Disrupting white hegemony: A necessary shift toward adopting critical approaches within the teaching and learning environment

Abstract

Utilizing Yoon’s whiteness-at-work framework, the purpose of this paper is to articulate critical whiteness and anti-racist pedagogical approaches for educators. We specifically offer practical strategies, to be taken up discretely or together, in an effort to disrupt white hegemony, to which the American educational system is seemingly beholden. Currently, the teaching profession, writ large, is predominantly white, and within K-12 the teaching force is mostly (79%) White women, conceivably yielding a number of implications. Hence, it is our hope, that by adopting some or all of these recommendations, educators would begin to improve learning conditions, bolster the effectiveness of long standing culturally-based pedagogies, and strengthen justice efforts.

Keywords:

• Educators
• Whiteness
• Racism
• Anti-racism
• Pedagogy

Disclosure statement

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

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Tenisha L. Tevis

Tenisha Tevis is an assistant professor of Adult and Higher Education in the College of Education at Oregon State University. She earned her Ph.D. in Educational Theory and Policy Studies from The Pennsylvania State University. Her research focuses on students' transition to college, and the confluence of leadership and identity.

Judith G. L. Martinez

Judith Martinez is the Director of Student Services at Modesto Junior College. She is currently pursuing her Ph.D. in Adult and Higher Education with a focus on Community College Leadership at Oregon State University. Her research focuses on Xicanx students, community colleges and the language of higher education.

Yuritzi E. Lozano

Yuritzi Lozano is the Dean for Allied Health and Professional Technical programs at Wenatchee Valley College. She is currently pursuing her Ph.D. in Adult and Higher Education with a focus on Community College Leadership at Oregon State University. Her research focuses on community colleges, Latinx students, and migrant farmworker students in higher education.