Analyzing Sources of Bias for Teacher Preparation

The purpose of this study is for pre-service teachers to begin the process of critical self-reflection that is so necessary as they begin to gain more autonomy in their field placements and student teaching. However, a critical self-awareness is merely the first step. To truly understand the prejudice that a person has, one must seek to discover why this prejudice exists and from where it comes. Prejudice is internal and it can be argued that an internal belief does not have an impact on external relationships. Prejudice, unfortunately, often manifests as discrimination or prejudice. If a teacher can authentically examine his/her/their prejudice, then perhaps the outcome can be a less discriminatory classroom culture.