Beyond standards: College and career readiness and culturally responsive curriculum in teacher preparation

Abstract

This study looks at the intersection of College and Career Readiness, Culturally Responsive Pedagogy, and teacher preparation. We sought to uncover preservice teachers' perceptions of college and career readiness as they concluded their teacher preparation coursework. Findings demonstrate how future teachers wrestled with college readiness, and the shift in perspective from a skills-based definition to an understanding of it as a partnership between student and teacher. Our findings suggest the need for teacher preparation curriculum 1) focused on College and Career Readiness as more than a set of standards, and 2) framed within Culturally Responsive Pedagogies. Our study highlights both as vital to our preservice teachers’ development in content specific teaching methods as well as in their ability to thrive in an era of high-stakes testing and accountability.