Educational Leadership in the Age Of Diversity: A Case Study of Middle School Principals' Cultural Awareness and Influence in Relation to Teachers' Cultural Awareness and the Use of Culturally Responsive Curriculum and Pedagogy in Classrooms

Abstract

This embedded case study examined middle school principals' self-reported cultural awareness, teachers' self-reported cultural awareness, and principals' influence on cultural awareness in the school. In addition, the study focused on how principals influenced teachers' cultural awareness and implementation of multicultural education, and culturally responsive curriculum and pedagogy in classrooms.The conceptual framework for the study was based on theoretical perspectives of Banks' (1999) Eight Characteristics of the Multicultural School, Gay's (2003) Culturally Responsive Curriculum and Pedagogy, and Lindsey, Roberts, and CampbellJones' (2005) Cultural Competence Continuum. Two principals and 10 teachers from two schools volunteered to participate in the study. The methodology included the development and use of semi-structured principal and teacher interview instruments, a teacher classroom observation instrument, and an instrument for analysis of curriculum documents. Findings revealed variable levels of participants' cultural awareness and competence, pedagogical practices, and curriculum implementations. A triangulation of data sources from interviews, observations, and documents suggested that the two principals' leadership conveyed similarities and differences in influencing teachers' cultural awareness and supporting their implementation of culturally responsive curriculum and pedagogy within classrooms.