Mentoring in an Urban Setting: Clinical Practice to Improve Prospective Teachers' Cultural Understanding and Ability to Teach Diverse Learners More Effectively

Year Awarded: 2002
Project Leaders:
Christopher Wheeler, MSU College of Education; Anne Kubal, MSU College of Education; Teri Bernero, Wexford Community School; Kathrene Beasley, Wexford Community School.

Project Description:
Connecting theory to practice represents a powerful tool for learning. As a component of a required course on diversity in the College of Education, all prospective teachers in one section will mentor elementary students at Wexford Community School in Lansing under the direction of skilled urban teachers and an instructor with extensive knowledge of urban education.

The mentoring experiences will go beyond tutoring in academic subjects to participation in a range of after-school activities. Some will focus on the urban setting itself where urban students will help TE students see positive aspects of the local environment. Others will focus on broadening urban student perceptions of their future opportunity structure through visits to Michigan State.

Recent Developments: (Article from Forum, November-December 2002)

MSU College of Education Partners with Wexford School
Students, parents and teachers from Wexford Elementary School along with student teachers/mentors from Michigan State University and three visitors from Vietnam gathered in early October to share food and stories at a potluck dinner.

The 75 people who took part in the event were some of the first to feel the impact of the FACT funded "Mentoring in an Urban Setting" project. Spearheaded by MSU's College of Education, the effort responds to the current crisis in urban education by better preparing teachers for work in such settings.

A primary goal is to challenge stereotypes about urban teaching by connecting theory to practice.

"By challenging teacher candidate stereotypes about urban teaching, we expect to increase student interest in and commitment to teaching in such settings," said Chris Wheeler, project co-leader and professor in the College of Education, "This project also promises to improve Wexford student academic performance, social adjustment and perceptions of future possibilities."

As part of a required course in the College of Education, teacher education students will mentor elementary students at Wexford Community School in Lansing under the direction of skilled urban teachers. Mentoring goes beyond tutoring to participation in a range of after-school activities. Program partners believe working with urban students will help MSU students see positive aspects of the local environment. They also expect that urban students will broaden their perceptions of future opportunities by working with MSU students and visiting campus.

Future activities for the project include field trips to the MSU campus, and local art and science facilities. Focus groups of parents, instructors, and students will evaluate the project each semester. If all goes according to plan, the project will expand by placing mentors in local middle and high schools.

Project leaders believe that "demystifying" the urban experience will give teacher candidates a chance to be positive influences in the lives of urban students while gaining increased confidence in their ability to teach in urban classrooms and to pursue a career in an urban setting.

Resources and Links:

For photos of the potluck at Wexford school, visit: http://community.webshots.com/album/51495285nhGgyU