The disparity in the achievement between Black and White students is hardly new. Indeed, “closing the Black-White achievement gap would do more to promote equality in the United States than any other strategy presently under discussion” (Jencks & Phillips, 1998. p. 1). This problem, generally referred to as the achievement gap, is a problem that still exists more than 60 years after Brown v. the Board of Education (1954) rendered the separate but equal law illegal and mandated that schools across the United States could no longer engage in the practice of segregation. However, in the more than 60 years since that landmark Supreme Court victory de facto segregation persists in many schools and a real deficit still exists between the academic
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Many White novice female teachers, however, are unfamiliar with the background of their Black students, are unprepared to work with these students, and often misinterpret cultural differences as misbehavior (Irvine, 2003). It is not uncommon for White female teachers to help exacerbate the opportunity gap because of low expectations they have for Black students. One way to address the current inequalities to the educational system, then is through the use of culturally responsive approaches to teaching students of different races and cultural backgrounds, particularly Black students (Brace, 2011). Therefore, the purpose of this study is to examine White female novice teachers ' beliefs and attitudes towards their Black students and the Black-White opportunity gap through qualitative methods. The research sought to understand the beliefs and experiences of White female novice teachers and how those experiences helped shape their perceptions about Black students. The researcher intended to produce a dialogue that will assist educators in understanding their roles in eliminating the Black-White opportunity …show more content…
White novice teachers, as most all novice teachers, come into classrooms with little or no concept of what it means to be culturally competent and culturally responsive. This “lack of awareness” only exacerbates issues such as the opportunity gap (Gregory, Skiba, & Noguera, 2010). When White teachers fail to recognize the norms and tendencies that Black students have toward learning, the opportunity gap will continue to increase. Despite the important role that teachers play in perpetuating the opportunity gap, we know relatively little about these teachers, their beliefs about their students, and how they come to hold those beliefs. Indeed, the literature is insufficient in regards to capturing White teachers’ perspectives of their role and professional responsibility in eliminating this persistent opportunity gap.
Purpose of the Study The purpose of this study is to examine White female novice teachers ' beliefs and attitudes towards their Black students and the Black-White opportunity gap through qualitative methods. The research sought to understand the beliefs and experiences of White female novice teachers and how those experiences helped shape their perceptions about Black students. The researcher intended to produce a dialogue that will assist educators in understanding their roles in eliminating the Black-White opportunity gap.
Research
Many White novice female teachers, however, are unfamiliar with the background of their Black students, are unprepared to work with these students, and often misinterpret cultural differences as misbehavior (Irvine, 2003). It is not uncommon for White female teachers to help exacerbate the opportunity gap because of low expectations they have for Black students. One way to address the current inequalities to the educational system, then is through the use of culturally responsive approaches to teaching students of different races and cultural backgrounds, particularly Black students (Brace, 2011). Therefore, the purpose of this study is to examine White female novice teachers ' beliefs and attitudes towards their Black students and the Black-White opportunity gap through qualitative methods. The research sought to understand the beliefs and experiences of White female novice teachers and how those experiences helped shape their perceptions about Black students. The researcher intended to produce a dialogue that will assist educators in understanding their roles in eliminating the Black-White opportunity …show more content…
White novice teachers, as most all novice teachers, come into classrooms with little or no concept of what it means to be culturally competent and culturally responsive. This “lack of awareness” only exacerbates issues such as the opportunity gap (Gregory, Skiba, & Noguera, 2010). When White teachers fail to recognize the norms and tendencies that Black students have toward learning, the opportunity gap will continue to increase. Despite the important role that teachers play in perpetuating the opportunity gap, we know relatively little about these teachers, their beliefs about their students, and how they come to hold those beliefs. Indeed, the literature is insufficient in regards to capturing White teachers’ perspectives of their role and professional responsibility in eliminating this persistent opportunity gap.
Purpose of the Study The purpose of this study is to examine White female novice teachers ' beliefs and attitudes towards their Black students and the Black-White opportunity gap through qualitative methods. The research sought to understand the beliefs and experiences of White female novice teachers and how those experiences helped shape their perceptions about Black students. The researcher intended to produce a dialogue that will assist educators in understanding their roles in eliminating the Black-White opportunity gap.
Research