Comfort and Competence:Teacher Candidates’ Attitudes

Towards DiversityDr. Kathleen G. Burriss, Ed.D.

Department of Elementary and Special Education

kglascot@mtsu.edu

Dr. Larry L. Burriss, Ph.D.School of Journalism

lburiss@mtsu.edu

Middle Tennessee State UniversityMiddle Tennessee State University

Percent Distribution of Race/Ethnicity in Public Elementary and

Secondary Schools

+44.4%+17.9%+51.5%+6.2%-10.6%

1.30.93.32.815.09.917.116.162.970.4

1998198619981986199819861998198619981986

American Indian/ Alaskan

Native

Asian/ Pacific Islander

HispanicBlackWhite

Source: U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights

Average 4th Grade Reading Proficiency*

200222195193225

American Indian/Alaskan Native

Asian/Pacific Islander

HispanicBlackWhite

*As measured by the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), 1998Source: U.S. Department of Education, National Center For Educational Statistics

DemographicsGender

Male Female

47 411

Age18-20 21-26 27-33 34-39 40-46 47+

20 325 57 33 15 4

RaceCaucasian African-

AmericanNative

American Biracial

402 26 2 5

Sexual Preference

Heterosexual Bisexual

442 2

Religious Preference

Christian Other

434 22

LanguageMonolingual Bilingual More than 2

381 21 1

I am Comfortable & Competent(Diverse Student Populations)

9 (1)23 (31)No

1 (9)286 (278)YesCompetent

NoYes

Comfortable

N = 319, P < 0.001 (Fisher’s Exact Test)

I am Comfortable & Competent(Diverse Student Populations)

Competent Comfortable

Score Sig. Score Sig.

Pre 3.730.400

4.150.086

Post 3.81 4.29

I am Comfortable & Competent(Different Languages)

102 (56)34 (80)No

2 (48)115 (69)YesCompetent

NoYes

Comfortable

N = 253, P < 0.001 (Fisher’s Exact Test)

I am Comfortable & Competent(Different Languages)

Competent Comfortable

Score Sig. Score Sig.

Pre 2.860.403

3.360.902

Post 2.97 3.35

I am Comfortable & Competent(Different Race Students)

6 (0)10 (16)No

1 (7)408 (402)YesCompetent

NoYes

Comfortable

N = 425, P < 0.001 (Fisher’s Exact Test)

I am Comfortable & Competent(Different Race Students)

Competent Comfortable

Score Sig. Score Sig.

Pre 4.250.001

4.470.010

Post 4.53 4.65

I am Comfortable & Competent(Different Religious Backgrounds)

7 (0)10 (17)No

2 (9)386 (396)YesCompetent

NoYes

Comfortable

N = 405, P < 0.001 (Fisher’s Exact Test)

I am Comfortable & Competent(Different Religious Beliefs)

Competent Comfortable

Score Sig. Score Sig.

Pre 4.180.010

4.370.346

Post 4.38 4.45

I am Comfortable & Competent(Special Needs Students)

28 (4)6 (30)No

12 (36)296 (272)YesCompetent

NoYes

Comfortable

N = 342, P < 0.001 (Fisher’s Exact Test)

I am Comfortable & Competent(Special Needs Students)

Competent Comfortable

Score Sig. Score Sig.

Pre 3.980.755

3.960.400

Post 3.95 3.88

I am Comfortable & Competent(Gay/Lesbian Parents)

24 (4)5 (25)No

18 (38)296 (276)YesCompetent

NoYes

Comfortable

N = 343, P < 0.001 (Fisher’s Exact Test)

I am Comfortable & Competent(Gay/Lesbian Parents)

Competent Comfortable

Score Sig. Score Sig.

Pre 3.940.023

3.810.162

Post 4.19 3.97

I Believe in the Goals of Multicultural Education

Score Significance

Pre-Student Teaching 4.25

0.028Post-Student

Teaching 4.42

I am a Tolerant Individual

Score Significance

Pre-Student Teaching 4.22

0.003Post-Student

Teaching 4.46

I Believe Schools Should Practice Multicultural Education

Score Significance

Pre-Student Teaching 4.01

0.007Post-Student

Teaching 4.26

I am Competent to Intervene Across Different Socioeconomic Levels

Score Significance

Pre-Student Teaching 4.05

0.002Post-Student

Teaching 4.31

“Very open-minded, but have not really been in enough situations to really [have] felt all of this - I

would like to think I embrace difference.” (subject 0370)

No one ever asked if I have enough empathy to be a teacher. The only

question I was asked was “What are your grades?”

