Seeing Myself: Students of Color on the Pros and Cons of Becoming Teachers

Research is clear: when teachers of color lead in classrooms and schools, all students benefit. Yet districts across the nation struggle to recruit and retain the diverse educators that play such a pivotal role in the lives of students. Understanding the perspectives of students of color—the generation that will soon enter the workforce—is critical to identifying sustainable solutions to diversifying the teacher pipeline. The way that students of color and indigenous students are treated by adults in the building, the curriculum and instruction they receive, the opportunities they have to connect with fellow students, and how they see their culture reflected in their school all factor heavily into whether or not they would consider teaching as a career.

“Seeing Myself: Students of Color on the Pros and Cons of Becoming Teachers” elevates the nuanced perspectives of students of color and indigenous students and lays out the essential changes education system leaders must make to build a diverse teacher workforce.

“When it comes to diversifying the teaching force, decision makers should listen to students because it affects us the most now and it will impact us the most in the future. Schools should include everyone and every topic and culture. That is what a school of the future should look like to serve students like me.”

—Milan Aranda, a Nebraska student who participated in the focus groups.