Teaching for Democracy in Multicultural Settings: A Study of Beginning Teachers and Citizenship Education

• In Event: 75.029 - Democratic Citizenship Education: Policies, Frameworks, and Multiple Platforms

Abstract

This interpretative case study examined the beliefs and practices related to democratic citizenship and multiculturalism of seven beginning social studies teachers from their teacher preparation through their first year in the classroom. Using Bank’s (2017) typology of citizenship as the theoretical frame, this study found: (1) While all of the teachers had clear definitions of democratic citizenship, only a few teachers had a specific focus on multiculturalism in their definitions. (2) Some of the teachers were able to enact classroom-based multicultural democratic education (CMDE). (3) The teachers’ abilities to enact CMDE related to their beliefs about social justice and equity. This study illuminates the need to prepare beginning teachers to teach for a multicultural view of democratic citizenship.

Authors

• Rob Martinelle, Boston University

• Christopher C. Martell, University of Massachusetts - Boston

• Jennifer Chalmers-Curren, Boston University