“There’s Some Facts You Gotta Know”: Hesitant History Teachers Assigned to Ethnic Studies U.S. History Courses

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  In Roundtable Session: Creating Spaces of Inclusion Across Disciplines (Table 37)

Abstract

With an upcoming requirement that all students take an Ethnic Studies course to graduate from California high schools, the need for Ethnic Studies educators has never been greater. However, since no teaching credential specific to Ethnic Studies currently exists, many of the teachers will come from the social studies. Transitioning from teaching history to teaching Ethnic Studies will present challenges. This case study of four history teachers teaching a course that met the history and Ethnic Studies requirement aims to detail some of these challenges. The findings here suggest three potential difficulties for educators: (1) a willingness to directly engage race and racism in history and the present day, (2) pedagogy centered on chronology and facts, and (3) building community. 

Authors

• Suneal H. Kolluri, University of California - Riverside

• Michael C. Dominguez, San Diego State University