The research goal was to examine the impact of a culturally responsive classroom management (CRCM) course taken concurrently with clinical teaching on the development of secondary STEM teacher candidates’ CRCM self-efficacy in a UTeach program. The teacher candidates (n = 16) attended a Tier 1 research university in a diverse urban setting. The Culturally Responsive Classroom Management Self-Efficacy scale was administered as a pre/posttest (Siwatu, 2017), followed by an exit interview. Clinical teachers have demonstrated improved self-efficacy in areas such as developing student-teacher relationships to foster community, establishing co-created norms, and enforcing routines and procedures. The implications highlight the need to integrate CRCM in UTeach and STEM teacher preparation programs to promote inclusive, equitable STEM classrooms.
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Best Practices in Chemistry Teacher Education
The University of Indianapolis Teach (STEM)3 (UIndy TS3) program is a clinical residency teacher preparation program in which candidates earn a Master of Arts in Teaching degree with licensure in Chemistry, Biology, or Math. UIndy TS3 consists of multiple layers of support, including a clinical residency with clinical mentor teachers and clinical faculty who also serve as university supervisors, integrated and scaffolded university coursework, which includes clinical seminars and classroom observations, and two years of in-service mentoring. Evaluation and retention results indicate that candidates are well-supported in their high-need classrooms by these program components, and our 3-year retention rate of 93% over eight cohorts is higher than the national average. Moreover, the clinical mentor teacher (CMT) is enriched by the candidate’s presence in the classroom, as the candidate imports new teaching methodologies (such as project-based learning) and technologies to the classroom that in turn inform the practice of the CMT. School administrators are also positively impacted by interacting with the candidates, both by keeping apprised of the challenges that new teachers face and by learning new ways to engage students. The efficacy of UIndy TS3 is proven by our 100% placement rate, long-term retention of program graduates, and their recognition as teacher leaders.
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- Award ID(s):
- 1660653
- PAR ID:
- 10140231
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- ACS symposium series
- Volume:
- 1335
- ISSN:
- 0097-6156
- Page Range / eLocation ID:
- 19-34
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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