Critical literacies on the university campus

2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
pp. 49-63
Author(s):  
Ashley S. Boyd ◽  
Janine J. Darragh
Keyword(s):  
Preservice Teachers ◽  
Young Adult ◽  
Social Action ◽  
Teacher Candidates ◽  
College Campuses ◽  
Secondary Classrooms ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Awareness Campaigns ◽  
Critical Literacies ◽  
Action Projects

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore how preservice teachers conceive of and implement social actions on their college campuses related to a chosen social problem developed in a young adult novel and to examine how social action projects develop teacher candidates’ critical literacies. Design/methodology/approach This qualitative exploratory multiple case study (Stake, 2005) investigated 70 pre-service teachers on two college campuses over two semesters as they engaged in social action projects. The researchers engaged in layers of open and thematic coding through the theoretical lens of critical literacies. Findings Preservice teachers engaged in a range of direct and indirect action and, as a result, experienced varying levels of self-efficacy and impact. While most felt their endeavors were successful, those who conducted awareness campaigns noted an inability to measure the effects they had on their communities. Their development of critical literacies through social action was evidenced in the partnerships across campus they established as well as their levels of engagement with peers and local officials. Originality/value While the results of conducting social action with youth in secondary classrooms are well established in the literature, lesser well known are ways to engage preservice teachers in such endeavors. This study illustrates not only how teacher candidates can engage in social action as aligned with young adult literature but also offers insights gained from those processes.

scholarly journals Making the invisible visible: White preservice teachers explore social inequities with the Critical Web Reader

2014 ◽  
Vol 3 ◽  
pp. 54-74
Author(s):  
Julie Rust ◽  
Christy Wessel‐Powell
Keyword(s):  
Preservice Teachers ◽  
Predominantly White ◽  
Social Action ◽  
Teacher Candidates ◽  
Rich Diversity ◽  
White Middle Class ◽  
Social Inequities ◽  
The Us ◽  
The Rich ◽  
Class Teacher

This study seeks to establish the role that empathy‐building practices can play in broadening perspectives of predominantly white, middle‐class teacher candidates. Using emergent coding and grounded theory, we investigate preservice teachers’ online analyses of websites about poverty statistics. Themes emerging from their participation with the Critical Web Reader1 included confronting ‘whiteness’ through a growing empathy, complicating their vision of America as the land of opportunity, and voicing insider/outsider clashes. We conclude by discussing the challenges inherent in social action resulting from the desire to make our world more equitable. We also note implications for teacher education, given the rich diversity of the US educational system.

A dramatic collage: becoming pedagogical through collaborative playbuilding

2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (4) ◽  
pp. 403-414
Author(s):  
Abigail Shabtay ◽  
Mindy R. Carter ◽  
Hala Mreiwed
Keyword(s):  
Preservice Teachers ◽  
Teacher Candidates ◽  
Lived Experiences ◽  
Research Process ◽  
Research Experience ◽  
Theatrical Production ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Creation ◽  
And Performance

