“Doin’ diversity” in teacher education: beginning Black teacher discourses on learning to teach for diversity

Abstract

The voices of Black preservice teachers are largely missing from discussions about teacher diversity, and one place this is evident is in teacher education diversity coursework. This article shares findings from a qualitative study using critical race methodology with five novice Black teachers’ experiences in teacher education courses focused on diversity in education. Three semi-structured life history interviews were conducted for each teacher and data were analyzed using zoom model analysis. Findings revealed that during their preservice experiences in teacher education diversity courses, Black teachers experience such learning spaces in alienating ways despite entering the program with strong commitments to improving education outcomes for Black children. Findings demonstrate that teacher educators and teacher education programs must raise the expectations for engaged learning in the diversity course in order to better support Black teachers and contribute to diversification of the teaching force in meaningful ways.