Wendy Gardiner
Pacific Lutheran University, School of Education, Faculty Member
- National Louis University, Reading and Language, Faculty Memberadd
- Wendy Gardiner is the Jolita Hylland Benson Endowed Chair in Elementary Education and teaches literacy courses in th... moreWendy Gardiner is the Jolita Hylland Benson Endowed Chair in Elementary Education and teaches literacy courses in the School of Education. She is also the co-principal investigator on the National Science Foundation, Robert F. Noyce funded grant project, Pathways to Culturally Sustaining STEM Teaching with Drs. Simic-Muller and Munro. In this grant they recruit, prepare, and support new teachers’ implementation of ambitious and equitable STEM teaching in Title 1 schools. She regularly publishes in the areas of new teacher mentoring and literacy teacher education.
Before transitioning into literacy teacher education, Dr. Gardiner was a primary teacher in Chicago Public Schools. Her experiences working with students and families in schools and communities impacted by systemic inequities solidified her commitment to literacy as a central means to see one’s self, to see the world, and to increase life opportunities. Dr. Gardiner enjoys working with pre- and in-service teachers and strives to balance practical experiences in literacy instruction with a firm understanding of literacy research. Dr. Gardiner is also an active member in the American Educational Research Association (AERA), the Literacy Research Association (LRA), the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE), and the International Literacy Association (ILA).edit
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Research indicates that partner placements—pairing two preservice teachers with a mentor teacher—provide a supportive and collaborative context for learning to teach. This qualitative study examines three partner placements in a 100-hour... more
Research indicates that partner placements—pairing two preservice teachers with a mentor teacher—provide a supportive and collaborative context for learning to teach. This qualitative study examines three partner placements in a 100-hour urban field practicum to understand how preservice teachers experience and perceive partner placements, and what facilitates or inhibits collaboration. Results from two successful and one less than successful placement
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Purpose Induction mentoring for early career teachers is a complex practice, requiring knowledge and skills distinct from teaching. However, more is known anecdotally than empirically about the challenges new mentors face and the type of... more
Purpose Induction mentoring for early career teachers is a complex practice, requiring knowledge and skills distinct from teaching. However, more is known anecdotally than empirically about the challenges new mentors face and the type of support they need as they transition from teacher to induction mentor. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach This qualitative study investigated how nine first-year mentors developed, conceptualized and enacted their mentoring practice by asking, what supports/inhibits new mentors’ professional learning and practice? Are there patterns of struggle/challenge that new mentors face? Primary data sources included three 45–60-minute structured, individual interviews across each mentor’s first year. Data analysis was inductive, involving open and axial coding. Findings Mentors struggled to navigate multiple complex relationships with administrators, teachers and students. The quality of these relationships impacted their sense of efficacy and mentoring ability. Despite receiving what mentors perceived as effective professional development (PD), all mentors found it difficult to apply knowledge in practice. Mentors also experienced a steep and varied learning curve and identified supports that enhanced their knowledge and situated application of new teacher-centered mentoring. Originality/value Despite increases in mentoring programs, there is a lack of research addressing new mentors’ needs and development. This study makes a contribution by identifying new mentors’ needs and challenges and by providing recommendations for situated, responsive, and ongoing PD.
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ABSTRACT The faculty research residency (FRR) model was launched in 2010, with the goal of transforming coursework to improve the preparation of teachers for high-need schools. The FRR model leveraged school–-university partnerships and... more
ABSTRACT The faculty research residency (FRR) model was launched in 2010, with the goal of transforming coursework to improve the preparation of teachers for high-need schools. The FRR model leveraged school–-university partnerships and situated university faculty in high-need schools to conduct research related to the university courses they taught. This study investigated the outcomes of the FRR model for a 3-year period involving 16 research residency projects and 23 faculty members. Faculty research residents investigated a wide variety of teaching practices to contextualize their knowledge and better align their teacher education courses with the needs of students and teachers in high-need schools. Findings indicate that the FRR model shows promise as an innovative faculty development mechanism for colleges of education.
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There is a cultural mismatch between teachers and students in classrooms across the U.S. that, despite teachers’ best intentions, too often leads to student harm. Mentors are uniquely positioned to interrupt conscious and unconscious bias... more
There is a cultural mismatch between teachers and students in classrooms across the U.S. that, despite teachers’ best intentions, too often leads to student harm. Mentors are uniquely positioned to interrupt conscious and unconscious bias that leads to inequitable practices but often have difficulty holding the necessary hard conversations. Among the reasons for this is socialized niceness, particularly in women, which prioritizes comfort and avoids conflict at all costs. Nina F. Weisling and Wendy Gardiner provide insights for recognizing, naming, and working through socialized niceness in mentoring to ensure all students have opportunities to learn in safe and rigorous classrooms.