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explore a case study of a group of preservice teachers that took part in a playbuilding process as part of a drama education course at a Canadian University. The paper focusses on ten preservice teachers’ creation in original theatrical production,The Teacher Diaries: a collage of stories based on the preservice teachers’ lived experiences as teacher candidates. Through a discussion of the playbuilding process, the techniques used, and an analysis of three scenes, this paper addresses the question: How can playbuilding and performance help preservice teachers “become pedagogical”?Design/methodology/approachThe paper focusses on ten preservice teachers’ creation in original theatrical production,The Teacher Diaries: a collage of stories based on the preservice teachers’ lived experiences as teacher candidates. Through a discussion of the playbuilding process, the techniques used, and an analysis of three scenes, this paper addresses the question: How can playbuilding and performance help preservice teachers “become pedagogical”?FindingsThe primary understanding that emerged from this research was how playbuilding can be used as a holistic participatory research method in which participants conduct research, analyse, thematise, implement and disseminate data throughout the creative process.Research limitations/implicationsAs researchers of this playbuilding process, the authors have come to realise that when using playbuilding as a method for research and arts creation there is an overlapping of understanding and analysis of the research findings that is a continual part of the research process. Rather than simply collecting data, analysing it and drawing conclusions from the previously identified data, the whole process becomes a research experience. As seen above, participants were continually coming up with insights throughout the process that informed the creation, growth and change of their scenes so that they could create a final product.Practical implicationsDrawing on a case study of ten preservice teachers, and their original performance pieceThe Teacher Diaries, this paper set out to determine how the playbuilding process can be used to help preservice teachers develop pedagogically. Several scholars have already noted that creating collaborative theatre is a reflective, inquiry-based process (Belliveau, 2006; Cahill, 2006; Carteret al., 2011; Conrad, 2004; Goldstein, 2008), and that the creation and performance of live theatre allows participants to interact with audiences in ways that written material cannot (Norris, 2000, 2008).Social implicationsThroughout the playbuilding process, the preservice teachers engaged in storytelling, improvisation, reflection and dialogue. Working collaboratively, the preservice teachers were able to identify similarities in their experiences and develop a supportive community where they could share stories and resources (see Mreiwedet al., 2017 for more discussion of community development through drama).Originality/valueBecause of this, the members of Team Awesome were inspired to create a pamphlet (including tips and links to government and other online resources) to share with their peers following the performance. While this was simply one case study, the results of this study indicate that the playbuilding process has great potential for use in helping educators “become pedagogical” through collaboration, reflection, articulation of needs, community-building and the sharing of resources in preservice teacher education.

Learning to support and sustain cultural (and linguistic) diversity: perspectives of preservice teachers

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Roxanna Senyshyn ◽  
Ann Martinelli
Keyword(s):  
Preservice Teachers ◽  
Children's Literature ◽  
Elementary Education ◽  
Teacher Candidates ◽  
Culturally Relevant ◽  
Linguistic Diversity ◽  
Children’S Literature ◽  
Cultural And Linguistic Diversity ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Multicultural Children's Literature

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to report on a collaborative project and study implemented by two teacher educators in an elementary education program. To prepare teacher candidates for field experiences and practicum in a diverse (bilingual) urban school, the program uses coursework to impart asset-based pedagogies and practices. Design/methodology/approach In this mixed-method case study, this paper examined the awareness and perspectives of preservice teachers (n = 26) to cultural and linguistic diversity and relevant teaching and learning practices. In particular, this study gauged their engagement with multicultural children’s literature in a collaborative interclass activity. The data sources included beginning and end of semester survey responses, notes on participant interactions during the mid-semester collaborative interclass activity and participant retrospective reflections about the activity. Findings This paper found that teacher candidates showed increased awareness and positive shifts in perspectives. This study also ascertaind that, in learning to become culturally (and linguistically) responsive and sustaining teachers, they benefited from collaborative peer work that focused on learning about multicultural children’s literature, analyzing it and planning to integrate it into their classrooms. Originality/value Studies show that culturally relevant literature in schools is beneficial; however, teacher candidates often lack knowledge of such literature and how to use it. This need is especially critical and relevant when learning about and implementing culturally relevant and sustaining practices. The collaborative undertaking discussed in this study fills this gap through co-teaching and interclass activity that brings preservice teachers as a cohort to collaboratively learn about, discuss, reflect on and plan lessons as they prepare to work with students from different backgrounds than their own.

Virtual mentor partnerships between practising and preservice teachers

2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 235-254 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patricia Briscoe
Keyword(s):  
Preservice Teachers ◽  
Preservice Teacher ◽  
Professional Learning ◽  
Teacher Candidates ◽  
Professional Growth ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Experienced Teacher ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Mentorship Program ◽  
Self Reports

