This study takes place at a middle school in Charleston County, South Carolina. The study examines how White women educators make sense of being exposed to the content in "Don't Let Them Be Misunderstood", a professional development about Culturally Responsive Classroom Management (CRCM). Guided by sensemaking theory and the dispositions…

This qualitative case study with added autoethnography investigated how White women literacy instructors conceptualized their professional roles, responsibilities, and identities while teaching in Texas postsecondary institutions near the U.S. southern international border. Postsecondary institutions in Texas continually serve a growing number of…

This research explores the experiences of White counselor educator mentors (WCEM) for female counselor educators (FCE) of a different culture. The purpose of this study is to give voice to WCEM in the cross-cultural mentorship relationship. Further, it benefits those who may engage in cross-cultural mentorship in higher education while adhering to…

Niceness is a socialized disposition, particularly amongst white women, that prioritizes comfort and neutrality while preventing resistance against oppressive systems. Given the demographics of teachers and teacher educators, niceness and whiteness are deeply embedded in programs and institutions. As eight white, female teacher educators, we drew…

Drawing on ethnographic data of an urban school, this paper contrasts how two White female teachers take up the idea of 'teaching for social justice.' Fourth-grade teacher Maestra Rachel enacts a superficial understanding focused solely on curricular topics, while third-grade teacher Maestra Jennifer roots her teaching in an understanding of how…

This qualitative case study investigated how two White female preschool teachers, who were familiar with anti-bias pedagogy, discussed gender non-conformity using a book in their classrooms. The book discussions were audio-recorded and transcribed. Teachers challenged some of the children's gender stereotypes about gender non-conformity; however,…

Achieving equitable educational outcomes for Black and Brown students was at the core of this research. Scholarly work on the persistence of disparate educational outcomes among Black and Brown students rarely contended with a stunning demographic. While U.S. public school students are increasingly diverse, the teaching force in grades K-5 is…

This study explores the stories of White, female teachers to understand moments of critical consciousness around race during childhood experiences that may have supported strong relationships with students of color in their teaching careers. Qualitative methods were employed to collect and analyze the stories of five White, female teachers in an…

This qualitative research study examined the experiences of two Black female teachers and six White female teachers who participated in five Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) workshops that incorporated Open Studio Process (OSP) using Expressive Therapy Continuum (ETC). It is informed by research on defensiveness and resistance that often…

In this article, I start with an overview of two major events in 2020--the Coronavirus and the murder of George Floyd to contextualize White women's engagement in anti-racist work. I make meaning of the learning process for other White Women as I reflect and analyze my own learning experiences using autoethnography. I offer an overview of critical…

Educator shortages have become a reality in public education, and, while research has documented reasons teachers leave the profession, there has been limited research into why teachers choose to stay. The purpose of this study was to identify factors that keep teachers who serve in Title I schools in the profession to their mid-career (10-15…

Black males continue to be the lowest-performing subgroup on state standardized tests in the United States of America. A very large majority of teachers are White females. This study examined the impact of White female teachers' beliefs and actions on the achievement of Black male students. Data was collected via interviews with White female…

The purpose of this qualitative study was to develop a deeper understanding of how Black women experience graduate education. Drawing on concepts from contemporary literature, this work highlights how Black women in graduate education experience the complexities of race, gender, and class. The findings provided insights into the untold stories of…

White supremacy and domination are the backbone foundation of the United States and have been long documented in its history. The prevalence of whiteness and white supremacy is not isolated to social situations or commerce but fundamentally ingrained in the education system. While "Brown v. the Board of Education" abolished the notion of…

Despite institutional claims to value increased racial diversity in higher education, Black women in faculty roles perpetually navigate oppressive cultures across all institutional types. The ability to build and foster mutually beneficial interracial mentoring relationships is vitally important to move beyond performative diversity and build…