Teacher Residency 2.0: Case Studies of an Innovative and Evolving Preparation Program Implementing Culturally Efficacious Instruction

Introduction

It is often said that teachers teach as they were taught, not necessary what they were taught. Therefore, if there is to be growth in how teachers implement the best instructional practices that they read about in their university coursework, then there must be changes in how teachers are prepared for the profession of teaching through their university coursework. The objectives of this chapter are to outline one university's innovative approach to revising their teacher preparation program via a residency model. The flexible residency model was created through partnerships with the university and local school districts to respond to their individual needs. The background discussion begins with theoretical perspectives guiding the formation of the program and an explanation of the residency model. The main focus of the chapter continues with descriptions of three cases where the model is being implemented and includes the development of each case-specific program, recruitment of teacher candidates (TCs), instruction of TCs, selection of mentor teachers (MTs), and the issues, controversies and problems that occurred during model implementation at each site. The chapter then concludes with exploration of future research directions.

Background

In 1996, Haberman discussed the ongoing presence of ‘generic’ teacher preparation programs (TPPs) that produce teachers who are generally, but not specifically, prepared for the complete contexts they enter, contexts such as public schools in majority-minority settings with a rich and varied student population. In order to avoid perpetuating a ‘generic’ TPP, recent reforms have been attempted by several institutions of higher education across the U.S. to embed practice connected to theory in real world contexts (NCATE, 2010). These types of TPPs are inclined to offer a clinically rich experience for their teacher candidates and are grounded in a social constructivist (Vygotsky, 1986) framework, which allows participants to co-construct knowledge, engage in continuous dialogue, and build collaborative relationships. The very act of collaboration in student-to-student, teacher-to-teacher, and institution-to- institution partnerships, is filled with complexities and needs to be shaped and supported at all levels of preparation if new teachers are to enter the educational field well-versed and well-prepared. Collaborative partnerships in these case studies between the stakeholders of the Teacher Residency 2.0 Program - teacher candidate residents, mentor teachers, university faculty, industry partners, and campus administrators - are designed using Engeström’s (2000) Activity Theory, which focuses on the activity perspective of all members. This theory highlights the importance of fluidity within the partnerships and stakeholders and is explained as: