Using Portraiture to Explore Elementary Teachers' Critical Race Inquiry Into Their Ethnic Studies Curriculum

• In Event: Teacher Education: Muddying the Truths About Equity

Abstract

Using portraiture as a methodology, this study combines concepts from culturally sustaining and critical race pedagogies and inquiry-as-stance in order to explore the ways teachers critically reflect on their positionalities and the nature of their elementary Ethnic Studies curricular and pedagogical choices. Due to a narrowing curriculum (Berliner, 2011), Ethnic studies curriculum and pedagogy remains under theorized, taught, and researched at the elementary school level. The critical race inquiries presented in this paper provide insights that can support individual teachers, teacher educators, schools, and school districts as they move towards creating and making sense of anti-racist and Ethnic Studies frameworks, curriculum, and professional development.

Authors

• Wanda Watson, San Jose State University

• Katy Felsinger

• Leah Aguilera, Sequoia Elementary School

• Hannah Swernoff, Havens Elementary School