Bringing teachers to the table: the need to teach food in teacher education

ABSTRACT

We cannot underestimate the importance of food in schools, yet in the education sector, we have. Despite increasing societal focus, broad attention to food in schools remains largely missing from mainstream education research, and teacher education more specifically. This paper is a contribution in emerging scholarship that critically considers food in education research by arguing that food in schools is a crucial area generally overlooked by the field of teacher education. This paper articulates my experience incorporating food within teacher education, through the design and teaching of a course entitled “Food and Schools” for education undergraduate students at a flagship state university. I highlight major course themes and aspects and key insights from students and conclude with considerations for teacher education programs.

KEYWORDS:

• School food
• school gardens
• food insecurity
• teacher education
• activism
• food identity

Disclosure statement

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

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Sarah Riggs Stapleton

Sarah R. Stapleton is an Assistant Professor in Education Studies at the University of Oregon’s College of Education. Her research employs participatory methodologies to explore critical science and environmental education contexts. Her areas of research and teaching include food and schools, and education for climate and environmental justice.