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ABSTRACT The faculty research residency (FRR) model was launched in 2010, with the goal of transforming coursework to improve the preparation of teachers for high-need schools. The FRR model leveraged school–-university partnerships and... more
ABSTRACT The faculty research residency (FRR) model was launched in 2010, with the goal of transforming coursework to improve the preparation of teachers for high-need schools. The FRR model leveraged school–-university partnerships and situated university faculty in high-need schools to conduct research related to the university courses they taught. This study investigated the outcomes of the FRR model for a 3-year period involving 16 research residency projects and 23 faculty members. Faculty research residents investigated a wide variety of teaching practices to contextualize their knowledge and better align their teacher education courses with the needs of students and teachers in high-need schools. Findings indicate that the FRR model shows promise as an innovative faculty development mechanism for colleges of education.
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Research Interests: Psychology, Collaboration, Pedagogy, Professional Development, Medicine, and 11 moreTeacher Development, Coaching, Best practice, Coaching and mentoring, Induction, Credibility, Urban Teacher Development, Debriefing, Action (Physics), School of Education and Professional Development, and Teacher Induction
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ABSTRACT Research on peer placements suggests that partnering two preservice teachers with a mentor provides a better, more supportive context for learning to teach. As extant research has focused more on student teachers’ development,... more
ABSTRACT Research on peer placements suggests that partnering two preservice teachers with a mentor provides a better, more supportive context for learning to teach. As extant research has focused more on student teachers’ development, less is known about mentors’ perceptions and experiences. This qualitative study focuses on seven mentor teachers who have mentored one–three years in peer placements to provide a textured understanding of their perceptions and experiences. Results indicate: (a) peer collaboration provides important pedagogical scaffolding that helps student teachers plan and implement complex pedagogies; (b) peer–mentor observation helps student teachers feel more efficacious about their developing practice; (c) sharing responsibility for instruction and distributing roles and resources enables mentors to better meet the needs of student teachers and students; and (d) effective peer placements require mentors to conceptualize their work in different ways. Professional development recommendations are also provided.
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In 2001, National Louis University and the Academy for Urban School Leadership partnered to create the country's first Urban Teacher Residency (UTR) program. Ten years later, with the assistance of Teacher Quality Partnership... more
In 2001, National Louis University and the Academy for Urban School Leadership partnered to create the country's first Urban Teacher Residency (UTR) program. Ten years later, with the assistance of Teacher Quality Partnership funding, the program quadrupled in size. As the UTR expanded, an increasing theory-practice gap became apparent, reflecting a perennial problem in teacher education (Darling-Hammond, 2006; Zeichner, 2010). A leadership team was formed to address the growing gap and several smaller scale interventions were implemented to no real avail. Subsequently, grant funding was allocated toward two interventions designed to increase university faculty engagement in schools. This paper describes and analyzes those interventions: 1) faculty liaisons as an alternative to traditional supervision, and 2) faculty research residencies to situate university faculty in high need schools for the dual purpose of engaged research and curricular revision. Questions pertaining to p...
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There is a cultural mismatch between teachers and students in classrooms across the U.S. that, despite teachers’ best intentions, too often leads to student harm. Mentors are uniquely positioned to interrupt conscious and unconscious bias... more
There is a cultural mismatch between teachers and students in classrooms across the U.S. that, despite teachers’ best intentions, too often leads to student harm. Mentors are uniquely positioned to interrupt conscious and unconscious bias that leads to inequitable practices but often have difficulty holding the necessary hard conversations. Among the reasons for this is socialized niceness, particularly in women, which prioritizes comfort and avoids conflict at all costs. Nina F. Weisling and Wendy Gardiner provide insights for recognizing, naming, and working through socialized niceness in mentoring to ensure all students have opportunities to learn in safe and rigorous classrooms.
