Cultivating Critical Race Theory Awareness With Secondary Preservice Teachers Through Examination of Black Lives Matter–Themed Young Adult Literature  

• In Event: Fairmont Roundtable Session Nine
  In Roundtable Session: Engagements With Literacy and Race in Preservice Teaching (Table 10)

Abstract

This study documents PSTs who examined  Black Lives Matter (BLM) themed Young Adult Literature (YAL)  embedded  in contemporary realistic fiction and graphic novels, as part of coursework for an online  young adult literature course required for secondary teacher certification.   An analysis of instructor mentoring, online discussions, literature evaluations, and interviews demonstrates enhanced awareness of the need to implement BLM themed literature, against the grain of rigid curricular requirements and policies that ban Critical Race Theory (CRT) dialogue in numerous school districts. Moreover, PSTs identified these texts as a source to guide CRT to raise awareness of the history and permanence of systemic racism and its influence on contemporary society and  implementation of culturally relevant literature.  

Author

• K. Dara Hill, University of Michigan - Dearborn
  Presenting Author