Research: “I’ve always had the abolitionist spirit in me”: Preservice Teachers of Color and Pedagogies of Abolitionist Praxis

Abstract

This year-long ethnographic study explores how two ELA preservice teachers of color enacted pedagogies of abolitionist praxis—centering teaching and learning to and through an abolitionist praxis of identifying and dismantling surveillance, criminalization, and punishment—via the areas of curriculum and instruction, relational work, and organizing and activism. When enacting pedagogies of abolitionist praxis, with specific attention to curriculum and instruction, three findings were identified. First, both teachers purposely and strategically designed their curriculum and instruction to explicitly teach an abolitionist praxis, yet they did so via distinct approaches. Next, the teachers rooted their curriculum and instruction in a radical Black, Indigenous, and feminist imaginary to teach about but, more importantly, teach against carceral practices, policies, and ideologies. Last, both teachers facilitated youth-led action research projects that centered present and future world-building actions. This study provides implications for the education and support of preservice teachers and for K–12 teacher practice.