“It Was Just Boxes”: Framing the Risks of (Not) Teaching for Justice

• In Event: (Preservice) Teaching for Justice

Abstract

This paper reports findings from a study that investigated how preservice English teachers in their student teaching semester talked about changes they made or tried to make in student teaching contexts. Five student teachers attended biweekly meetings to discuss wobbles (Fecho, 2011), make plans, and reflect on their actions for change. As part of a larger study, this paper focuses on how participants framed their individual risks when trying to change curricular and instructional practices and how those risks related to their placement and preparation program institutions. Findings highlight the limits of framing justice-oriented efforts as individualized for preservice teachers. Furthermore, participants questioned the risks programs and schools often absolve themselves of when implementing antiracist and other justice-oriented efforts.

Author

• Christopher Kingsland, University of Michigan