The need for cultural awareness and racial equity in all levels of schools means now is the time to prepare for teaching with an understanding of how your classroom’s settings can shape students’ race and social relations. To help you be that leader of change with your future students, start with options to complete the Ethnic Studies Pathway in your GSOE Teacher Education Program—including choosing specially designed courses outside of the program.
Choose to complete the Pathway with either a combination of Pathway and UCR Extension courses or with UCR Extension courses alone and focus on multiple topics of your choice in race and ethnicity. Get a general introduction to concepts and issues, or focus specifically on these theories and concepts from a K-12 perspective. Understand pedagogy and genealogy of ethnic studies from an academic perspective, or take it a step further by adding a study of their application. Learn about racism, racial inequity, and racial justice initiatives in K-12 schools, including building your racial literacy to understand how racism develops in classrooms. Study literature from Paulo Freire and others discussing the contradictions of knowledge and power in education, or learn how to best apply that pedagogy. Or focus on gaining more hands-on experience to solidify the concepts learned so far by volunteering at a local school and working particularly with Chicana/o students or using your preservice hours. Whether you decide to fulfill your Ethnic Studies Pathway with some or all courses described here, you’ll have a firm grasp of the theory and practice of racism and racial justice to create the kind of scholastic environment that fosters equity and opportunity.
What you’ll Learn
- An introduction to either race and ethnicity concepts or theories and concepts in racial, class, and gender inequalities within a K-12 context
- Either an introduction to pedagogies of ethnic studies for a K-12 environment or an introduction to pedagogies of ethnic studies and practical application in a K-12 environment
- Racism and racial justice either from a historical perspective or in relation to racial inequity
- Pedagogy around the contradictions of knowledge and power in educational institutions and either related academic research or practical applications
- Pedagogy and disparate outcomes with Chicana/o students through either preservice hours or weekly volunteering sessions
Who Can Benefit
This program is designed for pre-service teacher education candidates enrolled in the GSOE Teacher Education Program – Ethnic Studies Pathway. In-service P-12 educators, education administrators, and civic and community leaders are also encouraged to apply.