Transformative Multiculturalism and the Supervision of Social Studies Student Teachers: A Critical Look at One University Supervisor’s Approach

Abstract

This collaborative study, conducted by two social studies teacher educators, examines how one university supervisor translates his theoretical commitment to transformative multiculturalism into his practice with student teachers. The value of this study is that it (1) illustrates the subtle nuances and applications of the transformative multicultural approach to social studies; (2) provides concrete examples of how a university supervisor, cooperating teacher, or mentor can coach a novice teacher to incorporate dimensions of transformative multiculturalism into his or her practice; and (3) explores some potential barriers to implementing a transformative multicultural perspective with pre-service and novice teachers through an honest reflection of where the university supervisor has fallen short of his professed commitment to transformative multiculturalism.