Inspiring Action in Social Justice Teacher Education: Generating Stories of Self and Practice

• In Event: Strategies to Support Social Justice Teaching

Abstract

This narrative inquiry examines how a Latina teacher enacts a vision of teaching for social justice during her first year as a bilingual resource teacher in the Midwestern United States. It illuminates how she recruits her experiences as a member of a marginalized group and brings them to bear on her practice. Informed by Latino/a critical race theory, analysis traces connections between Patricia’s “stories of self” and “stories of practice,” focusing on her development of an innovative literacy course for Spanish speakers. This paper argues that what we can know through this teacher’s story is imperative to promoting action that addresses the achievement debt of Latino/a youth, particularly those who are English learners.

Author

• Terri L. Rodriguez, College of Saint Benedict