By Karyn Unger

1. Gorski, Paul C. “The Scholarship Informing the Practice: Multicultural Teacher Education Philosophy and Practice in the United States.” International Journal of Multicultural Education 12.2 (2010): 1-22. Paul C. Gorski. eFolio Minnesota. Web. 2 Feb. 2012. <http://ijme-journal.org/index.php/ijme/article/view/352/513>.

Research Problem: Little research exists regarding the outlooks and consciousness of multicultural teacher education (MTE) practitioners, those who devise and facilitate MTE experiences. Therefore, we know little about the theoretical frameworks that are taught in MTE courses. Hence, we lack knowledge regarding the multicultural education frameworks that educators are prepared to apply in their classrooms. Furthermore, our ability to name the resources that best prepare multicultural teacher educators is also limited.

Research Questions: Which scholarly and trade literature do multicultural teacher educators in the U. S. identify as most influential to their MTE practice? What does this literature suggest about the dispositions and frameworks that multicultural teacher educators are carrying into their practice?

Data Collection Procedure: 220 multicultural teacher educators took an online survey that consisted of seven demographic questions and three “resource” questions. The resource questions asked the participants to cite books, Web sites, films, conferences, and other sources that have greatly influenced their MTE work. Gorski focused his study on the responses to the following survey items. The participants were asked to name:

1. up to two books they would recommend to somebody with little previous knowledge about multicultural education, social justice education, and related topics.

2. up to two books they would recommend to somebody with moderate previous knowledge about these topics.

3. up to two magazines/journals that have been most helpful to them in their MTE work.

Findings: Based on the multicultural teacher educators’ survey responses, Gorski found that MTE practice is influenced by a range of philosophical and theoretical frameworks, particularly liberal and critical approaches. This suggests that theory-practice inconsistencies are not caused by a lack of critical consciousness among MTE practitioners, but rather by problems in the contexts in which they attempt to deliver MTE, particularly resistance to neoliberal influences in teacher education. Gorski also discovered that literature centering race and racism is more influential to the philosophy and practice of MTE than that focused on other identities and oppressions. This implies that MTE practitioners possess greater knowledge about race and racism than about other identities and oppressions and would therefore benefit from professional development opportunities directed towards these other issues.

2. Garii, Barbara, and Audrey Rule. “Integrating Social Justice with Mathematics and Science: An Analysis of Student Teacher Lessons.” Teaching and Teacher Education 25 (2009): 400-99. Print.

Research Problem: Student teachers have difficulty planning lessons that fully incorporate social justice into mathematics and science content. Yet integrating social justice with mathematics and science curriculum helps students develop the tools of critical thinking, scientific contextualization, and mathematical rigor in addition to empowering them to recognize and start to redress societal oppression and marginalization.

Research Questions: The researchers sought to determine:

1. The pedagogical techniques student teachers utilize to incorporate social justice into science and mathematics curriculum

2. The types of social justice themes student teachers address

3. How to help student teachers design and implement successful social justice understanding in K-12 science and mathematics curriculum through appropriate academic content

Data Collection Procedure: The researchers performed a content analysis of 26 student teachers’ mathematics or science lessons displayed in poster presentations. The posters were examined for the following elements:

1. How were science or mathematics ideas connected to social justice concepts?

2. What was the essential social justice message of the lesson?

3. Were the mathematics or science concepts well taught by the lesson?

4. What were the strengths and weaknesses of the lesson in teaching both social justice and mathematics or science?

Findings: The 26 student teachers implemented four pedagogical approaches to combine social justice and mathematics: data analysis, discussion, modeling, and library/internet investigation. In addition, the student teachers included three key social justice themes in their lessons: diversity and system disparities in human communities and in stewardship of earth. The researchers found that 4 of the 10 elementary lessons and 14 of the 16 secondary lessons taught academic content through an appropriate social justice lens. However, the lessons focused on either the social justice themes or academic content, but not both. Also, 2 elementary lessons and 1 secondary lesson contained erroneous academic content. Furthermore, only 5 of the elementary and secondary lessons successfully taught both academic and social justice content. Therefore, deeper content knowledge, faculty lesson modeling/reflection, and more practicum placements are recommended for student teachers.

3. Esposito, Jennifer, and Ayanna N. Swain. “Pathways to Social Justice: Urban Teachers’ Uses of Culturally Relevant Pedagogy as a Conduit for Teaching for Social Justice.” Perspectives on Urban Education (2009): 38-48. Print.

Research Problem: Urban teachers face challenges as they implement culturally relevant pedagogy. Yet culturally relevant pedagogy serves two important purposes:

1. Draws on students’ home cultures to help them succeed in school

2. Fosters teachers’ ability to enable their students to think critically about the injustices inherent in schools and the broader society.

Culturally relevant pedagogy is linked to social justice education, which helps students form:

1. A sociopolitical consciousness

2. A sense of agency

3. Positive social and cultural identities

Research Questions: The researchers hoped to discover:

1. How do our urban educators perceive the meaning of teaching for social justice?

2. What does teaching for social justice in urban classrooms involve?

Data Collection Procedure: The participants in the study were seven African American urban teachers identified as having an interest in culturally relevant pedagogy and social justice issues. The teachers possessed varying degrees of teaching experience and either held a master’s degree or were in the process of pursuing a master’s degree. The researchers conducted two one-three hour interviews with each of the participants as well as a two-hour focus group session. In addition, the researchers used the constant comparison method, which permitted them to make decisions about how to proceed with the study based on previously collected data. They analyzed the participants’ responses through a coding scheme that included over 50 categories and subcategories.

Findings: The researchers found that the participants utilized culturally relevant pedagogy to meet three main goals of social justice pedagogy: sociopolitical consciousness, sense of agency, and positive social and cultural identities. Through doing so, the participants guided their students in thinking critically about how social justice affects their lives. However, the participants also cited school reform models, teacher risks, and time involvement and lack of resources as challenges associated with teaching for social justice. Nonetheless, the study suggests that while the constraints in urban schools disseminate the injustices of social reproduction, culturally relevant and social justice pedagogies help prepare students to effect change in the communities and the larger society.