Analyzing Secondary Science Analyzing Secondary Science Pre-Service Teachers’ Pre-Service Teachers’ Preparation Preparation for High Needs Schools for High Needs Schools using a using a Classroom Ecology Framework Classroom Ecology Framework Jacqueline T. McDonnough (VCU) Jacqueline T. McDonnough (VCU) Juanita Jo Matkins (W&M) Juanita Jo Matkins (W&M) Kevin Goff (W&M) Kevin Goff (W&M) February 19 February 19 th th , 2010 , 2010 VCU School of Education Research Colloquium VCU School of Education Research Colloquium
PreparationPreparationfor High Needs Schoolsfor High Needs Schools
using ausing aClassroom Ecology FrameworkClassroom Ecology Framework
Jacqueline T. McDonnough (VCU)Jacqueline T. McDonnough (VCU)
Juanita Jo Matkins (W&M)Juanita Jo Matkins (W&M)
Kevin Goff (W&M)Kevin Goff (W&M)
February 19February 19thth, 2010, 2010VCU School of Education Research ColloquiumVCU School of Education Research Colloquium
Why Do We Need More and Better Why Do We Need More and Better Science Teachers?Science Teachers?
• Teacher ShortageTeacher Shortage
• Teacher TurnoverTeacher Turnover
• Importance of Science as a component of STEMImportance of Science as a component of STEM
STEM Teacher ShortageSTEM Teacher Shortage
• RetirementRetirement
• Demand for highly qualified teachersDemand for highly qualified teachers
• Need 280,000 mathematics & science teachers Need 280,000 mathematics & science teachers by 2015by 2015
Business Higher Education Forum 2007Business Higher Education Forum 2007
STEM Teacher TurnoverSTEM Teacher Turnover
• Contributory factors to high Contributory factors to high attrition:attrition:
low salarieslow salaries lack of support from school lack of support from school
administrationsadministrations discipline problemsdiscipline problems lack of teacher input into lack of teacher input into
school decision-makingschool decision-making
• 40-50% of new science teachers leave the 40-50% of new science teachers leave the profession within 5 years profession within 5 years (Ingersoll, 2007)(Ingersoll, 2007)
Importance of STEM EducationImportance of STEM Education
• Much of the improvement in everyday life is the Much of the improvement in everyday life is the product of investments in research and in the product of investments in research and in the education of scientists and engineerseducation of scientists and engineers
• Many of today’s environmental, energy, and Many of today’s environmental, energy, and societal issues can be solved using scientific societal issues can be solved using scientific knowledge and engineering applicationsknowledge and engineering applications
• The number of jobs in engineering and science The number of jobs in engineering and science continue to grow at more than three times the continue to grow at more than three times the rate of other professionsrate of other professions
(Rising Above the Gathering Storm, 2007)(Rising Above the Gathering Storm, 2007)
Why acquire licensure Why acquire licensure through a teacher through a teacher
preparation program?preparation program?
Data from Darling-
Hammond, 2003
Teacher DemographicsTeacher Demographics
• Most students of color will have Most students of color will have white female teachers through white female teachers through much of their K-12 school much of their K-12 school experience experience (Zumwalt & Craig, 2005)(Zumwalt & Craig, 2005)
• 86% Public School Teachers 86% Public School Teachers WhiteWhite
• 34% Students Black or Hispanic 34% Students Black or Hispanic (NSES, 2004)(NSES, 2004)
• Minority student populations in Minority student populations in public schools > 40% in 21 public schools > 40% in 21 states states (Southern Education (Southern Education Foundations, 2009)Foundations, 2009)
2005 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP)12th Grade Science
-100 -80 -60 -40 -20 0 20 40 60 80 100
Eligible for Free orReduced Lunch
Not On Free or ReducedLunch
Percentage of Students Below vs. Above Basic Scientific Literacy
Below Basic At Basic Proficient Advanced
Data from U.S. Dept of Education, NCES
Classroom EcologyClassroom Ecology (Ellison et al., 2000)(Ellison et al., 2000)
1)1) Uses students’ cultural knowledge, prior Uses students’ cultural knowledge, prior knowledge, and individual learning preferencesknowledge, and individual learning preferences
2)2) Incorporates students’ cultural orientations to Incorporates students’ cultural orientations to design classroom managementdesign classroom management
3)3) Provides students with multiple opportunities to Provides students with multiple opportunities to demonstrate what they have learneddemonstrate what they have learned
4)4) Provides students with knowledge and skills Provides students with knowledge and skills needed to function in mainstream culture while needed to function in mainstream culture while maintaining their cultural identitymaintaining their cultural identity
result of my own biases, experiences, and culture?
McDonnough & Matkins,
2010
Culturally Responsive
Social/Psych Relations:
Caregiver involvement,
knowledge about students,
use of student feedback to learn affective/cognitive preferences,
learning student names, and
setting right tone
Culturally Responsive
Core of Instruction:
Class projects, variety of
assessments, issue-based instruction
Culturally Responsive Structures &
Routines:
Distribution of papers, make-
up work, internet access,
avoidance of culturally neutral
responses to absences
Culturally Responsive Discipline &
Management:
Share non-negotiable rules
specific to school/science
classroom. Allow students
to develop rules/
consequences for other issues.
