Lessons From an Urban Teacher Residency Partnership

Abstract

Facing teacher shortages, urban teacher frustration, and a lack of BIPOC representation in the teacher workforce, two urban institutions, a school district, and a university partnered to design, develop and implement a year-long clinical teacher residency program. Throughout the pilot and one subsequent year, data was collected through observation and open-ended questionnaires as three resident-mentor pairs engaged with students in two of the district’s elementary schools. The Technological, Pedagogical, and Content Knowledge (TPACK) development model (Mishra & Koehler, 2006) and Moir’s (1990) Phases of First-Year Teachers’ Attitudes Toward Teaching were used to inform program design and examine the success of program implementation. While the program did not meet the goal of increasing BIPOC representation, teachers skilled in urban education successfully entered the workforce. Valuable lessons were learned about designing residency programs that foster a sense of belonging and optimize mentor and resident development. The authors conclude clinical teacher residency shows promise as an avenue for providing novice and experienced teachers responsive support as they engage with the complex process of teacher development.