“Black Women are the Mules of the World”: Black Women Professors of Practice in Teacher Education Programs

Abstract

At the intersection of labor and racial equity in teacher preparation, Black women professors of practice (PoPs) find that they carry an excessive workload without a similar measure of compensation or recognition. The unique experiences of these Black contingent faculty provide a view from the margins regarding the simultaneity (Collins, 2002) of oppressions that are hidden from mainstream perceptions within teacher preparation, particularly through a raced and gendered lens. Through an autoethnographic approach, we reveal how our negotiations for respect, visibility and impact on pre-service teachers are navigated within larger institutional structures situated within the academy. This reflexive process provides us, as research practitioners, a socially conscious pathway (Ellis et al., 2011) towards both impactful practice and means for substantive contributions to investigating the often-hidden labor of Black women professors of practice within post-secondary institutions. While exploring how we were positioned as ‘mules’ of teacher preparation at our previous institution, we amplify experiences that hitherto are alluded to in the literature, thematically reflecting our scarce numbers, low access to professional advancement and lack of job security. We conclude with recommendations both for Black women PoPs about the nature of this work, the reality of its weight, and considerations on behalf of the academy relative to pathways for professionalizing and honoring Black women professors of practice in teacher education programs.