You Are Not Talking About Real Issues: Surface-Level Cultural Equity in Urban Teacher Education

• In Event: Conduits of Change: Centering Midwest Black, Indigenous, and People of Color Teacher Candidates' Voices to Transform Teacher Education Programs

Abstract

Objectives:
Two BIPOC women teacher educators conducted an exploratory case study at the Central East urban metro area campus. Recognizing BIPOC teacher candidates as knowledge holders and change agents in their education, the case study focused on two objectives: 1) to identify the individual-level factors that motivate and hinder BIPOC teacher candidates’ journey to become teachers at the predominantly white urban teacher education program; and 2) to determine what institutional knowledge, resource, and expertise gaps BIPOC teacher candidates recognize in the urban teacher education program that could lead to effective systemic change in teacher diversification.

Theoretical Framework:
As mentioned in the two previous summaries, the theoretical framework guiding the research study is critical race theory (CRT) and Latina/Latino critical theory (LatCrit). CRT and LatCrit guide teacher education to confront their Whiteness and transform it (Cochran-Smith 2002; Sleeter 2017).

Methods and Data Sources:
Using an exploratory case study approach (Yin, 2013), the researchers followed a similar process to the two previous case studies. They conducted in-depth individual and focus group interviews with ten BIPOC teacher candidates from the urban metro area campus over a four-month period. To analyze the data, the research team met online to do an initial open coding of interview and focus group transcriptions, and then thematic coding across data sources (Saldaña, 2013).

Results:
A preliminary data analysis shows that related to purpose #1, BIPOC teacher candidates named individual-level motivation factors, including mentors, BIPOC peers, financial support, and caring BIPOC/white professors. Ultimately, their main motivation is being an example for K-12 BIPOC students. Some teacher candidates’ challenges included navigating their teacher education program requirements, and academic advisors/teacher educators’ lack of guidance. Teacher candidates without scholarships struggled to balance personal, work, and school responsibilities. Regarding purpose #2, BIPOC teacher candidates expressed frustration with teacher educators who engaged in surface-level “talk” about cultural equity instead of deeper conversations and actions throughout the teacher education program. BIPOC teacher candidates looked forward to a day when teacher educators and white teacher candidates do not “squirm,” stay quiet, or glance awkwardly at each other when talking about racism, privilege, implicit bias, and stop microaggressions when they see them happening.

Scholarly Significance:
BIPOC teacher candidates emphasized the need for teacher education programs that include safe spaces to share their experiences, and acknowledge their Whiteness, not evade it (Carter Andrews & Castillo, 2016; Viesca & Gray, 2021). Some BIPOC teacher candidates recognized individual-level motivation and hindrances, while others pointed out that a systemic change has to happen in the urban teacher education program. The preliminary results also confirmed that BIPOC teachers should engage in critical professional development (CPD), “to strengthen their critical and racial analysis of schooling to discuss broader sociopolitical issues in schooling and strategize how to navigate and transform the racial climates of their jobs” (Kohli, 2019, p. 45). These racial affinity communities could be safe spaces and support systems for BIPOC teacher candidates during and after their teacher education programs to transform the education system with like-minded peers.

Authors

• Sandra Rodriguez-Arroyo, University of Nebraska - Omaha
  Presenting Author

• Ferial Pearson, University of Nebraska - Omaha
  Presenting Author