Much has been written about how race and the demographic mismatch of mostly white teachers teaching mostly Black and brown students has contributed to the over-disciplining of this same population of students. Further, research has shown that when students have teachers of the same race they are less likely to experience exclusionary discipline…

This dissertation makes a significant contribution to the literature for several reasons. In paper one, I argue that learning a set of useful concrete practices, in addition to CRP mindsets, can help White scholars and educators prepare to lead diverse classrooms, build culturally relevant curricula, and form strong relationships with students…

This qualitative case study examined exit-credential papers from a teacher preparation program to explore how pre-service teachers discussed racial positionality in relation to teaching for social justice. Framed by a Critical Whiteness perspective, the pre-service teachers' papers revealed that out of the cohort of twenty-four, only seven White…

This qualitative study explored the experiences, and specifically the challenges, of white elementary student teachers in an urban setting. One of the most interesting findings from this study involved the varied levels of engagement with the school curriculum. Although every Urban Student Teacher (UST) embraced the curriculum, data showed…

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…

Employing a multiple instrumental case study approach, we document and analyze initiatives in Saskatchewan and New Zealand to enhance cultural responsiveness among White educators through professional learning initiatives undertaken as part of broader strategies to animate more equitable educational outcomes for Indigenous students. The findings…

Decolonisation is a socio-political movement which challenges Eurocentrism and post-colonial notions of power. This has numerous implications for higher education institutions (HEIs), where the content and delivery of curricula may be seen as products of colonial legacy. The decolonisation agenda has increasing support from students, the academy,…

White privilege, white fragility, and white systems of oppression, both in the workplace and in everyday life, function to cause white people desiring a more just society to stumble, even when they're aware of these obstacles. In this essay, I discuss my experiences, during the dual pandemics of 2020, in trying to manage my white privilege and my…

The consistency of a predominantly White special education teaching workforce in urban classrooms and the significant increase in the enrollment of culturally diverse students have fueled concerns about equity and access in special education (Artiles et al., 2010; Zion & Blanchett, 2017). Scholars advocate that all teachers need to understand…

Educators come to their work with many personal and educational achievements and accomplishments. They are provided with curriculum, learning standards, and expectations at the school, district, and state levels. Often, the respective identities and lived experiences of the educator are in stark contrast to those of the students they teach,…

This causal comparative study explored the relationship between racial consciousness and the beliefs and instructional behaviors of White teachers. Through this research, I aim to address the existing gap between preservice teachers and White faculty members, shedding light on the dynamics in K-12 classrooms. This examination was framed within the…

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to investigate choral directors' experiences as they navigate Whiteness through their own personal philosophies and practices related to repertoire selection and how those lived experiences may or may not impact their students. Twelve practicing choral directors from middle school through university…

The purpose of this study was to explore white pre-service, novice, and veteran elementary educators' competency and perceptions of culturally responsive teaching and emotional intelligence. The research study also explored the connection between culturally responsive teaching and emotional intelligence practices to determine educators'…

Based on an ethnographic study at a middle school in a Midwestern city, this article examines the difficulty in creating anti-racist educational spaces, even in schools with a stated desire to do so. The school's curriculum was mainly based on teachers' abstract ideas of social justice and was not grounded in students' everyday realities. It…

This research was conducted to determine elementary teachers' perception of professional development pertaining to cultural competency and its effects in the classroom. Elementary educators are the first line of formal schooling most students encounter. Currently, United States classrooms are becoming increasingly diverse while educators are…