Copyright by Seon-Young Kim 2014 The Dissertation Committee for Seon-Young Kim Certifies that this is the approved version of the following dissertation: The Negotiation of Sociocultural Identities of Elementary-School Teachers in South Korea through Their Teaching with Multicultural Background Students Committee: Keffrelyn D. Brown, Supervisor Sherry L. Field, Co-Supervisor Noah De Lissovoy Luis Urrieta, Jr. Diane L. Schallert The Negotiation of Sociocultural Identities of Elementary-School Teachers in South Korea through Their Teaching with Multicultural Background Students by Seon-Young Kim, B.Ed.; M.Ed. Dissertation Presented to the Faculty of the Graduate School of The University of Texas at Austin in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy The University of Texas at Austin December 2014 Dedication For teachers, who (will) teach students with a vision for equity and justice in and through education. Acknowledgements This dissertation would not have been possible without the support of people around me. I am truly grateful to everyone who has led me to this end of my dissertation. To begin, I would like to acknowledge my committee members. Thank you to my supervisor, Keffrelyn D. Brown, whose kind guidance and keen insights at every stage of this study were crucial to its accomplishment. I was greatly encouraged by her mentorship and sharing time; how blessed I am to have her as my supervisor! Sherry L. Field, who has been in my heart since the first semester of my doctoral program, bolstered me to keep this long journey. The vivid memories of the precious conversations at her office will keep lightening my path. I appreciate that I have connected to Noah De Lissovoy whom I learned critical perspectives and caring heart from. He consistently challenged me to be a thoughtful person. Luis Urrieta Jr. broadened my view on identity and teaching. It was an amazing gift that I experienced deep impressions in his classes along with his warm encouragement which energized me for my study. I was impressed by Diane L. Schallert who shared her expertise and simultaneously demonstrated a deep sense of humility. She taught me invaluable lessons beyond just academic approaches to discourse. This book of dissertation and my doctorate owed a debt to the office of education to which I has belonged. If the office did not allow me to have a break for the doctoral program, I could not have even started this study. I also want to acknowledge its support given to me during four years of my program. First and foremost, I want to thank the four teachers for their participation to my study: Sae-Ra, Do-Jin, Seong, and Yoo-Jeong. I cannot even describe how much their plain narratives and unaffected practices contributed to this study. I highly acknowledge the v passion and effort they showed, and sincerely ask them to understand my intention to figure out ways to help the four teachers and teachers beyond them be critical educators. Of course, I cannot miss expressing thanks to my friends, colleagues, and mentors in The University of Texas at Austin, Austin in Texas, Bay area in California, and all around the world including South Korea. They sustained, comforted, encouraged, and inspired me by incredible ways. I wish each of them could receive my thanks. I would like to especially thank my writing friends because their extraordinary help was very important to my degree fulfillment. The support from my family cannot be overly stressed. My mother-in-law, Gab-Jo Bae, my father, Kwang-Soo Kim, and my mother Gum-Ja Shin, recognized and cheered me with abundant love and endless prayers. I also wish to thank my sister-in-law, sisters, brothers-in-law, brother, and nephews for their encouragement. My husband, Hoo, who made me enjoy this work was the very perfect bless for me. With his love and support, I was able to achieve my doctorate. My precious children, Bon and Sunny, should deserve my big thanks. Because I cannot find any other words for their sacrifices, let me express my appreciation with saying that I love you and thank you for being my children. Finally, I thank God for opening my eyes to where, what, and whom You care about. vi The Negotiation of Sociocultural Identities of Elementary-School Teachers in South Korea through Their Teaching with Multicultural Background Students Seon-Young Kim, Ph.D. The University of Texas at Austin, 2014 Supervisor: Keffrelyn D. Brown Co-Supervisor: Sherry L. Field This ethnographic narrative study explored the agent negotiation process of teachers with regards to their sociocultural identities. This study drew from two theoretical frameworks: social practice theory of identity for analysis of its negotiation process and critical multiculturalism as a yardstick to discuss teachers’ sociocultural identities and practices. More specifically, this research examined the sociocultural identities of teachers in South Korea in the context of rapid multicultural change in South Korean society. The following question guided this research inquiry: How do elementary-school teachers in South Korea negotiate their own sociocultural identities through their teaching with multicultural background students? Participants included four elementary school teachers in South Korea during summer 2013: two homeroom South Korean female teachers, one single subject South Korean male teacher, and one bilingual Korean-Chinese female teacher. Data collected in vii the study came from four (4) interviews, four-six (4-6) classroom observations, and document analysis. This study analyzed the context of multiculturalism and larger societal discourses found in South Korea, each participant-teachers’ sociocultural identities, and the process of teachers’ negotiation of their identities accompanied by their teaching practices. The results offered three main findings about the attribution of sociocultural identity: (1) the influence of sociocultural factors and relations on teachers’ sociocultural identities, (2) the teachers’ role as an agent in the negotiation process and their possibilities to transform their identities by confirming new sociocultural understandings, (3) teaching practices as a tool reflecting as well as enhancing teachers’ sociocultural identities. Based on the findings of dynamic interplay between social context and individual actions, several implications were drawn out in terms of appropriate conditions and methods for teachers’ critical sociocultural identity (trans)formation, a new perspective on the meaning of teaching practice, transformation of educational contexts, and future research, which are necessary for critical multicultural education that pursues social justice and equity. viii Table of Contents List of Tables ....................................................................................................... xiii Chapter 1 Introduction ..........................................................................................1 Background of The Study ...............................................................................1 Research Question ..........................................................................................5 Clarifying Key Concepts ...............................................................................9 Singnificance.................................................................................................11 Chapter 2 Context, Theoretical Framework, and Literature Review ..................14 The Multicultural Context of South Korea ...................................................14 Increasing Diversity and Current Situation..........................................14 Multicultural Education .......................................................................17 Teachers' Sociocultrual Backgrounds ................................................ 22 Sociocultural Identity ....................................................................................24 Overview of Sociocultural Perspective on Identity .............................25 Sociocultural Identities in Figured Worlds ..........................................28 Negotiating Sociocultural Identities ....................................................30 Teachers' Sociocultural Identities and Teaching Practice ....................34 Critical Multicultural Education .................................................................40 Critical Multicultualism .......................................................................40 The Political Nature of Education ........................................................44 Critical Multicultural Curriculum ........................................................46 Chapter 3 Methodology ......................................................................................53 Research Paradigm........................................................................................53 Ethnographic Narrative ...............................................................................55 Participants and Research Sites ....................................................................57 Participants ...........................................................................................58 Research Sites ......................................................................................60 Data Sources and Collection .........................................................................65 Data Analysis ................................................................................................67 ix Trustworthiness