Middle level teacher recruitment: Challenging deficit narratives

• Published in: Middle school journal Vol. 52; no. 5; pp. 14 - 24
• Main Authors: Lunsmann, Christina, Beck, Jori, Hinton, KaaVonia, Perry, Bettie
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Columbus Routledge 20.10.2021; Taylor & Francis Ltd
• Subjects: Adolescents; Early Adolescents; equity; middle level teacher candidate recruitment; Middle School Students; Middle School Teachers; Middle Schools; Minority Group Students; Negative Attitudes; perceptions of teaching middle school; Preservice Teachers; professional development; Social Bias; Student Attitudes; Student Characteristics; Student Diversity; Student Participation; Teacher Attitudes; Teacher Competencies; Teacher Education Programs; Teacher Recruitment; technology; young adolescents
• ISSN: 0094-0771; 2327-6223
• DOI: 10.1080/00940771.2021.1978788

Perceptions of middle level learners vary, and unfortunately, some are deficit-oriented, labeling young adolescents as "hormonal" and "erratic" without a deep understanding of their emotional and physical development or the knowledge and skills that they bring to a classroom. In this paper, we provide empirical evidence for this deficit narrative-including the marginalization of middle level learners-from interviews conducted with teacher candidates in elementary, middle, secondary, and K-12 programs in two different states. Three themes around perceptions of teaching middle grades students are shared: adult needs and interests, resistance to student agency, and challenging the deficit narrative. We posit that developing a broader understanding of young adolescents might inform and inspire teacher candidates to choose to become middle school teachers. Thus, we encourage an asset approach to recruitment of middle level teacher candidates entering teacher preparation programs, and we offer recommendations for middle level recruitment into teacher education programs with an explicitly asset lens.