Preparing teacher candidates to teach diverse student populations through reflective practice

Abstract

This sequential QUAL → qual study examines: Phase 1 how reflective practice was implemented in a diversity course in a teacher education program by one teacher educator, and Phase 2 how two of the teacher candidates implemented reflective practice in their diverse student teaching contexts. Data included observations of the course and the student teaching of two teacher candidates (TCs), interviews of the course instructor, three TCs, and two high school students, as well as analyses of key course assignments. This study concludes: (1) cultivation of a reflective practice in TCs is critical to the teacher preparation process; (2) support for TCs in this process is strengthened when led by an instructor who also engages in reflective practice; and (3) teacher reflection on diversity, assumptions and inequity, with opportunities to transfer these course reflections to their teaching practices is central to preparing teachers to teach diverse student populations.