Developing Teachers' Cultural Competence: One Teacher Educator's Practice of Unpacking Student Culturelessness

Abstract

This article responds to the call to examine approaches and strategies that are practiced or should be practiced in teacher education programs to ensure teachers' cultural competence for effective teaching in a multicultural democracy. As part of a larger study on a self-study that examined the author's practice of teaching diversity courses in teacher education that spans over 15 years, this article is organized around three questions: (1) What have I learned about classroom teachers' and teacher candidates' learning to develop cultural competence? (2) What practices have I used to foster preservice teachers' development of cultural competence? (3) To what extent have I successfully fostered preservice teachers' development of cultural competence? Beginning with a critical discussion of the imperative and urgency to foster preservice and in-service teachers' cultural competence, the study proceeds to address the three questions. Discussion of the implications and recommendations for teacher education practice are included.