1st Edition

Designing Performance Assessment Systems for Urban Teacher Preparation

Edited By Francine P. Peterman Copyright 2005

    Designing Performance Assessment Systems for Urban Teacher Preparation presents an argument for, and invites, critical examination of teacher preparation and assessment practices--in light of both the complexity and demands of urban settings and the theories of learning and learning to teach that guide teacher education practices. This dynamic approach distinguishes the authors' stance on urban teacher assessment as one that can help address social justice issues related to gender, race, socioeconomic class, and other differences, and at the same time promote the professional development of all educators engaged in the process of learning to teach. The contextually bound, sociocultural stance that informs this book promises greater teacher and student achievement.

    Culminating six years of vital dialogue and focused, local activity among teachers and teacher educators from institutions in the Urban Network to Improve Teacher Education, Designing Performance Assessment Systems for Urban Teacher Preparation presents:
    *the historical context that was examined for this work, a theoretical framework to undergrad teacher preparation assessment, and design principles to guide the development of assessment systems;
    *four case studies of participants' struggles and successes in designing and implementing these systems; and
    *a discussion of the importance of context and current trends in assessment practices in urban teaching.

    This volume is particularly relevant for university and school-based teacher educators who help prepare teachers to work in urban schools, and for personnel in state departments of education and other agencies who are responsible for certification and beginning teacher support. While the focus is on preparing teachers for urban settings, the theoretical and practical foundations and the case studies have broad implications and provide useful insights for anyone involved in developing and using performance assessment systems--teacher educators, university and school administrators, classroom teachers, and educational researchers.

    Contents: Preface. Part I: Theoretical Framework. K. Zeichner, Learning From Experience With Performance-Based Teacher Education. P.F. Conway, A.J. Artiles, Foundations of a Sociocultural Perspective on Teacher Performance Assessment. F.P. Peterman, Design Principles for Urban Teacher Assessment Systems. Part II: Case Studies. K. Marquez-Zenkov, "Urban" Across Institutions: Portfolio Assessment at Cleveland State University. M. Genor, The Assessment of Urban Teaching in a Not-So-Urban Setting. J. Kalnin, D. Pearson, R. Locketz, L. Nordgren, Implementing Parallel Systems of Urban Teacher Performance: Assessment in Preparation and in Practice. M. Cokely, P.C. Murrell, Jr., "Whose Standards Count?": Practice Oriented Urban Teacher Preparation. Part III: Theory Into Situated Practice. V. Navarro, Context Matters: Situated Assessment Practices in Urban Teaching.

    Biography

    Francine P. Peterman

    "...An excellent and much needed book for the field of teacher education....The focus on urban schools, social justice, critical pedagogy is one that needs much more attention in the face of a national movement for 'generic' standards and assessments--it is an important counter to the march of the hegemonic standards sweeping our nation."
    Sandra Hollingsworth
    San Diego State University