Inside our world: African American and Latino high school students' perceptions of effective teachers

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  • March 21, 2019
Creator
  • McLaughlin, Dionne
    • Affiliation: School of Education
Abstract
  • This mixed methods case study examines the perceptions that 24 African American and Latino students at one North Carolina high school have of effective classroom instruction in their favorite teacher's class. Six teachers were also interviewed and asked to reflect on student feedback and 1400 anonymous students were surveyed (secondary data source). Critical Race Theory (CRT) was utilized to examine the racial context of this high school, students' counter stories, the existence of deficit thinking, and the presence of bias. The students' description of biased treatment by some teachers led to an experience termed forced race consciousness, an experience that propels people of color to think about their membership as part of a racial or ethnic group and make negative associations related to intellectual inferiority. It was posited that this awareness negatively impacts the students' school experience and detracts from their ability to become academically successful. In addition to being forced to think about race, students also described being forced to think about culture. Forced culture consciousness is another term that emanated from this research and is introduced and defined by this researcher. Though effective teachers were the focus of this study, White students at this high school became central to the study as Latino students described being subjected to crude jokes, stereotypical remarks, and ridicule based on language or perceived immigration status. Paradoxically, very little classroom time is spent learning about positive contributions or realities of African American or Latino people, examining historical or contemporary issues of race to counter these negative experiences. The data from this study indicate that effective teachers of African American and Latino students create a cultural symphony in their classrooms as they lead discussions about race, racism and/or positive contributions of African American and Latino people, are dedicated to the success of students, break it down to the ground by simplifying instruction, call on everyone, are passionate about their subject matter and maintain highly structured classroom environments.
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  • In Copyright
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  • "... in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Education in the School of Education."
Advisor
  • English, Fenwick
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Place of publication
  • Chapel Hill, NC
Access right
  • Open access
Date uploaded
  • March 18, 2013

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