New Conceptions on the Dispositions of Culturally Responsive Teachers: The Three Domains of Culturally Responsive Teaching

• In Event: Roundtable Session 32
  In Roundtable Session: Current Issues in Professional Development

Abstract

This paper seeks to provide an innovative look at the dispositions of successful culturally responsive teachers. Drawing heavily from the literature, dispositions are defined as a confluence of teacher beliefs, intentions, and actions. Upon examining four practicing teachers at a highly diverse high school and by building on the body of literature on teacher dispositions, this study led to the identification of three domains of culturally responsive teachers, which can be utilized to train teachers differently while also possessing the potential to improve student achievement in the most highly impacted classrooms. This research points to considering focusing more energy on developing dispositions of the teacher rather than focusing so heavily on methods and content knowledge.

Author

• Bradley M. Conrad, Capital University