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to assess the potential benefits of a virtual mentorship between teacher candidates and practising teachers. Specifically, the research aimed to determine whether candidates felt they had increased their professional learning and prepared for the realities of the job early in their training program as a means to enhance their well-being. Design/methodology/approach A systemized, virtual mentorship network was set up and a qualitative mixed-methods study was conducted with two separate groups of 77 students total consisting over a three-month course in two consecutive years. Three data sets were collected; this paper reports on one set – qualitative self-reports from mentee participants. Findings The response from preservice teacher participants was, through qualitative self-reports, an overwhelmingly positive. After engaging in a guided virtual mentorship with an experienced teacher, they felt more prepared, more confident and more supported. Response from the preservice teacher participants provided evidence and confirmed a sense of improved educational preparedness for teaching by engaging in a guided virtual mentorship partnership with an experienced teacher. Research limitations/implications Virtual mentorships are highly beneficial for teacher candidates’ learning and professional growth; the relationships positively impact preservice teachers’ level of preparedness for the profession, which can lead to increased confidence and contribute to a positive sense of well-being. In addition, the virtual approach eliminates many of the access barriers that limit the efficacy of traditional, face-to-face mentorships. In doing so, the virtual format makes mentorships a possibility in any teacher preparatory education program, with endless opportunities to connect teachers across the world. Originality/value In an effort to better prepare quality teachers, a virtual mentorship program, embedded in teacher education programs, is a viable solution for shaping preservice teachers learning in the early stages of their careers, establishing a commitment to professional learning and mitigating teacher attrition rates and burnout by enhancing well-being. For these reasons, the authors believe virtual mentorships can be considered to be used as a framework for the future.

scholarly journals Fostering Inclusion of Disabled Youth through Young Adult Literature: Action Research with Wonder

2016 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 64
Author(s):  
Judith A. Hayn ◽  
Karina R. Clemmons ◽  
Heather A. Olvey
Keyword(s):  
Preservice Teachers ◽  
Action Research ◽  
Young Adult ◽  
Students With Disabilities ◽  
Young Adult Literature ◽  
People With Disabilities ◽  
Secondary Classrooms

It is imperative that we insist that meaningful inclusion of students with disabilities is an issue upon which schools, administrators, and teachers must continue to improve. The authors believe that secondary classrooms are excellent platforms to discuss issues of disability in an attempt to bridge students to the place of empathy and understanding. This study shows that exposing preservice teachers to literature about people with disabilities has the potential to transform their practice.

Applying the world-changing through social action protocol with young adult literature

2019 ◽  
Vol 14 (3) ◽  
pp. 361-376
Author(s):  
A. Suzie Henning ◽  
Shelly Shaffer
Keyword(s):  
Young Adult ◽  
Social Studies ◽  
School Violence ◽  
Social Action ◽  
Multiple Perspectives ◽  
Student Centered ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Secondary Social Studies ◽  
The World ◽  
Thematic Units

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to describe a protocol for developing students into social actors using young adult (YA) literature in social studies. The world-changing through social action protocol (WSAP) utilizes five recursive steps (P2TripleS): problem posing, problem history, systems thinking, solutions thinking and social action. WSAP is designed to provide secondary social studies teachers with tools to create thematic units, activities and discussions about difficult current issues, such as school violence, bullying, death, or suicide. The purpose of WSAP is to help teachers incorporate strategies to encourage civic action for social justice. Design/methodology/approach In this paper, WSAP is applied to the YA novel Violent Ends (Hutchinson et al., 2015), which describes a school shooting and its effects from multiple perspectives. Findings This paper discusses the use of the theoretical framework, WSAP and its five recursive steps (P2TripleS). The protocol developed is a helpful tool for teachers to integrate ELA and Social Studies curriculum in a student-centered, project-based environment while addressing the C3 and Common Core State Standards. The protocol is applied to the YA novel, Violent Ends (Hutchinson et al., 2015) and includes questions and strategies that guide teachers and students to critically think about democratic action and gun violence. Practical implications The specific steps of the WSAP protocol will be demonstrated with Violent Ends, providing example activities from this book for practitioners. Originality/value This paper is the first to apply the WSAP with a YA text.

Slowly shifting out of neutral

2018 ◽  
Vol 17 (3) ◽  
pp. 257-276 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michelle M. Falter ◽  
Shea N. Kerkhoff
Keyword(s):  
Preservice Teachers ◽  
Young Adult ◽  
Critical Race Theory ◽  
Critical Literacy ◽  
English Language ◽  
Community Relations ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Ya Literature ◽  
Racial Injustice ◽  
Police Community Relations

