“Fitness” to Teach Diversity in the United States: One Teacher Educator’s Journey

• In Event: Roundtable Session 11
  In Roundtable Session: Teaching Diversity in Higher Education

Abstract

This article reports on a three-year self-study exploring my practices and experiences as a teacher educator teaching diversity focused courses to in the United States. Given my unique background and identity as an Asian, female, speaking English as a second language faculty, I was interested in better understanding how and what I can learn from the complexity of my teaching, particularly teaching diversity focused courses. Data include qualitative sources drawn from course materials, students’ journal assignments, feedback from students and a critical friend, and my professional reflection journals. Findings suggest that students had a tendency to construct my role based on their own backgrounds and identities, which further shaped my instructional assets and challenges differently.

Author

• Sophia Han, University of South Florida