Cultivating Community: Enhancing Professional Identity Development for BIPOC Teacher Educators and Candidates Through Collective Inquiry

• In Event: Supporting BIPOC Teachers and Teacher Educators

Abstract

Driven by the common challenges faced by Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) in predominantly White teacher education programs (TEPs), this study explores a collective inquiry group for teacher candidates of color (TCOCs) and teacher educators of color (TEOCs). Research has revealed that TEPs tend to neglect the needs of TCOCs and TEOCs and induce feelings of marginalization as they develop professionally. This study examines how a co-created critical inquiry space impacts the professional identity development of BIPOC teacher educators (TEs) and teacher candidates toward healing and repair, wondering: what does a co-designed collective inquiry space make possible for the critical professional identity development of TCOCs and TEOCs? Key learnings are offered for consideration in implementation.

Author

• Acelynn C. Perkins, University of Colorado - Boulder