Arts at the core: Considerations of cultural competence for secondary pre-service teachers in the age of Common Core and the Every Student Succeeds Act

ABSTRACT

Arts integration is a transformative platform for teacher candidates to think, plan, and teach for understanding that extends beyond the curriculum. This qualitative content analysis explores what pre-service teachers learned about arts integration as a route to cultural competence. The researchers show how pre-service teachers’ experiences with arts integration shift their thinking about their future pedagogical practices. Using Culturally Relevant Pedagogy as a lens, the researchers analyzed written reflections from teacher candidates (n = 15), who experienced creative processes such as problem-solving and art-making in an Arts Integration course at the end of a secondary teacher preparation program. Teacher candidate reflections show a new consideration for a culturally relevant solution to an ongoing problem or perception; plans to relate and connect to students’ interest, perspectives, and ideas; and a focus on the barriers and benefits of creative and critical problem-solving in and through the arts. The paper concludes by suggesting an art-integration themed program in teacher education as well as art-based learning as a component of professional development for novice teachers.

KEYWORDS:

• Cultural competence
• art integration
• teacher education
• culturally relevant pedagogy
• pedagogical practices
• global citizens

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Ebony Terrell Shockley

Ebony Terrell Shockley is an Associate Clinical Professor and Director of the Office of Teaching and Leader Education in the Department of Teaching and Learning, Policy and Leadership. She researches issues of equity for culturally and linguistically diverse learners. Prior to becoming a researcher she worked as public school educator, and as an administrator of instructional technology and digital learning.

Linda Krakaur

Linda Krakaur is an arts integration specialist with advanced training in teacher education, urban education and drama in education. Linda implements an inquiry-based approach to arts integration designed to meet the needs of diverse learners through authentic applications of artistic processes.