International Association of Educators   |  ISSN: 2834-7919   |  e-ISSN: 1554-5210

Original article | International Journal of Progressive Education 2010, Vol. 6(3) 6-25

Majority Teachers’ Perceptions of Urban Adolescents and  Their  Abilities:  Probes from Self-Reflection and Teacher   Autobiographies

Immaculée Harushimana

pp. 6 - 25   |  Manu. Number: ijpe.2010.002

Published online: October 15, 2010  |   Number of Views: 100  |  Number of Download: 400


Abstract

This article presents a small scale, qualitative study of nine majority alternate-route teachers and the perceptions they hold about themselves as urban educators and their urban students’ academic abilities. Data for this study was collected through self- reflective, written interviews and meta-reflective responses to two published teacher autobiographies. Culture shock theory was used to understand the evolution of the participants’ perceptions through the responses they provided. The study’s findings revealed that the participants underwent positive changes in their perceptions of themselves as urban educators and of their urban students’ academic abilities. Implications highlight the value of using published teacher autobiographies in urban teacher education.

Keywords: alternate-route teachers, autobiography, in-service teachers, majority teachers, pre-service teachers, urban adolescents, teacher perception, teacher education


How to Cite this Article?

APA 6th edition
Harushimana, I. (2010). Majority Teachers’ Perceptions of Urban Adolescents and  Their  Abilities:  Probes from Self-Reflection and Teacher   Autobiographies . International Journal of Progressive Education, 6(3), 6-25.

Harvard
Harushimana, I. (2010). Majority Teachers’ Perceptions of Urban Adolescents and  Their  Abilities:  Probes from Self-Reflection and Teacher   Autobiographies . International Journal of Progressive Education, 6(3), pp. 6-25.

Chicago 16th edition
Harushimana, Immaculée (2010). "Majority Teachers’ Perceptions of Urban Adolescents and  Their  Abilities:  Probes from Self-Reflection and Teacher   Autobiographies ". International Journal of Progressive Education 6 (3):6-25.

