Treading Water While Drowning: Negotiating Resistance to Accepting Educational Responsibility Within an Urban School-University Partnership

• In Event: Exploring Equitable School and University Partnerships

Abstract

Urban school-university partnerships face myriad challenges to sustainability when educational responsibility is not accepted. This study examines the experiences and challenges faced by two racialized teacher educators negotiating variable stakeholder dynamics within the Urban Education Partnership at the University of Windsor, seeking to strengthen school and community ties through its teacher education program. As stakeholders collaborate, compete and resist, several disconnects are identified, within the context of reframing multiple intersections. Proposals aimed at ameliorating disconnects and cross-cultural tensions are discussed emphasizing socially/culturally relevant and responsive curricular practices. Key questions addressed in this paper focus on systemic institutional and classroom challenges, response strategies which ensure critically meaningful and emancipatory learning experiences for students, and negotiating partnership sustainability.

Authors

• Aamer Shujah, University of Windsor

• Andrew M.A. Allen, University of Windsor