Diversity and Teacher Education

Abstract

Teachers' knowledge and skills in working with students of diverse backgrounds depend largely on their knowledge of ethnic groups and appreciation of culture and language differences. This chapter examined preservice teachers' preparation for diversity in a teacher education program at a university in southeastern United States. Study participants were preservice teachers enrolled in an education course in the school of education at the said university. Thirty preservice teachers' semester long reflections from a diversity education course were collected and analyzed. Two questions guided the discussion of the chapter: 1) What was the learning experience of preservice teachers in the course? 2) What was the collective conscience of preservice teachers on teaching students in increasingly diverse classrooms? The findings revealed that the course experiences facilitated preservice teachers' critical thinking skills on history, cultural identity, family and language difference, ethnic experiences. Implications on diversity in education were discussed.