ERIC Number: ED663993
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 2023
Pages: 160
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: 979-8-3427-2636-8
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Journeying towards Connection in a Culture Circle with Six K-12 Educators: An Autoethnographic Study of Critical Praxis
Christine Daniels
ProQuest LLC, Ed.D. Dissertation, Molloy University
Critical praxis is an important means of increasing educators' critical consciousness. Culture circles are one avenue for educators to engage in a critical praxis, to dialogue, listen, reflect, and develop direct action steps. Both critical consciousness (Freire) and an ethic of care (Noddings) are essential and require an ongoing critical praxis. However, there is a lack of educational research on culture circles for ongoing praxis. In this auto/ethnographic, qualitative, action research (AR) study, the researcher created and explored a culture circle of six K-12 teachers. Over the course of five 90-minute sessions, the participants and the researcher raised situational experiences in their educational contexts for critical conversations. The analysis of the culture circle transcripts, informal interviews, and researcher reflexive journals showed that the culture circle educators a) problematized issues facing their social justice and equity efforts, b) connected emotionally and culturally to themselves, one another and their students, c) created direct action steps in their teaching and learning community as they (re)awakened their critical consciousness. The researcher posits that engaging in a critical praxis within a culture circle builds educators' capacity to teach with care and criticality in their racially/ethnically and linguistically diverse learning communities. The study provides research-based evidence in support of utilizing culture circles as a method to foster a critical praxis for preservice in-service professional learning. Limitations, implications, and recommendations for educators and educational researchers are discussed. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2222/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]
Descriptors: Elementary School Teachers, Secondary School Teachers, Praxis, Critical Theory, Cultural Influences, Social Justice, Interpersonal Relationship, Communities of Practice, Teaching Methods
ProQuest LLC. 789 East Eisenhower Parkway, P.O. Box 1346, Ann Arbor, MI 48106. Tel: 800-521-0600; Web site: http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2222/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml
Publication Type: Dissertations/Theses - Doctoral Dissertations
Education Level: Elementary Education; Secondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A