Barriers and Pathways to Becoming a Justice-Oriented Social Studies Teacher

• In Event: Promoting Equitable Social Studies Education

Abstract

In this longitudinal interpretative case study, researchers examined the beliefs and practices of five beginning social studies teachers who identified as justice-oriented. They collected data from the teachers’ teacher preparation program through their fourth year in the classroom. The researchers found that each teacher had developed different personal definitions of justice based on their backgrounds and lived experiences. While the teachers’ justice beliefs remained relatively stable through the 5 years of the study, the teachers’ school contexts had a major influence on their ability to enact critical social studies practices. Implications for teacher preparation and professional development are offered based on the findings.

Authors

• Christopher C. Martell, University of Massachusetts - Boston

• Rob Martinelle, Boston University

• Jennifer Chalmers-Curren, Boston University