Using Film to Develop Preservice Teachers' Racial Literacy in a Predominantly White Institution

Using Film to Develop Preservice Teachers' Racial Literacy in a Predominantly White Institution

Cathryn Devereaux, Kristen Hawley Turner
Copyright: © 2023 |Pages: 25
DOI: 10.4018/978-1-6684-5394-0.ch003
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Abstract

Unlike reading a traditional text, where readers rely on their own experiences and interpretations to understand another's point of view, film is an evocative tool that invites individuals to develop powerful connections to diverse stories. In this chapter, the authors, two teacher educators—one Black and one white—intentionally used film as core text to develop preservice teachers' (PSTs) racial literacy in a Master of Arts in Teaching “diversity” course. Running the course as a journey of discovery, the authors used film-based texts to provoke thought, prompt self-reflection, and ignite inquiry into the relationship between power and identity, guiding PSTs through a self-excavation process. By reflecting on their own racial literacy development and placing their distinct perspectives and experiences in conversation with one another, the authors collaboratively ground their pedagogy in five key elements: (1) creating safe spaces, (2) reading film as text, (3) engaging in critical conversations, (4) practicing self-reflection, and (5) presenting inquiry results in authentic ways.
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Introduction

When reflecting on her personal teaching practices, bell hooks (1996) noted how she came to the realization that her students “learned more about race, sex and class from movies than from all the theoretical literature [she] was urging them to read” (p. 3). Indeed, film is a powerful tool for engaging preservice teachers (PSTs) to interrogate their identities and their understanding of diversity. This chapter unpacks the use of film as a tool to develop PSTs’ racial literacy.

In this context, the term film is used to describe various film-based sources, including feature films, documentaries, internet videos, commercials and advertisements, and public service announcements. The authors intentionally used film as core course text in a course titled “Diversity in Schools, Families, and Communities,” a course that might be seen as meeting a “diversity” requirement in a Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) program. The authors – one Black and one white – taught this course across three summers in a predominantly white institution (PWI). Their distinct perspectives ground the conversation in this chapter; their collaboration grounds the pedagogy that is shared.

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