Troubling Teacher Identity through Critical Family Research

• In Event: Cartographic Engagements: Mapping and Inquiry

Abstract

This paper explores how critical family history can be used as a tool for self-reflection and unlearning oppressive narratives within teacher education. Through an examination of family narratives about my grandmothers, I interrogate how messages about gender, whiteness, and class have shaped my identity as a white female cis-gender teacher-educator. Using archival research and Milner’s (2007) reflective journaling process, I uncover the intersections of privilege and oppression embedded in familial stock stories. Findings highlight the necessity of engaging pre-service teachers in critical reflexivity to disrupt monolithic understandings of white privilege and foster anti-oppressive pedagogies. This work underscores the role of discomfort in transformative learning and the importance of resisting neutrality in teacher education. By situating personal narratives within broader systems of power, this study contributes to ongoing efforts to deconstruct whiteness and promote equity in education.

Author

• Amy Therese Lyga, University of Minnesota Twin Cities