Perceptions of elementary cooperating teachers of working with culturally diverse students

Eleven elementary cooperating teachers were interviewed to explore their perceptions of how they relate to the culturally and ethnically diverse students in their classrooms. They were also asked how they incorporate issues of cultural diversity in the preservice field experiences offered through the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. At the conclusion of the interviews, a portrait was written for each participant. An unforeseen but notable development surfaced in the course of this study. It was determined that six of the teachers had a central core of values, principles, and philosophy which united with their personality, guided their thoughts and actions, and was integrated throughout their personal and professional lives. Although the cores varied from teacher to teacher, some commonalities across cores were identified. The pervasiveness of the central cores seemed to indicate at least one reason why a single course or workshop is not effective in changing attitudes or beliefs with respect to cultural diversity. A plan for an inservice program was presented which has potential for making such changes.

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph.D.

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Education

Grantor

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2011

Author dc:creator

• McCollum, Dee Ghere

Contributors dc:contributor

• Rubin, Louis J.

• Education, Bilingual and Multicultural
• Education, Elementary
• Education, Teacher Training

Statement dc:rights

• Copyright 1995 McCollum, Dee Ghere

Language dc:language

eng

Identifier

AAI9624432
(UMI)AAI9624432

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:www.ideals.illinois.edu:2142/21210