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With the need to prepare teacher candidates to work with an increasingly diverse student body in U.S. schools, a multi-institutional collaborative self-study group was formed to examine ways in which teacher educators could expand beyond... more
With the need to prepare teacher candidates to work with an increasingly diverse student body in U.S. schools, a multi-institutional collaborative self-study group was formed to examine ways in which teacher educators could expand beyond practice-based literacy preparation to support candidates’ understanding and implementation of critical pedagogies. The self-study served as a catalyst for interrogating the identities the teacher educators brought to their practice and began a journey that transformed a focus on critical literacies into a commitment to action for change through anti-bias anti-racist work. This paper draws from group dialogue and reflective journals to examine specific practices implemented with teacher candidates to transform their practice by considering critical literacies, asset- and deficit-based language, and the identity work of teachers and students. Insights of the self-study suggest that attention to critical pedagogies must go beyond instructional activit...
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Niceness is a socialized disposition, particularly amongst white women, that prioritizes comfort and neutrality while preventing resistance against oppressive systems. Given the demographics of teachers and teacher educators, niceness and... more
Niceness is a socialized disposition, particularly amongst white women, that prioritizes comfort and neutrality while preventing resistance against oppressive systems. Given the demographics of teachers and teacher educators, niceness and whiteness are deeply embedded in programs and institutions. As eight white, female teacher educators, we drew on the power of cross- institutional collaboration to form a self-study community of practice with the purpose of interrogating and dismantling the ways niceness and white- ness function in our teaching and teacher institutions and create barriers to centering equity and justice. Findings indicated that collaboration helped us identify how niceness shaped and continues to shape our teaching and teacher identities, particularly how we navigate difficult conversations, think about our roles as teacher educators, and imagine literacy curricula. Findings also indicated that despite efforts to recognize and interrupt nice- ness and whiteness, our growth was nonlinear, and we find that constant vigilance and reflection is necessary. Implications for the broader field of education include the power of self-study for disrupting niceness and white- ness in teacher education and orienting the community toward action through mutual support and accountability, while also recognizing the ways in which niceness continues to function as a barrier for enacting change for social justice.
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Research indicates that partner placements—pairing two preservice teachers with a mentor teacher—provide a supportive and collaborative context for learning to teach. This qualitative study examines three partner placements in a 100-hour... more
Research indicates that partner placements—pairing two preservice teachers with a mentor teacher—provide a supportive and collaborative context for learning to teach. This qualitative study examines three partner placements in a 100-hour urban field practicum to understand how preservice teachers experience and perceive partner placements, and what facilitates or inhibits collaboration. Results from two successful and one less than successful placement
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This qualitative study explored 8 urban mentor teachers' experiences and perceptions of mentoring in a yearlong field placement in an Urban Teacher... more
This qualitative study explored 8 urban mentor teachers' experiences and perceptions of mentoring in a yearlong field placement in an Urban Teacher Residency program. Results indicate mentors' and preservice teachers' joint work provided a context conducive for professional learning and contributing to a larger social justice mission. However, ongoing collaboration also produced tensions, some of which mentors had difficulty navigating.
Research Interests: Psychology, Education, Teacher Education, Mentoring, Medical Education, and 10 moreSocial Justice, Qualitative Research, Interpersonal Relationship, Professional Learning, Intervention, Qualitative Study, Urban Teacher Education, Urban Teacher Preparation, Placement, and Pre Service Teacher Preparation
Research has established that teacher-mentoring programs can have a beneficial effect on new-teacher performance and retention. However, too often, mentoring programs don’t live up to their potential. This article presents four... more
Research has established that teacher-mentoring programs can have a beneficial effect on new-teacher performance and retention. However, too often, mentoring programs don’t live up to their potential. This article presents four research-based strategies that improve mentoring programs’ prospects for success. By setting clear expectations, getting mentors into the classroom, mentoring the mentors, and focusing on relationships, school leaders can help new teachers receive the support they need.
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Purpose Induction mentoring for early career teachers is a complex practice, requiring knowledge and skills distinct from teaching. However, more is known anecdotally than empirically about the challenges new mentors face and the type of... more
Purpose Induction mentoring for early career teachers is a complex practice, requiring knowledge and skills distinct from teaching. However, more is known anecdotally than empirically about the challenges new mentors face and the type of support they need as they transition from teacher to induction mentor. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach This qualitative study investigated how nine first-year mentors developed, conceptualized and enacted their mentoring practice by asking, what supports/inhibits new mentors’ professional learning and practice? Are there patterns of struggle/challenge that new mentors face? Primary data sources included three 45–60-minute structured, individual interviews across each mentor’s first year. Data analysis was inductive, involving open and axial coding. Findings Mentors struggled to navigate multiple complex relationships with administrators, teachers and students. The quality of these relationships impacted their sens...
