Teaching Scared: Teachers' Appraisal of Racial Stress and Classroom Management in Predominantly Black and Latino Schools

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Abstract

Despite a growing interest in the complexity of teaching students of color, little research has been conducted on the stress of these dynamics. The current study investigates the influence of teacher appraisals of racial stress and the ability to have racial dialogues on classroom management at predominantly Black and Latino schools.

Perspective(s) or theoretical framework

While many studies measure the experience of pre-service teaching effectiveness stress, few measure the racial dynamics surrounding that stress. Proximal and daily interactions between teachers of Black or Latino students are racialized simply because of the presence of racial/ethnic competence anxiety. Quality teacher-student relationships (Akiba, 2011), predict student classroom social and academic success as well as teacher competence (Bergin & Bergin, 2009). The development of trusting student-teacher relationships for students of color can be undermined by conscious and unconscious racial conflicts (Weinstein, Curran, & Tomlinson-Clarke, 2003). It is important to know how pre-service teachers successfully negotiate racially stressful conflicts in the classroom and establishes productive relationships with students of color. This study will address how teacher racial stress appraisals and their ability to have racial dialogues predict classroom management.

Methods, techniques, or modes of inquiry

Three cohorts of participants from a pre-service university-based Teach For America training program (n=222) were used in this study. Like most k-12 schools in the US, the participants in this study were mostly female (66%) and White (69.5%).

Data sources, evidence, objects, or materials

The participants’ racial stress and classroom management were based on responses to the School/Teacher Racial Encounter Stress Scale (Authors), Parental and Teacher racial socialization (Author), and the Teacher Ability to Motivate Students Scale (TAMS; Skaalvik & Skaalvik, 2010).

Results and/or substantiated conclusions or warrants for
arguments/point of view

Our findings indicated that teachers’ appraisals of racial stress in the form of racial threat (r=-.51, p< .001), racial trauma (r=-.24, p< .01) and racial support (r=.33, p< .001) were significantly related to classroom management self-efficacy. Teachers who scored high on classroom conflict as racially traumatic also reported greater difficulty with racial dialogues at school, but unrelated to any other racial socialization variables. Teachers who found it hard to engage in racial dialogues were less likely to feel confident in managing diverse classrooms and less confident in their ability to motivate students. The racial stress appraisal factors contributed to explain an overall 18% of the variance of TAMS (R2 change = .12, F(1,130) = 6.55, p < .001). In summary, the more teachers view classroom encounters with students of color as racially threatening and traumatic, the lower their classroom management self-efficacy.

Scientific or scholarly significance of the study or work

The implications of this work point to the importance of measurement and training that modifies the specific racial stress appraisals of teachers. If “teaching scared” can be addressed, teacher classroom management can improve which can lead to expectations that trusting teacher-Black/Latino student relationships will become the rule, rather than serendipitous.

Authors

• Keisha L. Bentley-Edwards, The University of Texas - Austin

• Howard C. Stevenson, University of Pennsylvania