4d. Experiences Working with Diverse Students in P-12 Schools
4d1. How does the unit ensure that each candidate has at least one field/clinical experience with students from ethnic/racial groups different than his/her own, English language learners, students with exceptionalities, and students from different socioeconomic groups?
All candidates have multiple experiences (minimum of two) with diverse learners as they matriculate through their individual programs. The Foundations Block’s Milwaukee Program is often the first experience for students to work with children different from their own background. This program is required for all students seeking initial licensure at the undergraduate level. Students enrolled in the urban education module or those who participate in international student teaching or fieldwork gain additional experience. Beginning in Spring, 2006 the Unit has been very successful in ensuring that teacher candidates have at least one field experience and/or a clinical experience in a school that has been classified as having a diverse population. The classification system is based on current school demographic information available through the DPI and collected by the Office of Field Experiences. The first version of the diversity classification system was based on ethnicity and subsidized lunch status. The second, revised system (beginning fall, 2007) was expanded beyond ethnicity and subsidized lunch to include students with special needs, information that previously had not been available. Diverse schools are defined as those having at least 14% minority students and/or at least 18.6% subsidized lunch and/or at least 13.6% students with special needs. A school diversity list is updated every year with current data. In addition to the O&P experience, all students must have at least one additional experience in a diverse school using these classification data.
4d2. How does the unit ensure that candidates develop and practice their knowledge, skills, and professional dispositions related to diversity during their field experiences and clinical practice?
As stated previously, specific measures of candidate proficiency related to diversity can be found in portfolio scores related to WTS 3 (The teacher understands how pupils differ in their approaches to learning and the barriers that impede learning and can adapt instruction to meet the diverse needs of pupils, including those with disabilities and exceptionalities) and in the Dispositions Inventory section 7 (demonstrates equitable treatment and respect for all individuals). Data show that candidates perform well on assessments pertaining to diversity. Portfolio scores from 2002-2006 indicate a mean score of 2.67, 2.83 and 3.18 on WTS 3 artifacts for phases 2, 3 and 4 portfolios (on a 0 to 4 scale). (Please refer to support data previously cited for question 4a3). Additionally, student teacher exit surveys from 2003 to 2007 (n=177) suggest that students are developing knowledge, skills and dispositions related to diversity during their clinical work. When students were asked on the survey whether they had attained an appropriate level of proficiency to be expected of a beginning teacher in terms of human relation skills and professional dispositions, the average score (out of a possible 5 points) was 4.44 and 4.47, respectively.
4d3. How does the unit ensure that candidates use feedback from peers and supervisors to reflect on their skills in working with students from diverse groups?
As stated previously, cooperating teacher assessments of preservice candidates during student teaching are collected. A sample of cooperating teacher final evaluations utilized in the Curriculum and Instruction Department’s programs indicate mean scores of 3.40 to 3.63 (on a 0 to 4 scale) for all five questions related to diversity. This is between the “Proficient” and “Advanced” level. (Please refer to support data previously cited for question 4a3). All supervisors provide written and oral feedback on candidate performance related to diversity in the classroom. This feedback is tied to the WTS. During the Foundations Block semester, students are required to write portfolio narrative statements that explain their work as it pertains to diversity, pluralism and multicultural teaching philosophy. This is continued through their Phase 3 and Phase 4 portfolio. Each submitted portfolio is graded and students receive feedback from multiple faculty regarding their writing and thoughts as they pertain to diversity.
4d4. Please complete the following table (Table 10) to identify the diversity of P-12 students based on their gender, ethnicity, racial, and socioeconomic levels, native language and exceptionalities in the schools in which education candidates do their clinical practice.
Table 10
Demographics on Clinical Sites for Initial and Advanced Programs
American Indian or Alaskan Native |
Asian |
Black or African-American |
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander* |
Hispanic or Latino |
White |
Two or more races* |
Students eligible for free/reduced price lunch (student socio-economic status)** |
English language learners*** |
Students with Disabilities |
|
Overall average of all 950 schools in service area |
.61% |
2.97% |
21.09% |
- |
10.26% |
61.69% |
- |
36.45% |
5.49% |
14.55% |
Overall average of all schools in service area without MPS |
.50% |
2.77% |
7.84% |
- |
7.93% |
77.17% |
- |
22.87% |
5.40% |
14.13% |
*The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction does not collect data on Native Hawaiians or Pacific Islanders or students of two or more races.
**It is important to not that this column represents information on students who are eligible for free and reduced price lunch based on socioeconomic status, not all students who actually receive it.
***English Language Learners were compiled by subtracting the percentage of English Proficient Learners from 100. It is an estimate based on the other data, not an exact count.
4d5. What do the data in Table 10 tell the unit about the diversity of students in the schools in which candidates do their clinical practice?
Our service area includes working with approximately 950 different schools as placement sites. Table 10 shows the average demographics for all schools and the averages a) overall, and b) without Milwaukee Public Schools (n=235 schools). For a school-by-school breakout please see the appendix Table 10.
The data in Table 10 demonstrate that the Unit works with some very diverse schools and can easily find and place students in these settings. As stated above, the unit defines diverse schools as those having at least 14% minority students and/or at least 18.6% subsidized lunch and/or at least 13.6% students with special needs. All candidates must have at least one field placement in these schools beyond the required O&P placement. Many students have multiple placements depending upon program. (Please see support data for question 4d5).
Optional
1. Exemplary Practice Related to Standard 4
The Unit has a wide-array of required courses and clinical and field experiences that directly interface all candidates with multiple diverse experiences as they progress toward licensure. Enhancing these experiences for candidates, the Unit is supported by the University with a multitude of offices that directly and indirectly enhance diversity within the Unit. All of these direct and indirect experiences of candidates move them toward understanding and experiences the rich diversity of the environments in which they will be teaching. The assessment of these diverse experiences takes place at both the P-12 and higher education levels. These assessments are both direct (evaluation of dispositions) and indirect (lesson plans, accommodations, and through the use of portfolios) as candidates learn to address the issues surrounding the concepts of intervention.
2. Research Conducted by Unit Related to Standard 4
Please see faculty research document in support section.
