Preparing educators who save lives: what can US schools of education do?

Abstract

Purpose Aided with critical-race theory (Ladson-Billings, 1998), culturally responsive pedagogy tenets (Gay, 2002), and culturally sustaining pedagogy philosophy (Paris, 2012). The purpose of this paper is to make a two-pronged argument that: the killing of blacks has taken many forms, physical, moral, intellectual, cultural, and financial; and through its endorsement of racist policies, the education domain is a covert partaker in the killing of black lives. The author proceeds to tell her story of how lived experience, i.e., related to racism and inequities, inspired her to implement a curriculum that saves lives. She then proposes actionable measures that leaders of schools of education can take to show that they are allies of anti-black-racism and racial equity voices in education. Design/methodology/approach Methodologically, this paper is situated in the intersection of three methodological models, which share the use of narrative as a source of evidence: critical participatory action research, critical autoethnography and narrative inquiry. Findings The author’s narrative of lived experience, demonstrates the difficulty of black faculty of education to prepare nonblack educators who save black children’s lives and the author’s determination to tailor her syllabus to that urgent goal. Originality/value This study is one of its kind in claiming that ill-prepared teachers can “kill lives” and advocating that “saving lives” should be the mission of teacher preparation programs, especially those in high-diversity urban schools.

Reducing Underachievement and Promoting Critical Thinking Skills in Computer Studies Through a Culturally Sensitive Instructional Method

“…Advocates of multicultural education (Chebanne & Gabanamotse-Mogara, 2022) and critically responsive pedagogy (Gay, 2010;Hammond, 2014;Hill, 2012;Ladson-Billings, 2009, 2021 have argued that black students and other minorities of color deserve a curriculum that validates their cultures in the classroom, just like we have in CTCA; others (Harushimana, 2022) have worked tirelessly on devising literacy pedagogies that are tailored to the needs and life experiences of black children all around the world. Unfortunately, schools of education show little inclination to include these pedagogies on the curriculum, and minority teachers who try to incorporate culturally responsive pedagogy in their courses are likely to meet resistance from white teacher candidates (Mthethwa-Sommers, 2013;Seo, 2022).…”

“…Unfortunately, schools of education show little inclination to include these pedagogies on the curriculum, and minority teachers who try to incorporate culturally responsive pedagogy in their courses are likely to meet resistance from white teacher candidates (Mthethwa-Sommers, 2013;Seo, 2022). Hence, the major hurdle for black educators is that they are neither encouraged to join or stay, let alone to thrive, in the teaching profession (Harushimana, 2022).…”