Teacher Education and Professional Development Commons^™

African American Males' Perception Of Factors That Contribute To Success In Higher Education, Gary D. Oliver

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Over the past decades, many studies have concluded that African American students' college completion rate and success lag far behind other students attending college in the United States (The JBHE Foundation, Inc., 2006). More specifically, these studies have confirmed that African American male students' success rates remain disproportionally low compared to other ethnic male groups. Unfortunately, few notable studies identifying African American males achieving higher education or completing their academic pursuits have been presented as part of the Black male student narrative.

This study aimed to understand better the resources and experiences that positively affect African American males who completed …

Book Review: Integrations: The Struggle For Racial Equality And Civic Renewal In Public Education, Michael A. Ready

Genocide Studies and Prevention: An International Journal

No abstract provided.

On Her Own: A Qualitative Study On The College-To-Career Transition Of Black Second-Generation Alumnae, Ladessa Y. Mitchell

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative study was to describe the college-to-career transition of Black second-generation alumnae in the development phase of emerging adulthood using Schlossberg’s (2011) Transition Model. As the researcher, I collected data from Black second-generation alumnae of predominantly White public universities in Florida to examine how their intersecting identities (i.e., race, gender, and educational status) and use of metaphorical capital (i.e., social, cultural, and human capital) influence their transition. The conceptual framework for this study is based on the 4 S’s of Schlossberg’s Transition Model as well as emerging adulthood, forms of capital, and the intersecting identities of …

Public Acts Of Self-Deliberation: Preparation For Discursive Democracy In Education, Vonzell Agosto

Vonzell Agosto

This conceptual essay forwards self-deliberation as an act to be included in the preparation of educators and administrators. Self-deliberation is defined as a public act of deliberation that can be instigated pedagogically to prepare students for difficult dialogues on enduring issues in education. Self-deliberation provides another pedagogical method for preparing aspiring educators to participate in deliberative or discursive democracy. Narrative vignettes are used to illustrate the acts of self-deliberation performed by aspiring teachers of color as they consider controversial issues such as affirmative action, racial segregation, and culturally relevant education.

Public Acts Of Self-Deliberation: Preparation For Discursive Democracy In Education, Vonzell Agosto

Educational and Psychological Studies Faculty Publications

This conceptual essay forwards self-deliberation as an act to be included in the preparation of educators and administrators. Self-deliberation is defined as a public act of deliberation that can be instigated pedagogically to prepare students for difficult dialogues on enduring issues in education. Self-deliberation provides another pedagogical method for preparing aspiring educators to participate in deliberative or discursive democracy. Narrative vignettes are used to illustrate the acts of self-deliberation performed by aspiring teachers of color as they consider controversial issues such as affirmative action, racial segregation, and culturally relevant education.

Missing And Shrinking Voices: A Critical Analysis Of Florida's Textbook Adoption Policy, Randria Williams Usf, Vonzell Agosto Usf

Vonzell Agosto

Critical analysis of the Florida textbook adoption policy and its recent changes. A critical multicultural and critical race theory lens is taken in the analysis of documents for how the representation of ethnic and racial minority groups is reduced and might be enlarged through alternative policy making processes.

Teacher Leaders: Women (Of African Descent) Enacting Social Justice, Vonzell Agosto, Zorka Karanxha

Vonzell Agosto

This chapter is concerned with how educational leadership preparation programs promote a sense of agency among women of African descent (who identify racially as Black) to serve as teacher leaders for social justice.

Missing And Shrinking Voices: A Critical Analysis Of Florida's Textbook Adoption Policy, Randria Williams, Vonzell Agosto

Educational and Psychological Studies Faculty Publications

This chapter is a critical analysis of the Florida textbook adoption policy and its recent changes. A critical multicultural and critical race theory lens is taken in the analysis of documents for how the representation of ethnic and racial minority groups is reduced and might be enlarged through alternative policy making processes.

Resistance Meets Spirituality In Academia: "I Prayed On It!", Vonzell Agosto, Zorka Karanxha

Educational Leadership and Policy Studies Faculty Publications

We describe the lived experiences of a Black Woman educational leader who has studied and worked in the academy and in the field of K-12 education. This partial life history, excavated through the tenets of Critical Race Theory (CRT), illuminates the social construction of race and the pervasiveness and permanence of racism. We determined through a series of interviews that the participant's resilient resistance is guided by critical spirituality so that circumstances and people who challenge her also confront this source of power. Her lived experience, from student to faculty member, conveys the challenges and opportunities she faces and adds …

Resistance Meets Spirituality: "I Prayed On It", Vonzell Agosto, Zorka Karanxha

Vonzell Agosto

In this article we describe the lived experiences of a Black female educational leader who has studied and worked in the academy and in the field of K-12 education. This partial life history, excavated through the tenets of Critical Race Theory (CRT), illuminates the social construction of race and the pervasiveness and permanence of racism. We determined through a series of interviews that the participant’s resilient resistance is guided by critical spirituality so that circumstances and people who challenge her also confront this source of power. Her lived experience, from student to faculty member, conveys the challenges and opportunities she …

Underrepresented Women In Higher Education: An Overview, Deirdre Cobb-Roberts, Vonzell Agosto

Vonzell Agosto

This themed issue explicates the experiences of underrepresented women in higher education institutions and the externally imposed isolation and devaluing of their daily work. These articles are drawn from the experiences of Black and other non-White female faculty and are designed to provide a view of academe that is often neglected in academic literature.

