“I don’t really see any Asian culture around me”: exploring three Latina prospective early Education professionals’ cultural competence for working with Asian/Asian American communities

Although prospective early education professionals’ (PEEPs) cultural competence is receiving attention and Asian/Asian Americans (A/AA) are the fastest-growing racial/cultural groups in the United States, little research exists about PEEPs’ cultural competence working with A/AA communities. Based on three PEEPs from a West Coast region, this qualitative study analyzed two-course projects—ABC (Autobiography, Biography, and Critical comparison) and Children’s Picturebook Projects—to examine their cultural competence in working with A/AA communities. The findings indicate that PEEPs exhibited mixed and somewhat conflicting perceptions of and attitudes toward A/AA communities. It was also found that PEEPs’ authentic experiences were rather limited; however, they continued to make efforts to develop their cultural knowledge. Additionally, PEEPs were able to identify children’s picturebooks about A/AA communities and develop pedagogical strategies for both A/AAs and beyond. This study suggests that, recognizing a wide range of PEEPs’ lived experiences, educator preparation programs should provide cultural competence training and/or professional development for PEEPs.