cultural bearers in their community. Whites used role models such as, childhood teachers or other teachers during their student teaching. This was a sharp contrast to the teachers of color. They cited internal sources of knowledge as a primary basis for their own teaching. Using reflections of their own experiences as learners to assess and create. Whites used role models such as, childhood teachers or other teachers during their student teaching. This was a sharp contrast to the teachers of color. They cited internal sources of knowledge as a primary basis for their own teaching. Using reflections of their own experiences as learners to assess and create.

10. Consensus #4 The teachers often felt isolated from instructors and other students during their teacher training The teachers often felt isolated from instructors and other students during their teacher training Students found it difficult to talk to their white professors and fellow white students Students found it difficult to talk to their white professors and fellow white students They gravitated towards professors of color They gravitated towards professors of color

11. “Voices of Diversity” These teachers felt victimized by the institutions that sought to educate them These teachers felt victimized by the institutions that sought to educate them They believed their voices to be unheard, their concerns unheeded. They believed their voices to be unheard, their concerns unheeded. Experienced racial bias on several occasions throughout their education and teaching careers. Experienced racial bias on several occasions throughout their education and teaching careers.

12. Four Categories of Bias Attitudes  B ias towards children of color by minority teachers  B ias against teacher by parents/children in predominantly white school.  B ias by other teachers  B ias by university professors or fellow students.

13. Types of bias according to authors, Benokraitis and Feagin’s scheme of discrimination: Overt (most blatant) – negative attitude towards the student, and/or the student’s cultural group. Covert (maliciously motivated) Subtle (unequal treatment that is visible but so internalized as to be considered routine in an administrative setting)

14. Today’s “Modern Prejudice” Despite changes in stated beliefs of the white population, recent studies found that the reactions of whites to people of color display subtle discriminatory behavior; less assistance, greater aggression, overt friendliness coupled with covert rejection, avoidance, and assessment inconsistent with actual work performance. Despite changes in stated beliefs of the white population, recent studies found that the reactions of whites to people of color display subtle discriminatory behavior; less assistance, greater aggression, overt friendliness coupled with covert rejection, avoidance, and assessment inconsistent with actual work performance. Whites continue to be unaware of this “modern prejudice” they just think of black co-workers as “terribly touchy” and very sensitive to the issue. Whites continue to be unaware of this “modern prejudice” they just think of black co-workers as “terribly touchy” and very sensitive to the issue. These biases have been shown to actually cause lowered performance in minorities. These biases have been shown to actually cause lowered performance in minorities.

15. “Fixing” the dilemma We must seek to diversify our faculties; helping each other understand the need of and avoiding unintentional slights or insults to diverse students We must seek to diversify our faculties; helping each other understand the need of and avoiding unintentional slights or insults to diverse students Non-minority faculty can also reduce the sense of isolation by providing individual attention and encouragement Non-minority faculty can also reduce the sense of isolation by providing individual attention and encouragement Organizing students into cohorts, teams, support groups, this may reduce the negative repercussions of being called “token” or “solo” status (which is when a single individual is viewed as a representative for a low status group) Organizing students into cohorts, teams, support groups, this may reduce the negative repercussions of being called “token” or “solo” status (which is when a single individual is viewed as a representative for a low status group)

16. Beliefs of the re-conceptualization of how teacher education is structured may provide the beginnings of a solution for many of the controversial issues of diversity Beliefs of the re-conceptualization of how teacher education is structured may provide the beginnings of a solution for many of the controversial issues of diversity Teach from your experiences and utilize everyone’s experiences. By doing so, this forces us to look through multi-cultural lenses instead of what we are reading from books or curriculum. Teach from your experiences and utilize everyone’s experiences. By doing so, this forces us to look through multi-cultural lenses instead of what we are reading from books or curriculum. “Always look at the expert in the room.” “Always look at the expert in the room.”

17. FACT 1942: Only 42% of whites surveyed believed that blacks had the same intelligence as whites. Increased to 80% in 1956. 1942: Only 42% of whites surveyed believed that blacks had the same intelligence as whites. Increased to 80% in 1956. It wasn’t until 1972 that it reached 97%. It wasn’t until 1972 that it reached 97%.

18. In Conclusion “The greatest asset in the students possession- the greatest, more over that ever will be in his possession- [is] his own direct and personal experience.” - John Dewey, 1904 (American philosopher, psychologist and educational reformer) …Learn from each other!

19. Questions for my diverse cohort... Did your elementary or high school have a diverse faculty? Did your elementary or high school have a diverse faculty? Who influenced you to continue your education? Parents, teachers, community? Who influenced you to continue your education? Parents, teachers, community? What have you learned from our diverse cohort these past 6 months that will help you in the field of school psychology? What have you learned from our diverse cohort these past 6 months that will help you in the field of school psychology?