The racial and ethnic diversity of faculty in the United States is not keeping pace with that of students. Still, the majority of faculty are white despite improvement over the past twenty years (Davis & Fry, 2019). The need for faculty to enhance their cultural awareness and multicultural efficacy in higher education is evident…

This co-authored qualitative case study explores the problem of teachers connecting with their students especially at the middle school level. While research has established the need for teachers to better understand the background experiences of their students, more research is needed to explore the value of place-based professional development…

This co-authored qualitative case study explores the challenge of teachers connecting with their students at the middle school level, especially when White teachers serve predominantly African-American students in large urban metropolitan areas like St. Louis, Missouri. While research has established the need for teachers to better understand the…