"I Never Would Have Noticed It Before": The Possibilities of Critical Discussion Groups for Teacher Candidate Policy Engagement. Issue 3 (March 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Hara, May
• Is Part Of: Education and urban society. Volume 52:Issue 3(2020)
• Page Start: 343
• Page End: 364
• Publication Date: 2020-03
• Subjects: teacher education -- educational policy -- critical discussion group -- critical social theory; Education, Urban -- Periodicals; 370.11505
• DOI: 10.1177/0013124519846278
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0013-1245

Abstract

Teacher candidates are central to the implementation of educational policy in schools, but receive little professional training around policy in their teacher education coursework or in their practicum experiences in the field. In examining this disconnect, this article explores the following questions: What do teacher candidates know about educational policy at the beginning of their student teaching practica? How do they envision their role with respect to policy? How does their participation in a critical discussion group around educational policy influence their perspectives? This article draws on qualitative data from a group of teacher education candidates enrolled in a student teaching practicum in Massachusetts. Analysis illustrates how teacher candidates make sense of educational policy via their university experiences and their field placements. Data suggest that critical discussion groups have potential to support increased capacity around teacher candidate policy engagement.