| Popis: |
The current demographics of American public schools indicate that while the student population has become more diverse, the teaching force remains overwhelmingly White. Moreover, teachers are segregated in terms of where they teach: White teachers tend to work in schools with mostly White students, whereas Black teachers teach in schools that have a higher population of Black and minority students. However, there are Black teachers who work in majority White schools, and their stories are largely underrepresented in the existing body of research. Through this qualitative study, an attempt to allow these narratives is offered. These unheard voices enable readers to understand the experiences of these Black teachers. Specifically, the researcher used three theoretical frameworks (Critical Race, Racial Identity, and Tokenism) to examine the lived experiences of this study’s participants. Each of the six teachers was purposefully selected from three predominantly White Midwestern school districts. To gather data, the researcher used an in depth phenomenological protocol that required each participant to be interviewed three times. All interviews were transcribed, and the resulting transcripts were coded to reveal themes that addressed the research questions. From an analysis of these themes, the researcher concluded that although the Black teachers encountered challenges consistent with those described by previous researchers, they also enjoyed many positive opportunities. Additionally, the findings revealed all participants developed and identified with their racial identity differently. Moreover, the degree to which they identified with being Black contributed to the sense they made of their experiences in mostly White schools. Lastly, this study’s participants acknowledged their token status, but also understood that others (e.g. White teachers and parents) may negatively perceive them as tokens. However, the participants in this study drew strength from their racial identity and relied upon support from mentors, colleagues, administrators, and family members to endure the pressures of being Black teachers in overwhelmingly White schools. |
