"Forgetting What You've Learned": White Novice Teachers Navigating Racial Identity and Racial Difference

• In Event: Residency and Induction Programs in Diverse Communities and Contexts

Abstract

Cultivating race-consciousness and racial identity development is crucial within teacher preparation; however, we know little about how to sustain this learning and development during the induction years. This study examines how three White novice teachers express race-consciousness and what those expressions might mean for supporting the racial identity development of White novice teachers during the early years of teaching. The author finds that White novice teachers encountered challenges navigating racial difference and resisting color-blind ideologies. Findings suggest that White novice teachers, even those who demonstrate higher degrees of race-consciousness and later stages of racial identity development, need additional guidance and support during the first years of teaching in order to be effective teachers in racially and culturally diverse school contexts.

Author

• Kimberly Oamek, University of Wisconsin - Madison