THE EXPLORATION OF TEACHERS' AND ADMINISTRATORS' PERCEPTIONS REGARDING THE INFLUENCE OF CULTURALLY RELEVANT PEDAGOGY ON MIDDLE SCHOOL AFRICAN AMERICAN MALE STUDENTS' ACHIEVEMENT

Abstract

ABSTRACT Monique Lewis, The exploration of teachers’ and administrators’ perceptions regarding the influence of culturally relevant pedagogy for middle school African American male students’ achievement. Doctor of Education (Executive Educational Leadership), May 2019, Houston Baptist University, Houston, Texas Purpose The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore teachers’ and administrators’ perceptions regarding the influence of Culturally Relevant Pedagogy on the academic achievement of middle school African American males. Four research questions guided the study. The research drawn from Ladson-Billings’ Culturally Responsive Teaching referred to in this study as Culturally Relevant Pedagogy serves as the foundation of this study. Methodology In this phenomenological study, the researcher used a qualitative method research design to explore the impact of culturally relevant pedagogy on middle school African American male students’ achievement. Teachers and administrators completed a demographic survey prepared on a lickert scale and participated in focus group interviews. The participants for this study were middle school teachers and administrators from three urban middle schools. Findings The organization, synthesis, and analysis of points throughout this research study were an essential process in obtaining valuable information that can be used to provide teachers and administrators with assistance close the distance between African American middle school males’ achievement and that of their Caucasian counterparts. Culturally responsive teaching together with data-based decision making is rooted in having essential cultural and lingustical information to provide high quality instruction, intervention, accommodations, effective instructional strategies that produce outcomes that support African American middle school male student achievement. Conclusion This phenomenological narrative research study explored the perceptions of teachers and administrators as they relate to culturally relevant teaching within the African American male middle grade students. The goal of this study was to determine teachers’ perceptions about the family dynamic and instructional practice influence that culturally relevant pedagogy has on African American male students in middle grades. A qualitative approach was taken in this study to allow 16 teacher participants and three African American male Administrator to share their level of understanding and use of culturally relevant pedagogy to improve their students’ achievement. KEY WORDS: African American, Culturally Relevant Pedagogy, Critical Race Theory, Cultural Diversity, Cultural Proficiency