Mirrors, Windows, and Frames: Laying the Foundation to Develop Elementary Ethnic Studies Educators

• In Event: Liberation as Political Imperative: Toward the Conceptualization of Ethnic Studies Education

Abstract

Ethnic Studies is growing rapidly in secondary settings and becoming a high school graduation requirement across states like California (Strauss, 2014). Noting the benefits of Ethnic Studies in secondary settings, research has begun to examine Ethnic Studies in elementary settings (Valdez, 2017; 2018). Although some elementary programs may prepare candidates to implement some Ethnic Studies approaches, it is often relegated to one course or instructor. This study examines the development and implementation of an elementary credential cohort that embeds Ethnic Studies pedagogies across all coursework. The questions that guide this study are: (a) How can elementary teacher preparation programs identify and develop instructors to prepare teacher candidates to teach Ethnic Studies?; (b) How can teacher preparation programs align curriculum across subject matter to prepare candidates to teach Ethnic Studies?; and (c) How do teacher candidates apply their Ethnic Studies preparation in the field?
Ample research has highlighted the benefits of Ethnic Studies at the high school level: student empowerment, increased student attendance, engagement, GPA, and graduation rates (Cabrera, Milem, & Marx, 2012; Dee & Penner, 2016). Drawing from theories on K-12 applications of Ethnic Studies (Reyes McGovern & Buenavista, 2016; Tintiangco-Cubales et al., 2014), instructors within the cohort met to co-develop a shared understanding of Ethnic Studies. The cohort identified the following tenets: 1) culturally relevant 2) community responsive 3) social action 4) anti-racist & decolonial 5) Intersectional and 6) Humanizing. These tenets were embedded across coursework, fieldwork, and student teaching.
This 3-year case study seeks to analyze the cohort instructors’ teaching practice (Hammersley & Atkinson, 1983) in preparing elementary Ethnic Studies teachers. The study blends case study methods (Yin, 2006) and autoethnographic methods (Anderson-Levvit, 2006) to examine the intimate and complex processes of co-creating Ethnic Studies teacher preparation curriculum across our cohort coursework. Course artifacts (syllabi, assignments, lesson plans, etc.) were examined, followed by a brief survey on teacher candidates’ confidence in teaching ethnic studies across subject matter. Data were coded using a descriptive approach (Saldana, 2013), creating analytic memos to examine the relationship between program instructor Ethnic Studies professional development, curriculum development and teaching, and teacher candidate application of Ethnic Studies in the field.
Preliminary findings found that most courses embedded at least 4 of the 6 tenets across readings, lectures, class activities, and assignments. Findings suggest that teacher candidates felt most prepared to embed Ethnic Studies approaches in language arts and social studies, somewhat prepared to teach ethnic studies in math and science, and less prepared to apply it in health and PE. Teacher candidates also reported a disconnect between coursework preparation and what they observe in most student teaching placements, often feeling as though Ethnic Studies approaches were not welcomed. This innovative study adds to the growing research base on Ethnic Studies in K-12 schools. The examination of a teacher pathway for elementary educators is especially noteworthy as this caveat is often overlooked; findings can serve as a model for elementary credential programs across the state and nation.

Author

• Carolina Valdez, California State University - Fullerton