Australian Journal of Teacher Education - Volume 46 - Issue 12 - Article 2 - Developing Preservice Teacher Conceptions of Effective Teachers Using Classroom Scenarios to Practice Difficult Conversations

Oct 15, 2026

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Faculty from three teacher preparation programs used classroom scenarios to help preservice teachers practice holding difficult conversations with students. The study aimed to strengthen critical reflection and discussion on creating culturally responsive classrooms, thereby shifting preservice teachers’ conceptions of what makes an effective teacher. Findings show a move from emphasizing personal attributes toward emphasizing teaching skills, supporting practice-based teacher education for culturally responsive practice.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages15

Reading Time38 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

Multicultural education and teacher preparation

Culturally responsive teaching and deficit thinking

Classroom scenarios and difficult conversations

Australian Journal of Teacher Education | Volume 46 Issue 12 | Article 2 | | --- | --- | | 2022
Developing Preservice Teacher Conceptions of Effective Teachers Using Classroom Scenarios to Practice Difficult Conversations
Denise Lindstrom
West Virginia University
Gwendolyn Jones Bridgewater College
Joshua Hertlein
West Virginia University
Meredith Thompson
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Follow this and additional works at: [https://ro.ecu.edu.au/ajte](https://ro.ecu.edu.au/ajte)
Part of the Teacher Education and Professional Development Commons | | Recommended Citation Lindstrom, D., Jones, G., Hertlein, J., & Thompson, M. (2021) . Developing Preservice Teacher Conceptions of Effective Teachers Using Classroom Scenarios to Practice Difficult Conversations. Australian Journal of Teacher Education, 46(12) . [http://dx.doi.org/10.14221/ajte.2021v46n12.2](http://dx.doi.org/10.14221/ajte.2021v46n12.2) This Journal Article is posted at Research Online. [https://ro.ecu.edu.au/ajte/vol46/iss12/2](https://ro.ecu.edu.au/ajte/vol46/iss12/2) Developing Preservice Teacher Conceptions of Effective Teachers Using Classroom Scenarios to Practice Difficult Conversations Denise Lindstrom West Virginia University, United States Gwen Jones Bridgewater College, United States Meredith Thompson Massachusetts Institute of Technology, United States Joshua Hertlein West Virginia University, United States Abstract: Faculty from three different teacher preparation programs implemented classroom scenarios to help preservice teachers practice holding difficult conversations with students. The goal was to enhance critical reflection and discussion around creating culturally responsive classrooms to change preservice teacher conceptions of effective teachers' qualities. Results indicate that preservice teacher conceptions of effective teachers shifted from a focus on personal attributes to teaching skills. This study addresses the need for practice-based teacher education that has advanced in parallel with efforts to find new ways to the practical knowledge needed to be culturally responsive teachers. Introduction The need to address multicultural education in teacher education programs is paramount in the 21st century as many countries experience increasing social and cultural diversity. For example, in the United States, classrooms are becoming more diverse, while the teaching force remains primarily white (Muniz et al., 2018) . This growth in cultural diversity and disparity between student and teacher ethnicity is likewise occurring in Australia where approximately 50,000 people from sub-Saharan African countries have been resettled since 2000 (Baak, 2018), while teachers remain mostly white and middle class. South Korea has experienced a similar cultural mismatch between the student population caused by growth in immigration from mostly Southeast Asian and North Korean. At the same time, 90% of teachers still identify as ethnically Korean (Um, & Cho, 2022) . These trends indicate that most educators will interact with students whose experiences are different from their own, increasing the likelihood of potential cultural misunderstandings between students and their teachers. While beginning teachers regard creating a positive classroom environment as their most serious challenge (Larmer et al., 2016), research suggests preservice teachers are mostly unaware how their actions may create barriers to creating a positive classroom environment where all students can succeed (Welton & Martinez, 2013) . These findings point to a growing need for preservice teachers to develop the mindsets needed to understand their students' cultural differences and the practical knowledge required to establish positive relationships with their students. Culturally responsive teachers (CRT) understand their students' cultural differences and build partnerships with learners to

FAQs

What instructional method did the teacher education faculty use in the study?

Faculty implemented a series of classroom scenarios that required preservice teachers to engage in difficult conversations with students.

What change did the study find in preservice teachers’ conceptions of effective teachers?

Conceptions shifted from focusing on personal attributes to focusing on teaching skills.

Why are difficult conversations emphasized for culturally responsive teaching?

The study frames difficult conversations as opportunities to examine identities, recognize assumptions, and analyze how oppression and potential “trigger” events can be addressed in classrooms.

Oct 15, 2026

Upload by Franzy