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What are we inducting teachers of Color into? Disrupting race-evasiveness to create responsive professional development and mentoring policies and practices

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DOI:

https://doi.org/10.14507/epaa.32.8336

Keywords:

teachers of Color, professional development, mentorship, race, educational policy

Abstract

Professional development and mentorship are key supports designed to facilitate growth and acclimation to the teaching profession as well as foster the stability and success of new educators. However, both fields of study have been occupied by a normalization of whiteness and white teachers, which often neglects the experiences, perspectives, and needs of teachers of Color. As we attempt to diversify the teaching force, it is important to understand how teacher professional development and mentorship can be responsive to teachers of Color. In this article, we review literature on teacher professional development and teacher mentorship for and by teachers of Color. Through the lens of our analysis, we explore limitations in current policy, and provide case study examples of how to serve teachers of Color. We also offer policy recommendations that can better guide racially literate and culturally sustaining professional development and mentoring practices, so teachers of Color can grow, thrive, and positively impact schools towards the goals for which they are being recruited.

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Author Biographies

Rita Kohli, University of California, Riverside

Rita Kohli is a professor in the School of Education at the University of California, Riverside, and co-director of the Institute for Teachers of Color Committed to Racial Justice. Her research examines race, teachers, and teacher education, with specific focus on teachers of Color.

Re’Nyqua Farrington, University of California, Riverside

Re’Nyqua Farrington (she/her) is a Ph.D. student in education, society, and culture at the University of California, Riverside. Her research interests broadly focus on investigating and disrupting the intersections between public schools, prisons, and anti-Blackness in the US. Before her doctoral studies, Re’Nyqua received her BS in English education from Nova Southeastern University and later completed her MEd in diversity and equity from the University of California, Riverside.

Sarah De La Garza, Texas Tech University

Sarah De La Garza is an assistant professor in the Educational Psychology, Leadership, and Counseling Department in the College of Education at Texas Tech University. Her research interests focus on dual language bilingual education leadership, bilingual teacher preparation, emergent bilingual/ Latino student success, and program evaluation. Dr. De La Garza has professional experience as a secondary instructor and served as a campus and district administrator in charter and Catholic schools in Texas.

Belinda Flores, University of Texas at San Antonio

Belinda Bustos Flores is Associate Dean of Strategic Partnerships, Preparation, & Growth and a professor in the Department of Bicultural-Bilingual Studies, College of Education and Human Development at the University of Texas at San Antonio. Dr. Flores is the founder of the nationally recognized, award-winning Academy for Teacher Excellence Research Center at UTSA, and her research focuses on teacher personal and professional  identity and beliefs.

Socorro Herrera, Kansas State University

Socorro Herrera is a professor in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction, College of Education at Kansas State University and the Executive Director of the Center for Intercultural and Multilingual Advocacy (CIMA). As an international keynote speaker, district consultant, and trainer of trainers, she has collaborated with families, teachers, and administrators in charting new paths for the success of culturally and linguistically diverse students. Dr. Herrera has authored six textbooks and numerous articles for publication in journals such as Bilingual Research Journal, Journal of Research in Education, Journal of Latinos and Education, and International Journal of Multicultural Education.

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Published

2024-09-24

How to Cite

Kohli, R., Farrington, R., De La Garza, S., Flores, B., & Herrera, S. (2024). What are we inducting teachers of Color into? Disrupting race-evasiveness to create responsive professional development and mentoring policies and practices. Education Policy Analysis Archives, 32. https://doi.org/10.14507/epaa.32.8336

Issue

Vol. 32 (2024)

Section

Research on Teachers of Color and Indigenous Teachers

License

Copyright (c) 2024 Rita Kohli, Re’Nyqua Farrington, Sarah De La Garza, Belinda Flores, Socorro Herrera

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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