On the whitewashing of third space in teacher education, or Don't cite this article

• Published in: Teaching and teacher education Vol. 152; p. 104786
• Main Author: Beck, Jori S.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 01.12.2024
• Subjects: Postcolonialism; Teacher residency; Third space; Whitewashing; Postcolonialism; Whitewashing; Third space; Teacher residency
• ISSN: 0742-051X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.tate.2024.104786

Since the 1980s, there has been a push in teacher education to increase clinical experiences and build closer relationships between school districts and colleges of education. In 2010, Zeichner introduced the theory of Third Space to school-university partnership research. This was followed by a number of other articles in which the researchers applied the same theory—including in much of the work on teacher residencies. In this theoretical critique and brief systematic literature review, I connect Third Space theory back to its postcolonial roots and attribute the Scholars of Color who created the theory. I unpack the theory's original intent and critique research written by white teacher educators who whitewashed the theory. To accomplish this goal, I compiled the ten most cited articles on Third Space in teacher education research in a brief, focused review of the literature. I convey how this whitewashing has also occurred in work on teacher residency programs. I then present potential ways for addressing this whitewashing including means of addressing racism, power, oppression, and politics and highlight recent work on Third Space that has moved this goal forward. •Third Space theory has been white washed.•Critique of Third Space teacher education research.•Suggestions for attending to racism, power, oppression, and politics.