Term of Award
Fall 2021
Degree Name
Doctor of Education in Curriculum Studies (Ed.D.)
Document Type and Release Option
Dissertation (restricted to Georgia Southern)
Copyright Statement / License for Reuse
Digital Commons@Georgia Southern License
Department
Department of Curriculum, Foundations, and Reading
Committee Chair
Robert Lake
Committee Member 1
Ming Fang He
Committee Member 2
Sabrina Ross
Committee Member 3
Derrick Tennial
Abstract
This is an exploration of what I have learned from veteran Black teachers in rural South Georgia regarding classroom practices on teaching Black students. Through the framework of Critical Race Theory (Bell, 1992; Delgado, 2017; Dixson & Rousseau, 2006; Ladson-Billings, 2003; Ladson-Billings & Tate, 2006; Solórzano & Yosso, 2002), I focus on systemic racism against historically obstructed African American children from reaching their full potential. Methodologically, I utilize critical race counterstory (Bell, 1992; Bamberg & Andrews, 2004; Baszile, 2014; Delgado, 1989/2000; He & Ross, 2012; Solórzano & Yosso, 2002; Ladson-Billings, 1998) in order to challenge the dominant metanarrative. My study analyzes the counter stories of veteran Black teachers, who have had extensive classroom experiences in rural South Georgia as well as having had the lived experiences of being students in the public-school systems of rural South Georgia themselves.
The counterstories that I have collected, comes from veteran Black teachers that I have had the pleasure of working with for many years. I portray their experiences and incorporate fiction along with other forms of data that I have collected. Using fiction as counterstories allows me not only to depict their stories but also to highlight injustices in the world during the timeframe of their experiences. Grounded in research text from the perception of the researcher and participants, I compose their stories in a meaningful way while touching on various educational, political, and social moments in history. The following themes have been identified from my inquiry: (1) Black students are often in a classroom environment where they do not fully trust their teachers and feel disrespected for who they are as individuals. (2) If we listen to the counternarratives of our Black teachers, we will gain a deeper understanding of the injustices occurring in our Black student population. As teachers of Black students, we must act upon these counterstories to provide positive classroom experiences for our students. (3) Biases and racism towards Black students perpetuate injustices in our schools, which lead to them not receiving an equal education to their white counterparts, and it is up to us to act upon what we learn from these counterstories to even the playing field for our students.(4) Culturally responsive teaching has been proven effective for the success of Black students. Utilizing a culturally sustaining pedagogy (CSP) shows students that you value and respect them, the communities that they come from and are willing to assist in maintaining who they are. I convey these stories to dispel the myths and biases about teaching Black students in rural South Georgia and allow for noteworthy advice on how to appropriately educate these students utilizing their assets, preserving their culture, and heightening the teachers as well as the student’s critical consciousness. By presenting a fresh perspective on classroom practices, I hope that the dominant culture can not only acknowledge but also validate Black teachers and the expertise that they hold regarding teaching Black students in our society.
Recommended Citation
Wood, Leslee, "Towards a Culturally Sustaining Pedagogy: Learning from Black Teachers in Rural South Georgia" (2021). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 2349.
https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/etd/2349
Research Data and Supplementary Material
No
