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Abstract

Much of the literature on model minority discourse focuses on impacts of this stereotype on students. Though the Asian American teacher population is small, it is useful to consider how this stereotype also affects the work of Asian American teachers, their identities, and their pedagogy. This article examines how two Southeast Asian American teachers envision teaching for social justice. Although it appears that these two teachers are products of the model minority stereotype because they have succeeded educationally, a closer examination of their educational pathways reveals that many obstacles, including poverty and a lack of English fluency, could have easily prevented them from being educationally successful if not for the intervention of their teachers. Analyzing these teachers’ narratives allows us to reflect on how the model minority stereotype produces moments of tension for Asian American educators. At the same time, an examination of these teachers’ dedication to teaching and mentoring low-income students of color allows us to imagine a post-model minority moment, where Asian American teachers disrupt the model minority stereotype by working to advance the education of all students of color.

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