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EXPLORING THE EVOLUTION OF FIRST-YEAR EDUCATORS’ DISPOSITIONS TOWARD DIVERSE STUDENTS AND PERCEPTIONS OF PERFORMANCE AS CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE EDUCATORS: A PORTRAITURE CASE STUDY by HOLLY A. SANDLER B.A., University of Florida, 1983 M.S., Pace University, 1995 M.A., New York Institute of Technology, 2001 A dissertation submitted to the Graduate Faculty of the University of Colorado Colorado Springs in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Department of Leadership, Research, and Foundations 2020 © 2020 HOLLY A. SANDLER ALL RIGHTS RESERVED This dissertation for the Doctor of Philosophy degree by Holly A. Sandler has been approved for the Department of Leadership, Research, and Foundations by Robert Mitchell, Chair Sylvia Mendez Andrea Bingham Patricia Witkowsky Leslie Grant Date July 13, 2020 ii Sandler, Holly A. (Ph.D., Educational Leadership, Research, and Policy) Exploring the Evolution of First-year Educators’ Dispositions Towards Diverse Students and Perceptions of Performance as Culturally Responsive Educators: A Portraiture Case Study Dissertation directed by Assistant Professor Robert Mitchell ABSTRACT As we enter the year 2020 the plurality of races and ethnicities within the United States is reflected in the students attending our nation’s public schools. For the first time in American history the majority of students attending the nation’s public schools are students of color. The multiplicity of races and ethnicities of the nation’s students, however, is not mirrored in the demographics of public-school teachers who remain 77% White and 80% female. Researchers have found the absence of parity in student-teacher demographic problematic since a large number of White adults, teachers among them, are reported to accept negative racial stereotypes as truth. Teachers possessing negative dispositions toward students of color, and students from lower socioeconomic backgrounds, often view these students as problematic and deficient resulting in diminished expectations. Teachers continued adherence to the colorblindness approach impedes their ability to perform as culturally responsive educators thus contributing to the continuance of the historic achievement gap and behavior referrals existing between Black and Hispanic students and their White peers. While educator preparation programs have implemented curricula aimed at mitigating these negative dispositions little research measuring the success of such efforts after a graduate enters the classroom exists. In this research, portraiture, a genre of inquiry, is embedded into a qualitative cross-case study to iii capture the richness and complexity of the lived human experience of elementary educators as they navigate their first-year as teachers of diverse learners. Individual portraits in conjunction with a cross-case analysis reveal the themes across participants. The themes of parental influence in early childhood and peer influence during adolescence were found to impact formation and subsequent transformation of participant’ dispositions while the impact of University coursework on CRE development, opportunities to engage in transformational experiences during educator preparation programs, and district administrative focus on diversity were notably absent. The information gleaned from this study informs practices of educator preparation programs and furnishes school administrators with needed information on first-year teacher’ dispositions of diverse learners and their negative perceptions of performance as culturally responsive educators. iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I want to thank my committee members Robert Mitchell, Sylvia Mendez, Andrea Bingham, Patricia Witkowsky, and Leslie Grant who shared their knowledge, feedback and support during this process. I also want to thank my five participants for sharing their lived experiences honestly and authentically. Further, this work would not have been possible without the support of my family and friends who encouraged, listened to and motivated me. I particularly want to acknowledge my dear friend Rhonda who inspired me to take that first critical step to begin, my sisters, Debra and Karen, for their editorial comments and positive feedback throughout the journey, and my children, Samantha and Ryan, for their unending love and belief in me. Thank you to my mentor Dr. Mary Williams for being brave enough to have those difficult, uncomfortable discussions that resulted in the transformation of my dispositions. v TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................. 1 Purpose of Study ................................................................................................................ 4 Research Questions ............................................................................................................. 5 Theoretical Framework ....................................................................................................... 6 Significance of Study ....................................................................................................... 15 Definitions of Terms ......................................................................................................... 16 II. REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE .................................................................................... 20 Historical and Political Background of Diversity Education in America ........................ 20 Evolution of Diversity Education in America .................................................................. 23 Educational Progress of Diverse Students ........................................................................ 25 Diversity Education Programs for Preservice Teachers ................................................... 28 Prevailing Dispositions of Educators Toward Diverse Students ...................................... 32 Elementary Educators: Practices in Diversity Education ................................................. 36 First-year Teachers: The Induction Phase......................................................................... 39 Need for Research ............................................................................................................. 42 III. METHOD .......................................................................................................................... 45 Approach to Inquiry ......................................................................................................... 45 Research Setting ............................................................................................................... 49 Research Sample .............................................................................................................. 52 Data Collection ................................................................................................................ 53 Data Analysis ................................................................................................................... 59 vi Trustworthiness ................................................................................................................. 70 Positionality Statement ..................................................................................................... 72 Limitations ........................................................................................................................ 78 IV. PARTICIPANT PORTRAITS AND COMPOSITE ........................................................... 80 Portrait of Elisia ............................................................................................................... 82 Portrait of Stacey............................................................................................................... 98 Portrait of Lauren …. ..................................................................................................…110 Portrait of Emily ........................................................................................................... 124 Portrait of Chris ............................................................................................................. 136 Composite Portrait ......................................................................................................... 148 Themes Across Portraits ............................................................................................... 151 Theme 1: Parental Influence on Participant’s Dispositions .......................................... 152 Theme 2: Influence of Elementary Educators on Dispositions .................................... 153 Theme 3: Peer Influence Leading to Personal Transformation .................................... 155 Theme 4: Opportunities to Engage in Transformational Experiences .......................... 157 Theme 5: Impact of University Coursework on CRE Development ............................ 159 Theme 6: Lack of Administrative Focus on Diversity .................................................. 161 Theme 7: Participants Desire to Become Culturally Responsive ................................. 163 COVID-19 ..................................................................................................................... 164 V. CROSS-CASE ANALYSIS, IMPLICATIONS, RECOMMENDATIONS, AND CONCLUSION ......................................................................................................... 168 Discussion ....................................................................................................................