ABSTRACT

This chapter introduces the notion of social justice as representation and describes its relationship to official and subjugated knowledge about urban education. It provides suggestions for how to apply this perspective within the context of urban pre-service teacher education programs. The chapter also provides a theoretical framework for the development of programs focused on urban teacher preparation by drawing on key ideas from cultural studies, semiotics, feminist theory, and political philosophy. A social justice approach to urban teacher preparation should view the development of teachers’ attitudes and beliefs about urban teaching, families, and communities as a primary concern. As such, programs should expose candidates to practical strategies for engaging with all kinds of parents/caregivers as equal partners and advocates for their children. Teacher education programs that claim to be committed to social justice must be willing and able to describe and defend the pedagogical and sociopolitical commitments on which they are built.