Anti-racism is an imperative for those committed to a world and planet free of the manifestations... more Anti-racism is an imperative for those committed to a world and planet free of the manifestations of racial oppression. This correspondence between two critical women teacher educators illustrates ideologically aligned 'work friends' theorising anti-racist pedagogy in the context of heightened sociopolitical uncertainty. We explore creative possibilities for uncertainty-oriented anti-racist pedagogy vis-à-vis the aims of inquiry-based, social justice teacher preparation. We co-develop pedagogical insights using an antiracist intersectional frame as an analytical lens for reviewing teaching artefacts, reflecting on lived experiences, and posing probing questions. Eschewing feigning pedagogical mastery, we employ the epistolary form to reflexively interrogate the nexus of antiracism, pedagogy, uncertainty, and teacher education. This exchange contributes (a) an intersectional framework for the practice of antiracist pedagogy, and (b) a model for the emergent, dialogic process of letter writing as a tool for critical collaborative teacher inquiry.
Qualitative observation is an attempt to view and interpret social worlds by immersing oneself in... more Qualitative observation is an attempt to view and interpret social worlds by immersing oneself in a particular setting. Observation draws on theoretical assumptions associated with the interpretivist paradigm. Thus, researchers who engage in qualitative observations believe that the world cannot be fully known, but must be interpreted. Observation is one way for researchers to seek to understand and interpret situations based on the social and cultural meanings of those involved. In the field of education, observation can be a meaningful tool for understanding the experiences of teachers, students, caregivers, and administrators. Rigorous qualitative research is long-term, and demands in-depth engagement in the field. In general, the research process is cyclical, with the researcher(s) moving through three domains: prior-to-field, in-field, and post- or inter-field. Prior to entering the field, the researcher(s) examine their assumptions about research as well as their own biases, a...
The field of music education has historically constructed 'professional' music educator i... more The field of music education has historically constructed 'professional' music educator identity as divorced from historical, political, and moral commitments, categorizing these responsibilities as components of 'personal identity. This strategic dissection of identity is in direct opposition to the tenets of Social Justice Education (SJE). In an effort to move toward more inclusive curricula and classroom practice, there has been significant emphasis on multiculturalism over the last fifty years. While the aims of multiculturalism are noble, efforts at highlighting other cultures often become tokenistic in practice and, as such, do not engage with the social and political critique that are central to SJE. Previous research has centered on the merits and practical elements of teaching multicultural perspectives of music, as well as the socialization of pre-service music teachers into the professional field. Recently, however, a few scholars have begun to call for a crit...
Abstract: There is little qualitative research regarding the preparation of music educators to te... more Abstract: There is little qualitative research regarding the preparation of music educators to teach in culturally diverse or different settings. Existing literature suggests that there are issues surrounding personal vs. professional identity within the field that may have an effect on the music educator’s view regarding issues of race, gender, socioeconomic status, and sexuality within the classroom and curriculum. This article is an exploration of the above statements utilizing data from a semester-long study with senior music education majors (participant observation and interviews). Analysis centers on what Spradley (1980) describes as fundamental aspects of ethnographic study: cultural artifacts, cultural behavior, and cultural knowledge. Areas of particular interest include: identity tools that these pre-service teachers bring to the profession, how they conceive of personal/professional identity, and where the limits might exist for their capacity for teaching in culturally ...
The International Journal of Critical Pedagogy, 2016
In this article, authors propose a framework for social justice in preservice teacher education t... more In this article, authors propose a framework for social justice in preservice teacher education that differs from traditional approaches to diversity related courses. Rather than a sole focus on the ‘isms’, such as racism or classism, five distinct yet simultaneously occurring components are offered for the paradigm. First, this approach to social justice must continuously examine students’ autobiographical experiences. Learners interpret new information through their personal, socially constructed lenses, and it is thus crucial to help them identify and unpack their complex experiences. Second, we call for an organization by topics of concern for dismantling inequity, such as understanding systemic injustices within schools and outside of schools; the social construction of identity; and examining both how and what we teach. Third, we incorporate the critical analysis of media in order to better understand the ways issues are constructed and upheld in the dominant hegemonic culture...
In “Creative Schools: The Grassroots Revolution That’s Transforming Education,” Sir Ken Robinson ... more In “Creative Schools: The Grassroots Revolution That’s Transforming Education,” Sir Ken Robinson lays out a framework and set of considerations for doing just that: transforming education. Those familiar with Robinson’s work will recognize his signature style of humour. However, the tone of this book is quite serious. In the book, he provides a thorough analysis of the current state of education in America. He does this by proposing a shift from an industrial metaphor for schooling, to one of organic farming. In this new metaphor, education can be...
