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Infusing school-wide culturally responsive teaching to increase the cultural proficiency of teachers

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Infusing school-wide culturally responsive teaching to increase the cultural proficiency of teachers

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INFUSING SCHOOL-WIDE CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE TEACHING TO
INCREASE THE CULTURAL PROFICIENCY OF TEACHERS

by

Roberto Núñez

____________________________________________________________________

A Dissertation Presented to the
FACULTY OF THE USC ROSSIER SCHOOL OF EDUCATION
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
In Partial Fulfillment of the
Requirements for the Degree
DOCTOR OF EDUCATION

December 2011

Copyright 2011 Roberto Núñez
ii
DEDICATION
I dedicate this long and arduous work to my loving family. First, to my wife of
eleven years and counting, Virginia Garza-Nunez. You have been my rock, my
inspiration, and my conscious throughout this whole doctoral experience. Muchas
gracias mi amor, for maintaining the household in my absence while I left on the
weekends to attend class or to work on this dissertation, for believing in me especially
when I lost faith in myself, and pushing me beyond my outer limits. You truly
epitomize what marriage is supposed to be like. Amor eterno.
To my two wonderful boys, Roberto Garza Nunez III and Sebastian Paolo Garza
Nunez. Thanks for allowing papa to be away from you those weekends while he
worked. In time I hope that you see this product as part of your legacy. Los amo.

iii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Who am I? Well, I have always known because I have been blessed with parents
who have always loved me, who were always there for me when I needed their help,
and who taught me my identity in this world through God‘s lessons. Thank you, mama
and papa for instilling in me the importance of education and for showing me how to
love learning, thus truly becoming a life-long learner.
Mama, thank you for taking care of the boys during the weekends or spring
break. Papa, thank you for teaching me how to be a man of character and for making
sure that I always finished everything I started. It is because of your support and
guidance I have become our family‘s first doctor.
To my suegros, Armando and Virginia Garza, I dedicate a piece of this to you as
well. First, I am eternally grateful for you bringing into this world your beautiful
daughter, my wife. You raised her well and I am the world‘s luckiest man to call her my
wife. Secondly, your words, your love, and your support, especially in taking care of
the boys are priceless. I am proud to be your son.
To my siblings, Gaddyr, Tanya, and Marlene, this dissertation is for you as well.
You may not know it but your support and encouragement played a huge role in me
completing my program. I love you always and I thank you.
I pass the torch to my boys. Along with them, AJ, Alyssa, Pedrito, Lilah, Zaira,
Alessandra, Natalia, Armandito and Silas, I pass along this important message: The trail
has been lit up for you and now it‘s your turn to grab the torch and continue the
generational blessings as you formulate your own path. Make me proud!
iv
To my outstanding committee members: Dr. Hocevar, Dr. Baca, Dr. Barr, and
Dr. Fischer. Dr. Hocevar, thank you for sticking with me for all these years as my chair
and for guiding me from my first class to the culmination of the dissertation process.
Dr. Baca, thank you for keeping me grounded. I am so amazed with your intellect level
and appreciate your valuable feedback. Dr. Barr, your inspiration here at home was
invaluable and I hope to have made you proud. Finally, Dr. Fischer, you are the reason
why I finished. I am eternally grateful and indebted to you for always checking in,
giving me timely feedback and direction, and, most importantly, for not allowing me to
quit.
I would be remiss if I didn‘t acknowledge some key family and friends. To the
Cantu‘s, thank you for letting me stay on the weekends at your house for the weekend
classes in Sacramento. Thank you to the Jaime family as well for opening your home as
well. Matthew, you are my brother and I‘ve known it since the summer of 1986. To the
Nieblas family, you also opened up your home to me and I cannot thank you enough as
well.
Speaking of family, Ferni, Armando, Al, and Pedro I give you props as well.
You have all helped out and supported throughout these years and I thank you from the
bottom of my heart.

v
TABLE OF CONTENTS

DEDICATION ii

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS iii

LIST OF TABLES vii

ABSTRACT viii

CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION 1
Background of the Problem 2
Achievement Gap vs. Opportunity Gap 4
Figure 1: Achievement gap between White-Black and White-Hispanic
4
th
- and 8
th
- grade average reading and mathematics scale scores
from 1990 – 2007 5
Teacher Workforce 7
High Teacher Quality 9
Role of the Teacher 10
Statement of the Problem 12
Purpose of the Study 13
Significance of the Study 14
Limitations 16
Definitions 16

CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW 18
Culture Defined 20
Latino/Hispanic Culture 20
Importance of Family 24
Religion 25
Gender Roles 26
Implications for Education 26
Culturally Responsive Pedagogy 28
Personal 29
Critical Race Theory 30
Cultural Capital 32
Moral Imperative 34
Cultural Proficiency 36
Cultural Proficiency Continuum 36
Stages of the Cultural Proficiency Continuum 38
Instructional 41
Summary 48
Conclusions 49

vi
CHAPTER THREE: METHODOLOGY 51
Participants 52
Methods of Data Collection 52
Timeline and Analysis 60

CHAPTER FOUR: RESULTS 62
Participants 63
Participant Surveys 64
Qualitative Questions on Post-Surveys 69
Teacher Interviews 75
Administrative Surveys 83

CHAPTER FIVE: SUMMARY, IMPLICATIONS, AND RECOMMENDATIONS 90
Summary of Findings 91
Implications for Practice 94
Recommendations for Research 97
Conclusion 99

REFERENCES 100

APPENDICES 104
Appendix A: Teacher Pre-Survey 104
Appendix B: Teacher Post-Survey 106
Appendix C: Teacher Interview 109
Appendix D: Administrator Interview 112

vii
LIST OF TABLES

Table 1: California‘s Educational System and Latinos

3
Table 2: Important Points from Cultural Themes and their Implications
on Education

21
Table 3: Elements of Cultural Proficiency within the Personal Realm of
the CRP Process

41
Table 4: Three Main Ideas about Constructivist Views of Learning
(Villegas & Lucas, 2002)

42

Table 5: Guideline for Developing a Culturally Responsive Curriculum
(Schmitz, 1999)

44
Table 6: Elements of Cultural Proficiency within the Institutional Real
of the CRP Process

47
Table 7: Principles of Qualitative Inquiry and Humanistic Values

53
Table 8: Responses for the Likert scale questions

65
Table 9: Results after the Training

66
Table 10: Participants‘ Pre- and Post-Survey Responses

71
Table 11: Administrators‘ Demographics

83

viii
ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study was to determine if Culturally Relevant Pedagogy
(CRP) training of teachers can have a significant effect on closing the achievement gap
for Latino students by collecting data to answer the following questions:
1) How can teachers develop and maintain their own cultural competence?
Specifically, how can teachers become respectfully sensitive to cultures of their
students that are different from their own, to learn about and know the cultures of their
students, and to use understandings about how culture influences learning in their day-
to-day planning for teaching students?
2) Will competences such as classroom management, curriculum lesson
planning and delivery, and assessment become stronger as a teacher becomes more
racially and culturally proficient?
3) How can teachers use this new found knowledge to encourage and increase
academic excellence for all their students?
This research study is a case study with narrative analysis that focuses on three
areas within the CRP framework as stated by Richards, Brown, and Ford (2006). They
are Institutional, Personal, and Instructional. This CRP framework is also aligned to
Lindsey et al‘s, (2003) Manual of Culturally Proficient training. Qualitative data
collection included pre/post surveys, interviews with the teacher participants and their
respective site administrators, observations, review of student grades, and written
journal responses in a medium-sized, rural school district on the Central California
coast.
ix
There were four major themes that arose in the findings. The training created 1)
an increased awareness of Cultural Proficiency and the different stages within cultural
proficiency, as most of the participants had never really heard of this theory prior to the
training; 2) an improved attitude from the teachers toward their students and vice-versa
in terms of teaching and learning; 3) decreased classroom disruptions and an acceptance
by the students to allow teachers to try new strategies within the classroom; 4) an
increased excitement between all the participants to share out with their colleagues. In
other words, when the teachers are excited about what is happening in their classroom,
they want to eagerly share it with their fellow colleagues. This bodes well for any
school that is trying to de-privatize their school culture and truly create a PLC. Through
this type of introspection, other teachers can implement a culture of high achievement
through collaboration that can ultimately close a schools‘ achievement gap. This study
also provides a critical base for further research studies.

1
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION

Every civilization has valued education, making it the cornerstone to its success
as a society. Anderson (2004) confirms that since the inception of schooling in the
United States, American society has also viewed education as the cornerstone of
American history, even before America had an established educational system. She
adds that, over the past half-century, several factors have led to dramatic changes taking
place within the educational system in the U.S. They include racial desegregation,
standardization of educational instruction and testing, and a growth in the percentage of
ethnic minorities in attendance at American public schools (p. 14). A major problem is
that schools and the schooling system still look the same as they did over the past 50
years, teachers teach in roughly the same manner as they did 50 years ago, and the
schooling system has not adapted to the change in factors of the educational system in
order to meet the needs of its students (Callahan, 2009).
The U.S. population has become more diverse over the past two decades as
minority population groups have increased more rapidly than the White population.
According to the U.S. Department of Commerce (2007), between 1999 and 2000,
Latinos surpassed African Americans as the largest minority group. From 1980 to 2005,
the Latino population grew 192 % from 14.6 million to 42.7 million (U.S. Department
of Commerce, 2007). By 2005, minorities made up 33 percent of the U.S. population.
Latinos are the largest minority group representing 14 % of the population (U.S.
Department of Commerce, 2007).
2
In California today, the California Department of Finance (2007) reports that
one of every three people is Latino and by 2042, the proportion will likely increase to
one of every two. There are more than three million Latino students in California‘s
schooling system, which represents 48% of all K-12 students (California Department of
Finance, 2007). With the current trend, these statistics will continue to grow
considerably.
Specifically, Latinos have become the largest growing ethnic group of students
enrolled in the United States, and it is expected that their enrollment will continue to
increase over time (U.S. Department of Commerce, 2007). However, present day
trends indicate that the achievement gap and dropout rates continue to widen and
increase, respectively, for Latino students as they continue to represent the largest
growing ethnic group enrolled in American schools (U.S. Department of Commerce,
2007). Despite successful efforts to decrease the dropout rate among White, African-
American, and non-Latino ethnic minorities, the same efforts do not appear as effective
in preventing Latinos' alarming dropout rates (Anderson, 2004).
Background of the Problem
As a group, California‘s Latino students are low in numbers in terms of those
who achieve the highest levels of academic success; the majority lag far behind their
white and Asian counterparts on every indicator of school success—achievement, high
school graduation, and college preparation (Latino Educational Opportunity Report,
2007). This statistical trend shows that Latino students are dramatically
underrepresented in California‘s public institutions of higher education, in high-paying
3
jobs, and in middle-class status (p. 1). Moreover, since the 1970s, many Latino
youngsters continue to drop out of high school at a rate of 21 %, which is more than
twice the national average of 10 percent (U.S. Census Bureau- School Enrollment,
2000).
The following table, adapted from the Latino Educational Opportunity Report
(UCLA Institute for Democracy, Education, and Access, 2007), asks and answers three
important questions in terms of what the educational system looks like in California for
Latino students:
Table 1: California‘s Educational System and Latinos
Which High Schools do
California’s Latino
Students Attend?
 California‘s 743,654 Latino high school
students are distributed across the state‘s high
schools and make up 42% of all public high
school enrollments.
 Although 99% of California high schools
(1,078 out of 1,089) enroll Latino students,
89% of all Latino high school students are
enrolled in just 16 out of 58 counties.
 51% percent of California Latino high school
students attend high-poverty schools.
 California‘s Latino students are more than
four times as likely as white students to attend
Program Improvement schools.
Do Gaps in School
Resources and
Opportunities Mirror
California’s Racial Gaps in
School Success?
 Almost 260,000 Latino students (or 35%)
attend overcrowded high schools. This is
more than twice the proportion of white
students who attend overcrowded schools.
 Latino high school students are two and one-
half times more likely than white students and
more than three times more likely than Asian
students to experience serious shortages of
qualified teachers.
 65% of Latino students attend high schools
with too few college preparatory courses for
all students to enroll in a college preparatory
curriculum.

4
Table 1: California‘s Educational System and Latinos (cont‘d)

Are California’s Latino
Students Able to Reach
Their Educational Goals?
 9 of 10 California public school students enter
high school with plans to graduate and enroll
in college.
 Yet, for every 100 Latino 9th graders in 2002,
54 graduated high school four years later and
only 15 graduated having completed the
required college preparatory coursework.

Achievement Gap vs. Opportunity Gap
Equity, Equality, and Excellence are terms that are commonly heard and used
loosely when using the phrase ―closing the achievement gap.‖ For the purpose of this
study, it is important to define these terms: equity is freedom from bias or favoritism,
fairness; equality is the quality of state of being equal; and excellence is very good of its
kind, superior (Cooper, 2008). Equity without equality is mediocrity and equality
without excellence is an oxymoron (Cooper, 2008). These terms are significant because
they establish a defined foundation for the solution of the problem as this study focuses
on closing the achievement gap.
In terms of defining the Achievement Gap, it is the disproportionate
underachievement between the population of students of color (African American and
Latino) and the White population (Teel & Obidah, 2008). The fact is that there is an
achievement gap between all students of color and whites, especially for Latinos. As the
population of the Latino subgroup continues to increase, it is evident that Latinos‘
educational opportunities and attainment are vital to the state‘s economy and to the
quality of public life for all Californians (California Educational Opportunity Report,
2007).
5
The following figure details the achievement gap between White-Black and
White-Hispanic 4
th
- and 8
th
- grade average reading and mathematics scale scores from
1990 – 2007.
Figure 1: Achievement gap between White-Black and White-Hispanic 4
th
- and 8
th
- grade average reading
and mathematics scale scores from 1990 – 2007

