Building Cultural Trust: Relational Pedagogy and the Education of Black Boys in an Urban Charter School

• In Event: Advancing Educators and Education through a Lens of Ethical Care

Abstract

This qualitative study examines how Black male students in an all-Black, all-male urban charter high school experience teacher-student relationships and how those relationships shape their academic identity and college aspirations. Grounded in culturally relevant pedagogy and relational-cultural theory, the study introduces cultural trust; a form of trust rooted in affirmation, emotional safety, and high expectations. Narrative inquiry, interviews with ten graduates and two educators revealed cultural trust was intentionally cultivated through relational consistency, racial literacy, and deep belief in student potential. Students described these relationships as foundational to their academic motivation and sense of belonging. As urban schools face intensifying political pressure, this study advances relational pedagogy as a critical practice for building equitable, student-centered learning environments for Black boys.

Author

• Stuart Rhoden, Arizona State University