Chapter 13: Preparing Culturally Responsive Middle Level Educators to Engage in Critical Conversations: Preservice Teachers Learning in an Integrated Curriculum Course

Creating a safe space for middle level teacher candidates to explore their identities as they recognize community and cultural knowledge from young adolescents vastly different from theirs is essential. All young adolescents bring various backgrounds and experiences into the classroom with them, and culturally relevant pedagogy gives teachers an opportunity to share counter-stories and display the importance of community. This chapter focuses on the clinical practices and methods used in an integrated curriculum course to stimulate conversations among middle level teacher candidates about cultural diversity. Teacher education does not always explore and delve into the issues facing marginalized students and what makes learning happen for them, thus I challenged my middle level teacher candidates to examine their identities through class discussion and activities centered on diversity and culture.