‘I became a teacher that respects the kids’ voices’: challenges and facilitators pre-service teachers faced in learning an activist approach

Abstract

I became a teacher that respects the kids' voices': Challenges and facilitators pre-service teachers faced in learning an activist approach Several studies demonstrate the benefits of educating for social justice in physical education teacher education programs (O'Sullivan, 2018; Philpot, 2015; Walton-Fisette & Sutherland, 2018), which supports that pre-service teachers (PSTs) have the capacity to be active agents of change. In working with social justice, PSTs engage in what can be a very personal struggle with their own stereotypes and assumptions about the people they are working with (Oliver et al., 2015). Although the challenges that PSTs faced to learn an activist approach to teaching are described in the literature, there is little research that aims to understand how these challenges progress across time. The aim of this study is to explore the challenges pre-service teachers faced when learning to use an activist approach across time. Participatory action research framed this 3-semester study (18 months). Participants included 10 pre-service-teachers, 90 youth, and two researchers. Data collected included: (a) collaborative PSTs group meetings; (b) PSTs reflective diaries after each teaching episode; (c) lead researcher observations collected as field notes; (d) PSTs generated artifacts; and (e) PSTs interviews and focus groups. Data analysis involved inductive and constant comparison. Results conveyed: (a) the PSTs' assumptions about what studentcentered pedagogy meant and the challenges of overcoming their misconceptions about teaching and learning; and (b) the PST's struggles in coming to understand themselves as activist teachers, with dispositions as advocates of social justice. Future studies should continue to explore the challenges and facilitators PSTs face when learning an activist approach aimed at empowering both students and teachers to develop a critically conscious understanding of their relationships with the world through their effort to name and change the world together.

A transformative learning journey of a teacher educator in enacting an activist approach in Physical Education Teacher Education

“…We always include our Skype meetings in the methodologies of the articles, we write together as a way of peer debriefing and assisting with progressive data analysis. In our Skype meetings, I always shared the challenges and facilitators in implementing the activist approach in the context I was working, and we collectively brainstormed ideas to overcome the challenges and planned for upcoming sessions with young people, coaches or student teachers (for more information, see Luguetti et al ., 2017a, 2017b; Luguetti & Oliver, 2018, 2020). In 2015–2016, I spent a year doing a postdoctoral study with Kim, and our meetings became more frequent (3–4 times per week).…”

“…In those meetings, I would tell my story highlighting pivotal moments where I believe I changed, and Kim would weave her experience and knowledge throughout. In addition to our memories, we also used the paper published in each of those phases to discuss the pivotal moments (see Luguetti et al ., 2017a, 2017b; Luguetti & Oliver, 2018, 2020). Although the papers described the challenges and benefits of enacting an activist approach, they helped us to remember my learning trajectory, and consequently, the pivotal moments.…”

“…This article explores the transformative learning journey I have experienced in enacting an activist approach based on young people’s voices. I employed critical autoethnography as the methodology to think deeply about my experiences, based on my obligation to engage in critical praxis (Freire, 1987, 1996), a core principle to being an activist educator (Luguetti et al ., 2017b, Luguetti & Oliver, 2020).…”

“… 6 6 In this study, participants included 10 student teachers, 90 youth and two researchers (myself and Kim). For more information see Luguetti & Oliver (2020). …”

‘Am I an easy unit?’ Challenges of being and becoming an activist teacher educator in a neoliberal Australian context

“…Carla's PhD research was an activist study with boys from socially vulnerable backgrounds in a sport context in a NGO in Brazil . Her second study was in her postdoc in US were she implemented an activist approach in an after school sports club (Luguetti & Oliver, 2019). Her last study took place in a community engagement sport program in a University in Brazil where she implemented an activist approach with young people and pre-service teachers.…”