A Comparative Study of the Perceptions of Teacher Preparation Faculty and School Superintendents regarding the Criticisms Made against Teacher Preparation Programs

Preparing Teachers for Urban Students Who Have Been Labeled as Having Special Needs

“…In summary, teacher educators fear being ostracized by their peers and therefore accept a monocultural curriculum (Blackwell, 2003). As a result, teacher education programs are failing to meet challenging standards that adequately prepare teachers for the twenty-first century classroom (Blackwell, 2003;Duncan, 2009;McFadden & Sheerer, 2006;Risko, 2006;Villegas, 2007).…”

“…The constant criticisms of schools, colleges, and education departments (McFadden & Sheerer, 2006;Risko, 2006;Villegas, 2007) have resulted in U.S. Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan, accusing teacher education programs of doing a mediocre job at best in preparing teachers for the realities of the twentyfirst century classroom (Duncan, 2009). Teachers are entering the profession at a time when teacher education is "under severe if not outright vicious attack" (Villegas, 2007, p. 370).…”

“…The call for teacher preparation programs to confront the challenge of preparing a cadre of predominantly White, middle-class, and female prospective teachers to successfully work with an increasingly diverse population of students resonates across New York City and the rest of the country (Darling-Hammond, 2002, 2006aGalman, Pica-Smith, & Rosenberger, 2010;Ladson-Billings, 1999;McFadden & Sheerer, 2006;Risko, 2006;Sleeter, 2008;Villegas, 2007). The constant criticisms of schools, colleges, and education departments (McFadden & Sheerer, 2006;Risko, 2006;Villegas, 2007) have resulted in U.S. Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan, accusing teacher education programs of doing a mediocre job at best in preparing teachers for the realities of the twentyfirst century classroom (Duncan, 2009).…”

“…Students with teachers who stay in their classrooms for more than 5 years have higher achievement levels than do students of teachers with less than 3 years of experience (Fideler, 2000). Clearly, educators, researchers, and policymakers recognize that teacher preparation needs to be restructured to provide qualified teachers (Levine, 2006;McFadden & Sheerer, 2006;Whitcomb, Borko, & Liston, 2007). Common concerns regarding teacher preparation include an emphasis on theory over practice, weak linkages between coursework and fieldwork, poor quality of student teaching experiences, and limited early clinical experiences (Allsopp, DeMarie, Alvarez-McHatton, & Doone, 2006;Beck & Kosnik, 2002;Bullough, Clark, Wentworth, & Hansen, 2001; California Alliance of PreK-18 Partnerships, 2004;Dean, Lauer, & Urquhart, 2005).…”

Teacher Education Reform in Urban Educator Preparation Programs

“…The call for educator preparation programs to confront the challenge of preparing a cadre of predominantly White, middle-class, and female prospective teachers to successfully work with an increasingly diverse population of students from urban areas resonates across the country (Darling-Hammond, 2002Galman, Pica-Smith, & Rosenberger, 2010;Ladson-Billings, 1999;McFadden & Sheerer, 2006;Risko, 2006;Sleeter, 2008;Villegas, 2007). The constant criticisms of schools, colleges, and education departments (McFadden & Sheerer, 2006;Risko, 2006;Villegas, 2007) have resulted in U.S. Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan, accusing teacher education programs of doing a mediocre job at best in preparing teachers for the realities of the 21 st century classroom (Duncan, 2009). Teachers are entering the profession at a time when teacher education is "under severe if not outright vicious attack" (Villegas, 2007, p. 370).…”