“I’ve Always Had the Abolitionist Spirit”: Preservice Teachers of Color and Pedagogies of Abolitionist Praxis

• In Event: Social Justice and Liberation for Marginalized Communities

Abstract

This year-long ethnographic and qualitative study explores how two K-12 English Language Arts (ELA) pre-service teachers of color enacted pedagogies of abolitionist praxis in their work. When enacting pedagogies of abolitionist praxis in their curriculum and instruction, three findings were identified. First, both teachers strategically designed their curriculum and instruction to explicitly teach an abolitionist praxis, yet they did so via distinct approaches. Next, the teachers rooted their curriculum and instruction in a radical Black, Indigenous, and feminist imaginary to teach about and against carcerality. Last, both teachers facilitated youth-led action research projects that centered present and future world-building actions. This study provides implications for the preparation and support of pre-service teachers and K-12 teacher practice.

Author

• Rubén A. González, Stanford University