Learning From Preservice Teachers’ Thoughts About Teaching in Urban Schools

Preparing new teachers to work in urban schools has become a priority for many teacher education programs. This study explored 20 preservice teachers’ responses to a scenario about working in an urban school as a beginning teacher. Specific attention was placed on what participants believed were key challenges and concerns. Findings indicated that participants who exhibited interest in urban school teaching and those who did not shared similar concerns about urban teaching. These views suggest specific curricular approaches for teacher educators.