Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Life Histories Of Latino/A Teacher Candidates, Mary L. Gomez, Terri L. Rodriguez, Vonzell Agosto

Educational Leadership and Policy Studies Faculty Publications

Background/Context: In this article, we explore the life histories of two Latino/a prospective elementary teachers in a large Midwestern university; examine their knowledge, strengths, and needs as teachers; and consider how teacher educators might capitalize on these. We explore how these prospective teachers’ prior family, home, K–12 schooling, and university experiences have forged their identities and affected how they think about campus peers and classroom colleagues, and their obligations to their students.

Research Questions: In analyzing these life histories, we ask: What knowledge, strengths, and needs do Latino/a teacher candidates bring to campus when enrolling in teacher education, and how …