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Landscapes of Learning and Teaching: Reading with the Narratives of Novice Teachers of Color

Carin Appleget, University of Nebraska - Lincoln

Abstract

Novice teachers of color (TOC) in predominantly White programs of teacher preparation have experiences as students and developing teachers that are uniquely related to their racial, linguistic and cultural backgrounds. These experiences may not be noticed, understood or valued by their predominantly White teacher educators. The purpose of this qualitative narrative inquiry was to explore what I have learned, as a White teacher educator, from novice teachers of color (TOC) as they told their past and present stories of schooling and learning. A narrative approach allowed me to retell the stories shared by each participant in their voice and to come alongside the participants to include my narrative as a way to make my reflections visible as well. Because the heart of narrative inquiry lies in relationships, four novice TOC who were previously enrolled in an elementary literacy methods course taught by me, and participated in a Future Teachers of Color group sponsored by me, were the participants in this study. Each participated in an interview, focus group, classroom observation, and member checking. Based on the narrative inquiry work of Connelly and Clandinin (2002) and the racial and cultural positionality framework suggested by Milner (2007), my narrative as a White teacher educator was included to reveal my responses, changes, and reflexivity throughout the study. In final analysis, repeated and salient themes and perceptions that captured the narrative of each participant are presented. Additionally, the ways tensions and truths of participants and myself bumped into the spaces of Critical Whiteness Studies and Critical Race Theory are discussed. The personal, practical, and social implications of this study show the ways in which novice TOC, elementary teachers, and teacher educators may "rethink and reimagine the ways in which they practice and the ways in which they relate to others" (Clandinin, 2013).

Subject Area

Multicultural Education|Elementary education|Teacher education

Recommended Citation

Appleget, Carin, "Landscapes of Learning and Teaching: Reading with the Narratives of Novice Teachers of Color" (2019). ETD collection for University of Nebraska-Lincoln. AAI13861349.
https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/dissertations/AAI13861349

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