Culturally Responsive Attitudes &
Expectations:
What are my expectations of my students?
Which instructional
approaches do I think my
students can succeed with? Best grouping
options?
MethodologyMethodology
Overall study: Mixed methods, quasi-experimentalOverall study: Mixed methods, quasi-experimental• Two universitiesTwo universities• Interview and survey dataInterview and survey data• Five yearsFive years
This presentation: First round of interviews, This presentation: First round of interviews, qualitativequalitative• First semester, first yearFirst semester, first year• One universityOne university• Focused interview data, pre-Focused interview data, pre-• Six participants: purposeful stratified sampleSix participants: purposeful stratified sample• Analyzed using grounded theoryAnalyzed using grounded theory• Coded by Ellison et al. categoriesCoded by Ellison et al. categories• Initial coding done independently (5 researchers)Initial coding done independently (5 researchers)• Final categories decided by consensus buildingFinal categories decided by consensus building
1.1. What is your content area?What is your content area?
2.2. Why did you decide to go into teaching?Why did you decide to go into teaching?
3.3. Describe your ideal approach to teaching: genetics (Bio), Describe your ideal approach to teaching: genetics (Bio), stoichiometry (Chem), geologic time (Earth Science) or stoichiometry (Chem), geologic time (Earth Science) or motion & velocity (Physics).motion & velocity (Physics).
4.4. Describe your ideal student outcome from teaching that Describe your ideal student outcome from teaching that topic.topic.
5.5. If you were in a bragging contest after teaching this, how If you were in a bragging contest after teaching this, how would you describe it?would you describe it?
6.6. Describe a typical student you may encounter in a high Describe a typical student you may encounter in a high needs school. Describe other characteristics that student needs school. Describe other characteristics that student may have.may have.
7.7. Can you name three advantages that such students may Can you name three advantages that such students may have? Three disadvantages?have? Three disadvantages?
8.8. Describe two challenges that you as a teacher may face in Describe two challenges that you as a teacher may face in trying to respond to those disadvantages.trying to respond to those disadvantages.
Very limited attention to these two Very limited attention to these two categories: only two participants categories: only two participants discussed any aspectdiscussed any aspect
(ex)(ex) Need to build in time to stay after Need to build in time to stay after school and help students with their school and help students with their makeup work (Sara) (#3)makeup work (Sara) (#3)
(ex)(ex) “Dismantling tempers”; students “Dismantling tempers”; students are “going to be more prone to are “going to be more prone to outbursts” (Susan) (#4)outbursts” (Susan) (#4)
Category One: ContextCategory One: Context• Limited resources, e.g. computers, books, student Limited resources, e.g. computers, books, student
ability to buy stuff for projects, lack of support at homeability to buy stuff for projects, lack of support at home
Category Two: Teacher traitsCategory Two: Teacher traits• Recognizing the “disconnect” between me and them;Recognizing the “disconnect” between me and them;• (Setting) a lower bar to reach(Setting) a lower bar to reach
Category Three: Student traits, behavior, and outcomesCategory Three: Student traits, behavior, and outcomes• Unmotivated students, students with untapped talents, Unmotivated students, students with untapped talents,
poor organization and study habits, students who “get poor organization and study habits, students who “get a chip on your shoulder to protect yourself”a chip on your shoulder to protect yourself”
"I’ve got the right idea in my head to "I’ve got the right idea in my head to not be racist, but I still just am not not be racist, but I still just am not
familiar with that culture, so it’s still familiar with that culture, so it’s still alien to me whether or not I want it alien to me whether or not I want it
• Our pre-service teachers come to our programs Our pre-service teachers come to our programs with ideas about teaching in high-needs schools, with ideas about teaching in high-needs schools, and those and those ideasideas need to be addressed need to be addressed
What are teacher education programs doing to What are teacher education programs doing to address current and emerging research about address current and emerging research about culturally responsive pedagogy?culturally responsive pedagogy?
• Ideas may include a recognition of the Ideas may include a recognition of the “disconnect” between our students and their “disconnect” between our students and their future studentsfuture students
How are teacher education programs supporting the How are teacher education programs supporting the development of a teacher-sense-of-self that development of a teacher-sense-of-self that recognizes and values the cultures and ethnicities of recognizes and values the cultures and ethnicities of self and others?self and others?
• Resource deficits are Resource deficits are expectedexpected
What are we doing to help our What are we doing to help our students prepare for resource students prepare for resource deficits?deficits?
• Classroom management and discipline: lack of Classroom management and discipline: lack of recognition of the critical importance of this coupled recognition of the critical importance of this coupled with the recognition that students may not be with the recognition that students may not be motivatedmotivated
Are we doing enough programmatically to support this?Are we doing enough programmatically to support this?
