Making Meaning of Whiteness: Exploring the Racial Identity of White Teachers (Suny Series, the Social Context of Education)

Describes how a group of white female student teachers examined their "whiteness" and developed ways of thinking critically about race and racism in educational practice. McIntyre describes how a group of white middle- and upper-middle-class female student teachers examined their "whiteness" and how they, as current and future educators, might develop teaching strategies that aim to disrupt and eliminate the oppressiveness of white privilege in education. The group analyzed ways of making meaning about whiteness and thinking critically about race and racism, and explored how racial identity is implicated in the formation and implementation of teaching practices. "Considering that 80 percent of all teachers in this country are white and the student population continues to become more and more diverse, it is imperative that those responsible for shaping our future society take a long, hard look at how they fit into a racist system."-- Maria V. Zavala, Department of Psychology and Education, Mount Holyoke College "This is an essential contribution to the social sciences in general and to multicultural educators in particular." -- Kent Koppelman, Department of Education, University of Wisconsin - La Crosse "Alice McIntyre has given us a very helpful teaching tool. By holding up to us our own words, McIntyre strives to deepen our own responsibility for race relations." -- Christine E. Sleeter from the Foreword This book presents an inside look at the "white talk" of teacher education students, presenting information from an action research project in which student teachers and faculty explored white racial identity, examined the meaning of whiteness, and confronted the difficulties of thinking critically about race and racism. The book strives to deepen the responsibility of white persons for race relations. Chapter 1, "Multicultural Antiracist Education and Whiteness," links multicultural antiracist education to white racial identity and the system of whiteness. Chapter 2, "Participatory Action Research," describes a research methodology that provided project participants with a way to reflect on white racial identity and the meaning of whiteness. Chapter 3, "Making My Whiteness Public," elaborates on a teacher's personal engagement as a white participant researcher. Chapter 4, "White Talk," Chapter 5, "Constructions of Whiteness," and Chapter 6, "Teacher Image," examine the principal ways that participants illuminated and distorted each other's understandings of the meanings of whiteness. Chapter 7, "Implications for Research and Teaching Practice," discusses the significance of what can be learned by conducting such a project with white female student teachers aimed at making meaning of whiteness. (SM) Describes How A Group Of White Female Student Teachers Examined Their Whiteness And Developed Ways Of Thinking Critically About Race And Racism In Educational Practice. Mcintyre Describes How A Group Of White Middle- And Upper-middle-class Female Student Teachers Examined Their Whiteness And How They, As Current And Future Educators, Might Develop Teaching Strategies That Aim To Disrupt And Eliminate The Oppressiveness Of White Privilege In Education. The Group Analyzed Ways Of Making Meaning About Whiteness And Thinking Critically About Race And Racism, And Explored How Racial Identity Is Implicated In The Formation And Implementation Of Teaching Practices--amazon.com. Multicultural Antiracist Education And Whiteness -- Participatory Action Research -- Making My Whiteness Public -- White Talk -- Constructions Of Whiteness -- Teacher Image -- Implications For Research And Teaching Practice. Alice Mcintyre. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 177-186) And Index. Describes how a group of white female student teachers examined their'whiteness'and developed ways of thinking critically about race and racism in educational practice.McIntyre describes how a group of white middle- and upper-middle-class female student teachers examined their'whiteness'and how they, as current and future educators, might develop teaching strategies that aim to disrupt and eliminate the oppressiveness of white privilege in education. The group analyzed ways of making meaning about whiteness and thinking critically about race and racism, and explored how racial identity is implicated in the formation and implementation of teaching practices.Alice McIntyre is Assistant Professor in the Graduate School of Education and Allied Professions at Fairfield University.