Breaking the cycle of couscous pedagogy: Are future teachers empowered to teach in multicultural societies?

Abstract

Despite the increasing racial diversity within British and Spanishsocieties, teacher education and school curricula continue to beEurocentric and taught by predominantly White teachers. Thisquantitative research sought to explore the perceptions of studentteachers in relation to their attitudes and preparedness to teach inethnically diverse school contexts. Data were gathered at two uni-versities, one in Southern Spain and the other in NorthwestEngland. The article employs critical race theory and critical white-ness studies as frames to understand outcomes of an online ques-tionnaire. The majority White student teacher sample across bothcountries register an acceptance of racial diversity and report theneed for better preservice teacher education in this respect. Despitepreservice teachers’ positive responses to racial diversity, teachereducation in both countries fails to equip them for increasinglydiverse classrooms. This failure serves to replicate the enactmentof whiteness and, does not develop student teachers’ stated com-mitment to racial diversity.