Date of Conferral

2023

Degree

Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)

School

Education

Advisor

Deborah A. Focarile

Abstract

The problem that was addressed through this study was teachers’ inconsistent use of culturally responsive teaching (CRT) in a high school in Northern Virginia (NVHS). The purpose of the study was to examine high school teachers’ perspectives on the successes, challenges and support needed to better implement CRT at the NVHS. Ladson-Billing’s and Gay’s culturally responsive teaching theory formed the conceptual framework that guided this study. The research questions focused on teacher perspectives about the successes, challenges, and support needed with CRT. A basic qualitative design was used to capture the insights of eight high school teachers through semistructured, individual interviews. A purposeful sampling process was used to select the participants. Emergent themes were identified through open coding, and the findings were developed and checked for trustworthiness through member checking and rich descriptions. The findings revealed that teachers recognize the academic and social value of CRT in diverse classrooms, that teachers are challenged by a lack of training, resources, and sufficient time to support the use of CRT, and that teachers identified the need to initiate professional learning communities (PLCs) for support and guidance. A professional development project was created to improve the consistency of high school teachers’ use of CRT and to develop supportive services from administrators and PLCs. This study has implications for positive social change by creating a structure to provide teachers with strategies and support for improving the delivery of CRT approaches.

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