The majority of the teacher candidates in my methods classes come from a background that is different from the primarily African American students at my professional development school. Because these teacher candidates continue to be predominantly White middle-class females, the gap between their cultural comfort zone and their students’ cultural backgrounds is likely to continue. As such, I studied the body of research that supports the critical impact that the role of reflection has on a teacher’s knowledge, skills, and dispositions, and I decided to use critical reflection as a major component in supporting teacher candidates’ growth and success at this professional development school. This resulted in the teacher candidates’ deep understanding of their teaching styles, which enhanced their ability to challenge the traditional mode of practice and define their growth toward greater effectiveness as teachers. More important, their ability to relate to their elementary students improved significantly. 102 HI...

Sociology

Mathematics education

Pedagogy

Higher education

The Role of Critical Reflection in Teacher Education.