Supporting Minority Teachersby Lyn Newton | More from this Blogger 21 Jun 2007 12:50 PM When attending teacher workshops or in-service trainings, I have noticed one thing in common among elementary school teachers in Tennessee and surrounding states. It appears that most teachers in this area are white females. It is very rare to have over a few male teachers at these conferences. There are also very few teachers from different ethnic backgrounds and cultures. It also appears that white teachers must be the common majority in other areas of the country. There has been an identified shortage of male and minority teachers among public schools across the country. Several Midwestern universities also made this discovery in 1993. By 1994, an organization was formed to help include minority groups in teacher education programs. The organization, Minority Teacher Education Association (MTEA), showed need for the establishment for a grant, Minority Teacher Identification Enrichment Program (MTIEP). The grant and association has helped identify students at community college, high school, and middle school levels that would serve as good education program candidates. These students are given important information pertaining to education programs. They are also included in activities to enrich their education. The students are given support to help them succeed in school. The program consists of mentoring and support activities as well as programs to direct students in the direct of earning a teaching degree. The association has a summer school program to help students prepare for their teaching career. The program has seen success by having members graduate from a teacher education program and enter into teaching at the public school level. I think that having minority groups in the teaching profession is important. Our students need to experience having daily contact with those from different backgrounds. Secluding our children from teachers and others that are different from them can also seclude them from a great world of learning. Celebrate Diversity With A Culture Night What Can Be Done to Encourage Tolerance? Learn more about Lyn Newton  Lyn is a kindergarten teacher and mommy to a girl and a boy. In her spare time, she enjoys informative and creative writing. Relevanteducation tags User Comments  Valorie Delp (49340) 21 Jun 2007 01:00 PMThis is a great blog. . . but these programs frustrate and anger me. If they really want to support minority teachers then they need to go where the minority students are and raise the bar several notches for the teachers and schools who currently teach those students. Why pull out those that they've 'identified' (often incorrectly) and leave the rest of those kids floundering with lack of money, resources, and properly trained teachers? Raise the bar in inner city education and you'll get more minority teachers, doctors, lawyers, and businessmen. Also, you say that your students need contact with those from different backgrounds but my students need to see their own succeed. I haven't researched the programs that you're speaking of thoroughly, but if they're pulling minority teachers out of city schools they're shooting themselves in the foot. What they need to be doing is offering more incentives for teachers to come here. LOL Okay off my soap box. Very interesting topic Karri.  Lyn Newton (3966) 21 Jun 2007 01:36 PMThanks for your thoughts, Valorie! Again I am not from a very diverse location so it is sometimes hard for me to identify with these issues. You make very good points! I am glad to have you share with me! Valorie Delp (49340) 21 Jun 2007 04:18 PMIt's a really interesting topic to discuss. I think what is lacking overall is input from the people who actually are in the fields. I think that's true for a lot of educational initiatives but I think it's worse for the inner city. We need a massive over haul!! ;-) Thanks for not throwing tomatoes at me! I didn't mean to come off quite so adamant. ;-) Community Tags diversity, minority, teachers, teacher associations Discuss this article
|
Education categories |
