Teaching the Past with Purpose: A Collaborative Self-Study of Practice and Preservice Engagement

• In Event: From Past to Present: A Wide Lens Look at Self-Study of Teacher Education

Abstract

This collaborative self-study explored how learning experiences in foundations of education courses foster meaningful engagement with the educational past among preservice teachers. Grounded in frameworks of democratic education, teacher professionalism, and historical consciousness, we examined our classroom practice through shared reflection and student work. Analysis revealed three key practices that supported meaningful engagement: collaborative dialogue and collective reflection, interpreting the past within broader sociohistorical contexts, and inquiry-based assignments. These supported students in critically examining history, connecting past to present, and reflecting on their emerging roles as teachers. Despite challenges—such as grappling with past cultural logics and persistent inequities—our findings affirm the value of historical study in shaping teacher identity, agency, and professional positioning within educational systems.

Authors

• Bevin Etheridge, Boise State University

• Jennifer L. Snow, Boise State University