References
  1. Burdell, P., & Swadener, B. (1999). Critical personal narrative and autoethnography in education: Reflections on a genre. Educational Researcher, 28,   21-26. [Google Scholar]
  2. Carter, R. T., & Goodwin, L. A. (1994). Racial identity and education. Review of Research in Education, 20,  291-336. [Google Scholar]
  3. Calvillo, C. (2003, fall). Memoir and autobiography: Pathways to examining the multicultural self. Multicultural Education, 1,  51-54. [Google Scholar]
  4. Conaway, B. J., Browning, L. J., & Purdum-Cassidy, B. (2007). Teacher candidates’ changing perceptions of urban schools: Results of a 4-year study. Action in Teacher Education, 29,  20-31. [Google Scholar]
  5. Croasmun, J., Hampton, D., & Hermann, S. (1997). Teacher attrition: Is time running out? Issues Challenging Education. Retrieved, December 17, 2007,   from http://horizon.unc.edu/projects/issues/papers/Hampton.asp [Google Scholar]
  6. Cross, W. E., Jr., Parham, T. A., & Helms, J. E. (1991). The stages of black identity development: Nigrescence models. In R. Jones (Ed.), Black psychology (3rd ed., pp. 319-338). San Francisco: Cobb and  Henry. [Google Scholar]
  7. Delpit, L. D. (1987). Skills and other dilemmas of a progressive black   educator. Equity and Choice, 3, 9-14. [Google Scholar]
  8. Denzin, N., & Lincoln, Y. (Eds.) (2000). Handbook of qualitative research. (2nd     ed,). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage [Google Scholar]
  9. Florio-Ruane, S., & deTar, J. (2001). Teacher education and the cultural imaginatiom: Autobiography, conversation, and narrative. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum. [Google Scholar]
  10. Fernandez, A. (2003). Autobiography in multicultural, anti-racist education. Teaching and Learning, 18, 5-15. [Google Scholar]
  11. Foster, M. (1997). Black teachers on teaching. New York: The New   Press. [Google Scholar]
  12. Genor, M., & Goodwin, A. L. (2005). Confronting ourselves: Using autobiographical analysis in teacher education. The New Educator, 1,   311-331. [Google Scholar]
  13. Gomez, M. L., and Tabachnick, B. R. (1992). Telling teaching stories. Teaching Education, 4, 129-138 [Google Scholar]
  14. Goodwin, A. L. (2002). Teacher preparation and the education of immigrant children.   Education and Urban Society, 34(2), 156-172. [Google Scholar]
  15. Graham, R. J. (1991). Reading and writing the self. New York: Teachers College Press [Google Scholar]
  16. Groulx, J. G. (2001). Changing preservice teacher perceptions of minority   schools. Urban Education, 36, 60-92. [Google Scholar]
  17. Haberman, M., & Rickards, W. H. (1990). Urban teachers who quit: Why they leave and what they do. Urban Education, 25,  297-304. [Google Scholar]
  18. Haberman, M., & Post, L. (1992). Does direct experience change education students' perceptions of low income minority children? Midwestern Educational Researcher, 5, 28-31. [Google Scholar]
  19. Haberman, M., & Post, L. (1998). Teachers for multicultural schools: The power of selection. Theory into Practice 3,  96–104. [Google Scholar]
  20. Hampton, B., Peng, L., & Ann, J. (2008). Pre-service teachers’ perceptions of urban schools. Urban Review, 40,  268-295. [Google Scholar]
  21. Kane, T. J., Rockoff, E. J., & Staiger, D. O. (2006). What does certification tell us about teacher effectiveness? Evidence from New York City, NBER Working Papers 12155. National Bureau of Economic Research,   Inc. [Google Scholar]
  22. Kron, K., & Faber, C. (1973, April). How does the teacher cope with the culture shock? The Clearing House, 47,  506-508. [Google Scholar]
  23. Kirby, P. (1991). Narrative and the self. Bloomington: Indiana University Press. Ladson-Billings, G. (1994). The dreamkeepers: Successful teachers of   African American children. San Francisco:  Jossey-Bass. [Google Scholar]
  24. Ladson-Billings, G. (1999). Preparing teachers for diverse student populations: A critical race theory perspective. Review of Research in Education, 24, 211 247 [Google Scholar]
  25. Ladson-Billings, G. (2000). Fighting for our lives: Preparing teachers to teach African-American   students. Journal of Teacher Education,51,  206-214. [Google Scholar]
  26. Ladson-Billings, G. (2001). Crossing over to Canaan: The journey of new teachers in diverse classrooms. San Francisco:  Jossey-Bass. [Google Scholar]
  27. Larson, C. M. (2006, fall). Confessions of an 'awful' teacher: The impact of culture shock on teaching in low-performing schools. Kappa Delta Pi   Record. [Google Scholar]
