"I'm Not Sure How to Talk About This": School Leaders' Experiences in a Professional Development Program Focused on Race

• In Event: Moving Beyond the Usual Conversations in Leadership Preparation

Abstract

This study examines the experiences of early career administrators as they engage in professional development activities focused on race: the dynamics of race within school communities, teachers’ perspectives on race, and each leader’s own positionality as they interact with others around issues that implicate race. We also examine the role of the PD designers and facilitators vis-à-vis the participants in these activities. We relate features of the program to how leaders perceive their professional growth and their ability to navigate across differences. We identify potentially productive activities for advancing leaders’ understanding of race and equity.

Authors

• John J. Hall, Temple University

• Andrea Gabbadon, Temple University

• Tahira Burrell, Temple University