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This collaborative self-study looks at how eight white literacy tea- cher educators worked together to re-center critical literacy and teaching for equity in methods courses. We used self-study meth- odology to interrogate not only our... more
This collaborative self-study looks at how eight white literacy tea- cher educators worked together to re-center critical literacy and teaching for equity in methods courses. We used self-study meth- odology to interrogate not only our pedagogy, but also our own internalization of white supremacy culture and complicity in perpe- tuating the status quo. Our group met virtually on a monthly basis, discussed common readings, shared resources, and wrote journal reflections. Findings show that our collaboration helped us explore and evolve how we framed the work of critical literacy, delve into the discomfort of initiating and facilitating difficult conversations with students and colleagues, and develop concrete actions for re- centering and enacting critical literacy practices. Building upon the collaborative self-study work that guided our practice, we argue that our collaboration – across contexts and across time, attending to both our self-work and our pedagogy – provides a new way forward. As teacher educators, we found self-study to be a sustainable way to outgrow ourselves, and this research serves as a call to action for other teacher educators to take up this work, as well. Dismantling the status quo is a lifelong endeavor, our work is ongoing, and we find it is strengthened when approached both individually and collectively.
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Purpose - Induction mentoring for early career teachers is a complex practice, requiring knowledge and skills distinct from teaching. However, more is known anecdotally than empirically about the challenges new mentors face and the type... more
Purpose - Induction mentoring for early career teachers is a complex practice, requiring knowledge and skills distinct from teaching. However, more is known anecdotally than empirically about the challenges new mentors face and the type of support they need as they transition from teacher to induction mentor.
Design/methodology/approach - This qualitative study investigates how nine first-year mentors develop, conceptualize and enact their mentoring practice by asking: What supports/inhibits new mentors’ professional learning and practice? Are there patterns of struggle/challenge that new mentors face? Primary data sources included three 45-60 minute structured, individual interviews across each mentor’s first year. Data analysis was inductive, involving open and axial coding.
Findings - Mentors struggled to navigate multiple, complex relationships with administrators, teachers, and students. The quality of these relationships impacted their sense of efficacy and mentoring ability. Despite receiving what mentors perceived as effective professional development, all mentors found it difficult to apply knowledge in practice. Mentors also experienced a steep and varied learning curve and identified supports that enhanced their knowledge and situated application of new teacher-centered mentoring.
Originality/Value – Despite increases in mentoring programs, there is a lack of research addressing new mentors’ needs and development. This study makes a contribution by identifying new mentors’ needs and challenges, and by providing recommendations for situated, responsive, and ongoing professional development.
Design/methodology/approach - This qualitative study investigates how nine first-year mentors develop, conceptualize and enact their mentoring practice by asking: What supports/inhibits new mentors’ professional learning and practice? Are there patterns of struggle/challenge that new mentors face? Primary data sources included three 45-60 minute structured, individual interviews across each mentor’s first year. Data analysis was inductive, involving open and axial coding.
Findings - Mentors struggled to navigate multiple, complex relationships with administrators, teachers, and students. The quality of these relationships impacted their sense of efficacy and mentoring ability. Despite receiving what mentors perceived as effective professional development, all mentors found it difficult to apply knowledge in practice. Mentors also experienced a steep and varied learning curve and identified supports that enhanced their knowledge and situated application of new teacher-centered mentoring.
Originality/Value – Despite increases in mentoring programs, there is a lack of research addressing new mentors’ needs and development. This study makes a contribution by identifying new mentors’ needs and challenges, and by providing recommendations for situated, responsive, and ongoing professional development.
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This study seeks to contribute to the research on mentored induction by investigating the practices mentors employ in their work with new teachers in two high-need, high poverty urban elementary schools. Informed by Schwille’s (2008)... more
This study seeks to contribute to the research on mentored induction by investigating the practices mentors employ in their work with new teachers in two high-need, high poverty urban elementary schools. Informed by Schwille’s (2008) temporal framework of “educative” mentoring practices occurring “inside” and “outside” the action of teaching, this study this study investigated the range of practices mentors employed, new teachers’ perceptions of the practices, and if the practices contributed to new teachers’ professional learning. Participants included six new teachers and two induction mentors. Results indicate that “inside” and “outside” mentoring practices are complementary, should be conceived as assisted performance, and judiciously selected to promote productive changes in new teachers’ practice. Recommendations for mentoring programs are provided.
