For the Love of Teaching

There remains a significant achievement gap for students of color across the K–12 spectrum. One area that needs increased and immediate attention is how we recruit, prepare, and retain teachers of color. This book asks: Why do teachers of color choose teaching? What are their expectations for the students they will teach? How do their past experiences shape their vision of teachers as role models, mentors, and advocates for children of all races and cultures? The authors detail how Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs)—nearly 800 colleges and universities across the nation that educate nearly 45% of all students of color—are preparing culturally proficient teachers using new methods centered on integrating culturally relevant pedagogy, creating a culture of belonging through faculty engagement and cohort models, enriching student teaching and clinical practice through residencies and school–university partnerships, and working closely with families and communities. Addressing timely and critical issues of educational equity, For the Love of Teaching is a call to action for all colleges and university to improve their teacher education programs.

Book Features:

• Provides case studies of MSIs that are intentionally preparing culturally proficient teachers who are skilled and experienced with diverse groups of students.
• Offers lessons and approaches from four minority-serving colleges with programs that attract and serve non-White teacher candidates.
• Includes a broad overview of innovative practices in all aspects of learning to teach, making it relevant to almost any teacher education course.
• Focuses on serving the needs and maintaining the commitment of candidates of color, while also developing their academic skills and subject-specific content knowledge.

Alice E. Ginsberg is a Senior Research Specialist in the Graduate School of Education at Rutgers University. Marybeth Gasman is the Samuel DeWitt Proctor Endowed Chair in Education and Distinguished Professor in the Department of Educational Psychology at Rutgers University. Andrés Castro Samayoa is an assistant professor in the Department of Educational Leadership and Higher Education at Boston College.

“For the Love of Teaching paints an intimate portrait of brilliance, hard work, and promise at MSI teacher education programs. Readers learn how these mighty institutions bring about a more ethical and just education world.”
—Emery Petchauer, professor, Michigan State University

Contents (Tentative)

Preface: Love and Teaching

Acknowledgments

Introduction: What’s Love Got to Do With It?

1. Teacher Education and Diversity: Information vs. Transformation
History of Diversity and Racial Equity in Teacher Education
Access to Higher Education for Students of Color Interested in Teaching
“The Overwhelming Presence of Whiteness” in Teacher Education Programs
Lack of Program Coherence
High Stakes Entry and Certification Exams
Recruitment and Retention of Teachers of Color in Hard to Staff Schools

2. “A Story to Tell”: Who Are Minority Serving Institution Teacher Educators and Candidates?
Tulia
Jeanne
Rafael
Alba, Camila, and Elmira
Cortez
Dean
Kim
Seth

3. Changing the Narrative: What Does Culturally Relevant Pedagogy Look Like in Action
What Is Culturally Relevant Pedagogy?
Culturally Relevant Pedagogy and MSIs
A Place of Hope and Healing: Culturally Relevant Pedagogy at Stone Child College
Every Step Forward Sea Con Paso Firme: Stories and Images of Teaching in California’s Central Valley
“You Can’t Sit Behind a Desk”: Visibility and Black Role Models at Jackson State University
Culturally Relevant Pedagogy as Community Analysis

4. Belonging: Faculty Support and Cohort Models in MSI Teacher Education Programs
Like Family
“Not Just a Number”: Personalized and Holistic Faculty Care
Peer Leadership and Support: MSI Cohort Models
My Brother’s Keeper: Cohorts and Call Me MISTER at Jackson State University
“They Were Us”: Cohorts and The Mini Corps Program at Fresno State University

5. “Home Grown”: Teacher Residencies and University-School Partnerships
So, What’s Wrong With Student Teaching?
“We Were There From the Beginning”: Fresno State’s Rural Residency Program
“Their Time in the Classroom Is Just as Important as Mine”: New Mexico State University’s Blocks Program

6. Where Wisdom Sits: Community Engagement
Home Visits
Community Service
Parental Education
Field Trips
Inquiry, Action Research, and Advocacy

7. Call to Action
Diversify the Teaching Profession
Integrate Culturally Relevant Pedagogy
Expand Student Teaching and Clinical Practice
Recruit Former K-12 Teachers to the Faculty
Promote Cohort Models
Provide Wrap Around Candidate Support
Foster Community Engagement
Respect the Teaching Profession
Communicate Messages of Success
Consider the Importance of Love

Final Thoughts

Appendix A: The Study

References

About the Authors