What Are We Inducting Teachers of Color Into? - Disrupting Race-Evasiveness to Create Responsive Professional Development and Mentoring Policies and Practices

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by dawugda

Professional development and mentorship are framed as essential supports that help new educators grow, acclimate to teaching, and sustain long-term success. The article argues that these areas have often been shaped by a normalization of whiteness and white teachers, which can sideline teachers of Color’s experiences, perspectives, and needs. It reviews literature on professional development and mentorship for and by teachers of Color, analyzes policy limitations, and provides case study examples to inform racially literate and culturally sustaining approaches.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages20

Reading Time50 min

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What Are We Inducting Teachers of Color Into?

Disrupting Race-Evasiveness to Create Responsive Professional Development and Mentoring Policies and Practices

Abstract and Focus

Keywords

SPECIAL ISSUE Research on Teachers of Color and Indigenous Teachers education policy analysis archives A peer-reviewed, independent, open access, multilingual journal Arizona State University | Volume 32 Number 57 September 24 , 2024 | ISSN 1068-2341 | | --- | --- | What Are We Inducting Teachers of Color Into? Disrupting Race-Evasiveness to Create Responsive Professional Development and Mentoring Policies and Practices Rita Kohli Re’Nyqua Farrington University of California, Riverside Sarah De La Garza Texas Tech University Belinda Flores University of Texas at San Antonio & Socorro Herrera Kansas State University United States Citation: Kohli, R., Farrington, R., de la Garza, S., Flores, B., & Herrera, S. (2024) . What are we inducting teachers of Color into? Disrupting race-evasiveness to create responsive professional development and mentoring policies and practices. Education Policy Analysis Archives, 32 (57) . [https://doi.org/10.14507/epaa.32.8336](https://doi.org/10.14507/epaa.32.8336) This article is part of the special issue, Research on Teachers of Color and Indigenous Teachers, guest edited by Conra Gist, Travis Bristol, and Saili Kulkarni. Abstract: Professional development and mentorship are key supports designed to facilitate growth and acclimation to the teaching profession as well as foster the stability and success of new educators. However, both fields of study have been occupied by a normalization of whiteness and white teachers, which often neglects the experiences, perspectives, and needs of teachers of Color. As we attempt to diversify the teaching force, it is important to understand how teacher professional development and mentorship can be responsive to teachers of Color. In this article, we review literature on teacher professional development and teacher mentorship for and by teachers of Color. Through the lens of our analysis, we explore limitations in current policy, and provide case study examples of how to serve teachers of Color. We also offer policy recommendations that can better guide racially literate and culturally sustaining professional development and mentoring practices, so teachers of Color can grow, thrive, and positively impact schools towards the goals for which they are being recruited. Keywords: teachers of Color; professional development; mentorship; race; educational policy ¿En qué estamos induciendo a los maestros de Color? Cómo acabar con la evasión racial para crear políticas y prácticas de desarrollo profesional y tutoría que respondan alas necesidades Resumen: O desenvolvimento profissional e a mentoria são suportes essenciais projetados para facilitar o crescimento e a aclimatação à profissão de ensino, bem como promover aestabilidade e o sucesso de novos educadores. No entanto, ambos os campos de estudo foramocupados por uma normalização da branquitude e dos maestros brancos, o que muitas vezes negligencia as experiências, perspectivas e necessidades dos maestros de Color. À medida que tentamos diversificar a força de ensino, é importante entender como o desenvolvimento profissional e a mentoria de maestros podem ser responsivos aos maestros de Color. Nesteartigo, revisamos a literatura sobre desenvolvimento profissional de maestros e mentoria de maestros para e por maestros de Color. Através das lentes de nossa análise, exploramos as limitações na política atual e fornecemos exemplos de estudos de caso de como atender maestros de Color. Também oferecemos recomendações de políticas que podem orientarmelhor o desenvolvimento profissional e as práticas de mentoria racialmente alfabetizadas e culturalmente sustentáveis, para que os maestros de Color possam crescer, prosperar e impactar positivamente as escolas em direção às metas para as quais estão sendo recrutados. Palabras-clave: maestros de Color; desarrollo profesional; tutoría; raza; política educativa No que estamos induzindo professores de Cor? Interromper a evasão rac

FAQs

Why do professional development and mentorship matter for new educators in the article?

They are designed to support growth and acclimation to the teaching profession and to foster stability and success for new educators.

What problem does the article identify in current professional development and mentorship research and practice?

It argues that both fields have been shaped by the normalization of whiteness and white teachers, which often overlooks the experiences and needs of teachers of Color.

How does the article propose making professional development and mentorship more responsive?

It reviews literature for and by teachers of Color, examines limitations in current policy, and offers case examples and policy recommendations for racially literate and culturally sustaining practices.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by dawugda