Journey Of Elam: Her Pedagogy As A Public Intellectual, Zorka Karanxha, Vonzell Agosto, Donna Elam

Vonzell Agosto

We explore pedagogical moments reflecting the social justice inspired servant-leadership of Dr. Elam in her journey as a public intellectual. Using auto/biographical methods we examine critical moments in her work across contexts: conducting diversity workshops, providing professional development for principals and teachers, and leading district and regional interventions in response to court orders to racially desegregate. We focus her leadership through the lens of critical pedagogy. In the journey of Elam we find an expression of critical social justice leadership that is inspired and empowered by the values of public service, spirituality, and humanitarianism. This auto/biography contributes to our knowledge …

Underrepresented Women In Higher Education: An Overview, Deirdre Cobb-Roberts, Vonzell Agosto

Deirdre Cobb-Roberts

This themed issue explicates the experiences of underrepresented women in higher education institutions and the externally imposed isolation and devaluing of their daily work. These articles are drawn from the experiences of Black and other non-White female faculty and are designed to provide a view of academe that is often neglected in academic literature.

Underrepresented Women In Higher Education: An Overview, Deirdre Cobb-Roberts, Vonzell Agosto

Educational Leadership and Policy Studies Faculty Publications

Central to understanding how social justice and diversity are articulated in institutions of higher education, are the experiences of female faculty and administrators from racial and ethnic groups underrepresented in the U.S. system of higher education. According to the Urban Dictionary's (1999 - 2011) website, the word "work" as in "you better work" (1999 - 2011a), or "workin' it" (1999 - 2011b), is used to give praise or approval to another person and is analogous to:

Journey Of Elam: Her Pedagogy As A Public Intellectual, Zorka Karanxha, Vonzell Agosto, Donna Elam

Educational Leadership and Policy Studies Faculty Publications

We explore pedagogical moments reflecting the social justice inspired servant-leadership of Dr. Elam in her journey as a public intellectual. Using auto/biographical methods we examine critical moments in her work across contexts: conducting diversity workshops, providing professional development for principals and teachers, and leading district and regional interventions in response to court orders to racially desegregate. We focus her leadership through the lens of critical pedagogy. In the journey of Elam we find an expression of critical social justice leadership that is inspired and empowered by the values of public service, spirituality, and humanitarianism. This auto/biography contributes to our knowledge …

Problematic Conceptualizations: Allies In Teacher Education For Social Justice, Vonzell Agosto

Educational Leadership and Policy Studies Faculty Publications

This review of the literature on the concept ally and ally identity development was inspired by a qualitative study exploring the identities and social justice values of prospective teachers of color. Although the participants in the original study never used the term ally, their narratives inspired me to characterize them as allies in the struggle for social justice education. However, a review of the literature on allies, as analyzed through critical race theory and critical discourse analysis, revealed emerging conceptualizations of ally as incongruent with minority identities as they position people of color at the periphery of this social justice …

Problematic Conceptualizations: Allies In Teacher Education For Social Justice, Vonzell Agosto

Vonzell Agosto

This review of the literature on the concept ally and ally identity development was inspired by a qualitative study exploring the identities and social justice values of prospective teachers of color. Although the participants in the original study never used the term ally, their narratives inspired me to characterize them as allies in the struggle for social justice education. However, a review of the literature on allies, as analyzed through critical race theory and critical discourse analysis, revealed emerging conceptualizations of ally as incongruent with minority identities as they position people of color at the periphery of this social justice …

Who Are Latino/A Prospective Teachers And What Do They Bring To U.S. Schools?, Mary L. Gomez, Terri L. Rodriguez, Vonzell Agosto

Vonzell Agosto

In this article, the authors draw on life-history methods to investigate the family, school, university, and teacher education experiences of three Latino teacher candidates in a large, midwestern, research-oriented university in the United States. They show how in university social experiences and in teacher education classes and field experiences, these young men often felt misinterpreted in interactions with white females in particular. Also evident is their strong desire to make personal connections with youth and families they teach. The authors offer suggestions for how teacher educators can be more responsive to prospective male elementary teachers and teacher candidates of color.

Who Are Latino/A Prospective Teachers And What Do They Bring To U.S. Schools?, Mary L. Gomez, Terri L. Rodriguez, Vonzell Agosto

Educational Leadership and Policy Studies Faculty Publications

In this article, the authors draw on life-history methods to investigate the family, school, university, and teacher education experiences of three Latino teacher candidates in a large, midwestern, research-oriented university in the United States. They show how in university social experiences and in teacher education classes and field experiences, these young men often felt misinterpreted in interactions with white females in particular. Also evident is their strong desire to make personal connections with youth and families they teach. The authors offer suggestions for how teacher educators can be more responsive to prospective male elementary teachers and teacher candidates of color.

What Are We Trippin' On?: Transgressing The Fault Lines In Research On The Preparation Of Multicultural Educators., Carl A. Grant, Vonzell Agosto

Vonzell Agosto

How do we prepare multicultural educators? The purpose of the chapter is to discuss some of the research in multicultural teacher education that speaks to, and in doing so, participates in the life of this enduring problem. In what direction might other rationales and lines of inquiry lead the research in multicultural teacher education.

What Are We Tripping On?: Transgressing The Fault Lines In Research On The Preparation Of Multicultural Educators, Carl A. Grant, Vonzell Agosto

Educational Leadership and Policy Studies Faculty Publications

How do we prepare multicultural educators? The purpose of the chapter is to discuss some of the research in multicultural teacher education that speaks to, and in doing so, participates in the life of this enduring problem. In what direction might other rationales and lines of inquiry lead the research in multicultural teacher education.