Designing Ethnic Studies in K–12: Emerging Implications for Teacher Preparation

• In Event: Establishing a Culture of Equity in Teacher Preparation and Development

Abstract

Across the nation, ethnic studies courses are increasingly offered or required in public schools and scholars have articulated have debated what quality content and effective practice looks like. A key thread among this discussion is the insistence that ethnic studies be grounded in community responsive pedagogy. This paper analyzes data from a multiyear evaluation of a school district’s ethnic studies reform initiative to describe how community responsiveness is conceptualized in practice, surface teacher knowledge and skills associated with the concept, and compare these traits to the treatment of “community engagement” in an array of teacher preparation frameworks. We argue that new teachers are underprepared to teach ethnic studies courses and make the case for updated teacher preparation frameworks and programs.

Author

• James Fabionar, University of San Diego