A Study On Preservice Teachers’ Perceptions Of Teaching As Full-Time Residential Interns In Urban Public Secondary School Classrooms

The purpose of this study was to explore and describe the effects that multicultural and diversity training had on preservice teacher perceptions with low-socioeconomic minority and urban students on the secondary (middle and high school) level. Eleven middle- and high- school student teachers of disadvantaged or minority students were purposefully selected as participants. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, direct observations, detailed field notes, and reflective journals kept by participants. Document data such as lesson plans, student work samples and classroom and district curricula were also collected. All data, including field notes and reflective journals, were analyzed according to Strauss and Corbin\u27s (1990) grounded theory method. Responses for each research question were coded and categorized inductively. Results are discussed in light of literature on the effects multicultural and diversity training has on preservice teacher perceptions and dispositions with culturally diverse and minority youth on the secondary level. These findings have implications for informing new directions in teacher education, multicultural education, teacher preparation and teaching effectiveness