  28. Retrieved 21 May, 2009, from http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa4009/is_200610/ai_n17191886/ Lincoln, Y. S., and Guba, E. (1986). Naturalistic inquiry. Newbury Park, CA:   Sage. [Google Scholar]
  29. Mason, T. C. (1999). Prospective teachers’ attitudes toward urban schools: Can they be changed? Multicultural Education, 6,  9-13. [Google Scholar]
  30. Monroe, S. (1992, October). Breaking out, then and now. Time Magazine. Retrieved March 8, 2007, from http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,976618,00.html [Google Scholar]
  31. Neumann, R. A. (1994). Reconsidering emergency teaching certificates and  alternative certification programs as responses to teacher shortages. Urban Education, 29, 89-108. [Google Scholar]
  32. Ng, J. C. (2003). Teacher shortages in urban schools: The role of traditional and alternative certification routes in filling the voids. Education and Urban Society, 35, 380-398. [Google Scholar]
  33. Oberg, K., 1960. Cultural shock: Adjustment to new cultural environments. Practical Anthropology, 7, 177–182. [Google Scholar]
  34. Okely, J., & Callaway, H. (1992). Anthropology and autobiography: Participatory experience and embodied knowledge. In Judith Okely and Hellen Callaway (Eds.), Anthropology and autobiography. London:   Routledge. [Google Scholar]
  35. Parker, L, & Hood, S. (1995). Minority students v.1 majority faculty and administrators in teacher education: Perspectives on the class of cultures. The Urban Review, 27,  159-174. [Google Scholar]
  36. Patton, M. Q. (1990). Qualitative Evaluation and research methods. Newbury Park, California: Sage. [Google Scholar]
  37. Phillion, J. (2004). Using life-based narratives in multicultural teacher   education. Multicultural Perspectives, 6,  3-9. [Google Scholar]
  38. Ramsey, S. (2004). Autobiography of a teacher: A journey toward critical multiculturalism.  Scholar-Practitioner Quarterly, 2, 45-53. [Google Scholar]
  39. Schmidt, P. (1997). Beginning in retrospect: writing and reading a teacher’s   life. NY: Teachers College Press. [Google Scholar]
  40. Sleeter, C. E. (1994). Resisting racial awareness: How teachers might understand    the social order from their racial, gender, and social class locations. In Inside/out: Contemporary critical perspectives in education.   Martusewicz, [Google Scholar]
  41. R. A., & Reynolds, W. M. (eds.), New York: St. Martin's Press.   239-264. [Google Scholar]
  42. Sleeter, C. (2001, April). Preparing teachers for culturally diverse schools: Research and the overwhelming presence of whiteness. Journal of Teacher  Education, 52, 94-106. [Google Scholar]
  43. Smith, D., & Smith, B. J. (2006). Perceptions of violence. The views of teachers who left urban schools. The High School Journal 89,  34-42 [Google Scholar]
  44. Spellman, S. O. (1988, July-August). Recruitment of minority teachers: Issues, problems, facts, possible solutions. Journal of Teacher Education,   58-63. [Google Scholar]
  45. Spooner-Lane, R. S., & Tangen, D.J., & Campbell, M. A. (2007). When your first year is your final year: Changing perceptions of practicum through NESB preservice teachers' eyes. In Proceedings First Year Higher Education Conference, Brisbane: Queensland University of   Technology. [Google Scholar]
  46. Steinberg, S., Kincheloe, J., & Shanley, D. (Eds.) (2004). 19 urban questions: Teaching in the city. Studies in the postmodern theory of education. New York: Peter Lang Publishing  Co. [Google Scholar]
  47. Tatum, B. D. (1992). Talking about race, learning about racism: the application of racial identity development in the classroom. Harvard Educational Review, 62, 1-24. [Google Scholar]
  48. Tettegah, S. (1996, spring). The racial consciousness attitudes of white prospective teachers and their perceptions of the teachability of students from different racial/ethnic backgrounds: Findings from a California study. The Journal of Negro Education, 65,  151-163. [Google Scholar]
  49. Wallerstein, N. (1983). Language and culture in conflict.   Addison-Wesley. [Google Scholar]
  50. Wang, H, & Yu, T. (2006). Beyond promise: Autobiography and multicultural education. Multicultural Education, 4,  29-35. [Google Scholar]
  51. Witherell, C., & Noddings, N. (1991). Stories lives tell: Narrative and dialogue in education. New York: Teachers College  Press. [Google Scholar]
  52. Wolcott, H. F. (2001). Writing up qualitative research. (2nd  ed.), Thousand   Oaks, Ca: Sage [Google Scholar]
  53. Van Manen, M. (1990). Researching lived experience: Human science for an action sensitive pedagogy. London, Ontario: SUNY   Press. [Google Scholar]