An exploration of the life experiences and discursive practices of alternatively prepared beginning elementary school urban teachers

The purpose of this study was to explore how the differing mindset of alternatively prepared beginning elementary school urban teachers, which stems in large part from greater life experience, manifests itself in their discursive practices. A group of 23 first year elementary school teachers enrolled in a two-year alternative teacher certification program located in a large mid-Atlantic urban city were selected to participate in the study. Framing this study was the overarching research question: What are the different life experiences of beginning teachers in an alternative certification program and how do these different life experiences shape their discursive practices in urban school settings? To gain insight into this question, five sub-questions pertaining to life experiences and discursive practices were asked. As the life experiences and discursive practices of members of the sample population were examined, an inductive approach predominately utilizing qualitative research methods was employed to explore the research questions. Three primary data collection tools, two qualitative (individual interviews and classroom observations) and one quantitative (modified version of the Witcher-Travers Survey of Educational Beliefs), were used to gather a preponderance of the data. A secondary data collection tool, a follow-up questionnaire, was also used to gather data relative to themes that surfaced during interviews and observations. All 23 participants completed the Witcher-Travers Survey of Educational Beliefs, a subset of 8 (of the 23) participants participated in interviews and observations and a subset of 21 (of the 23) participants completed the follow-up questionnaire. Study findings revealed that life experiences make a difference in the discursive practices of alternatively prepared teachers and that a nexus exists between life experience and teachers' discursive practices. Demographic data from this study further suggested that alternative teacher certification programs attract more teachers of color, older individuals and men than traditional teacher preparation programs. Results also offered insight into the structure of alternative certification programs indicating that it is advantageous for participants to progress through programs in cohorts and to receive instruction in the theoretical and practical aspects of teaching from university-based professors.