Anchoring Racial Equity Through Relationships and Critical Praxis

• In Event: Racial Realism Revelations: A Loving Critique of Racial Justice Teacher Education

Abstract

The purpose of the paper is to explore the ways in which relationality and critical praxis shape our work with teachers and administrators in our partner schools and play a role in teacher preparation more generally. We conceptualize relationality and critical praxis as threading our efforts to achieve racial justice in teacher education.

Theoretical Framework

Our attention to relationality and critical praxis draws on several conceptualizations of racial justice teacher education. Gloria Ladson-Billings (2021) offers three “broad propositions” for teaching with cultural relevance: a conception of self and others that is capacious, inclusive, in-process, and accountable; the ability to initiate and sustain connectedness with students as an educator and create a community of learners; and a view of knowledge as located broadly in communities, as “shared, recycled, and constructed,” in need of critical consideration, and measured in multiple ways (p. 30). Howard et al. (2020) illustrate ways of promoting connectedness between teacher and student and among students, knowing what’s important culturally to one’s students, the ways in which relationality nurtures resilience, and the role of racial literacy in authentic relationships. Sealey-Ruiz (2021) offers six dimensions to racial literacy: critical love, critical humility, historical literacy, archeology of self, and interruption. Muhammad (2023) includes identity development and the ability to name, understand, question and disrupt oppression as pursuits in education central to humanizing pedagogies.

Methods

We employ improvement science methodology (Bryk et al., 2011; Hinnant-Crawford, 2020) using a critical race theoretical lens (Crenshaw et al., 1995) and research justice approaches (Jolivétte, 2015). Our research question is: What are possible routes for strengthening relationality and critical praxis in our teacher preparation classrooms and within the context of our work with partner schools?

Data Sources

Data sources include survey data from teacher candidates and faculty on teaching and learning about racial equity in teacher preparation coursework and clinical experiences. Data sources also include documentation from two summer institutes with school partners as part of the Education Networked Improvement Community focusing on racial justice in teacher education.

Results

Most broadly, our survey findings indicate that teacher candidates felt their teacher education program believed racial equity was important. Slightly more than half responded that coursework was effective in encouraging them to reflect on their racial biases and recognizing racial inequity. One-third of the teacher candidates view their mentor/host teacher in their field site as ineffective in preparing them to recognize racial inequity and its impact on education. Moreover, teacher candidates suggest less confidence from their coursework in actively engaging their future students in difficult conversations on race.

Significance

Study results suggest a greater need to foreground the work in racial justice with partner schools. We aim to collaborate on learning opportunities between teacher candidates and mentor/host teachers, equipping teacher candidates to move beyond recognition of racial inequity toward engagement and action. The findings contribute to the broad ecology of teacher preparation and the well-being of students in the communities of color with which we partner.

Authors

• Anne M. Galletta, Cleveland State University

• Terri Lynn Purcell, Cleveland State University

• Markita C Warren, Cleveland State University