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, National Assessment
of Educational Progress (NAEP), various years, 1990–2007 Reading and Mathematics Assessments,
NAEP Data Explorer.
It is important to note that NAEP scores are calculated on a 0 to 500 scale.
Student assessments are not designed to permit comparisons across subjects or grades.
Race categories exclude persons of Hispanic ethnicity. The score gap is determined by
subtracting the average Black and Hispanic score, respectively, from the average White
score. Testing accommodations (e.g., extended time, small group testing) for children
with disabilities and limited-English-proficient students were not permitted from 1990
through 1994. Beginning in 2002, the NAEP national sample for grades 4 and 8 was
obtained by aggregating samples from each state, rather than by obtaining an
independently selected national sample.
6
In California, the achievement gap is measured by the Academic Performance
Index (API). The California Department of Education (CDE) makes each student take a
standardized test in the spring of every academic year and scores are given for their
proficiency performance on that test (CDE API Report, 2008). The CDE defines the
Academic Performance Index as a single number, ranging from a low of 200 to a high
of 1000, which reflects a school‘s or Local Education Agency‘s (LEA) performance
level, based on the results of statewide testing. Its purpose is to measure the academic
performance and growth of schools. The API was established by the Public Schools
Accountability Act (PSAA), a landmark state law passed in 1999 that created a new
academic accountability system for K-12 public education in California. The PSAA
also established an alternative accountability system for schools serving high-risk
students— the Alternative Schools Accountability Model (ASAM). The CDE provides
API reports as part of its Accountability Progress Reporting (APR) system. The APR
system provides an integrated approach to reporting results for state and federal
accountability requirements and includes information about the state, LEAs, schools
(including charter schools), and numerically significant subgroups (CDE API Report,
2008).
There is another argument that states the achievement gap is viewed more as the
―opportunity gap‖ (Berlak, 2008). In other words, the disparity of students of color
performing at significant lower levels than their White counterparts has nothing to do
with race but rather socioeconomics (Berlak, 2008).
7
The government is trying to address this enigma through several different ways.
Many believe that the lack of money in poor area schools is the reason that equality
does not exist. Therefore, our well-intentioned government provides financial support
for the educational system at every level, from the local, state, and national levels. For
the 2008-09 school year, the federal government budgeted $519 billion (National
Center for Education Statistics, 2008).
The Latino Education Opportunity Report (2007) concludes that closing the
Latino achievement gap in California will require the state to close the Latino
opportunity gap. Furthermore, closing these disparities should not be considered an
effort made on behalf of a ―minority‖ group in California (p. 2). Given the demography
of and the condition of Latino education in California, closing the gaps in achievement
and opportunity for Latino students will go a long way toward closing the gaps between
California and most other states (Latino Education Opportunity Report, 2007).
Teacher Workforce
One of the current concerns plaguing the nation‘s schools, particularly in areas
with high Latino populations, is how to find teachers who are capable of teaching
successfully in those classrooms and schools. Many teacher education programs
throughout the nation profess to offer multicultural preparation for meeting the needs of
culturally, ethnically, linguistically, and racially diverse students. The reality is that
these efforts are only scratching the surface when it comes to truly preparing new
teachers, and scholars have documented the fact that these efforts are uneven and
unproved (Ladson-Billings, 2001).
8
Several factors interfere with the ability of teacher education programs and
school districts to prepare teachers for diverse classroom settings. One factor that is
rarely discussed in the literature is that majority of the teacher work-force is White.
There are approximately 35,000 teachers/faculty in the United States and 87% of the
full-time teachers/faculty are white. Of that percentage, 81% of these teachers are
between the ages of 45 and 60. The remaining teacher workforce is comprised of 5.6%
African American, 3.1% Asian or Pacific Islander, 2.3% Latino, and 1.9% American
Indian or Alaskan Native (National Center for Education Statistics, 2008). Particularly
in California, 72.2% of the teachers are white females (California Department of
Education, 2007). These numbers alone do not prove anything about the ability of the
teacher education faculty. However, they should cause us to wonder about the incentive
of teacher education programs and/or the efforts of school districts to ensure that its
entire teaching staff is prepared to teach all students.
Another factor is that the average White teacher has no idea what it feels like to
be a numerical or political minority in the classroom. The persuasiveness of whiteness
makes the experience of most teachers to be the accepted norm. Because of their
powerful potential to influence students‘ lives, all teachers, especially the largest group
- middle class White teachers - need to learn how to recognize the subtle biases in their
own behavior, such as decisions they might make based on White privilege (Obidah &
Teel, 2008). Ladson-Billings (2001) found that, although the Latino youth culture has
become increasingly popular, and many in the mainstream can be heard saying phrases
9
such as "Yo quiero Taco Bell," the amount of genuine contact that white teachers have
with their Latino students and their culture is limited.
The phenomenon of this rapidly growing Latino population in the United States
has forced a change in popular mainstream culture. Ricky Martin, George Lopez, and
Simon Silva are enjoying huge popular success. Yet and still, most White teachers
cannot speak even rudimentary Spanish — enough even to signal an emergency or
satisfy a basic need. It is not uncommon to hear teachers discount their efforts to try to
learn Spanish because English is the language of this country. Even more disturbing is
the way Latinos are ―racialized‖ into a unitary category by White teachers. Few
teachers know the distinctive histories of Mexican Americans, Puerto Ricans, Cuban
Americans, Salvadorans, Guatemalans, Peruvians or the countless groups who originate
in the Spanish-speaking Americas (Ladson-Billings, 2001).
High Teacher Quality
Another factor for students of color to access high quality instruction is high
teacher quality. This is important given that the role of the teacher becomes increasingly
important when one discusses academic achievement. Several research studies on the
correlation between teacher quality and student achievement (i.e. Darling-Hammond,
1999) find that teachers who have been delineated as high quality produce higher levels
of achievement on student test scores. Research has also found that less qualified
teachers are often found teaching in lower tracks (Oakes, 2005).
The No Child Left Behind Legislation (NCLB) defines a qualified teacher as
one who has a bachelor‘s degree, full state certification or licensure, and proves that
10
s/he knows each subject they teach. Secondary teachers must meet the aforementioned,
plus they must also have a way to prove competency in the subject matter they intend to
teach. They can demonstrate this by having the major in the subject and/or credits
equivalent to a major in the subject they intend to teach, passing a state-developed test
that demonstrates competency in the subject matter, going through a High Objective
Uniform State Standard of Evaluation, receiving an advanced certification from the
state, or possessing a graduate degree in the subject matter they intend to teach (U.S.
Department of Education, 2004).
As a result, many school districts are having difficulty in finding highly
qualified teachers due to these rigorous criteria. After finding these teachers, their
professional judgment is thwarted due to unrealistic accountability measures (Settlage
& Meadows, 2001). Thus, finding and retaining highly qualified teachers to teach by
national standards presents another major challenge for education.
Role of the Teacher
Culture is what binds a collective group of people together. Not only does
culture allow us to maintain our sense of identity and how we perceive ourselves, it also
represents the lens through which we view and evaluate the behaviors of others.
Teachers‘ perceptions of culture-related identities and their manifestations in the
classroom are especially relevant to school achievement by students (Neal, et. all,
2003). In a seminal study on student achievement, Rosenthal (2001) researched teacher
expectations and found that average students performed higher than students who had
been deemed advanced when their teachers were told that they were advanced students.
11
These implications began several studies on the outcomes of teacher expectations.
Delpit (2003) studied how teachers with proper student expectations create challenging,
engaging lessons for students that result in academic achievement.
Richard Ferguson (2003) found similar findings demonstrating that schools can
positively affect achievement by the teachers‘ perspectives, attitudes, and behaviors.
These perceptions are especially important when one is researching the achievement of
students traditionally thought to have low academic abilities. For example, another
study done by Boykin & Bailey (2000) found that African American students‘ chances
of school achievement increase when they, like their non–African American
schoolmates, experience education with teachers who understand their sociocultural
knowledge and take into account cultural factors when designing, implementing, and
evaluating instruction.
Conversely, teachers who have a negative thought pattern on what students can
do also impact student achievement—as early as the first day of school (Rist, 1970).
Teachers‘ misunderstandings of and reactions to students‘ culturally conditioned
behaviors can lead to school and social failure. Furthermore, researchers have indicated
that teachers‘ perceptions and lack of cultural responsiveness can result in student
psychological discomfort and low achievement (Obiakor, 1999). The expectation that
teachers have for all their students manifests whether these expectations are positive or
negative.

12
Statement of the Problem
One definition of insanity that is well known is to do something the same way
repeatedly always expecting different results each time. The fact is that there is a
significant shortage of teacher faculty of color in the United States that does not even
come close to being representative of the national demographics of the student
population. Since teacher preservice programs are not delving deeply into truly
producing culturally competent teachers, and districts are by and large not making
concerted efforts to address cultural proficiency as a means to close the achievement
gap, we can continue to see little improvement in the success of minority students in
this country. Additionally, we can also continue to see a high teacher turnover rate due
to burnout from the lack of success in the classroom.
When it comes to engaging in discussions of race, many people become very
uncomfortable. Human nature is such that nobody wants to be classified openly as a
racist. However, the elephant in the room must be discussed openly and people need to
be challenged and forced to get out of their comfort norms. After all, it is impossible to
discuss closing the achievement gap without acknowledging the role of race and culture
(P-16 Council Report, 2008). Educators alike must be made aware that each of us
brings in our own personal bias to our profession and we need to consciously introspect
to see how these personal biases affect our craft and the way that we approach the
closing of the achievement gap.

13
Purpose of the Study
The purpose of this study was to determine if CRP can have a significant effect
on closing the achievement gap for Latino students. There are three questions that guide
this study and they relate to the propositions established by Ladson-Billings (1995) and
Obidah and Teel (2008), respectively:
1) How can teachers develop and maintain their own cultural competence?
Specifically, how can teachers become respectfully sensitive to cultures of their
students that are different from their own, to learn about and know the cultures of their
students, and to use understandings about how culture influences learning in their day-
today planning for teaching students?
2) Will competences such as classroom management, curriculum lesson
planning and delivery, and assessment become stronger as a teacher becomes more
racially and culturally proficient?
3) How can teachers use this new found knowledge to encourage and increase
academic excellence for all their students?
This study will also focus on three areas within the Culturally Responsive
Pedagogy (CRP) framework as stated by Richards, Brown, and Ford (2006). They are
Institutional, Personal, and Instructional. This CRP framework with then be aligned to
Lindsey et al‘s, (2003) Manual of Culturally Proficient training to see if focusing on
CRP can have a positive effect on closing the achievement gap for Latino students.
There have been many research studies done on the impact of teacher and
student culture on the academic success of students (Irvine, 1990; Ladson-Billings,
14
1995; Gay, 2000). Most of the participants in these studies have been white female
teachers who analyze their cultural background and the implications that it has on the
achievement of students of color while others of them focused on comparing the
experience of one white and one black teacher (Obidah & Teel, 2008). Other studies
researched the connection between the race of a teacher and the academic performance
of a student (Ferguson, 1998, 2003; Oates, 2003) and found that race-based
expectations of students and levels by which students perform are evident.
It is imperative that the teachers who teach Latino and other minority students
raise their expectations for their students and dedicate themselves to building
relationships with all their students. Districts must dedicate themselves to providing
solid professional development opportunities for its teachers in the area of CRP. This is
paramount in order to raise student achievement.
Significance of the Study
In January 2008, Jack O‘Connell, California Superintendent of Schools,
published a report entitled ―Closing the Achievement Gap: Report of Superintendent
Jack O‘Connell‘s P−16 Council.‖ The task was to assemble a council of prominent
education, business, and community leaders to try to examine and develop a cutting
edge plan with strategies for closing the achievement gap in California for grades pre-
school to university level students. Their task also included to be very mindful and to
pay particular attention to socioeconomic and ethnic gaps that are so damaging and
painful for all concerned. The P-16 council came out with a plan that includes 14
recommendations. Of particular interest from this report is recommendation number
15
four: Provide Culturally Relevant Professional Development for All School Personnel.
In other words, create a world class, uniform, rigorous professional development strand
for all school personnel, including teachers, administrators, counselors, and
paraprofessionals that provides culturally relevant curriculum, culturally responsive
instruction, culturally proficient educators, and culturally courageous leaders (Browne,
2007).
Of course, this effort could also be maximized if teachers could come out of
their teacher education programs highly trained in Culturally Responsive Pedagogy.
Ritterhouse (2007 dissertation) states that there are few studies that center on the
learning that takes place in the classrooms where teachers have received instruction in
culturally responsive pedagogy from their teaching preparation programs. Sleeter
(2001b) stated, ―research in teacher education need to follow graduates into the
classroom, and our work needs to extend beyond preservice education‖ (p. 102).
Fullan (2003) states ―culture always trumps structure.‖ In other words, ―a school
that has the goal of having a credentialed teacher in every classroom, but this effect will
be blunted without a focus on changing the culture of the school.‖ Thus, there must be a
moral imperative to begin to provide teachers with the knowledge, skills, and
dispositions to provide a caring environment, communication with all students,
curriculum adaptations, and instruction to facilitate learning opportunities for all
students. I call this Culturally Responsive Pedagogy.
This study aims to provide a sample of positive results in trying to close the
achievement gap for Latino students when CRP is intertwined in a teacher professional
16
development program. Maybe it will also provide a model world class, rigorous
professional development strand for all school personnel that would support and
validate the P-16 council‘s recommendation number four. More importantly, hopefully,
it will give clear guidance that the educational community as a whole needs to engage
in this direction because it is what is morally right.
Limitations
 The timeline for this study has to be completed within a short period of time.
Thus, results may be skewed because there may not be enough time to fully explore
data biases so that the evaluation generates information that is useful and believable to
all concerned (Patton, 2002).
 The trainer is a supervisor of the trainees, so there may be a need for the trainees
to impress their boss.
 Motivation to spend extra hours on campus at a training without adequate
monetary compensation is not an expected practice in this district.
 Grades are divided between proficient and non-proficient, with A‘s, B‘s, and
C‘s showing proficiency and D‘s and F‘s showing non-proficiency.
 Teacher responses may be a little subjective because this is the first time they
are exposed to a new concept (Cultural Proficiency).
Definitions
 Achievement Gap – is the disproportionate underachievement between students
of color (African American and Latino) and the White population.

 BTSA – Beginning Teacher Support Assessment.
 CPC – Cultural Proficiency Continuum.
17
 CRP – Culturally Relevant Pedagogy.
 CRT – Critical Race Theory.
 CST – California Standardized Tests.
 Equality – is the quality of state of being equal.
 Equity – freedom from bias or favoritism, fairness.
 ELL – English Language Learner.
 Excellence – is very good of its kind, superior.
 NAEP – National Assessment of Educational Progress.
 NCLB – No Child Left Behind.
 NEA – National Education Association.
 PLC‘s – Professional Learning Communities.
 SDAIE – Specifically Designed Academic Instruction in English.
 WASC – Western Association of Schools and Colleges.

18
CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW

Chapter two begins from a macro perspective by defining culture and then
describes Latino culture traits and their implications on education. After this brief
description, the research begins to funnel down toward the micro level with a discussion
about Culturally Responsive Pedagogy (CRP).
An article by Richards et al (2006) will serve as the basis of this study. From
this article, I will be using three key areas within their Culturally Responsive Pedagogy
framework which are Personal, Instructional, and Institutional. These three areas will
act as the main headers in this chapter. Within each of these headers, I use two other
studies (a study by Villegas and Lucas, 2002 and a study by Kea et al, 2006) that fall
within the realm of the Personal, Instructional, and Institutional as stated by the
Richards et al (2006) study.
Specifically, Villegas and Lucas (2002) studied preservice teacher education
programs that infuse multicultural, bilingual and urban education training as part of
their curriculum of study. From that study, they were able to discover six salient
characteristics that define a culturally responsive teacher. The Kea et al (2006) study
supports these findings. The six characteristics are 1) Sociocultural consciousness; 2)
Having an affirming attitude toward students from culturally diverse backgrounds and
seeing resources for learning in all students rather than viewing differences as problems
to be overcome; 3) Commitment and skills to act as agents of change that will make
schools more responsive to all students; 4) Learning about the lives of his or her
students; 5) Constructivist views of learning; and 6) Uses the knowledge learned about
19
his/her students to design instruction that builds on what they already know. Even
though Villegas and Lucas (2002) studied preservice teacher preparation programs, they
came to the conclusion that these six characteristics can also be used with teachers
already in the field, and can serve as an organizational framework guiding the infusion
of attention to diversity in teacher training, as long as it is consciously and
systematically woven throughout their learning (p. 21).
With the aforementioned being stated, I proceed to take these six characteristics
and intertwine them within the three key areas of the Richards et al (2006) study.
Purposely, I separate them in the following manner. Within the Personal, I align them
with characteristics one through four, and, within the Instructional, I align
characteristics five and six. Institutional does not have any of these six characteristics
because the majority of this study explores the role of the teacher in counteracting
cultural mismatch and aiding in academic development for Latino students. However, I
make it very clear that the sole responsibility does not lie with the teaching workforce
and this is how I tie the institutional portion of the framework.
Lastly, in order for teachers to understand how their roles can make a significant
impact in closing the achievement gap for Latino students, I intertwine several theories.
The theories discussed will be Critical Race, Cultural Capital, and Cultural Proficiency.
Specifically within Cultural Proficiency, I will delineate the Cultural Proficiency
Continuum (CPC).

20
Culture Defined
For the purpose of this study, it is important to define the term ―culture.‖ There
are many definitions in the literature. The first two in particular are to my liking and are
nicely encapsulated by the third. Maehr (1974) defines culture as ―a group‘s preferred
way of perceiving, judging, and organizing things they encounter in their daily lives.‖
Shade (1997) defines it as, ―a collective consciousness or a group state of mind, a
common way of speaking, acting, thinking, and believing.‖ Lindsey, et al (2003) put the
first two together by defining culture as ―everything you believe and everything you do
that enables you to identify with people who are like you and that distinguishes you
from people who differ from you.‖ To me, culture is about wholeness; it is about being
able to identify with others who share your same history, values, patterns of behavior,
and likes.
Latino/Hispanic Culture
The term ―Latino‖ is used to describe this immigrant population because it is the
term preferred by those who have migrated to the United States from Central and South
American countries and speak Spanish as their native language. ―Latino‖ is the
umbrella term used for this group of people who come from many countries, with the
largest migration coming from Mexico, Puerto Rico, and Cuba (Falicov, 1998).
Hispanic is a term created by the U.S. federal government in the early 1970‘s in
an attempt to provide a common denominator to a large, but diverse, population with
connection to the Spanish language or culture from a Spanish-speaking country. The
21
term Latino is increasingly gaining acceptance among Hispanics, and the term reflects
the origin of the population in Latin America (Clutter & Nieto, 2008).
This study uses the term Latinos to describe the Spanish background and culture
of students who attend our schools in America. In my ethnocentric opinion, Latinos
have a distinct cultural style that is often seen in groups who do not dominate societal
mores and norms.
Skogrand, Hatch, and Singh (2005) have compiled a concise list of cultural
themes from the literature which help us understand Latino families and their role on
education. They include the importance of family, religion, and gender roles. The
following table lists important points from each of these cultural themes and their
implications on education:
Table 2: Important Points from Cultural Themes and their Implications on Education
Cultural
Theme
Characteristics Within the Theme
Importance of
Family
 One of the most pervasive values in the Latino culture is the
importance of the family, including the extended family. The
family affiliation is so important that ―parenthood‖ is often seen
as important as ―partnerhood.‖
 Members of the Latino community enjoy large extended family
networks and these networks serve a variety of functions.
 This network is a means of support when addressing a variety of
problems or crises that may occur (Delgado, 1998).
 There is extensive visiting and other exchanges among extended
family members when they live in close proximity to one another
(Vega, 1990).
 In Latino families, the family needs usually override individual
needs. In fact, this is true to the extent that ―An individual‘s self-
confidence, worth, security, and identity are determined by his
relationship to other family members‖ (Ho, 1987, p. 124).

22
Table 2: Important Points from Cultural Themes and their Implications on Education (cont‘d)
 The primary goal of marriage is to have children and the family life
that ensues (Falicov, 1998).
 Latino families instill in their children the importance of honor, good
manners, and respect for authority and the elderly.
 Preserving the Spanish language within the family is a common
practice in most Latino homes.
 Values within the Latino community are shaped by and derived from
two primary influences: (a) creative responses to socioeconomics
and (b) carryovers or retention of Latino traditions and religious
beliefs.
 In general, the concept of family, or familism, helps the family
survive the difficulties that occur throughout life.
Religion  Catholicism is seen as the predominant religious belief in Latino
communities in the United States.
 Due to the fact that beliefs are shaped by the culture of the country
of origin, Latinos from different countries practice Catholicism
differently.
 Religion is central to marriage and family life in the Latino culture.
 Religious beliefs include an understanding of the Bible and other
sources of religious teachings and provide guidance on how to live
as an individual within the context of a family.
 There is a prevailing belief among Latinos that much happens in life
that is outside of a person‘s control (de Rios, 2001; Falicov, 1998).
 Religious practices in the Latino community often include some
magical thinking, a belief in miracles, and belief in the power of
prayer (Falicov, 1998).
 There is also a belief among some Latinos that spirits that can be
either positive or negative in individual or family life (Ho, 1987).
 There is a feeling that bad things can happen because of bad spirits,
and problems in marriage or family life can result from bad spirits or
bad luck (de Rios, 2001).
 Religion, and more specifically Catholicism, has been so much a
part of Latino culture for centuries that it no longer can be separated
from the cultural values of Latino people.
 Even if a person does not participate in organized religion, the
religious beliefs are still part of family life.