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“Rehearsals” are one aspect of a broader practice-based theory of teacher learning currently gaining purchase in higher education settings intended to combat the pervasive problem of enactment. This qualitative study investigated the... more
“Rehearsals” are one aspect of a broader practice-based theory of teacher learning currently gaining purchase in higher education settings intended to combat the pervasive problem of enactment. This qualitative study investigated the impact of rehearsals (defined as a verbatim enactment of a lesson with feedback prior to implementation with students) as a mentoring strategy with teacher candidates in a clinical setting. Two research questions were addressed: What do mentors and teacher candidates do during rehearsal sessions? Do rehearsals influence teacher candidates’ practice? Results indicate that teacher candidates are reticent to rehearse and implementation fidelity requires support; rehearsals “redistribute” mentoring time, whereby allocating time to rehearse subsequently reduces time spent debriefing or reteaching lessons; and the contextually specific feedback and problem solving mentors provide during rehearsals contributed to improved lesson enactment. This article also describes how rehearsals were enacted, discusses implementation challenges, and provides recommendations for implementing rehearsals in clinical settings.
The faculty research residency (FRR) model was launched in 2010, with the goal of transforming coursework to improve the preparation of teachers for high-need schools. The FRR model leveraged school–-university partnerships and situated... more
The faculty research residency (FRR) model was launched in 2010, with the goal of transforming coursework to improve the preparation of teachers for high-need schools. The FRR model leveraged school–-university partnerships and situated university faculty in high-need schools to conduct research related to the university courses they taught. This study investigated the outcomes of the FRR model for a 3-year period involving 16 research residency projects and 23 faculty members. Faculty research residents investigated a wide variety of teaching practices to contextualize their knowledge and better align their teacher education courses with the needs of students and teachers in high-need schools. Findings indicate that the FRR model shows promise as an innovative faculty development mechanism for colleges of education.
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To provide a shared vision of effective mentoring and language for practice, Schwille developed a temporal framework depicting mentoring practices referred to as ‘inside’ and ‘outside’ the action of teaching. ‘Inside’ mentoring occurs... more
To provide a shared vision of effective mentoring and language for practice, Schwille developed a temporal framework depicting mentoring practices referred to as ‘inside’ and ‘outside’ the action of teaching. ‘Inside’ mentoring occurs when teachers are working with students (e.g. co-teaching and demonstration teaching), whereas ‘outside’ mentoring occurs before or after instruction (e.g. co-planning and debriefing sessions). ‘Inside/outside’ practices are comple- mentary, yet a majority of mentoring occurs ‘outside’ the action of teaching, suggesting an underutilized range of practices. This qualitative study examined the ‘inside’ practices of six experienced, full-release induction coaches in 10 high-need elementary schools in the United States. Results indicate that coaches employed ‘inside’ practices to provide concrete, in-context modeling. While coa- ches stated that ‘inside’ practices can accelerate new teachers’ development and increase images of students’ potential, they also stated they were reticent to implement ‘inside’ practices, particularly co-teaching and demonstration teach- ing. To this end, coaches described a complex decision-making process that goes into when, how, why and why not to implement ‘inside’ practices, that included issues of authority and credibility, as well as a range of context, content and relational factors. Recommendations are provided for induction and coaching programs to facilitate mentors’ use of ‘inside’ practices.
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This qualitative research study investigated a faculty liaison (FL) model, an alternative to traditional field supervision implemented in an urban teacher residency (UTR) program. In the FL model, pro- fessors teaching in the UTR program... more
This qualitative research study investigated a faculty liaison (FL) model, an alternative to traditional field supervision implemented in an urban teacher residency (UTR) program. In the FL model, pro- fessors teaching in the UTR program were assigned to school sites rather than individual teacher candidates to observe and provide feedback, evaluate teacher candidate performance, and connect coursework and classroom practice. Results indicate strong support for the continuation of the FL model in lieu of traditional supervision. Specifically, the FL model supported teacher candidate learn- ing, both in the field and in university coursework; and enhanced school-university collaboration. The authors provide an analysis into the FL model and recommendations for integrating full time faculty into school-based portions of teacher education.
