“Please Don’t Sing”: School Stories of Jewish Female Preservice Teachers

• In Event: Judaism and Education

Abstract

This narrative inquiry research study examines 102 school stories of Jewish female pre-service teachers collected from 2006-2011, looking for common patterns and themes that shape the lived experiences of future educators. This research finds that over one third of the stories describe wounding experiences in which a teacher, administrator, or peer was responsible for the pre-service teacher’s lingering resentment and scarring. Grounded in an understanding of Jewish school organizational structure, this research explores the nature of the schooling experiences of Jewish female youth as a lens to reframe the pre-service teacher’s disposition and mindset toward educational reform and innovation.

Author

• Miriam Hirsch, Yeshiva University