23
Table 2: Important Points from Cultural Themes and their Implications on Education (cont‘d)

Gender
Roles
 Traditional gender roles in the Latino culture greatly affect marriage
and family dynamics.
 Machismo refers to maleness or manliness and it is expected that a
man be physically strong, unafraid, and the authority figure in the
family, with the obligation to protect and provide for his family (de
Rios, 2001).
 The complementary role for the woman is Marianismo, referring to
a woman who is self-sacrificing, religious, and is responsible for
running the household and raising the children (Bean, Perry, &
Bedell, 2001).
 Motherhood is an important goal for women in Latino culture, and a
mother is expected to sacrifice for her children and take care of
elderly relatives (Gracia-Preto, 1998).
 Although acculturation and the need for women to be employed
have affected these gender roles, they still persist and are likely to be
more pervasive in low income families (Vega, 1990).
Implications
for
Education
 There will be an increasing need for culturally proficient educators
to provide education for Latino students as this population continues
to grow.
 The presence and importance of extended family members must be
considered in supporting the educational programs of Latino
students.
 The effectiveness of educational programs might be increased if it is
coordinated with the local religious institutions frequented by
members of the Latino community.
 Family outreach efforts should be directed towards women as
caretakers of the family, but Latino men are an important part of the
decision-making process for any activities involving the Latino
student(s).
 The cultural styles that are representative in the bullets above are
indicative of familiar behaviors that Latino students identity with. If
teachers can incorporate these behaviors inside the classroom or
have an understanding of what type of filters Latino students are
coming with, then the students can do better because they can relate
to what is happening inside of the classroom.
 Language barriers exist due to the importance of preserving their
native Spanish language. This will be magnified if the student is not
literate in their primary language.

24
Table 2: Important Points from Cultural Themes and their Implications on Education (cont‘d)

 Because of the emphasis by Latino parents instilling in the children
the importance of honor, good manners, and respect for authority
and the elderly, Latino parents completely entrust teachers to ―teach‖
their children and they will support them by making sure they
respect their teachers.
Source: Understanding Latino Families, Implications for Family Education: A Teacher‘s Guide
(Skogrand, Hatch, & Singh, 2005).

Weinstein et al (2004) declare a very important point that deserves mention
here. They bring to light that cultural characteristics are not exhibited by all group
members and not in the same way or to the same extent. Furthermore, the display of
cultural characteristics is influenced by variables such as gender, education, social class,
and degrees of cultural affiliation (p.30). As Gay (2000) states, descriptions of culture
are merely ―approximations of reality‖ (p. 12). Just as important is the fact that the
categories that we classify peoples in are constantly evolving, overlapping, mixing –
even opposing each other (Scholl, 2001). Thus, the aforementioned description of the
Latino cultural style should serve as a foundational understanding for teachers who
work with Latino students.
Importance of Family
Summarizing the most important points from the chart on the importance of family
as pronounced by Skogrand, Hatch, & Singh (2005), one of the most pervasive values
in the Latino culture is the importance of the family, including members of the extended
family (p. 1). Some extended family networks can be quite large networks that serve a
variety of functions, especially in problem solving and socioeconomics (p. 1). These
networks are very close and spend a great deal of time with each other, caring over or
retaining their Latino traditions and religious beliefs, especially when they live close to
25
one another (p. 1). Because there is such an emphasis placed on the family, the family
needs usually override individual needs (p. 2); the primary goal of marriage is to have
children and the family life that ensues (p. 1). Latino families instill in their children the
importance of honor, good manners, and respect for authority and the elderly (p. 1);
preserving the Spanish language within the family is a common practice in most Latino
homes.
Religion
Summarizing the most important points from the chart on religion as pronounced by
Skogrand, Hatch, & Singh (2005), Catholicism is seen as the predominant religious
belief in Latino communities in the United States and it may be practiced a little
differently, depending on the country from where the person originates from (p. 2);
religion is central to marriage and family life in the Latino culture. Religious beliefs
include an understanding of the Bible and other sources of religious teachings in order
to provide guidance on how to live as an individual within the context of a family; a
prevailing belief that everything that happens in life is outside of a person‘s control; a
belief in spirits and that they can be either positive or negative in individual or family
life. To further expand on this, bad things can happen because of bad spirits, and
problems in marriage or family life are a direct result of bad spirits; and belief in
miracles and the power of prayer (p. 2).
Does religion shape culture or does culture shape religion? Religion has been so
much a part of Latino culture for centuries that it no longer can be separated from the
26
cultural values of Latino people. Even if a person does not participate in organized
religion, the religious beliefs are still part of family life (p. 2).
Gender Roles
Summarizing the most important points from the chart on gender roles as
pronounced by Skogrand, Hatch, & Singh (2005), traditional gender roles in the Latino
culture greatly affect marriage and family dynamics. Machismo refers to maleness or
manliness and it is expected that a man be physically strong, unafraid, and the authority
figure in the family, with the obligation to protect and provide for his family (p. 2); the
complementary role for the woman is Marianismo, referring to a woman who is self-
sacrificing, religious, and is responsible for running the household and raising the
children (p. 2). Additionally, motherhood is an important goal for Latino women and a
mother is expected to sacrifice for her children and take care of elderly relatives (p. 2).
This role is changing through the acculturation, education, and employment of women
but still persists and is likely to be more pervasive in low income families (p. 2).
Implications for Education
So how does this information help the educational community to close the
achievement gap for Latino students? Throughout all the literature, and just as
California‘s P-16 Council report (2008) states, there will be an increasing need for
culturally responsive educators to provide education for Latino students as this
population continues to grow. Additionally, Skogrand, Hatch, & Singh (2005) contend
that schools need to begin to think outside the box by incorporating extended family
27
members and collaborate with religious institutions to increase family involvement
within schools.
In the classroom, Skogrand, Hatch, & Singh (2005) imply that teachers need to
know that the cultural styles mentioned above are indicative of familiar behaviors that
Latino students identity with. Furthermore, Lindsey et al (2009) purport that in order to
become culturally responsive, teachers need to understand that students come to our
schools and classrooms as members of cultural groups and the Latino culture traits of
Importance of Family, Religion, and Gender can serve as the foundations for Latino
students continued learning in the classroom. If teachers can incorporate these culture
traits inside the classroom or have an understanding of what type of filters Latino
students are coming with, then the students can do better because they can relate to
what is happening inside of the classroom (p. 15).
Lastly, and from my ethnocentric point of view, the most important implication on
education is the notion that Latino families instill in their children is the importance of
honor, good manners, and respect for authority and the elderly. Teachers need to
consciously understand that in the Latino culture, parents realize that teachers have
gone through many years of extensive training on how to teach and that they are the
experts in this relationship of educating their child. To Latino parents, their child is the
most precious gift they have to offer in this world and they put their full faith and trust
in the teacher to do what s/he must to educate their gift. To me, this is complete honor
and respect bestowed upon a teacher and cannot be taken lightly.

28
Culturally Responsive Pedagogy
It is very important to bring to light that traditional pedagogy has always been
culturally responsive, that is to students who are primarily middle class and European
American (Delpit, 1995). Additionally, Boykin (1994) relates that ―there has always
been an inescapable cultural fabric of the schooling process in America. This primarily
European/middle class fabric is so deeply ingrained in the structure, programs, and
etiquette of schools that it is considered simply the ‗normal‘ and ‗right‘ thing to do.‖
The P-16 Council Report (2008) asserts that, historically, students of color often
feel alienated from the norms and behaviors of the school culture or put off by
educational practices that ―do not reflect their background and where they come
from‖(p. 6). As a result, it is impossible to discuss closing the achievement gap for
Latino students without acknowledging the role of race and culture, and building a
culture where these courageous conversations can occur is essential to connecting
Latino students with school (p. 31).
The National Education Association (NEA) put out a ―Focus On‖ series in
2004-2005. Their study examined an understanding of the achievement gap for six
different racial groups. Specifically, on the study of the Latino achievement gap, they
came to a very glaring finding: provide Latino students with teachers who have high
expectations and who understand the Latino culture and language because it is critical
to their learning (p. 3). Enter Culturally Responsive Pedagogy (CRP).
The empirical research makes a strong case for CRP to be a key step in
addressing the lack of connection between Latino students and educators. The whole
29
educational system (District Administration, School Administration, and Teacher
Leaders) must work to develop a comprehensive, culturally relevant and responsive
strategy for teachers that will help them to become the kind of educator who can teach
any student effectively (P-16 Council Report, 2008). Fullan (1999) states, ―culture
always trumps structure.‖ In other words, there must be a sense of urgency in order to
change the culture of a school in which staff are provided with the knowledge, skills,
and dispositions that foster a caring environment, promote effective communication
with all students, and appropriately adapt curriculum and instruction to facilitate
learning opportunities for all students (Fullan, 1999).
Personal
Richards et al (2006) refer to the personal dimension of CRP as the cognitive
and emotional processes teachers must engage in to become culturally responsive.
Restating, the first four of the six characteristics of CRP from Villegas and Lucas
(2002) fall within this framework and the last two fall within the Instructional portion of
the framework. All the detailed descriptors of these six characteristics are also found in
another article by Flint (2008) that further supports the Villegas and Lucas (2002)
study.
According to Villegas and Lucas (2002), the first salient characteristic is
Sociocultural Consciousness. This is when teachers recognize that the ways people
perceive the world, interact with one another, and approach learning are deeply
influenced by such factors as race, ethnicity, social class, and language (p. 22). It is
imperative for teachers to critically examine their own sociocultural identities and the
30
inequalities between schools and society that support institutionalized discrimination to
maintain a privileged society based on social class and skin color. Flint (2008) exclaims
that this understanding enables teachers to cross the cultural boundaries that separate
them from their students. Entrée the phenomenon called Critical Race Theory.
Critical Race Theory
To begin this conscious look into how the sociocultural and institutionalized
discrimination fits into education, teachers must understand Critical Race Theory
(CRT). Jones (2007 dissertation) states that ―the dominant culture of any society is the
one who controls and maintains the mores and norms of that culture. The culture that
dominates in America is rooted in western Europe and mirrors the struggles of race,
social class, and gender that can be found in that same region‖ (p. 21). Traditionally, in
our American society, the culture that determines most mores and norms is the white,
middle and upper socioeconomic class culture (Tatum, 2000). Continuing, because of
this dominant attribute, their ―ways of knowing‖ translates into the American schools
(Nieto, 2003). In essence, students who are members of the dominant culture are raised
to think that America is a meritocracy (Tatum, 1997). The thought of a meritocratic
society is validated by this system of advancement that is utilized within schools. These
students also do not view their membership in the dominant culture as an avenue for
advancement, but rather a normal way of life (Doane & Bonilla-Silva, 2003).
White, middle and upper class students who are a part of this system are raised
with an unconscious system of privilege that becomes an advantage when navigating
the educational system (Jones, 2007). McIntosh (1998) argues that these unearned
31
privileges affect various facets of American society; i.e., grocery stores, museums, and
clothing stores. These normal ways of life affect the culture of a student both inside and
outside of school. Furthermore, this is the majority racial makeup of the American
workforce that grew up in this system of privilege.
The study of these types of white privilege grew out of the CRT movement
(Delagado & Stefancic, 1997) and seeks to analyze the definition of whiteness to create
a better collective understanding for all Americans. It influences researchers to explore
the combination of power and race and to create answers that can affect the education
for both white and non-white students.
CRT is a movement that grew out of legal studies which focuses on race as the
foundation of analysis. Educational researchers Ladson-Billings and Tate (1995) began
to think of how CRT and issues in education are related. In essence, they noted that race
still matters as other researchers have contended for years (Parker & Lynn, 2002).
Within the realms of CRT, White is a dominant race where color has no meaning.
Instead, White concerns cultural norms and values that signify dominance. In CRT, a
person of color may be viewed as white as they hold the power. In education, CRT can
be defined as a theoretical and analytical framework that challenges the ways race and
racism affect educational structures, practices, and discourses (Yosso, 2005). CRT deals
with power relations and should be noted in education because ―it is because of the
meaning and value imputed to whiteness that CRT becomes an important intellectual
and social tool for deconstruction, reconstruction, and construction-deconstruction of
32
oppressive structures and discourses, reconstruction of human agency, and construction
of equitable and socially just relations of power‖ (Ladson-Billings, 1999).
Characteristic number two as established by Villegas and Lucas (2002) is
teachers having affirming views of students from diverse backgrounds, seeing resources
for learning in all students rather than viewing differences as problems to be solved
(p.23). Kea et al (2006) states, ―an affirming attitude significantly impacts the learning
for a student from a diverse background, builds high self-esteem, and improves overall
academic performance.‖ Teachers who respect cultural differences are more apt to
believe that students from nondominant groups are capable learners, even when these
children enter school with ways of thinking, talking, and behaving that differ from the
dominant cultural norms (Delpit, 1995).
Cultural Capital
In order for teachers to have an affirming attitude, they must also understand the
theory of Cultural Capital. Carter (2005) resonates that classrooms are more than
institutions where teachers impart skills and lessons; they are places where teachers
transmit cultural knowledge. The school building is where the societal structure is
reflected and where knowledge is imparted to students that reflect dominant norms; a
reinforcement of a ―culture of power‖ (Delpit, 1997) if you will. Within this culture of
power, a social and cultural capital indicates success within the system of ways that the
dominant culture has created (Bourdieu, 1991). Bourdieu (1991) continues, this cultural
capital leads to success because it mirrors what the dominant culture views as
important. Within schools, the persons who are powerful are those who have greatest
33
amount of cultural capital that reflects the dominant culture. This superior thought of
the white being better than subdominant cultures disregards the significance of other
types of cultural capital (Bourdieu, 1991).
Researchers (Conchas, 2006; Anderson, 1999) have found that there is cultural
capital within urban and rural culture in which Latino students live that helps them
navigate the system of the ―barrio,‖ or neighborhood. The students who are successful
on the streets of their barrio are not always successful in the classroom. This is due in
part of the cultural incongruence between the schools and the streets, but also in the
dominant and nondominant forms of cultural capital (Carter, 2005). The dominant and
nondominant forms of cultural capital that Carter (2005) discusses is not meant to
undermine the capital that Latino students bring to school with them, rather to reflect
the norms of the dominant culture. He further explains that the Latino students seek
solace in their identity that fosters their Latino cultural capital.
Latino cultural capital sometimes conflicts with the dominant cultural capital
found in school because it elevates solidarity in culture rather than individualism and
other cultural styles that are not congruent (Carter, 2005). Researchers (Ford & Ogbu,
1986) have found that this conflict leads to students ―acting white‖ or the perception of
white behavior by some members who espouse Latino cultural capital. Bourdieu‘s
(1991) theory of cultural capital asserts that inequality is socially produced and
reproduced. Consequently, a society determines various levels of dominance and
reproduces a social stratification system. Driessen (2001) purports, ―this system begins
at home and is transferred to the school and becomes problematic when ‗the dominant
34
culture lies at the core of the-hidden-educational curriculum,‘ it is often difficult for the
children from the lower social strata to grasp the material being taught‖ (p. 515). The
result of this is a Latino cultural capital that allows students to grasp a culture that is
familiar to them disregarding the high-brow cultural capital of the dominant race
(Roscigno & Ainsworth, 1999).
By understanding Latino cultural capital, teachers realize that Latino students
already know a great deal, have a great deal of experiences, concepts, and languages
that can be built on to their learning when they come to their classroom (Delpit, 1995).
To that end, teachers with affirming attitudes make it a priority for their students to
develop facility with the mainstream ways so that they can effectively function in
society as it is now structured and increasing the opportunity for meaningful
relationships between Latino students and teachers in order to produce positive
academic achievement results (Villegas & Lucas, 2002).
Moral Imperative
The third characteristic from the Villegas and Lucas (2002) study is teachers
having a sense that they are both responsible and capable of bringing about educational
change that will make schooling more responsive to students of diverse backgrounds.
This commitment enables any teacher to confront barriers or obstacles to change and
develop skills for collaboration and dealing with chaos (p. 1). As agents of change,
teachers assist schools in becoming more equitable over time (p. 6).
As Fullan (1999) writes, teachers must act as change agents from a moral
imperative perspective. The Latino culture places high value on the schooling, training,
35
and expertise of teachers and Latino parents place their complete trust in teachers to do
what they will with their children in educating them (Cooper, 2008). Students also
depend on their teachers to have their best interests at heart and to make sound
educational decisions (Villegas & Lucas, 2002). Thus, just as teachers enter the
profession with high moral obligations to all their students, they must never forget that
they have to facilitate the growth and development of all their students by doing what
they have to do to fulfill these expectations that both parents and students have of them
(Villegas & Lucas, 2002).
To communicate and create engagement in the educational process of Latino
students from a moral imperative level, teachers need to have an ever increasing
cultural understanding of themselves, the students they teach, and the external
communities in which they live (Lindsay et. al, 2003). Teachers need to be made aware
that they themselves bring to their classroom personal biases that impact their teaching
and learning. Reflective introspection regarding how these biases affect instruction and
the engagement of their students in the learning process is crucial to improving student
achievement (Lindsay et. al, 2003).
The fourth, and probably the most important characteristic from the Villegas and
Lucas (2002) study is teachers learning about their students. Flint (2008) says teachers
need to embrace learning as an active process by which learners give meaning to new
information. Kea et al (2006) embellish that in ―past experiences, home and community
culture, and the world, both in and outside of school, helps build relationships and
36
increase the teachers‘ use of these experiences in the context of teaching and learning‖
(p. 6).
Cultural Proficiency
Another way to describe the aforementioned is called increasing Cultural
Proficiency. Lindsey et al (2003) state that Cultural Proficiency is ―a way of being that
enables one to effectively respond in a variety of cultural settings to the issues caused
by diversity. Or, as Lindsey et al (2005) put it, ―it is an inside-out perspective on change
in which school leaders transform approaches to their personal leadership behaviors and
to their school practices.‖ Leaders who manifest cultural proficiency guide their
colleagues to examine personal values and behaviors in such a way that the members of
the school realize that it is they who must adapt their practices to meet the needs of the
students and the community in which they serve (p. 53). A culturally proficient school
interacts effectively with its employees, its students, and its community and aligns the
school‘s policies, practices, and procedures to achieve cultural proficiency (Lindsey, et.
al, 2003).
Cultural Proficiency Continuum
The culture that comes along with meritocracy becomes problematic to students
who are not familiar with white, middle and upper class ―ways of knowing‖ and sorts
them into a failure category (Apple, 1996). Irvine (1991) explored this phenomenon and
termed it as ―cultural synchronization.‖ She explains cultural synchronization is when
the culture of the student and the culture of the teacher are in sync. Furthermore, if the
student and the teacher are not in sync, then a ―critical consciousness‖ must occur in the
37
mind of the teacher to positively affect the educational experience of the students.
Hooks (1994) explained critical consciousness as, ―that historical moment when one
begins to think critically about the self and identity in relation to one‘s political
circumstance‖ (p. 47). By this, she means that the person who is critically conscious is
one who understands his or her placement in society and how that position has an
impact on the advantages or disadvantages experienced daily. The next level of critical
consciousness is to positively affect the lives of others who may not share the same
level of advantages as you do.
The Cultural Proficiency Continuum (CPC) is a theory based upon six different
ranges of behavior, from the negative side of destructiveness, i.e. the denial and
suppression of a people‘s culture, to the positive side of proficiency, i.e. the
acknowledgment and elevation of all cultures (Lindsey, et. al, 2005). In order for
teachers to become critically conscious and to affect the lives and academic
achievement of students who have a culture that is contrary to the white, middle or
upper class teacher, he/she must become aware of the CPC. To be able to reach the
acme stage, there is a complex process that must be understood and undertaken. Tatum
(1997) avows that ―defining one‘s identity is complex but necessary in preparing
oneself to teach students who do not share an identity with the teacher. Members of the
dominant culture often do not identify themselves with race, but rather with other social
constructs.‖ This presents a problem because issues in pedagogy are often related to
racialization (Irvine, 1991).

