Recruiting Minoritized Mathematics Preservice Teachers with Retention in Mind

The primary purpose of this research is to provide insight into the narratives and experiences of minoritized preservice teachers (PST) interested in teaching mathematics and how those experiences impact recruitment and retention of those minoritized teachers. “Minoritized,” as used here, is defined as one who identifies as a person from a historically underserved community based on race or ethnicity. As a result, this study is positioned to provide researchers, educators, and administrators with much needed direction into how to diversify the teaching force beyond the dominant storyline of the White majority, and why it is important to do so.

Narrative inquiry framed through an equity lens was chosen as the methodology for gathering and analyzing data from one-on-one, structured interviews as well as a focus group interview. The findings from the data analysis resulted in these overall resonant threads: (1) Minoritized Identity, (2) Critical Individuals: Supporters and Resistors, (3) “Aha Moments”, (4) Teacher Educator Programs (TEP): Learning and Barriers, and lastly (5) Retention factors for Minoritized PSTs. In summary, the PSTs’ minoritized identities clearly impacted their decisions to pursue and remain in mathematics teacher education. All participants could recall aha moments when dealing with important people in their lives who either supported or attempted to resist their journeys to pursue teacher education.

Final corrections.