“I Don’t See Color”: The Impact of Field Placements on Preservice Teachers’ White Racial Identity Development

Abstract

<p>The purpose of this mixed-method study was to examine the influence of diverse field placements on the White<br />racial identity development of White preservice teachers (n = 92) placed in schools where the student body was<br />either predominantly White or students of color. Using Helms’s theory (1995) of White racial identity<br />development, we selected instruments that measured participants’ awareness of racism, as well as their<br />consciousness about being White (e.g., Color-Blind Racial Attitude Scale and Psychosocial Costs of Racism to<br />Whites Scale). Preservice teachers in nondiverse settings became less aware of racial issues at the end of the<br />field experience. Using pretest scores as covariates, an analysis of covariance indicated that those in more<br />diverse settings had higher levels of White guilt at the end of their field experience. The qualitative results also<br />showed differences in perceptions based on field placements, thus supporting the quantitative findings.<br />Participants were asked how the diversity in their fieldwork placement affected their thoughts about their own<br />ethnic background and social status. For those placed in diverse settings, the most common theme that emerged<br />was the contrast between the characteristics of the students and one’s own family and personal characteristics<br />(e.g., wealth, ethnicity). The results suggest that more than exposure to diverse students is needed to evoke<br />changes in White racial identity in order to prepare preservice teachers to effectively teach students of color.</p

Are My Students Like Me? The Path to Color-Blindness and White Racial Identity Development

“…In addition, more than twice as many student teachers in diverse placements expressed an awareness of White privilege, a first step to positive WRI development. Prior research by Groff and Peters (2012) showed that pre-service teachers in diverse settings reported greater levels of White guilt than those placed in settings where students were predominantly White. However, the research by Groff and Peters also showed that neither pre-service teachers in highly diverse nor predominantly White field placements exhibited changes in WRI as measured by quantitative measures.…”

“…Perhaps experiences in environments that mirrored their own cultural backgrounds and prior experiences prohibited positive WRI development. Groff and Peters (2012) provided evidence that White pre-service teachers with placements in nondiverse settings became less aware of racism and White privilege.…”

“…Some teacher preparation programs have begun to address WRI development in their curricula. Researchers have suggested that infusing WRI across courses impacts teacher candidates’ perceptions and efficacy for productive and equitable engagement with all students (Groff & Peters, 2012). Pre-service teachers’ comments have indicated that discussions about societal racism and White privilege impacted their development; they became more aware of their own biases, and many expressed a commitment to seek further understanding (Groff & Peters, 2012).…”

“…Placing pre-service teachers into diverse classrooms without adequate dialogue might have deleterious effects on teachers’ perceptions of students of color (deKoven, 2011). Some researchers (Groff & Peters, 2012) advocate integrating content on White racial identity (WRI), coupled with critical reflection, throughout teacher preparation programs, to promote multicultural competence. In addition, Bloom and Peters (2012) found a correlation between WRI and teacher efficacy for working with students of color.…”

Making a RUCCAS or How is an Urban Community Change Axis like a Writing Desk?

“…At the same time colleges of education continue to prepare preservice teachers who are overwhelmingly white (Milner, 2006;Sleeter, 2001), have limited experience in participating in cross-racial and cross-cultural relationships (Keengwe, 2010), and bring with them deficit perspectives and discourses about urban schools, communities, and students (Amos, 2011;Groff & Peters, 2012;Lazar, 2007). This, on the whole, has been true of our own university, West Chester, part of the State System of Higher Education, and a former normal school at which a great many of our students are pre-service or in-service teachers, so our education programs are integral to the entire university.…”