38
Stages of the Cultural Proficiency Continuum
Again, according to Lindsay et al (2003), there are six stages to the CPC. The
first stage is called Cultural Destructiveness – ―See the difference, stomp it out.‖ This is
any policy, practice, or behavior that effectively eliminates another people‘s culture; it
may be manifested through an organization‘s policies and practices or through an
individual‘s values and behaviors (p. 86). Extreme examples include cultural genocide
like the U.S. system of enslaving African peoples, the holocaust of Nazi extermination
of Jews, and ethnic cleansings in Africa. In terms of the CPC, this is the easiest to detect
and the most negative end of the continuum (p. 87). One would be hard pressed to find
this stage in a classroom because this stage would be more of a school wide or district
manifestation and/or a teacher exhibiting this type of behavior will more than likely be
quickly out of a job.
The next stage, Cultural Incapacity – ―See the difference, make it wrong.‖ This
is the belief in the superiority of one‘s own culture and behavior that disempowers
another‘s culture; it is any policy, practice, or behavior that subordinates all cultures to
one (p. 88). Examples of this stage include Oriental Exclusion Acts, which were
restrictive immigration laws targeting Asians and Pacific Islanders; the Jim Crow laws
that denied African Americans basic human rights; discriminatory hiring practices; and
subtle messages to people who are not members of the dominant group conveying that
they are not valued or welcomed (p. 88). This is the first stage that we would most
likely find teachers at the furthest negative end. Cultural incapacity is on the opposite
side of cultural competence on the continuance. We want to get all of our teachers to
39
operate from a culturally competent perspective. For there to be cultural competence,
there must also exist cultural incompetence. Cultural incompetence is synonymous with
cultural incapacity.
The third stage is Cultural Blindness – ―See the difference, act like you don‘t.‖
At this level, a person acts as if differences among cultures do not exist and refuses to
recognize any differences between his/her culture and that of others. Culturally blind
teachers view students‘ cultural differences to be indications of disobedience,
noncompliance, or other deficiencies (p. 89). Culturally blind teachers may teach that
Abraham Lincoln is a hero to all African Americans and assume that Cinco de Mayo is
a holiday for all Spanish-speaking countries (p. 90).
The fourth stage is Cultural Precompetence – ―See the difference, respond
inadequately.‖ This is when a person recognizes that lack of knowledge, experience,
and understanding of other cultures limits your ability to effectively interact with them.
Culturally precompetent people engage proactively and effectively with cultures other
than their own, but they are aware that they do not know enough and often are the
victims of their own faux pas (p. 90). An example is when a teacher will bring in
enchiladas to celebrate Latino Heritage month as proof of that teacher‘s cultural
proficiency.
The penultimate stage of the CPC is Cultural Competence – ―See the difference,
understand the difference that difference makes.‖ This level employs any policy,
practice, or behavior that uses the essential elements of cultural proficiency on behalf of
the school or district. Lindsay et al, (2003) state, ―cultural competence is interacting
40
with other cultural groups in ways that recognize and value their differences, motivates
the individual to assess their own skills, expand their knowledge and resources, and
ultimately, causes the person to adapt their relational behavior (p. 87). Culturally
competent teachers incorporate culturally appropriate behavior in classroom
management practices, lesson planning, and performance appraisals‖ (p. 91). This is the
first stage on the CPC that fully addresses the needs of diverse environments.
Finally, the last stage on the CPC is Cultural Proficiency – ―See the difference
and respond positively and affirmingly.‖ It is at this stage when a person honors the
differences among cultures, seeing diversity as a benefit, and interacts knowledgeably
and respectfully among a variety of cultural groups (Lindsay et al, 2003). A culturally
proficient teacher may not know all there is to know about his/her students, but they
know how to take advantage of teachable moments, how to ask questions without
offending, and how to create an environment that is welcoming to diversity and to
change; likewise, a culturally proficient school is one that is an open and inclusive
learning environment that also has a strong core culture that is clearly articulated to all
of its stakeholders (Lindsay et al, 2003).
Singleton (2007) states ―Cultural proficiency is a key to high teacher quality.
Poor and minority children don‘t underachieve in school just because the schools that
are supposed to serve them actually shortchange them. The one resource they most need
to reach their potential is high quality teachers. If you can teach from a culturally
responsive lens, then you can teach anybody.‖
41
The following table summarizes the Elements of Cultural Proficiency within the
personal realm of the CRP process.
Table 3: Elements of Cultural Proficiency within the Personal Realm of the CRP Process
Elements of Cultural Proficiency Teachers Observe and Instruct
Value Diversity Teach all subjects from a culturally
inclusive perspective
Assess Culture Assess own culture and its effect on
students; assess the culture of the
classroom; support students in
discovering their own cultural identity
Manage the Dynamics of Difference Use conflict as a tool for object lessons;
teach students a variety of ways to
resolve conflict
Institutionalize Cultural Knowledge Teach students appropriate language for
asking questions about other people‘s
cultures and telling other people about
theirs
Adapt Diversity Learn own instructional and interpersonal
strengths and weaknesses; develop
processes to compensate for them
Source: Responsibilities of Culturally Proficient School Leaders Roles ~Roles~
Cultural Proficiency ~ A Manual for School Leaders ~ Lindsey, Robins, Terrell, Page
54.
Instructional
Richards et al (2006) refer to the instructional dimension of CRP as including
materials, strategies, and assessment activities that form the basis of instruction. When
the tools of instruction (i.e., books, teaching methods, and activities) are incompatible
with, or, worse, marginalize, the students‘ cultural experiences, a disconnect with
school is more than likely to occur (Irvine, 1992). CRP recognizes and utilizes the
students‘ culture and language in instruction, therefore ultimately respecting the
students‘ personal and community identity (Richards et. al, 2006).
Continuing the detailed descriptors as established by Villegas and Lucas (2002),
the fifth characteristic is for teachers to have a constructivist view of learning. In other
42
words, they need to be familiar with their students‘ prior knowledge and beliefs,
derived from both personal and cultural experiences (Flint, 2008). Villegas and Lucas
(2002) state, to support students‘ construction of new knowledge, teachers must help
learners build bridges between what they already know and believe about the topic at
hand and the new ideas and experiences to which they are exposed (p. 25). Engaging
students in their learning can be done by using higher order level techniques such as
analyzing, interpreting, and questioning information in the context of problems or
issues that are interesting and meaningful to them (p. 25).
Villegas and Lucas (2002) believe that it is imperative for teachers to be well-
versed in teaching their students from a constructivist point of view. The table below
describes their three main ideas about constructivist views of learning.
Table 4: Three Main Ideas about Constructivist Views of Learning (Villegas & Lucas, 2002)
Number Main Idea Implications for Educators
1. All students are depicted as capable
learners who continuously strive to
make sense of new ideas; their ways
of speaking and thinking are
considered resources for further
development rather than problems to
be remedied.
By acknowledging that diversity
plays a central role in learning,
constructivism places a
responsibility on teachers to adjust
standard school practices to the
diverse backgrounds of their
students.

2. Constructivist teaching promotes
critical thinking, problem solving,
collaboration, and the recognition of
multiple perspectives.
Moves teaching strategies from the
hierarchical and authoritarian
tendencies of transmission-oriented
teaching to a social-interactive
participatory way of learning.
3. By emphasizing higher order
thinking and problem solving,
constructivist classrooms increase
academic rigor than transmission-
oriented classrooms.
There is a need for direct instruction
or rote memorization. However,
teachers must increase their
constructivist practices for their
students by modeling these
practices.

43
Teachers having a general understanding of the Latino culture, as stated earlier
in this chapter, would be a good beginning. This will allow teachers to then provide
scaffolds among what students are bringing into the classroom, what they already know
through their experiences, and what they need to learn (Flint, 2008). Additionally,
because of the student diversity in their classroom, teachers must consciously monitor
their students‘ developmental understanding of new ideas and adjust their plans of
action to meet students‘ needs while simultaneously building on their strengths
(Villegas & Lucas, 2002).
Lastly, and equally as important as all the previous five characteristics from
Villegas and Lucas (2008), the sixth characteristic is that a teacher needs to use the
knowledge learned about his/her students to design instruction that builds on what they
already know. Flint (2008) says that teachers can design instruction that builds on what
students already know while stretching them beyond the familiar. This can be done by
infusing culturally responsive teaching strategies (p. 1). Kea et al (2006) surmise that
this type infusion into the daily classroom experience supports the constructivist view
of knowledge, teaching, and learning. As teachers assist students to construct
knowledge, build on their personal and cultural strengths, and examine the curriculum
from multiple perspectives, an inclusive classroom environment is created (p. 6).
The following table describes a guideline for developing a culturally responsive
curriculum, as stated by Schmitz (1999):

44
Table 5: Guideline for Developing a Culturally Responsive Curriculum (Schmitz, 1999)
Define Learning Goals What do students in your class need to know about:
- The history of diverse groups; their writings,
theories, and patterns of participation?
- The social dynamics of identity formation and
change?
- Structures of power and privilege in society,
prejudice, discrimination, and stereotyping?
- Patterns of communication and interaction within
and among different cultural groups?
- Theories of personal, institutional, and societal
change?
Question traditional
concepts
- Have traditional ways of organizing content in
this course obscured, distorted, or excluded
certain ideas or groups?
- What new research is available that addresses
past distortions and exclusions?
- How will the course change if I include this new
research?
- How might a change in this syllabus affect its
relationship to the rest of the curriculum?
Understand Student
Diversity
- What kind of diverse perspectives and
experiences will students bring to the class?
- How can I assess students‘ prior knowledge of
race, class, gender, etc.?
- How can I incorporate diverse voices without
relying on students to speak for different groups?
- How will my own characteristics and background
affect the learning environment?
- Will some students see me as a role model more
readily than others?
- How can I teach to all students?
Select materials and
activities
- If the course topics remain the same, what new
research, examples, and writings can illustrate
these topics?
- Is there a new thematic approach to this material
that will help to put cultural diversity in the
foreground?
- How do I integrate new material so that it is not
simply an ―add-on‖?
- What teaching strategies will facilitate student
learning of this new material?

45
Table 5: Guideline for Developing a Culturally Responsive Curriculum (Schmitz, 1999) (cont‘d)
-
Evaluate effectiveness - What are my strengths and limitations relative to
the new content and teaching techniques?
- How will I assess student learning?
Modified from Schmitz, B. (1999): Transforming a course. Center for Instructional Development and
Research Teaching and Learning Bulletin, 2(4), 1-2. Seattle, WA: University of Washington.

Institutional
It may appear this research asserts that the classroom teacher possesses the sole
responsibility for closing the achievement gap for Latino students. This is not the case.
They bear the majority of the responsibility because that is where the learning takes
place; they are on the front lines. Marzano (2003) declares that all researchers agree that
the impact of decisions made by individual teachers is far greater than the impact of
decisions made at the school level. Effective teachers appear to be effective with
students of all achievement levels regardless of the levels of heterogeneity in their
classes and ineffective teachers will produce students with inadequate levels of progress
regardless of how similar or different their students are regarding their academic
achievement (Wright, Horn, and Sanders, 1997).
Richards et al‘s (2006) study delineates the order of their study as Institutional,
Personal, and Instructional. However, for the purpose of this study, institutional is last
because one cannot have a culturally proficient school without having a culturally
proficient district office and site administration. If there is no CRP commitment from
the side of the institution to provide the forum for this type of cutting edge change, then
the closing of the achievement gap will never happen. Additionally, if teachers bear the
majority of the responsibility, as stated above, one cannot have a culturally proficient
staff if the institutional portion of the equation is not pushing the issue. Thus, the
46
institution is the entity that represents the foundation for improvement of student
achievement for all students (Richards et. al, 2006).
CRP represents a shift in how districts and schools approach their business.
Schools and district offices that engage in CRP focus on building connections with all
students (P-16 Council Report, 2008). This is a necessary and potentially beneficial
factor in creating a strong school – provided the school culture and climate reflect and
are responsive to the diverse ethnic, cultural backgrounds, and needs of its student
populations (P-16 Council Report, 2008).
The institutional dimension of CRP as described by Richards et al (2006) is
exemplified as ―the administration‘s policies and values.‖ In other words, learning
occurs within the context of the values, beliefs, and rituals of the school community and
larger society (p.5). Little (1999) asserts that the educational system is the institution
that provides the physical and political structure for schools. To make the institution
more culturally responsive, Richards et al (2006) articulates that the following reforms
must occur in at least three specific areas:
1. Organization of the school. This includes the administrative structure and the
way it relates to diversity and the use of physical space in planning schools and
arranging classrooms.
2. School policies and procedures. This refers to those policies and practices that
impact on the delivery of services to students from diverse backgrounds.
3. Community involvement. This is concerned with the institutional approach to
community involvement in which families and communities are expected to find
47
ways to become involved in the school, rather than the school seeking
connections with families and communities.
The following table summarizes the Elements of Cultural Proficiency within the
institutional realm of the CRP process and intertwines the above mentioned reforms:
Table 6: Elements of Cultural Proficiency within the Institutional Real of the CRP Process
Elements of
Cultural
Proficiency
Site Administrators
Lead and Supervise
District
Administrators
Implement Policy
School Board
Members set
Policy
Value Diversity Articulate a
culturally proficient
vision for the site
Provide guidelines
for culturally
proficient practices
and establish
standards for
appraisal
Define and
establish criteria
for culturally
proficient practices
Assess Culture Assess culture of the
site
Assess culture of the
district and the
administrator‘s role
in maintaining or
changing it
Articulate the need
and value for
conflict resolution
in the context
diversity
Manage the
Dynamics of
Difference
Provide training and
support systems for
conflict resolutions
Provide resources
for developing and
establishing new
conflict resolution
strategies
Articulate the need
and value for
conflict resolution
in the context of
diversity.
Institutionalize
Cultural
Knowledge
Model and monitor
school wide and
classroom practices
Propose and carry
out all polices from
a cultural
proficiency
perspective
Establish all
policies from a
culturally
proficient
perspective
Adapt Diversity Assess and change
current practices
where appropriate
Assess policy and
propose changes
where appropriate
Review and
change policies to
maintain cultural
proficiency as the
student population
changes
Source: Responsibilities of Culturally Proficient School Leaders Roles ~Roles~ Cultural Proficiency ~ A
Manual for School Leaders ~ Lindsey, Robins, Terrell, Page 54.

