Gloria S. Boutte

Beyond the Illusion of Diversity: How Early Childhood Teachers Can Promote Social Justice

Whereas professional organizations recognize the centrality of diversity in school curricula and instructional practices and most educators conceptually agree, little of this information and ideology is translated into classrooms. When examining the ethos in most schools, the valuation of diversity is not readily apparent in teacher attitudes, instructional practices, curricula, and school policies. Although rapidly changing demographics and accompanying negative performance trends of students from nonmainstream backgrounds implore educators to consider issues of diversity and equity, teachers give little or no substantive attention to sociocultural and sociopolitical issues that mediate teaching and learning in an increasingly diverse world. In this article the author encourages educators to envision and enact new legacies on behalf of humanity. The author discusses issues of social justice along with pedagogical strategies and includes examples from micro and macro levels of society.

Perspectives, Voices, and Worldviews in Frequently Read Children's Books

Research Findings: This study content analyzed 29 frequently used childrens books in pre-kindergarten through 3rd- grade classrooms. Although the books included European and African American literature, none of the 29 books addressed other ethnic groups in the United States, and only two included international perspectives. Male and middle socioeconomic status themes dominated the book collection. An inductive theme analysis was conducted to determine overt themes that may obscure or make the underlying ideologies of the books less apparent. Three common themes emerged: (a) early childhood education content and skills, (b) imagination/fantasy/humor, and (c) d ispositions/morals/life lessons. Going beyond the three initial themes and examining implicit cultural affirmations provided additional insights. Books were examined to determine if they affirmed the cultural worldviews of African American children, who made up nearly 50% of the districts population. Not surprisingly, 23 of the 29 books (79%) were rated as having low representations of African American culture. Practice or Policy: We conclude that in addition to teaching children to enjoy books, educators can actively help their young charges recognize and deconstruct prevailing inaccurate, incomplete, and negative images and information. Equally important is an examination of the unspoken subtexts and ideologies regarding the roles and importance of U.S. and world populations.

Advice to White Allies: Insights from Faculty of Color.

This article interweaves discussions of successes and tensions surrounding cross-racial collaborative social justice efforts in teacher education. It addresses frustrations that often occur for faculty of Color when working with White allies in P-12 settings and schools of education at Predominantly White Institutions. Advice is offered with the larger goal of helping White allies think about ways to shift the gaze from educators’ politics to the wellbeing of culturally and linguistically diverse students. Suggestions for how White allies can better support faculty of Color are presented.

Double-Talking: The Complexities Surrounding Black Male Teachers as Both Problems and Solutions

Simultaneously drawing from DuBois’ timeless question, “How does it feel to be a problem?” (DuBois, 1990[1903], p. 7) and contemporary notions that Black males are the solution to solving social and educational troubles in the Black community such as gang violence, high school dropout rates, and fatherless homes (Duncan, 2011), we focus on the positioning of Black males in the discourse on teacher recruitment and retention. While acknowledging the need to recruit and retain Black male teachers, we explore the weightiness of viewing Black males as the panacea for educational and social issues in schools such as disproportionate dropout and expulsion rates for students of color and youth involvement in gangs. We identify both challenges and opportunities faced by Black males and capture the complex and sometimes contradictory discourses. Particular attention is given to deconstructing the “double-talk” (Black males as both a problem and a solution) which positions Black male teachers as both the crisis and the savior/superhero.

Critical racial literacy in homes, schools, and communities: Propositions for early childhood contexts

Grounded in critical and emancipatory theories, five critical ethnographies about the lives of children, grandchildren, colleagues, students, and teachers are analyzed and synthesized to illuminate the ways in which individuals are racially socialized over their lifespans. Three propositions for early childhood contexts were apparent across the studies: (1) racial identity and dysconsciousness are learned over time and across multiple spaces; (2) critical racial literacy is a complex, cyclical, and sometimes contradictory process; and (3) critical racial literacy demands acknowledging and confronting blind spots. Building on these propositions, the authors present implications for enacting practices that promote critical racial literacy in early childhood education settings around the globe.

Exploring Culturally Relevant/Responsive Pedagogy as Praxis in Teacher Education

For more than 30 years, education scholars have examined teaching practices and developed theories that center the cultural ways of being and knowing for historically marginalized youth (Au & Mason, 1983; Gay, 2000; Irvine, 2002; LadsonBillings, 1995, 2009; Moll, Amanti, Neff, & Gonzalez, 1992). Collectively, these practices and theories are known as asset-based pedagogies in which students’ cultural frames of reference and funds of knowledge are viewed as strengths and drawn upon in the learning process. Unlike traditional teaching and schooling practices grounded in the history of assimilation (Williamson, Rhodes, &Dunson, 2007), asset-based pedagogies allow for deliberate efforts toward cultural understandings, critiques of social injustices, and liberatory action. Teachers and teacher educators have been inspired by what it means to make teaching and learning relevant and responsive to the languages, literacies, and cultural practices of culturally and linguistically diverse students (Milner, 2011; Paris, 2012). Although meeting the needs of culturally and linguistically diverse students has been a large focus of contemporary teacher education research (Villegas & Irvine, 2010; Zeichner, 2003), culturally relevant/responsive pedagogy (CRP) has been marginalized primarily due to curricula and pedagogical efforts that stem from neoliberal business models of school reform (Sleeter, 2012). Teacher education programs would benefit from a substantive examination of cumulative hegemonic reinforcements that are inherent in their policies and practices. Close examination of many teacher education programs reveals that the focus on issues of equity and CRP is typically superficial and not supported by practices, instruction, curriculum, policies, and dispositions of teacher educators (Boutte, 2012; Darling-Hammond, 2000). Like promising efforts in P–12 schools, teacher education programs need to be systemic in their implementation of CRP as well. Planning well-thought-out field experiences for preservice teachers (coupled with coursework that provides adequate information, strategies, and understandings of individual and structural inequities) is essential for helping prospective teachers learn to negotiate and succeed in culturally and linguistically diverse classrooms (Bakari, 2003; Boutte, 2012; Kidd, Sanchez, & Thorp, 2008).

Cultural sensitivity: How important is it for effective home visits?

The implementation of home visits as a technique for involving parents has recently resurfaced. This educational trend has received additional emphasis as the nation attempts to meet the national education goals — particularly the first goal, which states, “By the year 2000, all children will enter school ready to learn.”