The integration of social justice in teacher education: dimensions of prospective teachers' opportunities to learn

This article examines the integration of social justice in teacher education and defines dimensions of teachers' opportunities to learn. Findings come from a comparative case study of two elementary teacher education programs: the Teachers for Tomorrow's Schools Program at Mills College and the Teacher Education Intern Program at San Jose State University. Combining concepts from sociocultural theory and a theory of justice for the conceptual framework, this study illustrates how these programs addressed social justice in university courses and how teachers' opportunities to learn varied across specific dimensions. Specifically, this article highlights teachers' opportunities to develop conceptual and practical tools related to social justice as emphasizing the needs of students identified by their membership in educational categories and the needs of students identified by their status in oppressed groups. In addition, it addresses how variation in teachers' opportunities informed their conceptions of students and their preparation. Keywords: teacher education; social justice; multicultural education; sociocultural theory; teacher preparation
Vanessa, a student teacher in Oakland, California, begins a writing lesson by reading The Owl Moon. She instructs her first and second graders to snap when they recognize a descriptive [...]