ERIC Number: ED646750
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 2022
Pages: 185
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: 979-8-8340-9138-7
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
The White Elephant in the Classroom: A Case Study on Understanding Whiteness to Become an Antiracist Teacher in the Rural Classroom
Jean A. Little
ProQuest LLC, Ed.D. Dissertation, The University of Memphis
While the public-school classroom has increasingly become more diverse, the teaching population has not. Research studies on race and its role in the classroom have been necessary considering the predominantly white teaching force and the opportunity gap that exists in the education outcomes of students of color and that of their white peers; furthermore, a gap in rural and urban studies on white teachers working with students of color provided the additional impetus for the study. This study seeks to add to the emerging field of second-wave white teacher identity studies. The purpose of this case study was to discover the ways in which white rural teachers were engaging in anti-racist teaching and challenging systemic racism by understanding their perceived biases and beliefs about race. By using a Critical Race Theory lens but situating the study as a second wave white teacher study, this study is significant by providing an asset-based examination of how white rural teachers have worked to understand their whiteness and are engaging in culturally responsive pedagogy with antiracist teaching practices as a means of challenging institutionalized racism in rural schools and communities. Using an interview protocol, field notes, and researcher journal, the following themes became evident in this study: (1) the lack of pre-service preparation or in-service professional development in understanding the structures of whiteness or racism in education, (2) the lack of space and leadership for white teachers to unpack feelings and reflect upon race, (3) the use of antiracist teaching practices, (4) the awareness that rural, majority white, schools need antiracist education for teachers and students. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2222/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]
Descriptors: Rural Education, White Teachers, Racism, Teacher Attitudes, Culturally Relevant Education, Professional Identity, Teaching Methods, Public Schools, Elementary Secondary Education, Teachers, Professional Development, Preservice Teacher Education, Educational Environment
ProQuest LLC. 789 East Eisenhower Parkway, P.O. Box 1346, Ann Arbor, MI 48106. Tel: 800-521-0600; Web site: http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2222/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml
Publication Type: Dissertations/Theses - Doctoral Dissertations
Education Level: Elementary Secondary Education; Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A