Abstract

In this thesis, I ask white art educators to consider race and racial identity as important aspects in education. Based on teaching experience and the study of theory in contemporary art and social science, my research indicates that pre-service and practising teachers may need to re-examine their cultural assumptions and identify their racial bias and the ways these may impact on their teaching practice. For white teachers, that involves understanding the concept of whiteness and white privilege. I argue that it is especially important for teachers to consider their racial identity when working with a culturally and racially diverse student population. Through analysis and discussion of social theories concerning whiteness, multiculturalism, and education, I make recommendations for the adoption of an anti-racist approach in teaching art. I conclude by suggesting that training programs should assist teachers in understanding how their values and assumptions may be informed by race, and how unexamined beliefs can affect their selection in curriculum content, pedagogical approach and impact on student performance.