The primary intention of community-based teacher education is to provide prospective teachers with experience in the communities they may serve. Found in many teacher education programs, this approach has commanded a particular level of urgency and articulated focus in the preparation of teachers for diverse communities. In this context, the lives and experiences of prospective teachers may differ dramatically from those of the children they may serve. A deliberate effort to support these teachers in learning about diverse communities can help them become more effective. The development of cultural competence, an emerging critical consciousness, an understanding of families, an awareness of community resources and challenges, and an understanding of structural inequality are some of the goals of community-based preparation.

There are a number of approaches to ...