This chapter, “How ‘Identity Play’ Protects White Privilege: A Meta-Ethnographic Methodological T... more This chapter, “How ‘Identity Play’ Protects White Privilege: A Meta-Ethnographic Methodological Test,” presents the findings of a 2013 meta-ethnographic analysis on White identity in preservice teachers (PSTs), as well as a methodological test of those findings in light of recent publications on Second-Wave White Teacher Identity Studies (SWWTIS). In the 2013 meta-ethnography, the authors first found a reciprocal argument in which the authors described similar tools or strategies by which White PSTs defended their own privilege. Through further reflexive interpretation, the authors then found a line of argument that situated the multiple theories used in the studies as contested spaces in a larger figured world of whiteness. In testing findings from 2013 against recently published studies on SWWTIS, the authors found that the earlier study anticipated a shift in thinking and theorizing within the field.
ABSTRACT In this article, we demonstrate that arts integration holds unique promise and benefits ... more ABSTRACT In this article, we demonstrate that arts integration holds unique promise and benefits for helping rural teachers to provide more equitable arts opportunities for their students. These benefits include: professional network development in the service of both curricular development for arts integration and connecting teachers who often work in isolation; additional funding to allow for collaborative planning; and introduction to arts experiences and cultural resources for use in arts-integrated unit planning and implementation. We describe the Perpich Arts Integration Project—an innovative, state-funded program centered on a Collaborative Arts Integration Framework in three rural regions of Minnesota. Then, through data collected via a three-year longitudinal program documentation and evaluation, we describe several themes that we have identified about the implementation of arts integration in rural schools. Finally, we will describe a series of considerations and implications for rural schools seeking to implement such a program in the future.
Anti-racism is an imperative for those committed to a world and planet free of the manifestations... more Anti-racism is an imperative for those committed to a world and planet free of the manifestations of racial oppression. This correspondence between two critical women teacher educators illustrates ideologically aligned 'work friends' theorising anti-racist pedagogy in the context of heightened sociopolitical uncertainty. We explore creative possibilities for uncertainty-oriented anti-racist pedagogy vis-à-vis the aims of inquiry-based, social justice teacher preparation. We co-develop pedagogical insights using an antiracist intersectional frame as an analytical lens for reviewing teaching artefacts, reflecting on lived experiences, and posing probing questions. Eschewing feigning pedagogical mastery, we employ the epistolary form to reflexively interrogate the nexus of antiracism, pedagogy, uncertainty, and teacher education. This exchange contributes (a) an intersectional framework for the practice of antiracist pedagogy, and (b) a model for the emergent, dialogic process of letter writing as a tool for critical collaborative teacher inquiry.
Anti-racism is an imperative for those committed to a world and planet free of the manifestations... more Anti-racism is an imperative for those committed to a world and planet free of the manifestations of racial oppression. This correspondence between two critical women teacher educators illustrates ideologically aligned 'work friends' theorising anti-racist pedagogy in the context of heightened sociopolitical uncertainty. We explore creative possibilities for uncertainty-oriented anti-racist pedagogy vis-à-vis the aims of inquiry-based, social justice teacher preparation. We co-develop pedagogical insights using an antiracist intersectional frame as an analytical lens for reviewing teaching artefacts, reflecting on lived experiences, and posing probing questions. Eschewing feigning pedagogical mastery, we employ the epistolary form to reflexively interrogate the nexus of antiracism, pedagogy, uncertainty, and teacher education. This exchange contributes (a) an intersectional framework for the practice of antiracist pedagogy, and (b) a model for the emergent, dialogic process of letter writing as a tool for critical collaborative teacher inquiry.
Qualitative observation is an attempt to view and interpret social worlds by immersing oneself in... more Qualitative observation is an attempt to view and interpret social worlds by immersing oneself in a particular setting. Observation draws on theoretical assumptions associated with the interpretivist paradigm. Thus, researchers who engage in qualitative observations believe that the world cannot be fully known, but must be interpreted. Observation is one way for researchers to seek to understand and interpret situations based on the social and cultural meanings of those involved. In the field of education, observation can be a meaningful tool for understanding the experiences of teachers, students, caregivers, and administrators. Rigorous qualitative research is long-term, and demands in-depth engagement in the field. In general, the research process is cyclical, with the researcher(s) moving through three domains: prior-to-field, in-field, and post- or inter-field. Prior to entering the field, the researcher(s) examine their assumptions about research as well as their own biases, a...
The field of music education has historically constructed 'professional' music educator i... more The field of music education has historically constructed 'professional' music educator identity as divorced from historical, political, and moral commitments, categorizing these responsibilities as components of 'personal identity. This strategic dissection of identity is in direct opposition to the tenets of Social Justice Education (SJE). In an effort to move toward more inclusive curricula and classroom practice, there has been significant emphasis on multiculturalism over the last fifty years. While the aims of multiculturalism are noble, efforts at highlighting other cultures often become tokenistic in practice and, as such, do not engage with the social and political critique that are central to SJE. Previous research has centered on the merits and practical elements of teaching multicultural perspectives of music, as well as the socialization of pre-service music teachers into the professional field. Recently, however, a few scholars have begun to call for a crit...
