Becoming Culturally Relevant Educators: Alumni Perspectives on Their Preparation in a Social Justice Teacher Education Program

Teacher education programs are adopting social justice frameworks to better prepare preservice teachers to serve Students of Color. To explore the impact of social justice frameworks on teacher preparation, this study interviewed 10 alumni from a California teacher education program. Alumni were interviewed to obtain their perspectives of their role to serve Students of Color and their preparation to become social justice and culturally relevant educators. Their experiences highlighted key areas that positively affected their preparation and others that needed improvement. Participants identified peer and advisor support as instrumental to their growth and development. The program’s student-centered approach and emphasis on critical reflection continue to inform participants’ current classroom practices. Participants would have liked to receive more instruction on intersectional identities, specifically queer identities and students with disabilities. In addition, participants asked for more classroom management strategies and better access to mental health resources. The findings confirmed that Teachers of Color are committed to serving Communities of Color and more easily align to social justice values of the program. They also revealed a dynamic between racial/ethnic identity and the confidence to be culturally relevant. Based on the data, participants shared a responsibility to serving students from marginalized communities and believed in the power of CRP, but need more explicit instruction and strategies for executing social justice/culturally relevant practices in the classroom