48
Summary
Culturally Responsive Pedagogy (CRP) is an area that is hotly researched
because, although test scores seem to be rising due to the No Child Left Behind act, the
achievement gap continues to grow, especially for Latino students. This research
synthesizes the literature within the CRP framework by specifically looking at
commonalities within three studies. There were three key areas of similarities – the
Personal, Instructional, and Institutional dimensions of the framework.
The first two of these dimensions are at an individual level and are aligned to six
salient characteristics from the literature that defines a Culturally Responsive Teacher.
These six characteristics are having a sociocultural consciousness, having an affirming
attitude toward students from culturally diverse backgrounds and seeing resources for
learning in all students rather than viewing differences as problems to be overcome,
being committed to and having skills to act as an agent of change that will make schools
more responsive to all students, learning about the lives of his or her students, having a
constructivist view of learning, and using the knowledge learned about students to
design instruction that builds upon what they already know.
In order for teachers to understand how their roles can have a significant impact
in closing the achievement gap for Latino students, several theories were intertwined.
The theories discussed were Critical Race, Cultural Capital, and Cultural Proficiency.
Specifically within Cultural Proficiency, this study delineated the Cultural Proficiency
Continuum.
49
The Institutional dimension did not have any characteristics tied to it because
the majority of this literature review explored the role of the teacher in counteracting
cultural mismatch and aiding in academic development for Latino students. However, it
should be made clear that the responsibility for closing the achievement gap for Latino
students does not lie solely on the teaching workforce. It was within this realm that this
study explained that no matter how much a teacher wants to improve the academic
achievement for minority students, his/her efforts will be futile if the institution does
not have the same commitment.
Conclusions
Weinstein, Curran and Tomlinson-Clarke (2004) put it best by asking the
following questions: how can we best prepare teachers for organizing and managing the
culturally diverse classrooms? How can we sensitize our mostly White, middle-class
teacher workforce to their own biases, assumptions, and stereotypes so that they can
undergo genuine personal transformation rather than simply learn to mouth the socially
appropriate responses? And, how can we provide teachers with cultural content
knowledge about cultural differences in worldviews, communication patterns, and
customs without perpetuating stereotypes and essentializing cultural differences?
The questions from these researchers are very similar to the ones proposed in
chapter one. Again, they are 1) How can teachers develop and maintain their own
cultural competence? Specifically, how can teachers become respectfully sensitive to
cultures of their students that are different from their own, to learn about and know the
cultures of their students, and to use understandings about how culture influences
50
learning in their day-today planning for teaching students; 2) Will competences such as
classroom management, curriculum lesson planning and delivery, and assessment
become stronger as a teacher becomes more racially and culturally proficient? And, 3)
How can teachers use this new found knowledge to encourage and increase academic
excellence for all their students?
Conclusions drawn from these three main studies suggest that schools which
focus on Culturally Responsive Pedagogy can have a profound effect on closing the
achievement gap, not only for Latino students but for all students of color in general.
However, the literature states that there are not too many professional development
programs that teach educators how to become more culturally responsive, and, in
addition, teaches us how to answer the aforementioned questions.
There is one such program that delves into this arena of professional
development. It is the Cultural Proficiency program developed by Lindsay et al in 1990.
They have since modified and improved their initial work and published a second
edition in 2003. This is the version that I will be using to evaluate whether this
professional development program on Culturally Responsive Training can have a
positive effect on closing the achievement gap for Latino students based upon the
research questions stated above.

51
CHAPTER THREE: METHODOLOGY

The purpose of this study was primarily to determine if the Cultural Proficiency
Training Program devised by Lindsey et al (2003) can make a difference in the
classroom and is be able to close the achievement gap, especially for Latino students. It
is primarily a qualitative study that will attempt to answer ―what difference will this
study make for teachers in the classroom?‖ (Patton, 2002). The three main questions
that will be addressed are:
1) How can teachers develop and maintain their own cultural competence?
Specifically, how can teachers become respectfully sensitive to cultures of their
students that are different from their own, to learn about and know the cultures of their
students, and to use understandings about how culture influences learning in their day-
to-day planning for teaching students?
2) Will competences such as classroom management, curriculum lesson
planning and delivery, and assessment become stronger as a teacher becomes more
racially and culturally proficient?
3) How can teachers use this new found knowledge to encourage and increase
academic excellence for all their students?
Each of these three questions is aligned to the three key areas within the
Culturally Responsive Pedagogy (CRP) framework as stated by Richards et al (2006).
Again, they are the Personal, Instructional, and Institutional frames of reference.
Question number three may seem to fall within the personal frame. However, once
52
teachers are more aware of CRP, the question really asks how can CRP practices
become self-sustaining within the institution?
Participants
The participants in this study were 9-12 grade teachers teaching in the Monterey
Peninsula Unified School District, for the purpose of working more effectively with
Latino students. It must be stated that this training can be used to work more effectively
with all students of color. This study used randomly selected Latino students within the
classes of these teachers. Specifically, this research looks at Latinos because they make
up the largest racial group in the district and the state. Lastly, administrators from the
teacher participants‘ schools were involved to try to gain insight from the institutional
level.
The teachers were recruited on a volunteer basis and were made up of a cohort
of new and veteran teachers. They were enrolled in a school semester training program
that met once a week at Seaside High School. They were required to fill out
questionnaires, do homework, reading on their own, expected to try and implement
their newfound knowledge within their classes, and will be required to log in entries
into a journal on a weekly basis, and engage in interviews with the evaluator.
Methods of Data Collection
I have selected the Utilization-Focused Evaluation approach as defined by
Patton (2002). ―Utilization-focused evaluation offers an evaluative process, strategy,
and framework for making decisions about the content, focus, and methods of an
evaluation‖ (p. 173). Due to the fact that I am training teachers with an already
53
established program in order to try and validate the research questions as stated above,
the data collection will also give the participants a voice in the evaluation of their
learning. Patton (2002) states, ―by offering intended users methodological options,
utilization-focused evaluators collaborate in making critical design and data collection
decisions so as to increase their understanding and buy-in thereby facilitating increased
commitment to use its‘ findings‖. By the use of this approach, I will attempt to verify
and confirm findings between qualitative data collected on the surveys, interviews, and
observations. I will also attempt to challenge entrenched methodological biases while
trying to remain respectful of the importance of these teachers getting something they
will believe in and utilize for the rest of their careers (Patton, 2002).
The bottom line is that this approach is very human and personal. As Patton
(2002) purports, ―programs that are based on humanistic concerns and principles often
resist any kind of quantification because of the perception that numbers and
standardized categorization are cold, hard, and impersonal.‖ The following table
underscores why this method is the most appropriate for this study as listed by Patton
(2002):
Table 7: Principles of Qualitative Inquiry and Humanistic Values
1. Each person or community is unique.
2. Each person or community deserves respect.
3. Equity, fairness, and mutual respect should be foundations of human interactions.
4. Change processes (and research) should be negotiated, agreed to, and mutually
understood–not imposed, forced, or required.
5. One expresses respect for and concern about others by learning about them, their
perspective, and their world–and by being personally involved.
6. Change processes should be person centered, attentive to the effects on real people
as individuals with their own unique needs and interests.

54
Table 7: Principles of Qualitative Inquiry and Humanistic Values (cont‘d)
7. Emotion, feeling, and affect are natural, healthy dimensions of human experience.
8. The change agent, therapist, or researcher is nonjudgmental, accepting, and
supportive in respecting others‘ right to make their own decisions and live as they
choose. The point is empowerment of others, not control or judgment.
9. People and communities should be understood in context and holistically
10. The process (how things are done) is as important as the outcome (what is
achieved).
11. Action and responsibility are shared; unilateral action is avoided.
12. Information should be openly shared and honestly communicated as a matter of
mutual respect and in support of openness as a value.
Source: Qualitative Research & Evaluation Methods (Patton, 2002, p. 177).

This type of data collection validates the research questions in an affirmative
manner. This is a particularly appropriate strategy because the timeline for this study
was to be completed within a short period of time.
A Power Point presentation was used as a recruitment tool in the fall 2009
semester. Once the participants were recruited, a pre-survey was administered during
the first session, which included both open-ended questions and quantitative questions
using a 4-point Likert scale (Appendix A). Questions 1 through 5 ascertained teacher
motivation for taking the CRP training program, current knowledge level of cultural
proficiency, and their perceived level of self-efficacy in teaching culturally and
linguistically diverse students. The open-ended questions dealt more with specific
motivational factors, the level of support provided by administration, and participants‘
thoughts on what they hoped to gain from the training program, as well as what they
thought help them to be more effective in their classrooms.
During the last session, a post survey was given with five quantitative questions
(Appendix B). The first five questions were the same questions asked on the pre-survey
so a statistical test could be conducted and the results analyzed. However, one of the
55
five questions was purposely put in the survey to try to determine whether or not the
teacher‘s level of learning and understanding of cultural proficiency training increased
from the onset of this training.
The open-ended questions within the survey looked at two very similar
evaluation models developed by Kirkpatrick and Bennett and Rockwell, respectively.
According to Clark and Estes (2002), Don Kirkpatrick developed the modern day
program evaluation model in the 1950‘s and is considered the best and most widely
used system to date (p. 128). Bennett and Rockwell (1995) use similar topics in their
hierarchy but expand their model by adding an additional three levels into their design
of program evaluation. Clark and Estes (2002) delineate Kirkpatrick‘s four levels in the
following manner: (a) reaction, (b) impact, (c) transfer, and (d) bottom line (p. 128).
―Since the measurement of any one of the four levels can turn up negative results that
may be balanced by positive results on other levels, it is critical to measure all levels if
possible,‖ (Clark and Estes, 2002).
Bennett and Rockwell (1995) use the same ideas as Kirkpatrick, but they label
their levels differently and arrange them in different order. Specifically, their order is as
follows: (a) reaction, (b) learning, (c) actions, and (d) impact. In comparing the two
models, it appears that the levels can be aligned in the following manner with
Kirkpatrick‘s levels first and Bennett‘s second, respectively: (a) reactions – reactions,
(b) impact – impact, (c) transfer – learning, and (d) bottom line – actions. In addition to
these 4 levels, Bennett and Rockwell (1995) add another set of levels to their model.
This set of level deals specifically with program implementation and may be useful to
56
find out whether the Lindsey et al (2003) Cultural Proficiency Training program has
institutional merit for teachers‘ support from administration. Continuing, the three
other levels are (e) resources, (f) activities, and (g) participation. According to Taylor-
Powell et al (1996), Bennett places the last three levels just mentioned at the bottom of
their hierarchy model and explains it in the following manner: ―In extension programs,
we expend ‗resources‘ to conduct ‗activities‘ intended to obtain ‗participation‘ among
targeted audiences. Participant‘s ‗reactions‘ to program activities affect their learning,
meaning their knowledge, opinions, skills and aspirations. Through learning, people
take ‗action‘ which helps to achieve ‗impact‘ on social, economic, and environmental
change‖ (p. 6).
This study uses Clark and Estes‘ (2002) explanation of program evaluation on
the four levels as the first method of data collection. The first level of evaluation,
reaction, tries to ascertain whether or not participants like and value the program or not.
The question on the survey reads, ―What did you enjoy most about Culturally
Responsive Training?‖ If the reaction from the participants is positive, these results
might only indicate that the participants are motivated to persist and to invest effort in
the training program. As Clark and Estes (2002) states, ―positivity here would not
necessarily point toward the participants have gained anything useful and/or will
continue to use the information after the program is finished‖ (p. 129).
The second level is impact, and involves one of three areas: (a) knowledge
learned, (b) skills improved, or (c) attitude changes. Clark and Estes (2002) state, ―if a
knowledge gap is being closed with a training program, this level examines the
57
learning that takes place. If improved performance requires motivational change, this
level measures the progress of changes taking place‖ (p. 131). The questions from this
area on the survey are broad, asking ―What part of the training was most valuable?‖
Answers may reflect any or all of the three areas.
The third level, called transfer, encapsulates the substance of this study.
Precisely, it is here where this study will ascertain if the training is making a difference
in the teachers‘ classrooms. As Clark and Estes (2002) eloquently point out, ―Learning
is best assessed by asking someone to apply what they have learned and explain why
they are doing it. Asking someone to describe a procedure on a test does not guarantee
that they will be able to perform that procedure on the job‖ (p. 133). Thus, research at
this particular level tries to determine whether or not the gains made during the
learning remains intact and in full force after the training is completed. The survey
determines whether the learning taking place while going through the CRP training is
transferred to the classroom by simply asking, ―How is this training affecting what you
are doing in your classroom?‖ It also asks ―What specific strategies learned will they
use in their teaching?‖
Level four of the evaluation model focuses on the bottom line. If there were
enough time to look at quantitative data as part of a triangulation process, one could
look specifically at quantitative indicators such as attendance rates, grades, and passage
of CAHSEE rates from the 10
th
grade Latino students, and compare the first two
indicators from the 2008-09 school year to the first semester of the 2009-10 school
year. The CAHSEE passage rates could be compared to the previous year‘s Latino
58
students in the 10
th
grade class. These are a few indicators on the achievement gap
continuum, thus, because of the relative short time frame of this study, and because
these type of results would be gathered after the school year is completed, they would
have to be compiled over the summer in order to try and determine if CRP training can
have a positive effect on Latino students and their academic success in school.
This study asked if their Latino students‘ level of academic achievement
increased as a result of the training. This might not be reflected in grades alone, but in
such areas as increased attendance rates, self-esteem, more willingness to participate in
class, a more receptive attitude towards learning, or improvement in social
relationships. And finally, borrowing from Bennett and Rockwell (1995) evaluation
model, both the pre-and post-surveys have a question designed to measure the level of
perceived support from the administration to glean insight as to the institutional realm
as portrayed by Richards et al (2006).
The second method of data collection consists of interviews with teachers,
principals, and students from all three training options. Patton (2002) states, ―the
purpose of gathering responses to open-ended questions is to enable the researcher to
understand and capture the points of view of other people without predetermining those
points of view through prior selection of questionnaire categories‖ (p. 21). The teachers
involved in the training program were randomly selected to participate in these
interviews, which were conducted in person (Appendix C). The actual interview
questions were done in the format developed by Gall et al, (2003). This method
consists of asking a series of semi-structured questions to establish a base for the
59
conversation and branch off from those responses given by the participants (Gall et al.,
2003). The questions were similar to those on the pre- and post-surveys, but allowed
for a higher order analysis by allowing teachers to delve deeper into their thoughts.
Emphasis was placed on level three of the evaluative process to try to access any
behavior changes within their personal and instructional levels. Here is where one will
find answers to the questions of how teachers can develop and maintain their own
cultural competence; and will competences such as classroom management, curriculum
lesson planning and delivery, and assessment become stronger as a teacher becomes
more racially and culturally proficient?
As for the school site principals, both principals and assistant principals within
the three high school sites in the district were interviewed. They were brief, no more
than ten-minute open-ended conversations using a general interview guide, which was
specifically about five issues: (a) motivation for teachers to participate in the training
program, (b) support at the site level for teachers while in training, (c) what differences
does the principal notice between CRP trained and non-CRP trained teachers, and (d)
whether the principal thinks that school administrators should receive CRP training
(Appendix D). The administrator‘s awareness of and familiarity with the content
offered in the training program was also explored. These interviews were used as a
means to try to determine general themes and patterns that emerged from our dialogue.
It is from these interviews that the answer to the third research question is sought: from
the institutional lens, how can teachers use this new found knowledge to encourage and
increase academic excellence for all their students?
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In terms of the interviews with the students, for the sake of proper planning and
to assure completion of the research process, these interviews were conducted
beginning in April 2010 Latino students that taking classes from teachers who are
participating in CRP training were randomly selected for no more than ten-minute
open-ended conversation using a general interview guide that specifically addresses
five issues: (a) the student‘s general attitude towards school, (b) the level of academic
success for that particular student, (c) feelings about their teachers at their school and
their willingness to connect with them, (d) reactions once they find out which of their
teachers is participating in CRP training, and (e) whether they feel that all teachers
should participate in CRP training.
Another means to try to determine the effectiveness of this training is making is
to include classroom observations to see teachers employing their new knowledge and
skills gained through this training. Primarily, the researcher observed Seaside High
School teachers. In all observations, the researcher attempted to create trust with the
teachers. It was made clear from the onset that the observation were not to be used in
an evaluative manner but rather a means of support in terms of allowing them to freely
practice their learning from the CRP training.
Timeline and Analysis
The pre-surveys were administered in February, 2010 at the first training
session. The post-survey were given during the last training in early June 2010. The
information gleaned from the five quantitative Likert formatted questions was analyzed
to find the growth comparison between the pre- and post-surveys. Information on the
61
qualitative portion was compiled to try to find general themes and patterns that will
have occurred throughout their responses.
Interviews with the principals were administered in mid-June, 2010 due to the
busy nature of closing out a school semester/year. Interviews with the participants
(teachers and students) were held in February through June, 2010. Again, the research
looked for trends and patterns among all the respondents.
This chapter discussed the main instruments utilized for this study and the
methodology employed to gather data on the effectiveness of Culturally Responsive
Training among teachers in the Monterey Peninsula Unified School District. The next
chapter will discuss the results obtained with these instruments and methods.

