PUBLIC PEDAGOGY AND CONFLICT PEDAGOGY: SITES OF POSSIBILITY FOR ANTI ...

310 Pages·2016·2.66 MB·English

PUBLIC PEDAGOGY AND CONFLICT PEDAGOGY: SITES OF POSSIBILITY
FOR ANTI-OPPRESSIVE TEACHER EDUCATION

by

TINA GUTIEREZ-SCHMICH

A DISSERTATION

Presented to the Department of Education Studies
and the Graduate School of the University of Oregon
in partial fulfillment of the requirements
for the degree of
Doctor of Philosophy

June 2016
DISSERTATION APPROVAL PAGE

Student: Tina Gutierez-Schmich

Title: Public Pedagogy and Conflict Pedagogy: Sites of Possibility for Anti-Oppressive
Teacher Education

This dissertation has been accepted and approved in partial fulfillment of the
requirements for the Doctor of Philosophy degree in the Department of Education
Studies by:

Jerry Rosiek Chairperson
Mia Tuan Core Member
Joanna Goode Core Member
Erik Girvan Institutional Representative

and

Scott L. Pratt Dean of the Graduate School

Original approval signatures are on file with the University of Oregon Graduate School.

Degree awarded June 2016

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© 2016 Tina Gutierez-Schmich
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons
Attribution-NonCommercial (United States) License.

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DISSERTATION ABSTRACT

Tina Gutierez-Schmich

Doctor of Philosophy

Department of Education Studies

June 2016

Title: Public Pedagogy and Conflict Pedagogy: Sites of Possibility for Anti-Oppressive
Teacher Education

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) students, students of
color, and students with disabilities are failing school and being pushed out at much
higher rates than majority population students while also experiencing high rates of
bullying, harassment, and physical violence in school. This study explores efforts to
reduce the violent experiences and academic disparities for these students through
teacher practice at the classroom level. It examines public pedagogy and conflict
pedagogy as curricular strategies in a preservice teacher education course over 5 years.
The course aims to develop and support an advocate/activist teacher identity, a teacher
identity that is not neutral and can challenge and disrupt the ideas and practices that have
become normalized in our schools.
This research draws on three theoretical frameworks to inform the design and
analysis of this study on teacher identity: poststructuralism, feminist pragmatism, and
queer theory. These theories provide a conceptual vocabulary for critically examining
both multicultural and anti-oppressive teacher education curricula. Specifically, this
work looks at the way public and conflict pedagogy can be used to achieve anti-
oppressive curricular ends through the potential impact on preservice teacher identity.
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CURRICULUM VITAE

NAME OF AUTHOR: Tina Gutierez-Schmich

GRADUATE AND UNDERGRADUATE SCHOOLS ATTENDED:

University of Oregon, Eugene
Gonzaga University, Spokane, WA

DEGREES AWARDED:

Doctor of Philosophy, Education Studies, 2016, University of Oregon
Master of Science, Conflict and Dispute Resolution, 2016, University of Oregon
Master of Public Administration, Planning, Public Policy, and Management,
2005, University of Oregon
Bachelor of Arts, Educational Studies, 2002, University of Oregon

AREAS OF SPECIAL INTEREST:

Conflict and Dispute Resolution
Gender and Sexuality Studies
Curriculum Studies

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE:
Equity Director, Bethel School District, 2014–present
Instructor, University of Oregon, 2012–2016
Conflict and Dispute Resolution Specialist, University of Oregon, 2007–2014
Education Consultant, Head Start of Lane County, 1998–2011
GRANTS, AWARDS, AND HONORS:
University of Oregon, Martin Luther King Jr. Award, 2011
University of Oregon, College of Education, Janette Gunther Drew Scholarship,
2014

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University of Oregon, College of Education, Lucinda Jane Criswell Scholarship,
2013
University of Oregon, College of Education, Silvy Kraus Presidential
Fellowship, 2012, 2013
University of Oregon, College of Education, Rose Gross Scholarship, 2011, 2013
University of Oregon, College of Education, Daniels Family Scholarship, 2010,
2011, 2012
University of Oregon, College of Education, Clare Wilkins Chamberlin
Memorial Scholarship, 2010
University of Oregon, John R. Moore Scholarship, 2012
University of Oregon, College of Education Diversity Award, 2014
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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I wish to express sincere love and appreciation for my children who gave up a
great deal for me to pursue my dream of a higher education. I am grateful to the elders in
my family who made significant sacrifices so their grandchildren could pursue their
dreams in the United States. Lori, thank you for always believing in my dreams. Thank
you Julie, for allowing me access to your teaching, creativity, and passion. You have
provided unending support.

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This work is dedicated to my children Benjamin, Dustin, and Meredith, who have been
my greatest teachers.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Chapter Page

I. INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................... 1
II. LITERATURE REVIEW ....................................................................................... 12
Teacher Identity ..................................................................................................... 12
Personal and/or Professional Teacher Identity Scholarship ............................ 15
Intersectional Teacher Identity Scholarship .................................................... 15
Teacher Identity and Poststructuralism Scholarship ....................................... 17
Teacher Identity as Activist Scholarship ......................................................... 19
Antioppressive Education ..................................................................................... 20
Antioppressive Education in Preservice Teacher Education ........................... 23
Public Pedagogy .................................................................................................... 25
Conflict Pedagogy ................................................................................................. 29
Summary ............................................................................................................... 36
III. RESEARCH METHODS ...................................................................................... 39
Teacher Identity ..................................................................................................... 39
Poststructuralism ............................................................................................. 39
Feminist Pragmatism ....................................................................................... 40
Queer Theory ................................................................................................... 41
Summary ......................................................................................................... 42
Methodologies ....................................................................................................... 43
Participants and Research Setting ......................................................................... 45
Data and Data Collection Process ......................................................................... 46
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Chapter Page

Interviews ........................................................................................................ 46
Weekly Reading Reflections and Field Journals ............................................. 48
Materials and artifacts ..................................................................................... 49
Observation ..................................................................................................... 49
Techniques for Analyzing, Interpreting, and Processing Data .............................. 49
Summary ......................................................................................................... 51
Limitations of Proposed Methods ......................................................................... 53
IV. COURSE DESCRIPTION .................................................................................... 54
History ................................................................................................................... 54
Naming Heteronormativity in Teacher Education ................................................ 55
Naming an Activist Teacher Identity in Teacher Education ................................. 56
Naming and Sustaining Crisis as Curriculum ....................................................... 56
A Curriculum of Anti-oppression Teacher Activism ............................................ 57
A Curriculum of Outsider Praxis ........................................................................... 59
Queering Field Experience and the Curriculum of Public Pedagogy ................... 59
Development and Incorporation of Conflict Pedagogy into the Curriculum ........ 61
Equal Opportunity: Education as Homophobia Curricular Goals ......................... 62
Crisis ................................................................................................................ 62
Uncertainty ...................................................................................................... 62
Healing ............................................................................................................ 63
Activism .......................................................................................................... 63
Course Content ...................................................................................................... 63
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