Teaching the whole child requires the whole teacher: Embedding socioemotional perceptions and dispositions into a culturally responsive teacher preparation program

This teacher education program aims to develop high quality teachers through development of empathy and culturally responsive pedagogy, impacting teachers’ dispositions toward students who are different from themselves. Participants included 17 undergraduate education students enrolled in a community engaged teacher education program. One-on-one interviews captured participants’ experiences and beliefs over time, related to teaching children in an urban setting. Qualitative themes emerged and shifted in frequency over the course of the semester. These included deficit perspective, knowledge of the “other,” dominant culture as a lens, best practices, asset perspective, and characteristics of high quality versus highly qualified. As teacher candidates experienced individual interactions with students, families, and community members, they developed empathy and shifted from a deficit perspective toward an asset perspective. Simultaneously, teacher candidates combined socioemotional skills with instructional best practices. Practical strategies are suggested to prepare teacher candidates to learn about themselves, their students, and to develop allies.