Facilitating Culturally Responsive Classroom Management Professional Development for Novice Teachers in a High-Needs School With a Majority Black Population

Abstract

In today’s era of resegregation, high-needs schools that are serving mostly students of color and from poverty often hire novice teachers. These teachers are predominantly White, middle-class females who may find it difficult to relate to their students from different races, cultures, and socioeconomic backgrounds. I examined how I could provide four professional development (PD) sessions centered on culturally responsive classroom management (CRCM) for five novice teachers working in a school with a majority Black population qualifying for free and reduced-price lunches. I studied the experiences my teachers had as participants and my facilitation of these sessions to better understand how to help novice teachers develop culturally responsive practices. Three themes emerged that related to CRCM for novice teachers: novice teacher backgrounds, novice teacher classroom challenges, and facilitation–lessons learned. This study has implications for school leaders as well as individuals who (a) design and facilitate PD, (b) lead teacher preparation and induction programs, and (c) study their own practice through action research.