Evolving through tensions: preservice teachers’ conceptions of social justice teaching

ABSTRACT

This study utilized cultural historical activity theory to explore the evolution of nine preservice teachers’ (PSTs’) conceptions of social justice teaching while enrolled in a social justice-oriented teacher education program. From three interviews conducted over one year, findings show that tensions PSTs encountered while student teaching in high-poverty schools predominantly shaped their thinking. PSTs’ conceptions of social justice teaching evolved to include navigating inequitable systems, loving students critically, and viewing social justice teaching as uniquely personal. Implications include the importance of teacher educators leveraging inevitable student-teaching tensions as learning opportunities to further PSTs’ commitment to social justice teaching.

KEYWORDS:

• Social justice
• student teaching
• preservice teachers
• urban education
• teacher education

Acknowledgments

The author would like to thank Caitlin Farrell for her feedback on previous versions of this manuscript.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Notes

1. All names of people and places are pseudonyms.

Additional information

Funding

This research was supported by the University of Southern California [Provost Ph.D. Fellowship].

Notes on contributors

Kathryn Struthers Ahmed

Kathryn Struthers Ahmed is Assistant Professor of Childhood Literacy Education at Hunter College, City University of New York. Her research focuses on literacy teacher education, with a particular emphasis on preparing elementary teachers to teach literacy in culturally responsive ways to students from minoritized groups. She is interested in how teacher educators, teacher education, the policy climate, and other contextual factors shape novice teachers’ development.