Three Cases of Student Teaching Practice for Social Justice in Early Childhood Education

Young Ah Lee

doi:10.11114/jets.v2i4.489

Abstract

Although teachers may agree that it is important to teach all learners equitably, it is challenging to practice social justice oriented pedagogy due to its multiplicity and complexity. This participatory action research attempted to examine student teaching practices that three teacher candidates approached to teach for social justice with young children (Preschool – 1 st grade) in suburban and urban school settings. For this qualitative research, multiple data sources such as observations, interviews, and documents from course work and field placement were collected and analyzed. This study discusses different student teaching practices each participant chose to teach for social justice and different areas of diversities each participant focused in different contexts. It concludes with some suggestions for early childhood teacher educators with insights and tools to support teacher candidates to teach for social justice. Keywords: Diversity, teacher candidate, early childhood education, teacher education

Highlights

Educational scholars and leaders have paid increased attention to the effect of inequities on student outcomes focusing on the academic achievement gaps among different racial, cultural, linguistic, and socioeconomic status groups of students (Grande, 2004; King, 2005; Lee, 2005), while others argue that it should be focused more on systemic inequities (Ladson-Billings, 2006; Love, 2004)
Teachers may agree that it is important to teach all learners equitably, it is challenging to practice social justice oriented pedagogy due to its multiplicity and complexity. This participatory action research attempted to examine student teaching practices that three teacher candidates approached to teach for social justice with young children (Preschool – 1st grade) in suburban and urban school settings
This study discusses different student teaching practices each participant chose to teach for social justice and different areas of diversities each participant focused in different contexts

Summary

Introduction

Educational scholars and leaders have paid increased attention to the effect of inequities on student outcomes focusing on the academic achievement gaps among different racial, cultural, linguistic, and socioeconomic status groups of students (Grande, 2004; King, 2005; Lee, 2005), while others argue that it should be focused more on systemic inequities (Ladson-Billings, 2006; Love, 2004). In response to these inequity issues sustained by various factors, teacher education programs have recognized the shared responsibilities for the resolution of these issues and commitment to preparing teacher candidates to incorporate diversities and equity into the classroom. There need more exemplary practices of teaching for social justice in different contexts to better prepare teacher candidates to teach for social justice

Methods

Results

Conclusion