It's Time to Act: Reflecting and Unpacking Racism to Reimagine Possibility Through Theater

• In Event: 66.032 - Pondering Pedagogies of Teacher Activism: Purpose, Power, and Possibility

Abstract

In a time of rapid educational reforms that include high stakes testing, teacher evaluations, and privatization of schools it is especially important for teachers to both be able to locate themselves in the larger education system and also to reflect on how current reforms may be reproducing structural racism. Many pre-service and in-service teachers are inadequately educated about structural oppressions that impact schooling and are not trained in the art and practice of constant critical self-reflection required to better address the needs of our students (Milner, 2008).

This research is grounded in critical pedagogy and dialogues (Shor & Freire, 1987), Critical Race Theory (Solorzano & Bernal, 2001), and Chicana Feminism (Anzaldúa, 2002). Critical pedagogues understand the dialectical relationship between the individual and the social structure, which is important in understanding racism and how it manifests itself in educational settings. It is not enough to just look at the interpersonal instances of racism, but also to analyze the structural ways racism works in schools. Once teachers learn this critical bifocality (Weis and Fine, 2012) they can act as change agents through reflection and action simultaneously, which Freire (1970) coins as praxis. In order to practice conscientização and praxis, teachers must welcome and engage in critical dialogue: a problem posing exchange that tackles pain, oppression, and inequality, in order to foster the imagined possibility and hope of justice and freedom (McLaren, 2009). Coupled with Anzaldúa’s (2002) concept of choques, or moments of conflict that can be used for transformation, these dialogues create a space for valuing the experiential knowledge and stories of teachers while engaging in critical dialogues around race and racism.

Fifteen educators gathered two hours a day for eight weeks in a critical education inquiry group to study racism through the use of applied theater and theater of the oppressed techniques (Boal, 2000). Three volunteers facilitated the group, each of whom were experienced in education (schools), applied theatre and theater of the oppressed techniques, as well as in racial justice. The sessions were videotaped and transcribed. Other data sources included pre and post surveys, interviews and field notes that documented the critical dialogues and choques that occurred in the group. Data were analyzed to learn how the choques and critical dialogues were processed through theater in order to further understand racism in all of its manifestations. Emerging findings highlight themes of using the acting body as a different kind of reflection, one that creates space for new ways of thinking and being in order to interrupt racism.

This study provides an alternative reflective practice in teacher education programs to prepare pre- and in-service teachers. Continual educational research around reflective practices in teacher education around issues of racism is important if we want to improve the educational experiences for our public school students who are largely poor, immigrant, and students of color. The dialogues that occur about racism and the discourses that get revealed and processed through the use of applied theater demonstrate why it is a useful tool for teacher education.

Author

• Natalia Ortiz, City University of New York