Preparing a New Wave of Critical and Socially Just Educators

Reflections of a Teacher Educator

Authors

  • Colleen Hill The University of Arizona

Keywords:

teacher education, critical dialogue, collaboration, literacy practices, equity

Abstract

Moving towards collective liberation requires dedication and change at every level and in all capacities. As a teacher educator, I seek to cultivate allies, activists, and critical educators within the educational space that I currently occupy. This space includes the ELA methods courses located within my current institution. Students within these courses engage in multiple activities and assignments that require them to think about and question their identities and practices that have become systemic and normalized within education. These activities and assignments are only starting points though. More intentional work needs to be done across these courses and teacher preparation programs to ensure that teachers are prepared to go out into schools and be allies and advocates for their students.

Author Biography

Colleen Hill, The University of Arizona

Colleen Hill currently works in teacher preparation at the University of Arizona. Her primary role involves teaching the ELA methods courses to pre-service teachers majoring in elementary education. Colleen also teaches early childhood education courses for New Mexico State University-Alamogordo. She is dedicated to working alongside future teachers. Colleen is also active in other capacities within these two institutions, having co-chaired the Graduate Student Colloquy committee this past year. She maintains a presence in the K-12 community through conducting professional development sessions and supervising practicum students on occasion. Colleen’s current research interests include understanding how whiteness operates within teacher preparation, specifically that of pre-service teachers.

Published

2021-12-23

Issue

Vol. 4 No. 1 (2021): Educators Moving Towards Collective Liberation

Section

Dialogues