Instructional, Institutional, and Sociopolitical Challenges of Teaching Multicultural Teacher Education Courses

Abstract

Despite growing scholarly attention to multicultural teacher education, most scholarship focuses on teacher education students rather than those who are preparing them to teach multiculturally. This study, a grounded theory exploration of data from a survey (N = 70) of multicultural teacher educators, represents an attempt to shift some of that focus to the challenges faced by those teaching multicultural teacher education courses. Findings support many of the challenges named, but rarely empirically studied, in the literature, including the prevalence of student resistance. However, the findings revealed challenges to existing presumptions, such as evidence that the primary challenge to the implementation of sound multicultural teacher education is not a lack of multicultural sensibility in multicultural teacher educators, but the myriad challenges impeding their abilities to deliver learning experiences that are consistent with their visions for multicultural education. Implications, including those regarding professional and support opportunities available to multicultural teacher educators, are discussed.