Understanding the institutional, struggling with the personal: White bilingual teachers learning about race in multiple spaces

ABSTRACT

This study focuses on the personal experiences and contexts that influenced the racial awareness of three White bilingual teachers. Using Bourdieu’s theories of habitus and field and discourse analysis as a framework, this study sought to understand: (1) how and which contexts contributed to a White teacher’s understanding of racial constructs such as institutionalised racism, White privilege, and oppression; and (2) how and which aspects of their pre-service teacher education programme deepened their understanding of these issues. Findings suggest that study participants entered the program with disparate understandings of institutionalised racism, struggled with their privilege, or did not place themselves within the discourse on White privilege. Additionally, findings showed that the courses necessary for bilingual certification pushed study participants to consider what it means to be a White bilingual teacher.

KEYWORDS:

• Teacher education
• racial discourse
• White teachers
• bilingual teacher education
• Bourdieu

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).