Chapter 27: Learning to Teach Against Whiteness: Towards a True Criticality

This critical, evocative auto-ethnographic chapter details my attempts to teach against White Social Studies. I graduated from a teacher education program focused on developing critical and justice-oriented teachers and initially engaged Teaching as Escape choosing to avoid a critical examination of race. Over time my teaching shifted to Teaching as Triumphal Resistance where I centered content of People of Color. Unfortunately, this told a too easy narrative of success draining the complexity and reality of the history. Finally, my teaching grew into Teaching as Constant Resistance. This teaching focused on an honest engagement in the complexities of racism and resistance indicating that racism continues despite strong historical resistance and it needs to be resisted still.