62
CHAPTER FOUR: RESULTS

This chapter presents the findings from the qualitative collection of data as
described in chapter 3. The goal was to gather a group of secondary-level teachers and
put them through the Cultural Proficiency Training Program revised by Lindsey et al
(2003) to try to determine:
1) How can teachers develop and maintain their own cultural competence?
Specifically, how can teachers become respectfully sensitive to cultures of their
students that are different from their own, to learn about and know the cultures of their
students, and to use understandings about how culture influences learning in their day-
to-day planning for teaching students?
2) Will competences such as classroom management, curriculum lesson
planning and delivery, and assessment become stronger as a teacher becomes more
racially and culturally proficient?
3) How can teachers use this new found knowledge to encourage and increase
academic excellence for all their students?
Moreover, by going through this training, would it produce a significant change
in the mindset of teachers that would bring to a conscious level and give them
appropriate strategies on how to be able to close the achievement gap, especially for
Latino students?
The Cultural Proficiency Manual for School Leaders by Lindsey et al (2003)
contains a plethora of different activities for cultural proficiency development. This
study divided the training with activities and modeled strategies that were aligned to the
63
Personal, Instructional, and Institutional frames of reference as described by the
Richards et al (2006) framework of Culturally Responsive Pedagogy.
To answer the aforementioned research questions, three forms of data were
examined: a pre- and post-survey given to all participants, interviews and observations
conducted with the participants, and the results of surveys given to three Principals
representing two of the different comprehensive high schools and one of the
comprehensive middle schools, respectively, within the Monterey Peninsula Unified
School District.
Participants
There were 13 teachers whoparticipated in the training program. They represent
teachers from two of the comprehensive high schools and one of the middle schools,
respectively, within the Monterey Peninsula Unified School District. In terms of subject
matter, five were English Language Arts teachers, three were mathematics teachers,
three were social science teachers, and two were science teachers. Though it would
have been beneficial to have teachers from all disciplines in the training, this study
sought to make sure that the four main core content areas were covered. In terms of
gender, the participants were seven females and six males.
The other participants in this study were the three principals from each of the
sites where the teachers participated in the training program. These administrators did
not participate in the actual training sessions.

64
Participant Surveys
The 13 participants in this training each took a pre-survey at the beginning of
the training program and a post-survey on the last training date. These instruments
were designed for the purpose of evaluating whether or not this Cultural Proficiency
Training has any merit to answer the research questions. The first step was to look at
different evaluation models that would allow the researcher to ensure the construct
validity of the instrument. This study looks at three in particular (Clark & Estes, 2002;
Guskey, 2000; Kirkpatrick, 1998) and creates a metamorphosis of these ideas that
formulated the questions for the pre- and post-surveys.
The first portion of the pre-survey asked five questions using a 4-point Likert
scale. These questions were derived to try to measure teacher knowledge about cultural
proficiency, Latino cultural capital, and the achievement gap before and after the
training. The second section of the pre-survey included four qualitative questions that
were designed to begin the introspective process by cross-examining the participants as
to why they were interested in taking Culturally Responsive Training; what would help
them become more effective teachers for Latino students; how does their administration
support their professional growth in this area; and what do they hope to gain from this
training?
The questions on the pre-survey were the same questions asked on the first
portion of the post-survey. This method was used to try and determine if the
participants grew professionally from their participation in this study. Specifically, the
five questions were as follows (see Appendix A and B):
65
1. My knowledge of Cultural Proficiency.
2. My knowledge of working with Latino students.
3. My confidence in working with Latino students.
4. My knowledge of how culture relates to learning.
5. My knowledge of the achievement gap.
The 4-point Likert scale ratings were Advanced, Proficient, Semi-Proficient, and
Non-Proficient. The ensuing table represents the number of responses for each of the
Likert scale questions on the first portion of the pre-survey from the 13 participants:
Table 8: Responses for the Likert scale questions
Advanced Proficient Semi-
Proficient
Non-
Proficient
My knowledge of
Cultural Proficiency
4 3 4 2
My knowledge of
working with Latino
students
5 3 5 0
My confidence in
working with Latino
students
5 4 4 0
My knowledge of how
culture relates to
learning
5 4 4 0
My knowledge of the
achievement gap.
5 1 6 1

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The results after the training are reflected on the table below:
Table 9: Results after the Training
Advanced Proficient Semi-
Proficient
Non-
Proficient
My knowledge of
Cultural Proficiency
8 5 0 0
My knowledge of
working with Latino
students
9 4 0 0
My confidence in
working with Latino
students
9 4 0 0
My knowledge of how
culture relates to
learning
8 5 0 0
My knowledge of the
achievement gap.
8 5 0 0

Even though there are four levels of proficiency in the survey, there are really
two main categories in which these questions were placed: proficiency and non-
proficiency. Within these two levels, there are more advance levels within (i.e.
advanced and semi-proficient). The main goal was to see if teachers felt their level of
proficiency from the specific five areas increased after participating in this training.
Contextualizing the results after the training, the teachers‘ level of semi-proficiency and
non-proficiency all decreased and moved into the proficiency and advanced levels.
Specifically:
Question 1. ―My knowledge of Cultural Proficiency,‖ saw six teachers move
into the proficiency level, with the advanced level increasing by three and the proficient
level increasing by three;
67
Question 2. ―My knowledge of working with Latino students,‖ showed five
teachers moving into the proficiency level, with the advanced level increasing by four
and the proficient level increasing by one;
Question 3. ―My confidence in working with Latino students,‖ yielded four
teachers moving into the proficiency level, with four teachers moving into the advanced
level. The proficient level had no change;
Question 4. ―My knowledge of how culture relates to learning,‖ produced five
teachers moving into the proficiency level, with two teachers moving to the advanced
level and three teachers moving into the proficient level;
Question 5. ―My knowledge of the achievement gap,‖ resulted in seven teachers
moving into the proficient level, with three feeling advanced and four feeling proficient.
At this point in the data analysis, it is important to mention possible limitations
of the results because all the results yielded positive gains. Since this study is dependent
on self-reporting, it could be possible that the participants experienced or sensed more
learning than occurred. It is also possible that they felt an obligation to impress the
trainer because he is one of their supervisors, and, as a result, bettered their scores.
After the Likert questions section of the survey, the questions on the pre-survey
were formulated to try to draw out profound information. The first question on the pre-
survey inquired about why they were taking Culturally Responsive training. All 13
teachers reported that their main motivation was to see if this training would help them
to better assist and teach all their students. Four of the teachers specifically mentioned
68
that they had hoped this training would help them become better teachers for Latino
students.
The second question on this section of the pre-survey delved into the trainees‘
psyche as to what would help them become more effective teachers of Latino students
and other students of color. Interestingly, there were similar responses. Five teachers
stated that they wanted to understand the overall cultural background better and where
they are coming from – cultural capital. Three teachers wanted to know how they can
better communicate with their parents and they wished that they could speak Spanish.
Three teachers wanted to understand how Latino students learn and what motivates
them. Lastly, one teacher wanted to know how he could change their world views on
math.
The third question asked how their administration supported them in taking this
training. Twelve trainees felt an overwhelming support from their administration and
one was not quite sure that her administration even knew that she was participating in
this training. Another comment made by four of the teachers was that having an
administrator on their campus who is an expert in Cultural Proficiency was very
advantageous to them.
The final question was meant to ascertain the trainees‘ mindsets in terms of
what they hoped to gain from participating in this training. There were two motives for
asking this question. The two rationales were to 1) try and establish a point of reference
about how much each of the participants knew about the content of the training, and 2)
to encourage each participant to introspect about what they would like to know about
69
Cultural Proficiency. Many of the teacher responded with several retorts. Specifically,
eleven teachers stated they hoped to discover better ways to support Latino students in
the classroom; seven hoped to gain a better understanding and appreciation of different
cultures; one wished to become more proficient at understanding the achievement gap;
one wanted to gain a greater insight into his own perspective of how he views others
that are different than him; and one teacher had faith that this training would help her
become a better teacher, period.
In sum, the significance of these questions were created to establish a baseline
from the actual participants to see if they were willing and able to participate with the
hopes of becoming better teachers for their Latino students. In looking at the post-
survey responses, teacher attitude plays a huge role in the overall sense of closing the
achievement gap for all students of color and will be discussed in chapter five.
Qualitative Questions on Post-Surveys
Mirroring the style of the pre-survey, the post-survey was also comprised of six
open-ended quantitative questions, which were also based on the same three models of
evaluation training. Each question was specifically formulated to address one of the five
levels of: (a) reaction, (b) learning, (c) application through behavior changes, (d)
results, and (e) organizational support.
The first question focused on what the participants enjoyed most about Cultural
Proficiency training (reaction). The results indicated as follows: Five teachers thought
the training was great. One teacher stated, ―I really love that this training challenged me
to look at my own biases.‖ Another explained enthusiastically, ―This was the best piece
70
of professional development I have had in my career.‖ Five participants really enjoyed
being collegial and engaging in deep, meaningful conversations with their colleagues in
a safe environment. One participant reflected, ―I very much enjoyed the camaraderie
between my colleagues and me. We engaged in some very deep and meaningful
discussions in a safe environment.‖ Another purported, ―I really enjoyed being able to
be collegial with my colleagues, several of which have been teaching for a lot longer
than I.‖ Four teachers reported now feeling more confident working with Latino
students. Two specific quotes from teachers are, ―This training really enlightened my
understand of how people different that myself learn. I feel more confident working
with Latino students.‖ The other quote is, ―I can honestly say that the feel in my classes
have a different vibe, more positive as I feel more comfortable working with my
majority of Latino students.‖ Three partakers said that they learned how much culture
plays a major role in student learning. Specifically one mentioned, ―I considered myself
pretty open-minded. This training made me realize that I have much more to learn about
how culture plays a major role in student learning.‖ Two teachers realized how
knowledge about cultural proficiency can be used to decrease the achievement gap. ―I
really enjoyed learning about the achievement gap and how if American schools
continue to do business as usual, our students of color will face an insurmountable
future,‖ reported one teacher. Finally, two teachers realized that they were not as
culturally proficient as they thought. One teacher put it, ―In reflecting over my answers
in my pre-survey, I realized that I was non-proficient in all of my responses.‖
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The following table organizes the responses visually to measure growth before
and after the training:
Table 10: Participants‘ Pre- and Post-Survey Responses
Pre-Survey Responses Post-Survey Responses
All 13 teachers reported that their main
motivation was to see if this training
would help them to better assist and
teach all their students.
- Five really enjoyed being
collegial and engaging in deep,
meaningful conversations with
their colleagues in a safe
environment;
- Three stated that they learned how
much culture plays a major role in
student learning;
- Two teachers realized how
knowledge about cultural
proficiency can be used to
decrease the achievement gap.
Four of the teachers specifically
mentioned that they had hoped this
training would help them become better
teachers for Latino students.
Four teaches now feel more confident
working with Latino students.
Five teachers specifically mentioned that
they thought the training was great.
Two realized that they weren‘t as
culturally proficient as they thought.

Question number two inquired as to the strategies the participants learned that
they will continue to use in their classroom. The idea comes from Kirkpatrick‘s second
level of evaluation model called learning. Several teachers responded with specific
strategies that get to know their students better, like administering interest inventories,
personal questionnaires, family tree reports, ethnic perceptions activities, and exploring
your cultural roots activities. Two teachers felt that getting to know their students
outside the classroom through extra-curricular activities like coaching them in sports
and/or by observing them during break, lunch, and after school. Three teachers thought
72
that looking at how many ELL students there are in each class and using differentiation
strategies to move the ELL students at least one level on CST‘s. Two of the participants
perceived cooperative learning strategies would work really well because it is a big part
of the Latino culture. Finally, two teachers felt that reaching out to Spanish speaking
parents more like doing home visits would help in making a even deeper connection to
their students.
Question number three addressed Kirkpatrick‘s third level of evaluation called
application through behavior changes. This question tried to have participants introspect
as to what helped them become a more effective teacher of their Latino students. Five
participants reported that they needed to be more open-minded. Four teachers felt that
having been exposed to cultural themes and characteristics of the Latino culture gave
them a better understanding of their Latino students as a whole. There were single
responses that were very interesting, which included having a better understanding of
the achievement gap; better utilization of student data to understand all their students;
understanding what cultural proficiency is; and using more social interactive strategies
in the classroom.
The fourth question measured student growth of Latino students as a direct
result of this training. This follows the results level of Kirkpatrick‘s evaluation model.
The tallies are as follows: ten teachers said a definitive Yes and three were not sure yet
but very optimistic that there will be improvement at end of the year and on the CST‘s.
Interestingly, two of the participants felt like they were connecting more with their
Latino students, two felt like they were not having as much disruptive behaviors as the
73
first part of the year, and two teachers stated that they felt like their classroom feels
more alive and exciting. Lastly, there were some quantifying comments as well. Six
teachers were seeing more work being completed and turned in three other teachers saw
one of each of the following: third quarter benchmark exams showed significant
improvement; progress reports have showed improvement; student engagement showed
improvement and student attendance improved.
The fifth question measured an improvement in the personal attitude of the
participants towards teaching after having gone through this training. The purpose of
this question was to try to determine if the Cultural Proficiency Training Program
revised by Lindsey et al (2003) would be accepted by teachers as a good training. Two
teachers had a hard time teaching the first half of the year but along with ten others,
they felt rejuvenated again. Three teachers became very excited about continuing to
learn how culture impacts student learning. One teacher felt that classes were more
exciting and their students were participating more. Another became more cognizant
about how personal biases affect teaching.
Finally, the last question qualified if there is support from school administration
for this type of training. This addresses Kirkpatrick‘s last level of evaluation called
organizational support. Four participants responded by saying that they felt like their
administration saw their renewed sense of teaching and professionalism. Three teachers
felt that their administration supported collaboration from the group as they got together
to think of and try different strategies, and then share their experiences with one
another. These teachers also stated that, in order to feel confident in trying these new
74
strategies, the administration guaranteed them that they would not use these results in
the formal evaluation process. Another two teachers saw that their administration
embraces diversity and promotes tolerance and acceptance of others. One teacher
exalted that he is receiving support on how to look up and analyze data of
underachieving students from his administration. Another teacher claimed the principal
is sending him to the CABE conference and even encouraged him to take an evening
Spanish class at the local junior college. Lastly, several teachers felt the need to speak
specifically about their assistant principal: four teachers responded by saying that they
cannot thank their assistant principal enough for inviting them to be a part of this
training; two stated how they felt lucky to have an expert in cultural proficiency on their
campus in their assistant principal; and one mentioned that their assistant principal
continually gives them copies of the latest research articles to read to stay in the know.
In summation, the overarching goal was to see if one could build school-wide
Culturally Responsive Teachers in order to be able to close the achievement gap for
Latino students by using the Cultural Proficiency training as established by Lindsey et.
al (2003).The first research question asked how can teachers develop and maintain their
own cultural competence? Specifically, how can teachers become respectfully sensitive
to cultures of their students that are different from their own, to learn about and know
the cultures of their students, and to use understandings about how culture influences
learning in their day-today planning for teaching students? The question basically lines
up with step four of Lindsey et al‘s (2003) Cultural Proficiency Continuum called
Cultural Precompetence. Based upon the responses from the pre- and post-surveys, this
75
training did get all of the participant‘s mindset to the Cultural Precompetence level, that
is recognizing that lack of knowledge, experience, and understanding of other cultures
limits your ability to effectively interact with them. Without this step, building school-
wide culturally proficient teachers will be impossible.
Teacher Interviews
All thirteen teachers who participated in the training were summoned after the
first quarter of the new school year to see if the training had any positive lasting effect
on the trainees. There was positive feedback at the end of the training which took place
during the second half of the school year. There were two factors that needed further
exploring. The first was to try to see what type of effect would CRP trained teachers
have on their students from the onset of a school year and the second was to see if the
training had the potential to be sustained long term.
The interview method was semi-structured with specific questions for continuity
(Appendix C). Additional questions were asked depending on the responses received
for either clarification or elaboration. The following is a summation of the interview
questions and responses from the participants.
1. What was your motivation for taking Culturally Responsive Training? Many of
the teachers gave multiple reasons. Specifically, six of the teachers wanted to learn
more about Cultural Proficiency. Six others simply hoped that this training would help
them become better teachers. This was interesting because four out of the six teachers
had been teaching longer than six years. Another five teachers wanted to know how to
connect better with their Latino students and how to motivate their learning. Four
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teachers gave similar responses in that they wanted learn how to better teach their ELL
students. Three teachers admitted that they have much more to learn about how culture
plays a major role in student learning and hoped that this training would give them this
insight. Lastly, three teachers mentioned that they hoped this training helped them learn
how they can decrease the achievement gap.
2. When I walk in your classroom, what differences, if any, would I see in your
teaching after you took the training program? This question elicited many responses
that were filled with excitement. Six teachers reported that they have increased their use
of activities to learn about their students to make better connections. For example, one
teacher used a quick write activity every day in which students can write about topics
such as what they did the evening prior, what they had for dinner, where they did their
homework,. Another teacher opens his classroom at lunch to provide opportunities for
his students to get extra help or to find out what his students are conversing about.
Another two used the Latino Cultural Themes and its‘ Role on Education chart to
present new material. All six of these teachers used the aforementioned strategies and
consciously think about this information as they plan lessons.
There were quite a few responses that dealt with the actual physical layout of the
classroom to increase both student engagement and checking for understanding. For
example, four teachers reported that they rearranged their classroom in groups so that
they were able to walk around the class more, making sure the students were engaged.
Two of these four said that this change allowed for increased use of checking for
understanding strategies. ―I use small whiteboard tablets to have my students hold up
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and show how they got their answers. I can see quickly at a glance from the front or as I
walk around.‖ Lastly, two teachers specifically mentioned they looked at progress data
to seat their students by ability levels (low, medium, and high). This allows them to be
able to differentiate their instruction in a more structured manner.
Five participants explained they increased their use of social interaction
strategies. They enthusiastically shared how this has created more active involvement in
student learning, such as having students come up to the board to show work. ―They
want to be the first one done with their activity so that they can be the first to share.‖
Two of these teachers affirmed that they lecture a great deal less and as a result, have
livelier classroom discussions which has created an exciting learning atmosphere. One
teacher called this ―no more lecturing just Socratic teaching.‖
The last response dealt with an increased use of SDAIE strategies. Three
teachers stated in excitement that they frontloaded new vocabulary in all their lessons.
One teacher gave a specific example of how to use the internet to frontload vocabulary
through a website called ―Brainpop‖. ―This is a great way to utilize their visual
learning.‖ Speaking of visual learning, another three teachers declared that they
increased their use of graphic organizers and keept them organized in the student
binders.
One of the teacher‘s comments summed up all of the responses given for this
question:
You will see a teacher working very hard to find out as much as she can about
her students and then build that into every lesson and activity that we do. I have
learned so much about the Latino culture this year and it is amazing to me to see
how excited my student are to share their world with me. You will see a huge
78
emphasis on vocabulary, reading, writing, and comprehension but in a manner
that includes Cornell note-taking and graphic organizers. Finally, you will see a
very energized teacher excited about teaching all of her students.

