Journal article
Nothing nice about it: Critiquing Midwest nice in teacher education
Journal of curriculum and pedagogy, Vol.21(4), pp.467-490
10/2024
DOI: 10.1080/15505170.2022.2136804
Abstract
In teacher education, critical scholars have lamented how "niceness" hinders progress toward social and racial justice. A place characteristic of this "niceness" is the Midwestern region of the United States, which the dominant narrative paints as overly agreeable and free of racial inequities. This image overlooks the rampant systemic racism that is foundational to the entire country, allowing the Midwest to tout an ideological stance of Midwest nice-a race-evasive semblance of social and political politeness that is seemingly harmless. This conceptual article draws on critical race theory and critical geographies of race to analyze how Midwest nice influences Midwestern teacher education programs. By conceptualizing two teacher education sites-educator praxis (an input) and student evaluations of teaching (an output)-we consider the particular plight of Women of Color critical scholars instructing preservice teachers in the Midwest. We subsequently explore what this critique of Midwest nice means for the field, arguing that teacher education programs in the Midwest perpetuate racial inequity and violence through Midwest nice. Ultimately, we urge a teacher education program to institutionally support efforts that expose and disrupt Midwest nice's preservation of social and racial injustice.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Nothing nice about it: Critiquing Midwest nice in teacher education
- Creators
- Saba Khan Vlach - University of IowaArCasia D. James-Gallaway - Texas A&M UniversityBrittany L. Frieson - University of North Texas at Dallas
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Journal of curriculum and pedagogy, Vol.21(4), pp.467-490
- Publisher
- Routledge
- DOI
- 10.1080/15505170.2022.2136804
- ISSN
- 1550-5170
- eISSN
- 2156-8154
- Language
- English
- Electronic publication date
- 11/02/2022
- Date published
- 10/2024
- Academic Unit
- Teaching and Learning
- Record Identifier
- 9984371120402771
Metrics
16 Record Views