April Boozer is a Clinical Associate Professor in the Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College at Arizona State University. She serves as both the program coordinator and an instructor for early childhood special education. She’s taught early childhood and elementary school in urban public schools prior to her role at ASU. She uses her teaching experience and current research practices to help prepare pre-service teachers. Professor Boozer’s research interests include teacher preparation with an emphasis on early childhood special education and culturally responsive teaching practices.
Supporting and Sustaining Black Educators in Teacher Preparation and Beyond
Retention trends indicate a shortage of Black Educators in P-8 classrooms. According to a 2020 study conducted by the National Center for Education Statistics, about 7% of public school teachers were black. Many variables impact experiences of pre-service and and in-service educators staying in the classroom. This discussion will address three perspectives 1) curriculum considerations, 2) recruitment, retention, and leadership, and 3) building community to support Black and Brown educators. Curriculum considerations include ways we approach our teaching to validate and highlight experiences of linguistically diverse and culturally diverse students. In addressing recruitment, retention, and leadership it is important to acknowledge the resiliency of Black and Brown students, and how their experiences of isolation and microaggressions require intentional support from university and school leadership. And lastly, our third area focuses on community and imperative role community plays in all classrooms.