Feeling and dealing: Teaching white students about racial privilege

Abstract

In order to determine to what extent a one-semester course in multicultural education could help white teacher education students develop a white anti-racist identity, interview data and course writings from five participants enrolled in Education 205 were collected and then analyzed qualatively according to attitudes and behaviours described in Helms (1990) [Black and white racial identity: Theory, research and practices. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press] model of white racial identity development. Results indicate that Education 205 seemed to served as a catalyst for development of students' racial identities, but more than one course is needed to guide and support white students as they progress towards further development of a positive white anti-racist identity. Copyright © 1996 Elsevier Science Ltd.