Voices From Urban Classrooms: Teachers’ Perceptions on Instructing Diverse Students and Using Culturally Responsive Teaching

• In Event: Issues in Urban Teacher Education

Abstract

This two phase study explores the perceptions of 430 urban teachers regarding instructing diverse students and their ability to use Culturally Responsive Teaching (CRT). Employing qualitative methodology, four open-ended sentence stems were used to capture teachers’ perceptions. Preliminary results reveal teachers’ strong commitment to culturally responsive teaching, an understanding of behaviors which constitute CRT, a strong sense of efficacy in teaching diverse students, and anticipation of robust, positive outcomes as a result of proactively addressing the needs of diverse students. These results support the elements of CRT found in the literature. This research provides valuable information for school districts and schools of education as they prepare teachers to be more culturally responsive in today's diverse P-12 classrooms.

Authors

• Patricia J. Bonner, Azusa Pacific University

• Susan R. Warren

• Ying Hong Jiang, Azusa Pacific University