The Perceived Impact of the LEAD Program on the Efficacy of Teacher Candidates in Diverse Classrooms

This study focuses on pre-service teacher candidate's confidence in their ability to integrate diversity into their classrooms. Teacher candidates were given the Multicultural Efficacy Scale (MES), where their efficacy scores were compared based on their enrollment in the enrichment program Leadership Experience for Academic Direction (LEAD). LEAD candidates are provided with teaching strategies, meta-cognitive and leadership/mentoring skills, resources, professional development opportunities, and are placed with Student Success Teachers during practicum to learn from students deemed "in risk" . The results found that LEAD candidates scored higher on efficacy than NONLEAD candidates. LEAD candidates were also given open-ended questions to explore the perceived impact of their experience in the LEAD program and its potential relationship with efficacy in diverse classrooms. The responses revealed themes of practical experience, empathy and understanding, social learning and lifelong learning and assisted in providing deeper insight into the quantitative results.