3. What difference, if any, do you notice in your attitude about your students after
you took the training? All of the responses came from a personal level, but some were
deeper than others. A positive and excited attitude was the common factor in all of these
responses. Eight of the respondents shared that they have a strong desire to want to
know as much about their students as possible. ―I am always asking, probing, and
discussing with my students about who they are as individuals, what their family
traditions are, how do they celebrate birthdays, holidays, anniversaries, etc.‖ Another
quoted the trainer, ―your students do not care how much you know until they know how
much you care.‖ Moreover, two of these teachers specifically mentioned that they were
trying to reach their students with more patience and caring in hope that their students
feel like they really care about them. Four of these teachers also reported having an
easier going, happier, and/or much more positive attitude. Another three shared an
excitement to see their students and their learning every day. Lastly, two teachers were
more cognizant about their cultural biases and what and how they said things in class
because they did not want to turn their students off.
Still on a personal but a much higher level, six teachers felt more comfortable
working with Latino students and wanted to make a big difference for them. This is an
increase of two more teachers from the results of the post survey. Four others reflected
how they became fascinated in learning how Latino culture plays a part in student
learning, especially with ELL students. Two others became enthralled about learning
79
more on the topic through reading the latest research. Two teachers made stronger
efforts in communicating with parents, working after hours with their students, and
becoming a champion for closing of the achievement gap. Lastly, three of the teachers
felt like their classroom management has improved.
4. What difference has your participation in the CRP training made for your
Latino students in terms of their academic achievement, attitude towards your class,
self-esteem, etc.? There was an overwhelming response of ―a huge difference!‖ This
particular question asked the teachers to go back and look at their grades from last year
and this year during the same time period (end of first quarter). The purpose was to
quantify any improvement, or lack of, in academic achievement strictly using grades
only. All 13 teachers stated that their student‘s grades had improved from last year to
this year. Only12 out of the 13 teachers actually did the actual calculation comparison.
All 12 showed improvement between grades of D‘s and F‘s. In all, there was a 12.6%
decrease in D‘s given out and 11.1% decrease in F‘s given out.
As for student attitude towards the class, seven teachers claimed that the overall
attitude has increased positively as students seemed to be enjoying coming to class. One
teacher reported ―I am having minimal absences, tardiness, or discipline issues on a
daily basis,‖ Speaking of discipline issues, eight teachers did not have discipline issues
like they used to have. ―I have only written four referrals to date as compared to
probably over 30 last year at this time,‖ stated one teacher. Nine teachers either stated
the students are working very hard for them or they see more class work and homework
being completed. One teacher feels like his students see that he cares about them and
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they do not want to disappoint him and another likes how his students are learning how
to think for themselves. ―It is making for lively class discussions.‖
On the topic of self-esteem, eleven teachers either feel or see an increase in their
student‘s self-esteem due to better grades, more learning taking place, and overall
attitude. Some comments students are saying are ―I can really do this‖ or ―I can‘t
believe that I am actually learning science.‖ One teacher also noticed that her girls self-
esteem seem to be improving than the boys because they seem to be more actively
involved in the class than the boys.
5. Do you feel that the CRP training has merit to assist teachers in teaching all
students of color to assist in closing the achievement gap? If so, how and why? All 13
respondents stated a resounding ―Yes!‖ One teacher put it succinctly, ―All teachers
should go through this training. No matter how long you‘ve been a teacher, CRP
training can assist any teacher!‖
The majority of the answers from the participants were testimonial in nature
about their reflection over the training and several themes arose from their responses.
The first theme had to do with making connections with students. One teacher pointed
out, ―All it took was for us adults to become more aware and have the desire to see how
different cultures view school, how our biases either turn off or turn on our students to
learning, and how we could make better connections with our students.‖ Another
teacher was not afraid to talk about her cultural background, ―This training taught this
white teacher how to make better connections with my minority students.‖ Finally, one
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teacher put it in simple terms, ―All teachers need to go through the CRP training
because every teacher wants to teach all their students.‖
The second theme that emerged was career saving or altering. Specifically, four
teachers were in agreement that this training was reinvigorating or re-energizing.
Another teacher stated, ―This training will help keep teachers in the profession because
you learn how to make connections with students in ways that you never knew you
could.‖ A sixth teacher said, ―All teachers should go through this training, especially
the new teachers. This should become a part of BTSA.‖ Finally, two other teachers
reacted by saying, ―I was ready to leave the profession because I struggled my first two
years. This training has saved my teaching career.‖
The last theme that arose was specific dialogue about race and the achievement
gap. One teacher said, ―Just bringing race into the conversation and specifically looking
at Latino students made me look into how many of them I was failing. I shouldn‘t have
been surprised but I was.‖ Another teacher reported, ―It is important for race to be
brought to the forefront of schooling because American schooling is not culturally
responsive to students of color.‖ In terms of the achievement gap, one teacher reflected,
―Since most teachers are Caucasian, this training is critical to closing the achievement
gap.‖ Another responded, ―If we don‘t start learning how culture impacts learning for
students of color, we will only perpetuate the growth of the achievement gap.‖ Yet
another teacher exclaimed, ―This training has helped me improve my teaching and I
believe it is helping out my Latino students close the achievement gap.‖ A fourth
teacher mentioned, ―Students who represent the wrong end of the achievement gap
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must be exposed to teachers who make the effort to become more culturally
responsive‖. Finally, two more teachers responded similarly, ―This training makes you
focus on the achievement gap and makes it real. CRP training will also have a life
altering effect in improving the learning for all of our students of color.‖
The last comment addressed the institutional potential for change. As the teacher
put it, ―This training is a very important pillar for school reform. I feel that a school will
never become high performing as it could be without attention to this pillar.‖
6. Is there anything else that you would like to add about your experience in this
training program? For this final question, there were a few different responses. Eight
teachers responded by saying they were very appreciative of their administration for
allowing them to participate in the training. Six teachers reiterated that this was the best
training they have ever received. Four others reminded me that they felt the opportunity
to speak and get to know their fellow teachers were extremely beneficial (collegiality).
Three others confirmed that the training was set up in a manner that allowed for honest
discussion to take place outside their comfort zone. Finally, on a positive note, one
teacher realized how confidence breeds success:
A huge ―ah-ha‖ for me was truly knowing that the Latino culture does value
learning. Trying to communicate with my Spanish speaking parents has really
paid dividends for me. These parents really appreciate me making the effort to
keep them informed about the progress of their student in my class. When I call
or send a note home with the words ―conferencia‖, I have been meeting more
with my parents. This aspect has also assisted me in having more success with
my Latino students.

In summation, the teacher survey responses elicited answers to the other two
research questions: will competences such as classroom management, curriculum lesson
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planning and delivery, and assessment become stronger as a teacher becomes more
racially and culturally proficient? And, how can teachers use this new found knowledge
to encourage and increase academic excellence for all their students? Based upon their
responses, the indications are a resounding yes and the sheer sense of overall awareness
on what cultural proficiency entails, teachers used strategies to increase academic
proficiency in their classes with Latino and other students of color. A delimitation here
is that the results may be somewhat subjective, but the administrator responses should
help validate what the teachers are feeling and seeing in their classes.
Administrative Surveys
Only three principals were selected to participate in the administrative survey. I
selected the two high school principals and one middle school principal who had
teachers from their respective schools involved in the training. The survey consisted of
nine questions used as a guide (Appendix D). The table that follows portrays the
demographics of each principal and his/her respective school site. These demographics
include how long each person has been a principal, what type of comprehensive setting
is it, the total population at each school, the number of Latinos, and how many teachers
are at his/her school site.
Table 11: Administrators‘ Demographics
Schools Grades Years as
Principal
# of
Students
# of Latino
Students
# of
Teachers
School # 1 9 – 12 6 1123 642 44
School # 2 9 – 12 1 1284 680 49
School # 3 K – 8 2 904 531 33

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1. What kind of motivation was present at your sit for teachers to take
Culturally Responsive Training? Two out of the three principals stated that they invited
the high school Assistant Principal to a staff meeting to present to the staff so that he
could recruit participants for the training. The other school did not recruit for it but did
send one teacher to participate because she worked at the high school the year before.
Thus, from the two schools that participated in the recruitment meeting, one had nine
teachers out of 38 and the other only had three out of 49. The Principal from school #1
declared, ―Almost all teachers thought that it would be good to participate but only nine
actually followed through.‖ The Principal from school #2 reports, ―The majority of my
teaching staff is white and I thought that they could use this training. Only three
teachers expressed interest so I would say there was little motivation.‖
To try to increase motivation, the presenter was able to procure a $100 stipend
for each participant. The principal from school #1 would have liked to be able to pay
more stipends but due to bad economic times in California, ―having nine teachers was
perfect because that was all we could afford.‖
2. Did you find a need on your campus for CRP training? If so why? All three
principals said a resounding yes and acknowledged the diversity on their campuses as
the main reason to have some of their teachers partake of this cutting edge program.
―My campus is probably the most diverse campus of all the three middle schools in the
district. We also have the most engrained teaching staff and I‘ve had a difficult time
introducing school reform changes so this training would be a good way to break the
ice,‖ conceded Principal #3. Principal #1 exclaimed that they finished their WASC
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process the year before and one of the recommendations that came out of the report was
to develop a comprehensive, culturally relevant and responsive strategy for teachers that
will help them become the kind of educator who can teach any student effectively.‖
3. What importance do you place upon CRP training? The main goal of this
question was to see if there is a lack of institutional support within the Culturally
Responsive Pedagogy (CRP) framework as stated by Richards, Brown, and Ford
(2006). All three principals looked at CRP training as very vital to their school
improvement efforts. Principal #1 boldly stated, ―the demographics at my school
represent everything I was looking for in a school to create as high performing. The
ability for a non-minority educator to be able to learn about his/her student different
from him/her and use that knowledge to bridge the gap of learning is the most critical
thing that we do.‖ Principal #3 shared, ―the crux of the matter is how do we adults
connect with our students. Students of color have traditionally been failed by the system
because the system doesn‘t value who they are. My school desperately needs CRP
training.‖
4. Do you know what is involved in CRP training? This question also is aligned
to the institutional area of Richard et al CRP framework. Moreover, this question
ascertained what role administrative knowledge plays in CRP training. All three
principals admitted that they were not well versed on the specific details of the training.
They all stated that they would be very interested in participating in the training so that
they could get a better understanding and be viewed as competent by their staff.
Principal #3 purported, ―even though I am very interested in Cultural Proficiency, I
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have never gone through any formal training. I would definitely go if this training is
offered again.‖
5. How did you facilitate your teachers taking this training and how did you
support them throughout their training? This question was asked to see if the principals
tried to motivate their respective teachers in participating in the training and in what
capacity did they support these teachers throughout the training program. All three
spoke to the fact that there was a $100 stipend for participating, ―our district office
allowed me to pay my teachers $100 to attend this meeting,‖ shared Principal #1. In
addition, all three principals excused the teachers if a staff meeting fell on the training
dates. Principal #2 said, ―The trainings took place off campus so I excused them from
any commitments here on campus as an added incentive.‖
In terms of support for their teachers, all three principals were very supportive.
Principal #2 recalled, ―the Assistant Principal from SHS would send me weekly updates
via email on the training and I would check in with these teachers throughout the
semester to see how everything was going for them.‖
6. What difference,if any, do you notice in your teachers that participated in
CRP training before and after the CRP training? (It can be subtle like their attitude, or
it can be obvious like strategies they use in their classroom). This and the following two
questions pertained to the heart of this research study. All three principals confirmed a
significant change in self-confidence, a more positive attitude, and higher work output
among the teachers who participated in the CRP training. The principal responses are
remarkable and need to be stated verbatim:
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Principal #1: I remember a couple of teachers being nervous about embarking
upon a training that would force them to talk about race. I must say that I notice
a humongous change amongst these participants mainly in their self-confidence.
For several of them, this self-confidence translated into changes in their
pedagogy for the better.

Principal #2: I was shocked to find out which of my teachers were the ones
interested in taking the training because they were white, older teachers already
set in their ways. They were also two of the most negative teachers. I can attest
that they have changed their attitudes 180 degrees for the better. They actually
seem to like their students now and I don‘t see the same type of classroom
management issues emanating from their classes.

Principal #3: It was pretty amazing to see my teacher take her work to a higher
level after this training. It was almost like she metamorphosized into a new
teacher. She was usually quiet in all of our staff meetings, not any more. She
became very confident and with something to say. Everything that comes out of
her mouth is all about putting kids first. When I walk into her classroom, there
is a very different and significant feel in the class. Students are completely
engaged, there is learning going on, the feeling is happy, the teacher is happy.

7. What difference your teacher’s participation in the CRP training making for
the Latino students in your school in terms of their academic achievement, attitude
towards school, self-esteem, etc.? Principal #1 reported the following:
As the principal, for me, the bottom line is seeing an increase of student
achievement. Our Latinos represent our largest significant subgroup of our
student population. The bottom line is that there has been an increase in
proficient grades amongst this student population of some 24%. We have seen a
12% increase in the attendance of our Latino students, and our suspension rates
have decreased significantly as well. I believe that these teachers are trying
harder to make connections with all of our students but specifically with our
Latinos and it have made a huge difference.

Principal #2 reported:
I have seen a glimmer of hope from the three teachers that partook in this
training. Their students have shown increases and I have seen their grades
comparison. Just in the classes of these teachers, we have also noticed a
decrease in referrals coming from these teachers. Better grades, less discipline
issues is a formula for increased self-esteem, better attendance in school, and
88
just a better attitude towards school period. I can attest that this training is
making a significant difference for the Latino students in these teacher‘s classes.

Principal #3 shared:
Learning is taking place in the classroom. If I would have to put money on it, I
would bet that her participation in the CRP training has made all the difference
in the world, especially for her Latino students. Their grades seem to be
improving; she is not experiencing any discipline issues like she did the first
part of the year so I would say that their attitude has improved dramatically. I
would also say that this has also led to a big improvement in their self-esteem.

8. Do you feel that CRP training is needed for administrators as well? Why or
why not? All three principals said a resounding ―yes.‖ They also felt that being the
school leader, they should be knowledgeable about the topic. ―If we are going to talk
the same language with our teachers, then we need to know what CRP training entails‖,
says Principal #2. Another similar response by Principal #1 is ―I will be honest in that I
did not feel comfortable being able to have a complete reflective conversation with the
teachers because I was not learning what they had learned so I felt out of the loop.‖
9. Is there anything else that you would like to add about your experience in
this training program? Principal #3 stated, ―I am pretty excited that our district is
broaching race and cultural differences.‖ Principal #2 reported that ―Based on what I
see from my teachers that participated in this training, I would like to see if we can get
more teachers trained this year. I have noticed an improvement in the teachers that
went through the training so I would like to make this school wide.‖ Finally, Principal
#1 shared ―I have also been asked by my other teachers who did not participate last
semester if we are going to offer it again this year. They see how their colleagues are
89
talking, working, having success, and enjoying their work and I believe it has become
infectious to them.‖
This chapter reviewed the qualitative responses gathered and collected. From
the evidence gathered, there appears to be evidence that the CRP training not only has
merit, it made a difference in teacher competencies such as classroom management,
curriculum lesson planning, and delivery and assessment. The end result is increased
academic excellence for all their students. Chapter 5 looks at the implications for
practice and provides recommendations for future research.

