Learning from Our Stories: Incorporating Free Spaces as a Necessity in Antiracist Social Studies Teacher Education

ABSTRACT

This instrumental case study illustrates the necessity of free spaces within antiracist teacher education. The author uses antiracism and free spaces as a theoretical lens to examine the experiences of 11 social studies teacher educators (SSTEs) who teach and research antiracist social studies. The findings portray the SSTEs’ need for free space to persevere in antiracist teacher education as well as to improve their scholarship in antiracist social studies education, yet the SSTEs do not explicitly include the need for a free space within their course syllabi and readings for pre-service teachers. Based on these findings, the author argues the need to consider how free spaces can be extended to teacher education instruction and to alumni who desire to be K-12 antiracist educators.

KEYWORDS:

• Free space
• antiracism
• social studies
• teacher education

Disclosure Statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Sara B. Demoiny

Sara B. Demoiny is an assistant professor of Elementary Education in the Department of Curriculum and Teaching at Auburn University.  Her research focuses on antiractist social studies teacher education.