Confronting Racial Injustice in a Rural Elementary School: A Call to Action Utilizing Imagined Kitchen Table Conversations

• In Event: Thursday Roundtable Session 10:50 am
  In Roundtable Session: Stories of the Rural Experience in Education (Table 16)

Abstract

This paper examines the experiences of one rural elementary school in Indiana where there has been a significant rise in the population of Latinx students, especially undocumented students. The focus of this narrative inquiry is on the beliefs, attitudes, and practices of rural educators. Based on interview data and classroom observations, the author utilizes imagined kitchen table conversations to engage teachers in discussions around diversity, equity, and social justice. The author employs the structures of a play in an attempt to elicit challenging and difficult conversations between the participants and leading scholars in the field. The purpose of this narrative format is to provide a space for teachers to engage, learn from scholars, and reflect on their pedagogical practices.

Author

• Stephanie Oudghiri Scherer, Purdue University