Abstract: There is little qualitative research regarding the preparation of music educators to te... more Abstract: There is little qualitative research regarding the preparation of music educators to teach in culturally diverse or different settings. Existing literature suggests that there are issues surrounding personal vs. professional identity within the field that may have an effect on the music educator’s view regarding issues of race, gender, socioeconomic status, and sexuality within the classroom and curriculum. This article is an exploration of the above statements utilizing data from a semester-long study with senior music education majors (participant observation and interviews). Analysis centers on what Spradley (1980) describes as fundamental aspects of ethnographic study: cultural artifacts, cultural behavior, and cultural knowledge. Areas of particular interest include: identity tools that these pre-service teachers bring to the profession, how they conceive of personal/professional identity, and where the limits might exist for their capacity for teaching in culturally ...
The International Journal of Critical Pedagogy, 2016
In this article, authors propose a framework for social justice in preservice teacher education t... more In this article, authors propose a framework for social justice in preservice teacher education that differs from traditional approaches to diversity related courses. Rather than a sole focus on the ‘isms’, such as racism or classism, five distinct yet simultaneously occurring components are offered for the paradigm. First, this approach to social justice must continuously examine students’ autobiographical experiences. Learners interpret new information through their personal, socially constructed lenses, and it is thus crucial to help them identify and unpack their complex experiences. Second, we call for an organization by topics of concern for dismantling inequity, such as understanding systemic injustices within schools and outside of schools; the social construction of identity; and examining both how and what we teach. Third, we incorporate the critical analysis of media in order to better understand the ways issues are constructed and upheld in the dominant hegemonic culture...
In “Creative Schools: The Grassroots Revolution That’s Transforming Education,” Sir Ken Robinson ... more In “Creative Schools: The Grassroots Revolution That’s Transforming Education,” Sir Ken Robinson lays out a framework and set of considerations for doing just that: transforming education. Those familiar with Robinson’s work will recognize his signature style of humour. However, the tone of this book is quite serious. In the book, he provides a thorough analysis of the current state of education in America. He does this by proposing a shift from an industrial metaphor for schooling, to one of organic farming. In this new metaphor, education can be...
This chapter, “How ‘Identity Play’ Protects White Privilege: A Meta-Ethnographic Methodological T... more This chapter, “How ‘Identity Play’ Protects White Privilege: A Meta-Ethnographic Methodological Test,” presents the findings of a 2013 meta-ethnographic analysis on White identity in preservice teachers (PSTs), as well as a methodological test of those findings in light of recent publications on Second-Wave White Teacher Identity Studies (SWWTIS). In the 2013 meta-ethnography, the authors first found a reciprocal argument in which the authors described similar tools or strategies by which White PSTs defended their own privilege. Through further reflexive interpretation, the authors then found a line of argument that situated the multiple theories used in the studies as contested spaces in a larger figured world of whiteness. In testing findings from 2013 against recently published studies on SWWTIS, the authors found that the earlier study anticipated a shift in thinking and theorizing within the field.
ABSTRACT In this article, we demonstrate that arts integration holds unique promise and benefits ... more ABSTRACT In this article, we demonstrate that arts integration holds unique promise and benefits for helping rural teachers to provide more equitable arts opportunities for their students. These benefits include: professional network development in the service of both curricular development for arts integration and connecting teachers who often work in isolation; additional funding to allow for collaborative planning; and introduction to arts experiences and cultural resources for use in arts-integrated unit planning and implementation. We describe the Perpich Arts Integration Project—an innovative, state-funded program centered on a Collaborative Arts Integration Framework in three rural regions of Minnesota. Then, through data collected via a three-year longitudinal program documentation and evaluation, we describe several themes that we have identified about the implementation of arts integration in rural schools. Finally, we will describe a series of considerations and implications for rural schools seeking to implement such a program in the future.
Anti-racism is an imperative for those committed to a world and planet free of the manifestations... more Anti-racism is an imperative for those committed to a world and planet free of the manifestations of racial oppression. This correspondence between two critical women teacher educators illustrates ideologically aligned 'work friends' theorising anti-racist pedagogy in the context of heightened sociopolitical uncertainty. We explore creative possibilities for uncertainty-oriented anti-racist pedagogy vis-à-vis the aims of inquiry-based, social justice teacher preparation. We co-develop pedagogical insights using an antiracist intersectional frame as an analytical lens for reviewing teaching artefacts, reflecting on lived experiences, and posing probing questions. Eschewing feigning pedagogical mastery, we employ the epistolary form to reflexively interrogate the nexus of antiracism, pedagogy, uncertainty, and teacher education. This exchange contributes (a) an intersectional framework for the practice of antiracist pedagogy, and (b) a model for the emergent, dialogic process of letter writing as a tool for critical collaborative teacher inquiry.
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