Beyond the Discourse of Deficit: An Educator's Alternative in Pursuit of Social Justice

Authors

Elyse Hambacher, University of New HampshireFollow
Winston Charles Thompson, University of New HampshireFollow

Abstract

The popular model of “deficit thinking” in education blames students’ family structure, cultural and linguistic background, and community for the disparities in rates of success. By accepting such a simplistic explanation of blaming the child for a lack of success without examining systemic inequities, deficit thinkers ignore real and complex issues of structural inequity. In this paper, we share an ethnographic account of Mrs. Bentley, a teacher who has worked with students who have historically floundered in school, as she reacts to and resists deficit thinking. This account is complemented by a critical, conceptual philosophical analysis of Ms. Bentley’s views and practices towards suggesting alternatives to the deficit model for educators, teacher educators, and policymakers, alike.

Department

Education

Publication Date

4-17-2015

Publisher

American Educational Research Association

Document Type

Conference Proceeding

Recommended Citation

Hambacher, E. & Thompson, W. C. (2015, April). Beyond the discourse of deficit: An educator’s alternative in pursuit of social justice. Presented at the American Educational Research Association. Chicago, IL.