Department of Teaching, Learning and Teacher Education
Date of this Version
Summer 2007
Citation
Morales, A., Diaz de Sabates, G., Fanning, C., & Murry, K. (2007). Retention of first-generation Mexican American paraeducators in teacher education: The juggling act of nontraditional students. The Texas Association of Bilingual Education Journal, 9(2), 111-135.
Abstract
This paper discusses the dynamics and challenges encountered by culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) paraeducators who are participating in a 2+2, distance-delivered, teacher education program in the Midwest. The theoretical framework that serves as the basis of this case study is Thomas and Collier’s Prism Model (Collier, 19878: Collier & Thomas, 1989; Thomas & Collier, 1997), which focuses on the four essential dimensions of the student biography (linguistic, socio-cultural, academic, and cognitive). This case study should be understood as an account of the lived experiences of 30 CLD paraeducators in a unique recruitment and retention program designed to support all four dimensions of the student biography. To these ends, the researcher seeks to understand this pioneering project within a complex socio-political system and its implications for recruitment, retention and graduation of CLD students. Furthermore, the paper provides critical insights to inform the field concerning future program design.
Included in
Bilingual, Multilingual, and Multicultural Education Commons, Curriculum and Instruction Commons, Teacher Education and Professional Development Commons