Blinded by the White: Foregrounding Race in a Language and Literacy Course for Preservice Teachers

<p>While the teaching population in the U.S. is predominantly (84%) White (National Council of Education Statistics, 2010), students of Color will comprise 41% of the total school population by the year 2020, with 67% in urban areas (NCES, 2010). Studies show that children of Color are regularly disenfranchised through inequitable instructional, curricular, and assessment school practices (Ladson-Billings, 2009). Achievement statistics also show that schools fail to serve African American students more than any other group (Gay, 2010). Colleges of education must take action. Addressing this problem, this study used qualitative methods to explore what happened when critical race theory conceptually guided a literacy methods course for preservice teachers. Findings indicate that while preservice teachers gained many insights about issues of race and racism, there were considerable tensions and challenges, such as White Talk (McIntyre, 1997), colorblind dispositions, and deflection strategies. The study looks at both the successes and struggles and draws conclusions about why they might have occurred and implications for teacher educators and the institutions in which they are employed.</p>

Name thesis:degree_name

Ed.D.

Level thesis:degree_level

Campus Access Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Educational Studies

Year

2012

Author dc:creator

• Nash, Kindel A Turner

Contributors dc:contributor

• Susi Long
• Gloria Boutte

• Education
• anti-racism
• critical race theory
• culturally relevant pedagogy
• teacher education for social justice
• Whiteness
• White Talk

Statement dc:rights

• © 2012, Kindel A Turner Nash

Repository record dc:identifier

https://scholarcommons.sc.edu/etd/2296

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:scholarcommons.sc.edu:etd-3297