The Maintenance of Whiteness in Urban Education

• In Event: Exploring Culturally Relevant/Responsive Pedagogy as Praxis in Teacher Education

Abstract

During the last three decades of the 20th century, diversity was identified as an important component in effective teaching and teacher education (Cochran-Smith, 2008). Despite the longevity in recognizing the importance of better preparing pre-service teachers to respond to the needs of diverse students, “only a handful of states [successfully] developed policies or standards for teacher preparation . . . that address issues related to diverse populations” (Ardila-Rey, 2008, p. 341). We must ask why our efforts to prepare pre-service teachers to teach in an ever-increasingly diverse context have been so wrought with failure beginning with why integrating culturally responsive pedagogy brings forth such strong negative actions from some. This paper explores this question from the perspective of two faculty who teach and research in an Elementary (K-6) teacher preparation program hailed for its progressive response to Urban Education via accreditation standards. Yet our experiential and empirical data demonstrate that whiteness still exists as “unchecked, unmitigated and fundamentally absolute” (Edwards, 2004) as a major factor of resistance in preparing culturally responsive teacher candidates. Using a shared theoretical paradigm derived from critical race studies, we explore the damage inflicted upon students, faculty and children when promotions of diversity are tenuous and whiteness is systematically maintained as the norm. Finally, we propose solutions to revamp teacher preparation programs to be transformative and culturally responsive.

Authors

• Erin Till Miller, University of North Carolina - Charlotte

• Tehia Starker Glass, University of North Carolina - Charlotte