90
CHAPTER FIVE: SUMMARY, IMPLICATIONS, AND RECOMMENDATIONS

As explained in chapter 1, this study examined whether the Cultural Proficiency
Training Program revised by Lindsey et al (2003) would have any effect in closing the
achievement gap for Latino students. The research questions guiding this study are
presented below.
1) How can teachers develop and maintain their own cultural competence?
Specifically, how can teachers become respectfully sensitive to cultures of their
students that are different from their own, to learn about and know the cultures of their
students, and to use understandings about how culture influences learning in their day-
to-day planning for teaching students?
2) Will competences such as classroom management, curriculum lesson
planning and delivery, and assessment become stronger as a teacher becomes more
racially and culturally proficient?
3) How can teachers use this new found knowledge to encourage and increase
academic excellence for all their students?
The study was based on pre- and post-surveys, introspective evaluations by the
teachers who participated in the training, and interview responses by their
administrators. Chapter five clarifies the findings illustrated in chapter four by
discussing each of the methods used for data collection, summarization of the results,
and provides recommendations for future trainings, as well as implications for further
research.

91
Summary of Findings
This study shows the results of a training done with 13 teachers on Cultural
Proficiency within one district. It is apropos because, as stated in chapter two, in 2008
California‘s P-16 council reported that the number one recommendation for improving
school climate and culture in order to close the achievement gap is to provide Culturally
Relevant Professional Development for all school personnel. Three methods of data
collection were used in this process to determine the effectiveness of the training: (a)
pre- and post-surveys, (b) introspective responses by the teachers who participated in
the training, and (c) interview responses by their administrators.
The quantitative portion of the study consisted of both the pre- and post-survey
questions and open-ended questions. Specifically, the first two questions on the survey
portion were formulated to try and answer the first research question in this study, how
can teachers develop and maintain their own cultural competence, and/or how can they
become respectfully sensitive to cultures of their students that are different from their
own, to learn about and know the cultures of their students, and to use understandings
about how culture influences learning in their day-to-day planning for teaching
students?
In the quantitative portion of the survey given to teachers who participated, they
were explicitly asked to assess their level of knowledge before and after the training of
Cultural Proficiency, knowledge and confidence in working with Latino students, how
culture relates to learning, and the achievement gap. The question really asks ―are you
either proficient or non-proficient in these areas?‖ When the results were analyzed,
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there was a definite decrease in the teachers‘ level of semi-proficiency and non-
proficiency and a definite increase of the proficiency and advanced levels. This was
evidenced by the responses from the teachers on the post-survey as recapitulated in
chapter four, whereby each of the responses yielded no teachers feeling non-proficient
after the training.
The results of the quantitative section were corroborated by the results of the
open-ended qualitative questions on the survey. Moreover, as stated in chapter three,
the open-ended questions were aligned to Clark and Estes (2002) evaluation model. The
first open-ended question, Level 1-reaction, inquired about why they were taking
Culturally Responsive training. All 13 teachers reported that their main motivation was
to see if this training would help them to better assist and teach all their students. Four
of the teachers specifically mentioned that they had hoped this training would help them
become better teachers for Latino students.
The second open-ended question was a Level 2-impact question. The learning
goal was met on all three sublevels within this level; knowledge learned, skills
improved, and attitude changes (Clark and Estes, 2002). Participants were able to gain a
better insight about students that have cultural backgrounds different than their own and
how that plays a major role in student learning – cultural capital. As a result, they were
able to formulate a strong collegial group that enhanced meaningful dialogue especially
when discussing different strategies to increase academic proficiency in their classes
with Latino and other students of color. Also of great importance, there was an
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overwhelming increase in the confidence of the participants in working with Latino
students.
Level 3-transfer, basically asked, ―Did participant application change due to
behavioral changes?‖ Based upon their responses, the indications are a resounding yes.
All 13 participants applied confidently and effectively their newfound knowledge and
skills learned in their classrooms over the past semester and they reported good success.
This positive success also contributed to positive attitudes on the sheer sense of overall
awareness on what cultural proficiency entails. Several participants spoke to just being
exposed to cultural themes and characteristics of the Latino culture gave them a better
understanding of their Latino students as a whole. Thus, this consciously made several
of the participants want to have a better understanding of the achievement gap and what
kind of strategies they could try in their classrooms to help close it for their students.
Level 4 asked for the bottom line. This was the central core of this study for this
is the level where elicit answers to the other two research questions were elicited. The
second research question is ―Will competences such as classroom management,
curriculum lesson planning and delivery, and assessment become stronger as a teacher
becomes more racially and culturally proficient?‖ There was a definitive yes among the
participants. Participants reported that they were now putting together quality lesson
plans that addressed Latino learning characteristics, and as a result, they felt like their
classrooms discussions and learning became much more deep and exciting.
Additionally, a positive by-product reported by several participants was an
overwhelming decrease in disruptive classroom behaviors. The third research question
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is, ―How can teachers use this new found knowledge to encourage and increase
academic excellence for all their students?‖ The majority of the teachers reported seeing
more work being completed and turned in and an overall increase in the third quarter
benchmark exams, progress reports, and student attendance. They were also very
optimistic that there will be improvement at end of the year grades and on the CST‘s.
Finally, Level 5-organizational support, asked ―Is there support from the school
administration for this type of training?‖ The results were, again, a resounding yes from
the participants. There were several statements that these participants felt confident in
trying their new strategies because the administration guaranteed them that they would
not use these results in the formal evaluation process. Several participants also
responded by saying that they felt like their administration saw a renewed sense of
teaching and professionalism emanating from them. Lastly, participants were able to
make the connection between theory and practice in Professional Learning Community
(PLC‘s). In other words, the teachers felt that their administration supports
collaboration from this group as they get together to think of and try different strategies,
and then share their experiences with one another. Additionally, participants were also
receiving support on how to look up and analyze data of underachieving students from
their administration.
Implications for Practice
Several themes emerged from the three different types of data collected. It was
interesting to see why the P-16 Council determined in their report that the number one
recommendation for improving school climate and culture in order to close the
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achievement gap is to provide Culturally Relevant Professional Development for all
school personnel. The need is there because this training was unlike any that the
participants had ever experienced. There really was a big barrier at the beginning of the
training because the participants felt very uncomfortable addressing race. Human nature
is that being labeled a racist can have a detrimental effect on collegial relationships.
The first main area where this training had the most effect was in improved
awareness of the different stages of cultural proficiency. Most of the participants had
never really heard of this theory prior to the training. Again, six teachers moved into the
proficiency level, with the advance level of cultural proficiency understanding
increasing by three and the proficient level also increasing by three. It was also very
enlightening to see the participants become critically conscious as they became aware
of the Cultural Proficiency Continuum. As was pointed out in chapter 2 by Tatum
(1997), defining one‘s identity is complex but necessary in preparing oneself to teach
students who do not share an identity with the teacher. To see the teachers transform
their thought processes by first looking at their own cultural biases and then seeing how
these biases transfer into everything they do within their classrooms was immense.
The second main area of importance developed around an improved attitude
from the teachers toward their students and vice-versa. As evidenced by eight of the
respondents, they shared a strong desire to want to know as much about their students
as possible. These participants began to have better success within their classrooms, as
the majority of participants witnessed improvements in student work output and
participation, test scores and grades, and attendance. As an example, 12 out of the 13
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teachers calculated improvement in the grades of their students from the year prior to
the present. In all, there was a 12.6% decrease in D‘s given out and 11.1% decrease in
F‘s given out from last year to this year. There was such a strong sense from all of the
participants that these results would also have a similar effect on their student‘s CST
scores.
Simultaneously, the teachers noticed decreased classroom disruptions and an
acceptance by the students to allow them to try new strategies within the classroom.
―Students don‘t care how much you know until they know how much you care‖,
(Cooper, 2008). The participants reported that as they implemented different activities
to learn more about their Latino students in a genuine manner, the students became
nicer and less disruptive and began to participate and do more work for them. This
produced increased levels of student self-esteem as evidenced by the eleven teachers
that saw an increase in their student‘s self-esteem due to better grades, more learning
taking place, and overall attitude.
The third major theme was an increased excitement between all the participants
to share out with their colleagues. When the teachers are excited about what is
happening in their classroom, they want to eagerly share it with their fellow colleagues.
This bodes well for any school that is trying to de-privatize their school culture and
truly create a PLC. As an example, six teachers were in agreement that this training was
reinvigorating or re-energizing and were excited because they felt that this training
saved their career.
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The above-mentioned theme was corroborated by the administrator responses.
When they were asked if they noticed any difference amongst their teachers that
participated in CRP training after the training, all three principals confirmed significant
changes in their teacher‘s self-confidence, a more positive attitude, and a higher work
output. The following principal response says it all,
I was shocked to find out which of my teachers were the ones interested in
taking the training because they were white, older teachers already set in their
ways. They were also two of the most negative teachers. I can attest that they
have changed their attitudes 180 degrees for the better. They actually seem to
like their students now and I don‘t see the same type of classroom management
issues emanating from their classes.
Recommendations for Research
This study provides three interesting and important findings. First of all, the
human psyche is such an interesting dynamic that makes this training very tricky.
Educators need to figure out better and quicker methods to make participants in the
training feel very comfortable right off the bat. In other words, it took almost three
sessions before the participants were able to feel comfortable about speaking about race
and their own biases because they did not want to come across as racist. This would
eliminate wasted time so that educators can imminently begin the much important work
of figuring out a more innate manner of increasing their teaching effectiveness with all
students.
The second aspect gleaned was that this training was done on a micro-level but
showed some great potential. The participants were almost hand selected and
represented a small group of three schools. It would be interesting to see how this
training would work with a larger and more random group of teachers. Thus, this
98
training must be done again with the aforementioned selection criteria in order to
solidify the idea that this training is an essential means for teachers to increase their
teaching effectiveness with Latino and other students of color. In our current climate of
accountability, no educator can afford to ignore best practices and research-tested
strategies to reach all of his/her students. With the high drop-out rate of Latino students
especially, it is more important than ever for teachers to learn a career altering
philosophy that will help make their teaching comprehensible for all. As Fullan (1999)
states, there must be a moral imperative in order to begin to shut the achievement gap.
CRP training shows promise to allow educators: to engage in the moral imperative by
preparing all teachers to interact with their students from all types of cultures and
backgrounds; and, to better understand how culture impacts one‘s learning so that they
can better serve their learning needs.
Finally, based upon the data collected from both the teachers and the
administrators, there is an obvious need for CRP training for the administrators. This
appears to be the weak link that if strengthened, would solidify the CRP training and, in
turn, have an immediate impact in positive student achievement. I believe that this is the
group of educators that possesses the key to have an immediate and long lasting affect
for the profession. Administrators would gain the knowledge of how to better support
their teachers, their Latino and all students of color, and strengthen the PLC process at
their school sites. If teachers feel more supported, they would be willing to go through
this training without any hesitation.

99
Conclusion
Most teachers are probably more aware of multicultural education and have not
heard too much about the Cultural Proficiency Continuum. Multicultural education is
important in terms of trying to build tolerance and acceptance among the student body.
However, to really go under the surface, Cultural Proficiency is needed for teaching
development and for the overall closing of the achievement gap for all students of color.
As Villegas and Lucas (2002) profess, teachers who have a sense that they are both
responsible and capable of bringing about educational change will make schooling
more responsive to students of diverse backgrounds. In turn, school leadership must
manifest cultural proficiency and guide their colleagues to examine their personal
values and behaviors so that they adapt their practices to meet the needs of the students
and the community in which they serve (p. 53).
The P-16 Council is correct in their recommendation that a highly effective
professional development program for teachers needs to be developed to assist in the
closing of the achievement gap for the students of color in California. The research
presented here has great promise and could fulfill the P-16 Council‘s recommendation,
and, more importantly, become the nexus to seriously make a dent in the closing of the
achievement gap.

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104
APPENDIX A
TEACHER PRESURVEY
Culturally Responsive Training Presurvey

Name:_______________________________ Date:______________________
School:______________________________ Email:_____________________
Subject(s) Taught:______________________ Grades Taught:______________
# of Latinos in your classes:______________ # of Latinos in your school:_________
Please mark the level of your proficiency level for each of the following questions:
Advanced Proficient Semi-
Proficient
Non-
Proficient
My knowledge
of Culturally
Proficiency

My knowledge
of working with
Latino students

My confidence
in working with
Latino students

My knowledge
of how culture
relates to
learning

My knowledge
of the
Achievement
Gap

105
6. Why are you taking Culturally Responsive Training?

7. What would help you to be more effective with Latino students and other
students of color?

8. How does your administration support you in taking this training?

9. What do you hope to gain from this training?

106
APPENDIX B
TEACHER POSTSURVEY
Culturally Responsive Training Postsurvey

Name:_______________________________ Date:________________________
School:______________________________ Email:_______________________
Subject(s) Taught:______________________ Grades Taught:________________
# of Latinos in your classes:______________ # of Latinos in your school:______
Please mark the level of your proficiency level for each of the following questions:
Advanced Proficient Semi-
Proficient
Non-Proficient
My knowledge
of Culturally
Proficiency

My knowledge
of working with
Latino students

My confidence
in working with
Latino students

My knowledge
of how culture
relates to
learning

My knowledge
of the
Achievement
Gap

107
6. What did you enjoy most about Culturally Responsive Training?

7. What strategies did you learn that you will continue to use in your classroom? _

8. What helped you to become a more effective teacher with Latino students and
other students of color?

9. Are your Latino student‘s academic achievement levels increasing as a direct
result of this training? __________ If yes, how so?

108
10. How has this training affected your overall attitude about teaching?

11. How does your administration show support for the changes you are making in
the classroom as a direct result of your participation in this training?

109
APPENDIX C
TEACHER INTERVIEW
General Interview Questions for Teachers

Name:_______________________________ Subject Taught:_______________
School:______________________________ # of Latinos Taught:___________

1. What was your motivation for taking Culturally Responsive Training?
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
2. When I walk in your classroom, what differences, if any, would I see in your
teaching after you took the training program?
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________

110
3. What difference, if any, do you notice in your attitude about your students after
you took the training?
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
4. What difference has your participation in the CRP training made for your Latino
students in terms of their academic achievement, attitude towards your class,
self-esteem, etc.?
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
5. Do you feel that the CRP training has merit to assist teachers in teaching all
students of color to assist in closing the achievement gap? If so, how and why?
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________

111

6. Is there anything else that you would like to add about your experience in this
training program?
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________

112
APPENDIX D
ADMINISTRATOR INTERVIEW
General Interview Questions for Site Level Administrators

Name:_______________________________ School:______________________
Years at their School:___________________ # of Latinos in their school:______
# of teachers at their school:______________
# of teachers at their school participating in CRP training: ______________

1. What kind of motivation was present at your site for teachers to take
Culturally Responsive Training?
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
2. Did you find a need on your campus for CRP training? If so, why?
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________

113
3.
4. What importance do you place upon CRP training?
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
5. Do you know what is involved in CRP training?
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
6. How did you facilitate your teachers taking this training and how did you
support them throughout their training?
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________

114
7. What difference, if any, do you notice in your teachers that participated in
CRP training before and after the CRP training? (It can be subtle like their
attitude, or it can be obvious like strategies they use in their classroom).
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________

8. What difference is your teacher‘s participation in the CRP training making the
Latino students in your school in terms of their academic achievement,
attitude towards school, self-esteem, etc.?
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
9. Do you feel that CRP training is needed for administrators as well? Why or
why not?
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________

115

10. Is there anything else that you would like to add about your experience in this
training program?
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________

Abstract (if available)

Abstract The purpose of this study was to determine if Culturally Relevant Pedagogy (CRP) training of teachers can have a significant effect on closing the achievement gap for Latino students. This research study is a case study with narrative analysis that focuses on three areas within the CRP framework as stated by Richards, Brown, and Ford (2006). They are Institutional, Personal, and Instructional. This CRP framework is also aligned to Lindsey et al’s, (2003) Manual of Culturally Proficient training. This research study is a case study with elements of narrative analysis. These practices of qualitative data collection include pre/post surveys, interviews with the teacher participants and their respective site administrators, observations, review of student grades, and written journal responses in a medium-sized, rural school district on the Central California coast. This study also touches upon the following topics: (1) This is not an achievement gap study so achievement gap in this case pertains specifically to the Latino students at three different school sites and their white counterparts, and (2) the disproportionate percentage of white teachers to nonwhite students in our nation as a whole. All the teachers who participated in this study are white. Through this type of introspection, other teachers can implement a culture of high achievement through collaboration that can ultimately close a schools’ achievement gap. This study also provides a critical base for further research studies.

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Asset Metadata

Creator Nuñez, Roberto, Jr. (author)

Core Title Infusing school-wide culturally responsive teaching to increase the cultural proficiency of teachers

School Rossier School of Education

Degree Doctor of Education

Degree Program Education (Leadership)

Publication Date 11/21/2011

Defense Date 06/09/2011

Publisher University of Southern California (original), University of Southern California. Libraries (digital)

Tag cultural proficiency,culturally responsive teaching,OAI-PMH Harvest

Language English

Contributor Electronically uploaded by the author (provenance)

Advisor Hocevar, Dennis (committee chair), Baca, Reynaldo R. (committee member), Barr, William (committee member), Fischer, Linda A. (committee member)

Creator Email nunrbr@aol.com,rnunez@mpusd.k12.ca.us

Permanent Link (DOI) https://doi.org/10.25549/usctheses-c3-193219

Unique identifier UC11292641

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Legacy Identifier etd-NuezRobert-428-0.pdf

Dmrecord 193219

Document Type Dissertation

Rights Nuñez, Roberto, Jr.

Type texts

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Access Conditions The author retains rights to his/her dissertation, thesis or other graduate work according to U.S. copyright law. Electronic access is being provided by the USC Libraries in agreement with the a...

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