Preservice Teachers' Newly Acquired Notions of Culturally Relevant Pedagogy for a "Post-Truth" Era

• In Event: 66.087 - MTCC Roundtable Session 30
  In Roundtable Session: 66.087-1 - Doing the Hard Work: Developing Humanizing Dispositions in Teacher Preparation Programs

Abstract

As cultural disconnects between the elementary teaching force and student population persist, it is imperative that university-based teacher preparation programs address racial, class, and gender inequality that arise in classrooms and society. This remains a challenge in a “post truth” era that tends to downplay the importance of understanding and valuing difference in democratic spaces. Using qualitative document analysis the authors explored intersections of culturally relevant and sustaining pedagogy, social justice education, and education for democracy in student work products during a social studies methods course. Findings showed that amid increased understanding of the importance of including multiple perspectives and willingness to build relationships, pre-service teachers grappled with their own commitments to taking a justice-oriented stance in their future teaching.

Authors

• Jeannette Driscoll Alarcón, The University of Houston

• Pratigya Christy Marhatta, University of North Carolina - Greensboro