"So Why Is It OK Here?" Literacy Candidates' Perceptions of Culture/Culturally Relevant Pedagogy in Urban Field Sites

• In Event: 34.043 - Developing Cultural Responsiveness Through Field Experiences

Abstract

An increasing area of focus within the field of teacher education is that of preparing teachers for urban contexts. Yet little research has yet attended to the role of field placements within this professional preparation. This study explores how students in a literacy teacher preparation program experienced, and narrated their urban-school-based field placements, particularly in relation to their difficulties conceptualizing and implementing culturally responsive pedagogical (CRP) approaches. Findings show how literacy teacher learners, despite coursework related to these topics, had difficulty navigating assumptions and concerns about urban culture and maintaining high standards for achievement in their field settings. The findings also demonstrate the ways that engaging in ongoing critical inquiry discussions helped to support the participants’ learning and practices.

Author

• Katrina Emily Bartow Jacobs, University of Pittsburgh