Date of Conferral

2023

Degree

Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)

School

Education

Advisor

Derek Schroll

Abstract

AbstractThe non-Mojave teachers are struggling to implement culturally responsive pedagogy practices to meet the educational needs of Fort Mojave students from a rural reservation. Research indicates that all students should be provided with responsive pedagogical practices that allow them to be engaged in the classroom. The purpose of this basic qualitative study is to investigate how non-Mojave classroom teachers are implementing culturally responsive pedagogy and what their perceived needs are when teaching Fort Mojave students in an elementary school located in southwestern, Arizona. Culturally responsive pedagogy was used as a practical theoretical framework through the incorporation of Gay’s four teacher practices that teachers should have if they want to implement culturally responsive teaching successfully. The qualitative research questions relate to how teachers use culturally responsive pedagogy to support Mojave students in the classroom as well as what are the non-Mojave teachers’ needs to effectively implement culturally responsive pedagogy to meet the needs of their Mojave students. Data collection included structured Zoom interviews with 10 teachers who were from two different rural elementary schools, one public and the other on the reservation. The findings revealed that the participants need to be part of the planning professional development (PDs) for the year, have PD that is culturally relevant, and be guided on how to implement it within the curriculum. A PD project was developed based on study findings to help non-Mojave educators at the study site. Results have implications for positive social change among non-Mojave educators by emphasizing the importance of the use of culturally responsive pedagogy within the elementary school’s curriculum that could better assist in meeting the needs of Fort Mojave students.

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