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In 2001, National Louis University and the Academy for Urban School Leadership partnered to create the country’s first Urban Teacher Residency (UTR) program. Ten year later, with the assistance of Teacher Quality Partnership funding, the... more
In 2001, National Louis University and the Academy for Urban School Leadership partnered to create the country’s first Urban Teacher Residency (UTR) program. Ten year later, with the assistance of Teacher Quality Partnership funding, the program quadrupled in size. As the UTR expanded, an increasing theory-practice gap became apparent, reflecting a perennial problem in teacher education (Darling-Hammond, 2006; Zeichner, 2010). A leadership team was formed to address the growing gap and several smaller scale interventions were implemented to no real avail. Subsequently, grant funding was allocated towards two interventions designed to increase university faculty engagement in schools. This paper describes and analyzes those interventions: 1) faculty liaisons as an alternative to traditional supervision, and 2) faculty research residencies to situate university faculty in high need schools for the dual purpose of engaged research and curricular revision. Questions pertaining to post-grant sustainability are also raised.
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Current reform efforts seek to redesign teacher education in alignment with a practice-‐‑based theory, a fundamental reconceptualization of higher education demanding a tighter alignment with K-‐‑12 school practices. The Faculty... more
Current reform efforts seek to redesign teacher education in alignment with a practice-‐‑based theory, a fundamental reconceptualization of higher education demanding a tighter alignment with K-‐‑12 school practices. The Faculty Research Residency Model—a Department of Education Funds for the Improvement of Post-‐‑ Secondary Education (FIPSE) grant supported project—draws upon practice-‐‑based theory and leverages existing school-‐‑university partnerships to create opportunities for faculty to research practices in high need urban schools to inform university course redesign. This study describes the faculty research residency model, reports on year one results of the project, describes implications for refining the model, and provides recommendations to inform others seeking to improve university coursework through school-‐‑university partnerships.
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Approximately 80% of new teachers have mentors, yet mentoring typically fails to foster new teachers’ professional learning—particularly in high-poverty schools. This qualitative study was situated within an urban teacher residency... more
Approximately 80% of new teachers have mentors, yet mentoring typically fails to foster new teachers’ professional learning—particularly in high-poverty schools. This qualitative study was situated within an urban teacher residency context and explored how six first-year urban teachers and the two induction mentors with whom they worked perceived and experienced induction coaching. This study also seeks to understand the characteristics of mentored induction (called coaching) that facilitate or impede learning. Results indicate that men- toring contributed to new teachers’ professional learning and that (a) trusting relationships were foundational to the coaching process and developed over time; (b) coaching was aligned with new teachers’ needs and context; and (c) coaching was a scaffolded process that enhanced new teachers’ ability to respond to immediate needs, as well as identify and work toward long-term instructional goals. Insights and recommendations are provided to guide the development of or strengthen induction programs. As mentored induction in high-poverty schools is typically insufficiently enacted, this study depicts how mentored induction can be conceptualized and executed in order to make a difference in new teachers’ professional learning.
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Peer placements, pairing two preservice teachers with a cooperating teacher, have been shown to provide a more supportive and collaborative context for learning to teach than the traditional student-cooperating teacher, single placement... more
Peer placements, pairing two preservice teachers with a cooperating teacher, have been shown to provide a more supportive and collaborative context for learning to teach than the traditional student-cooperating teacher, single placement model. In some cases, however, tensions existed. This qualitative study seeks to expand the extant research by identifying and analyzing the challenges 24 preservice teachers experienced in their peer placements. While virtually all preservice teachers viewed their peer placements positively, results indicate that all preservice teachers negotiated challenges that pertained to the act or perceived value of collaboration in practice. Specifically, preservice teachers’ prior experiences had not prepared them for in-depth collaboration, and their tendency to view teaching as an autonomous profession that one gains entry into by “sinking or swimming” influenced their perception of the role of collaboration in professional learning. Recommendations are provided to guide the development or refinement of peer placements.
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Educational policy is increasingly recognizing the role mentored induction support plays in new teachers' professional learning. This qualitative study explored eight new urban teachers' experiences with and perceptions of mentored... more
Educational policy is increasingly recognizing the role mentored induction support plays in new teachers' professional learning. This qualitative study explored eight new urban teachers' experiences with and perceptions of mentored induction, referred to in this study as “coaching.” As an alternative to the predominant emotional or socialization constructs of induction support, this study investigates coaching from an “educative” stance that is instructionally oriented, collaborative, situated, and frequently enacted. Results indicate that interactions with coaches facilitated new teachers' transition into urban classrooms; enhanced their ability to provide the type of student-centered instruction they envisioned, but struggled to achieve; and that coaching is a relationship that requires time, trust, and commitment. Insights and recommendations are provided to guide the development or strengthening of induction programs though a collaborative approach aimed towards instructional improvement and professional learning.
