Critically Conscious Preservice Teacher Preparation: A Conceptual Analysis

• In Event: Cultivating Critical Consciousness in Teacher Education

Abstract

Assuring the preparation of equity-focused, social justice-oriented educators for future generations means prioritizing sociopolitical development and critical consciousness among preservice teachers. Critical consciousness is a process of learning about injustice and enacting change for collective wellbeing (Freire, 1965). This conceptual analysis frames the (1) need for critically conscious teacher preparation, (2) challenges of cultivating critical consciousness in schools, (3) current preservice teacher preparation theory and evidence, and (4) applications of critical consciousness in five highly effective features of preservice teacher preparation programs: (a) Developing preservice teacher’s own critical consciousness, (b) Student-teaching field experience, (c) Explicit instruction of pedagogy, (d) Active learning methods, and (e) Modeling critical consciousness through faculty mentoring. Recommendations for preservice teacher programs and further research are discussed.

Author

• Allison Rae Ward-Seidel, University of Virginia