A Longitudinal Study of Literacy Teacher Visioning: Traditional Program Graduates and Teach For America Corps Members

Abstract

The current high-stakes educational context compels many schools and school systems to encourage teachers to use restrictive literacy teaching practices, which are unlikely to meet students’ diverse needs. These restrictions typically fall on novice teachers, who enter the field through various preparation routes, because they often work in schools which are difficult to staff. Researchers suggest that literacy teachers with a clear vision for their teaching may have the fortitude to negotiate such obstacles to best meet students’ needs. This study follows teachers’ vision development from their literacy teacher preparation coursework through their beginning years teaching. The participants come from two different preparation routes: a university based program and Teach For America. This study found both similarities and differences in the development of teachers’ visions from these different preparation programs.