Humanizing Pedagogy and Elementary Teacher Candidates’ Visions for Science Teaching

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Wednesday 12:40 pm Four Seasons Ballroom 1
  In Roundtable Session: Pedagogy, Dialogues, and Ethics in Teacher Education (Table 10)

Abstract

Equity approaches through the lenses of access and identity are most common in science education (NASEM, 2021). To disrupt systemic inequities, additional focus must be placed on agency and justice, especially from transformative perspectives. It is a challenge for science teacher candidates to use these lenses. This study examines elementary science teacher candidates’ post-interviews after taking a re-designed methods course which centered agency and justice from transformative perspectives. Findings demonstrate that the course redesign supported teacher candidates to implement science learning that centered students' whole selves as resources for learning. We highlight how the teacher candidates’ perspectives aligned with humazing pedagogies, bringing agency and justice from transformative perspectives to the forefront. This has implications for equity-focused elementary science teacher education.

Authors

• Yaa Dankwa, The Ohio State University

• D. Teo Keifert, University of North Texas

• Bethany Daniel, Vanderbilt University

• Sophia Jeong, The Ohio State University

• Ashlyn Pierson, The Ohio State University

• Andrea W. Henrie, Vanderbilt University

• Heather J. Johnson, Vanderbilt University