Internalized racism and the pursuit of cultural relevancy: Decolonizing practices for critical consciousness with preservice teachers of color

ABSTRACT

In this article, we explore the need for decolonizing practices in teacher education for developing critical consciousness with preservice teachers of Color (PTOC). We assert that the development of critical consciousness for PTOC must include practices that specifically attend to their racialized experiences in the context of white spaces- their teacher preparation programs, the teaching profession, and society writ large- where they have been subjected to colonized paradigms of what it means to teach children of Color. We use culturally relevant/responsive teacher education to frame our discussion and place emphasis on the construct of critical consciousness.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional Resources

1. Au, W., Brown, A.L., & Calderón, D. (2016). Reclaiming the multicultural roots of U.S. curriculum: Communities of color and official knowledge in education. Teachers College Press.

This book challenges master narratives in curriculum studies which omit the histories, stories, and contributions of official knowledge from communities of color. Drawing upon settler colonial studies, critical theory, and cultural memory, the authors bring attention to racialized and colonizing practices of the field.

2. Thiong’o, N. (1986). Decolonizing the mind: The politics of language in African literature. Heinemann.

This is a collection of essays about the role of language in culture, history, and identity. The book positions language as an important weapon of colonization (as language carries culture, art, history, identity) and considers how freedom can be obtained through rejecting colonized linguistic forms.

3. Wijeyesinghe, C.L., & Jackson, B.W., III. (Eds.). (2001). New perspectives on racial identity development. New York University Press.

This book addresses racial identity and racial identity development across multiple racial groups. The analyses offered across chapters considers various models of racial identity development, how racism affects an individual’s identification with a larger racial group, and the intersection of racial identity development and oppression.