Purpose The purpose of this paper is twofold: to explore how preservice teachers in a young adult literature course critically conceptualize discussions in school spaces about race and police/community relations; and to understand the constraints and affordances of using the young adult (YA) novel, All American Boys, as a critical literacy tool for discussing race and police/community relations. Design/methodology/approach This qualitative exploratory case study (Stake, 1995) investigated 24 pre-service teachers in two university YA literature courses as they read and discussed All American Boys. Thematic analysis consisted of open coding through the theoretical lenses of critical literacy and critical race theory. Findings Pre-service English language arts teachers largely thought that while race and police relations was important and the YA book was powerful, it was too political. Their fears about what might happen lead to privileging the role of neutrality as the desired goal for teachers when tackling difficult conversations about racial injustice in America. Although students made some shifts in terms of moving from neutral to more critical stances, three sub-themes of neutrality were predominant: a need for both sides of the story, the view that all beliefs are valid and the belief that we are all humans therefore all lives matter equally. Originality/value A search at the time of this study yielded few research tackling racial injustice and community/police relations through YA literature in the classroom. This study is important as stories of police brutality and racism are all too common and adolescents are too often the victims.

Seeking justice through social action projects: Preparing teachers to be social actors in local and global problems

2018 ◽  
Vol 16 (6) ◽  
pp. 691-708 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martha J Lash ◽  
Janice Kroeger
Keyword(s):  
Teacher Education ◽  
Preservice Teachers ◽  
Early Childhood ◽  
Social Action ◽  
International Baccalaureate ◽  
Teacher Education Program ◽  
Practical Experience ◽  
Early Childhood Teacher ◽  
The Social ◽  
Action Projects

In this article, we share a social action process useful in teacher education and derived from a decade of practical experience with social action projects. Influences, theoretical underpinnings, and individual leadership in an early childhood teacher education program are considered alongside practical enactments of social action projects by preservice teachers in their licensure program. One particular type of field-based assignment, the social action project, is described and analyzed. An examination of program transformations expanding the social justice framework to include more global perspectives, such as the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Program, shaped and challenged our earlier notions of working to address isms to frame justice and advocate for children in larger social and educational networks. We suggest what social action should and can entail in teacher education for an interdependent world and offer a gradient of social action for justice in early childhood education practices and environments.

Rhetorically speaking: on white preservice teachers’ failure to imagine an anti-racist English education

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
S.R. Toliver ◽  
Heidi Hadley
Keyword(s):  
Preservice Teachers ◽  
Thematic Analysis ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Teacher Educators ◽  
English Education ◽  
Theory And Practice ◽  
Education Programs ◽  
Content Type

Purpose This paper aims to identify how white preservice teachers’ inability to imagine an equitable space for Black and Brown children contributes to the ubiquity of whiteness in English education. Further, the authors contend that the preservice teachers’ responses mirror how the larger field of English education fails to imagine Black and Brown life. Design/methodology/approach Using abolitionist teaching as a guide, the authors use reflexive thematic analysis to examine the rhetorical moves their preservice teachers made to defer responsibility for anti-racist teaching. Findings The findings show preservice teachers’ rhetorical moves across three themes: failure to imagine Black and Brown humanity, failure to imagine a connection between theory and practice, and failure to imagine curriculum and schooling beyond whiteness. Originality/value By highlighting how preservice teachers fail to imagine spaces for Black and Brown youth, this study offers another pathway through which teacher educators, teachers and English education programs can assist their faculty and students in activating their imaginations in the pursuit of anti-racist, abolitionist teaching.

Supporting quality social studies instruction: the social studies practices continuum

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Susan Erickson ◽  
Kerry A. Dunne ◽  
Christopher C. Martell
Keyword(s):  
Preservice Teachers ◽  
Social Studies ◽  
Teacher Preparation Programs ◽  
Inservice Teachers ◽  
Preparation Programs ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Instructional Coaches ◽  
College Career ◽  
The Social ◽  
Improving Instruction

PurposeThis article presents the social studies practices continuum, which is a tool that supports social studies teachers in implementing inquiry-based practices in their classrooms. It was designed by the authors based on similar instruments found in science education and informed by the College, Career, and Civic Life (C3) Framework for Social Studies Standards.Design/methodology/approachThe article describes the instrument's creation and describes its use with preservice teachers in teacher preparation programs, inservice teachers during district-based professional development.FindingsThe continuum has been used as a reflective tool for teachers and curriculum developers, and as a tool for instructional coaches and administrators to improve teaching practices.Originality/valueThis article offers a new tool for teachers and supervisors to use in improving instruction.

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