Listening to Candidates' Voices to Dismantle Racism, Linguicism, and Hegemonic Whiteness in Bilingual Teacher Education

• In Event: Decolonizing Bilingual Teacher Education: Reimagining Possibilities for Transformation

Abstract

Bilingual teacher-educator programs are challenged to dismantle the racism, linguicism, and hegemonic whiteness embedded within PK-20+ bilingual education contexts while daring to imagine more just systems. This study analyzed bilingual-bicultural teacher scholar stories as esteemed representations of lived experiences within one public university’s teacher preparation program in Oregon. Data were collected across 10 focus-group interviews with 63 bilingual-bicultural scholars. The findings highlight the importance of respecting students’ humanity and brilliance as knowledge holders, capacity builders and integral partners in building change ideas within culturally sustaining and transformative spaces. This study offers a model for others as it relates to the power of engaging more purposefully in holding space for scholars’ valuable contributions to sustainable and actionable change ideas.

Authors

• Kristen L. Pratt, Western Oregon University

• Maria E. Dantas-Whitney, Western Oregon University