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This qualitative study explored 8 urban mentor teachers’ experi- ences and perceptions of mentoring in a yearlong field placement in an Urban Teacher Residency program. Results indicate mentors’ and preservice teachers’ joint work... more
This qualitative study explored 8 urban mentor teachers’ experi- ences and perceptions of mentoring in a yearlong field placement in an Urban Teacher Residency program. Results indicate mentors’ and preservice teachers’ joint work provided a context conducive for professional learning and contributing to a larger social justice mission. However, ongoing collaboration also produced tensions, some of which mentors had difficulty navigating. This study suggests that if extended field placements are to be an effective reform intervention, mentor teachers need professional support to maximize the benefits and to negotiate the complexities of collaboration.
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Research on peer placements suggests that partnering two preservice teachers with a mentor provides a better, more supportive context for learning to teach. As extant research has focused more on student teachers’ development, less is... more
Research on peer placements suggests that partnering two preservice teachers with a mentor provides a better, more supportive context for learning to teach. As extant research has focused more on student teachers’ development, less is known about mentors’ perceptions and experiences. This qualitative study focuses on seven mentor teachers who have mentored one–three years in peer placements to provide a textured understanding of their perceptions and experiences. Results indicate: (a) peer collaboration provides important pedagogical scaffolding that helps student teachers plan and implement complex pedagogies; (b) peer–mentor observation helps student teachers feel more efficacious about their developing practice; (c) sharing responsibility for instruction and distributing roles and resources enables mentors to better meet the needs of student teachers and students; and (d) effective peer placements require mentors to conceptualize their work in different ways. Professional development recommendations are also provided.
Research Interests:
Research indicates that partner placements—pairing two preservice teachers with a mentor teacher—provide a supportive and collaborative context for learning to teach. This qualitative study examines three partner placements in a 100-hour... more
Research indicates that partner placements—pairing two preservice teachers with a mentor teacher—provide a supportive and collaborative context for learning to teach. This qualitative study examines three partner placements in a 100-hour urban field practicum to understand how preservice teachers experience and perceive partner placements, and what facilitates or inhibits collaboration. Results from two successful and one less than successful placement indicate that mutuality, scaffolding, and the appropriation of skills and resources facilitate productive collaboration and promote professional learning. However, participants revealed that partner placements are temporary scaffolding, which prepares one to become a teacher, but does not represent the “real world” of teaching. Recommendations are provided to guide the implementation or refinement of partner placements.
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Mentors are taking increasingly significant roles in preservice teachers’ preparation. As mentoring is complex and research is evolving and sometimes contradictory, the questions guiding this qualitative study were how do mentors gain... more
Mentors are taking increasingly significant roles in preservice teachers’ preparation. As mentoring is complex and research is evolving and sometimes contradictory, the questions guiding this qualitative study were how do mentors gain their expertise and what support do they need to promote their continued development. The context of this study was a teacher-training academy. Data was collected from eight mentor teachers in three ways: individual interviews; focus group interviews; and participant observation. Results indicated that mentors conceptualized their work into two distinct roles: teaching and mentoring. While the school provided professional development for both teaching and mentoring, mentors indicated their mentoring development was insufficient. As a result, mentors lacked a comprehensive understanding of mentoring theories and skills. Unlike their teaching, which mentors knew how to advance, mentors did not have a knowledge and experiential base to advance their mentoring as effectively. Recommendations are provided for developing and supporting mentors’ practice.
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In this qualitative study, pairs of preservice teachers were placed with single cooperating teachers in a 100-hour urban field placement. The question guiding this research was would preservice teachers collaborate in ways that... more
In this qualitative study, pairs of preservice teachers were placed with single cooperating teachers in a 100-hour urban field placement. The question guiding this research was would preservice teachers collaborate in ways that contributed to their professional development and if so why, how, and to what end? Results from field notes, multiple observations, interviews, and work samples indicate that paired placements promoted multiple perspectives, led to increased dialogue about teaching and learning, and facilitated the implementation of student-centered pedagogies. Importantly, paired field placements have potential to nurture and develop skills of collaboration vital to current reform efforts.