Preservice Teachers’ Love/Hate Relationship With a Racial/Cultural Self and Society

• In Event: Rethinking and Redoing Race in Early Childhood Education: Policies, Perspectives, and Pedagogy

Abstract

Increasingly, racially, ethnically, linguistically diverse student populations fill early childhood classrooms (Laoso & Ainsworth, 2007). The continued trend, based on academic achievement, suggests that students of color are not achieving their potential in school (Gay, 2010). This creates, at a minimum, a demographic imperative to acknowledge the impact of culture and race on teaching to meet the diverse needs of varied and vibrant students. There is a need for a critical socio-cultural consciousness because our views as teachers are influenced by our identity group experiences (race, ethnicity, linguistic, etc) particularly as this aspect of self has or does not have access to power.

The initial classroom experiences of pre-service teachers provide the opportunity to connect with all children. This paper outlines one section of the path that pre-service teachers follow as they embark on their early education degree at Langley College, a small liberal arts institution on the East Coast. Specifically, the connection among Langley’s core values as an institution, specific education standards at the college, and one required course focusing on racial and cultural identities are explored. In terms of addressing the student’s investigation of racial and cultural identity, connections are made among multiple ways of knowing including knowledge of the learner, knowledge of subject matter and knowledge of teaching (Darling-Hammond, 2005). This model emphasizes the importance of the teacher- student relationship as it connects to identity and learning.

The goal of this research is to explore pre-service teacher conceptions of the impact of a specific course ‘Racial and Cultural Identities’ on their teaching during a full-time practicum coupled with an integrated curriculum course. Using Critical Race Theory (CRT) as a tool, this study analyzes college standards and documents as well as correlating interview questions for 6 focal students. Using the 3 basic premises of CRT loosely described as 1) we live in a racial and racist society, 2) a culture constructs its own social reality, and 3) interest convergence (Black advances are ‘allowed or encouraged’ only when this continues to serve the interests of Whites) themes emerged from the data (Delgado & Stefancic, 2000). These themes included student concerns about the complexity and amount of work required in the course, discomfort with the topic of white privilege, and the struggle to connect a racial and cultural understanding of self with the classroom and teaching.

This research supports existing literature that outlines the need for culturally relevant practice both in early childhood classrooms and in pre-service teacher education (Gay, 2010; Ladson-Billings, 1995). In addition, this research suggests that using Critical Race Theory as an analytic tool deepens insight of our practice to illuminate larger political and social movements at work. Stand-alone courses and practicum experiences in diverse settings are not enough. There must be a thread that connects teacher education curriculum with continued exploration of group membership and power in a pluralistic society.

Author

• Lucinda G. Heimer, Wheelock College