Connecting with families: Online and on-campus teachers candidates views of equity-focused family engagement

Equity-focused family engagement requires that educators reject deficit-based views of families, that teachers and families co-design models of engagement, and that family engagement is at the core of effective educational practice (Mapp & Bergman, 2021). For novice teachers, building the equity-mindedness that would support equity-focused engagement is a process that should be central to teacher preparation programs. However, as new teacher preparation programs targeting currently working but unlicensed teachers expand, the experiences and already-developed habitus related to teaching may require a different approach for teacher educators. This is a study of an online teacher education program designed for working adults and a “traditional” on-campus teacher education program at the same university. Both took a course on equity-focused family engagement at the start of their professional education program. But how the two cohorts interpreted the material differed, resulting from differences in their classroom experiences. • Secondary habitus evolves in teacher preparation, building on habitus developed in childhood. • Students have significant classroom experiences may primarily draw from them in planning. • Programs targeting students already working in the field should build on classroom experiences.