LAWRENCE — As summer break draws to an end, teachers are preparing their classroom for a new school year. To better understand their students, teachers can benefit from better understanding themselves. New research from the University of Kansas has found that when student teachers examined their own identities — including race, ethnicity, gender and social class — during study abroad, they developed stronger empathy with students.
For nearly a decade, Hyesun Cho, professor of curriculum & teaching, has led a summer study abroad program in which student teachers teach English as a foreign language in Korean high schools. She and Josh Hayes, doctoral candidate and graduate research assistant, led research in which they had the student teachers conduct identity journey mapping, which consists of visual maps and written narratives, during their internships in Korea. Findings showed the activity allowed them not only to better understand themselves but also make deeper connections with their Korean students that led to more meaningful educational experiences for both groups.