References

Barry, N. H., & Lechner, J. V. (1995).Preservice teachers' attitudes about and awareness of multicultural teaching and learning. Teaching and Teacher Education, 11(2), 149-161.

Byrnes, D. & Kiger, G. (1992). Common Bonds. Wheaton: Association for Childhood Education International.

Campbell, D. (1996). Choosing democracy: A practical guide to multicultural education. Englewood Cliffs: Prentice-Hall.

References

Center for Educational Statistics (2001), “Digest of Educational Statistics,” http:/nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2001034.

Clark, L. DeWolf, S. & Clark, C. (1992). Teaching teachers to avoid having culturally assaultive classrooms. Young Children, 47(5), 4-9.

Cross, B.E. (1993). How do we prepare teachers to improve race relations? Educational Leadership, 50(8), 64-65.

References

Cushner, K. and Brislin, R. (1996) Intercultural Interactions: A Practical Guide, 2nd., Thousand Oaks, Calif.: Sage Publications.

Delaney‑Barmann, G. and Minner, S. (1997). Development and implementation of a program of study prepares teachers for diversity. Equity and Excellence in Education, 30(2), 78‑85.

Derman-Sparks, L. Anti-Bias Curriculum: Tools for Empowering Young Children (1989) Washington, D.C.: National Association for the Education of Young Children.

ReferencesDeVries, R. and Kohlber, L. (1987). Constructivist early

education: Overview and comparison with other programs. Washington, D.C.: National Association for the Education of Young Children.

Goodwin, A. L. (1994, March‑April). Making the transition from self to other: What do preservice teachers really think about multicultural education? Journal of Teacher Education, 45(2), 119‑131.

Larkin, J. M. & Sleeter, C. E. (1995). Developing multicultural teacher education curricula. New York: SUNY Press.

References

Lawrence, S. (1997). Beyond race awareness: white racial identity and multicultural teaching. Journal of Teacher Education, 48 (2), 108‑117.

Liston, D., & Zeichner, K. M. (1990). Teacher education and the social conditions of schooling. New York: Routledge.

Lowry, L. (1992). The Giver. New York: Dell Books.Marshall, P. L. (1996). Multicultural teaching concerns: New

dimensions in the area of teacher education research? Journal of Educational Research, 89 (6), 371-379.

References

McCall, A. L. (1995). Constructing conceptions of multicultural teaching: Preservice teachers' life experiences and teacher education. Journal of Teacher Education, 46 (5), 340-350.

McCall, A. L. and Andringa, A. A. (1997). Learning to teach for justice and equality in a multicultural social reconstructionist teacher education course. Action in Teacher Education, 18(4), 57‑67.

References

McDiarmid, G. W. (1992, March‑April). What to do about differences: A study of multicultural education for teacher trainees in the Los Angeles United school district. Journal of Teacher Education, 43 (2), 83‑93.

Mill, John Stuart (1975) On Liberty. New York: Norton.Nel, J. (1992, Fall). The empowerment of minority students:

Implication of Cummins model for teacher education. Action In Teacher Education, 14 (3), 38‑45.

References

Neuharth-Pritchett, Reiff and Pearson (2001) Through the eyes of pre-service teachers: Implications for the multicultural journey from teacher education, Journal of Research in Childhood Education (in press).

Olmedo, L. M. (1997). Challenging old assumptions: Preparing teachers for inner city schools. Teaching and Teacher Education, 13 (3), 245-258.

Pajares, F. (1993). Preservice teachers' beliefs: A focus for teacher education. Action In Teacher Education, 15, 45‑54.

References

Perez, S. A. (1994). Responding differently to diversity. Childhood Education,70 (3), 151-153.

Stevens, E. Jr. and Wood, G. H. (1987). Justice, ideology, and education. New York: Random House.

Zeichner, K. (1991). Contradictions and tensions in the professionalization of teaching and the democratization of schools. Teachers College Record, 92 (3), 363-379.

Comfort and Competence:Teacher Candidates’ Attitudes

Towards DiversityDr. Kathleen G. Burriss, Ed.D.

Department of Elementary and Special Education

kglascot@mtsu.edu

Dr. Larry L. Burriss, Ph.D.School of Journalism

lburiss@mtsu.edu

Middle Tennessee State UniversityMiddle Tennessee State University