"They Don't Want to Get It!" Interaction between Minority and White Pre-Service Teachers in a Multicultural Education Class

Autor/in	Amos, Yukari Takimoto
Titel	"They Don't Want to Get It!" Interaction between Minority and White Pre-Service Teachers in a Multicultural Education Class
Quelle	In: Multicultural Education, 17 (2010) 4, S.31-37 (7 Seiten)Infoseite zur Zeitschrift PDF als Volltext (1); PDF als Volltext kostenfreie Datei (2) Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	1068-3844
Schlagwörter	Social Justice; Preservice Teacher Education; Education Courses; Multicultural Education; Teacher Education Programs; Cultural Differences; Minority Groups; Depression (Psychology); White Students; Fear; Power Structure; Interaction + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Soziale Gerechtigkeit; Lehramtsstudiengang; Lehrerausbildung; Fortbildungskurs; Multikulturelle Erziehung; Kultureller Unterschied; Ethnische Minderheit; Furcht; Interaktion
Abstract	Students in public schools nationwide are becoming more diverse. By 2020, students of color will account for 50% of the school population, while teachers will likely remain predominantly White and female. The cultural gap between students and teachers will continue to present numerous obstacles for students of color to succeed at school. As a result, teacher education programs have been requiring pre-service teachers to take a multicultural education class so that they are prepared to teach diverse students. Yet, it has been consistently documented that White pre-service teachers demonstrate resistance to these multicultural education courses. In contrast, research shows that pre-service students of color "bring a commitment to multicultural teaching, social justice, and providing children of color with an academically challenging curriculum." Despite minority pre-service teachers' strong commitment to creating more just schools and helping children of color academically, their experience in teacher education programs is not necessarily satisfactory. Several studies have focused on the silencing process in teacher education programs in general, yet, little is known about what minority pre-service teachers actually experience in a multicultural education class in particular. Since interaction is a two-way communication, it is important to analyze how White students' ways of communication is received, reacted, and responded to by minority students and vice versa. This study investigates what kind of interaction takes place between minority and White pre-service teachers in a multicultural education class and how this interaction impacts minority pre-service teachers' participation in class. During the data collection, three important themes emerged: (1) frustration; (2) despair; and (3) fear. This study indicates that the minority students had difficulty positioning themselves among the overwhelming silencing power of Whiteness in a multicultural education class. The participants had a lot to say about the topics discussed in class, but were dominated by their White peers, lost hope witnessing the White peers' naivete, and were fearful of retaliation and ostracism. All of these factors contributed to their silence. (Contains 1 note. (ERIC).
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Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2017/4/10