Preparing emerging educators to provide ethnic studies instruction through participatory action research

Abstract

ABSTRACT This project emerged from the voices of eight female teacher candidates of color, who wanted to address the inequitable representation of historically underrepresented groups within elementary school education. Using the Participatory Action Research (PAR) advanced by Fals-Borda, the teacher candidates designed instructional units that used archival resources to create an accurate representation of historically underrepresented groups, such as Blacks, Indigenous, and Chicanx groups, through instruction. The findings illustrated that involvement in PAR helped teacher candidates implement instruction guided by sociopolitical consciousness. The opportunity for designing and implementing instruction that counteracts the inaccurate representation of historically underrepresented groups provided emerging educators with educational empowerment to transform those instructional practices that failed to acknowledge the experiences of historically underrepresented groups. These findings indicate that emerging educators of color can use action research to create a more diverse and equitable experience within elementary school instruction.