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Abstract
Studies on novice teachers’ experiences enacting equity orientations in their school contexts demonstrate the stronghold that white supremacy has on education, as the new professionals face ongoing challenges in finding resources, collaborative peers, and/or administrative support in teaching for social justice. These studies have largely focused on examining the influence teacher preparation programs have on new teachers’ practices or assessing the extent to which the teachers translate and enact the espoused social justice commitments of their university preparation program. However, there remains a need to understand the process through which new teachers negotiate institutional discourses based on their own critical perspectives of what they deem to be important issues in their specific school contexts. Two research questions guided the study: (1) How does a novice teacher negotiate her professional goals and institutional discourses as an equity-oriented teacher? (2) In what ways do her colleagues participate in her efforts to enact her equity orientations? Data collection consisted of conversational interviews, observations, and artifacts. Critical narrative analysis was employed to analyze the data. Analysis revealed three main equity-oriented antidotes the teacher used to address problematic issues that she identified in her context, including: emphasizing qualitative goals through curricular and instructional development, prioritizing authentic relationships with students, and demonstrating vulnerability to promote positive learning environments. These findings are discussed in depth and shed light on how white dominant culture appears within the context of school. Implications and discussion offer suggestions for educators and teacher educators supporting critical work.