Within and Beyond Breakout Rooms: Preparing Teacher Candidates to Be Social Justice Advocates During and After the COVID-19 Pandemic

• In Event: Responding to the Current Context: Exploring Implications for Responsive and Humanizing Practices in Teacher Education

Abstract

The COVID-19 crisis forced educators to make sudden transformations in their educational methods. The quick switch to distance learning intensified existing inequities in educational opportunities across the United States and many parts of the world. In consideration of the devastating tragedies that have resulted from the pandemic, we maintain that teacher educators have a responsibility and an opportunity to examine how our teaching maintains or dismantles inequities and access to quality education. This paper outlines the resources and strategies that three teacher educators used during online meetings with 14 pre-service undergraduate students to promote educational equity and anti-racist teaching practices in virtual and face-to-face settings in teacher education programs.

Authors

• Leah Mortenson, Keio Academy of New York

• Bilge Cerezci, National LouisUniversity

• Liz Chase, St. John's University