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The lived experiences of Latino Male Elementary School Teachers

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The lived experiences of Latino Male Elementary School Teachers

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Content The Lived Experiences of Latino Male Elementary School Teachers
By
Victor Manuel Flores-Osorio
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
August 2023

© Copyright by Victor Manuel Flores-Osorio 2023
All Rights Reserved

The Committee for Victor Manuel Flores-Osorio certifies the approval of this Dissertation.

Brianna Hinga
Marsha Riggio, Committee Chair
Tony Rufus Spann
Raquel Torres-Retana

Rossier School of Education
University of Southern California
2023

IV

Abstract
This study applies Critical Race Theory (CRT) and LatCrit theoretical frameworks to
examine the lived experiences of Latino Male Elementary School Teachers (LMEST) in
Southern California. This study explores how LMEST approach their decision to become
classroom teachers, identifies challenges they faced in becoming teachers, and describes
strategies and practices that schools, districts, and teacher preparation programs can use to
improve working conditions for LMEST. The study targeted eight LMESTs in a public school
district in Southern California. The study employed a demographic survey and descriptive
analysis to gain background information on the participants. The study implemented a semi-
structured interview protocol and thematic content analysis to obtain specific information from
the participants and identify significant patterns within the data acquired.
The findings show that the participants were motivated to pursue a teaching career due to
positive interactions with their teachers during their formative years and a recognition of the
importance of having teachers who share their backgrounds. The findings reveal that participants
faced significant challenges during the teaching credentialing process and preparation programs.
The findings uncover that the participants believed a reimagined school day, targeted recruitment
efforts, and financial support could enhance the experience of LMEST. The findings of this study
have significant implications for school leaders, school districts, and teacher preparation
programs aiming to recruit and retain Latino males in the field of education, particularly in
elementary school teaching. In conclusion, this study sheds light on the experiences, challenges,
and aspirations of LMEST.

V

Dedication Page
To my Mom and Dad. Mom, thank you for supporting me throughout my educational career.
You always had my bad. I love you. Dad, thank you for showing me that knowledge can be
acquired everywhere you go. I know you are watching over me. I love you.

VI

Acknowledgment Page
First, I thank God for this opportunity to achieve a dream and my calling in my life. His
guidance in navigating difficult times and this second opportunity I have been given is beyond
words. All praise goes to Him.
Second, I would like to express my deepest gratitude to Dr. Marsha Riggio for her
support, guidance, patience, and encouragement these past few years as I have worked on my
dissertation. Her mentorship and flexibility have been invaluable in shaping my research
questions, refining my writing, and easing my worries.
In addition, I am grateful to the members of my dissertation committee, Dr. Raquel
Torres-Retana, Dr. Brianna Hinga, and Dr. Rufus Tony Spann, for their valuable feedback,
critical insights, and encouragement. Their thoughtful questions and suggestions challenged me
to think deeply about my research and pushed me to produce the best possible work.
Lastly, I would be remiss in not mentioning my family, especially my parents, partner,
and sisters. I am grateful for my mom and dad, Maria, and Edgar, who encouraged me to pursue
my dreams and never give up. I am thankful to my partner, Deisy, who has supported me
throughout this journey and encouraged me to complete my dissertation. I appreciate my sisters,
Michelle, and Arely, for supporting my journey. I would also like to thank my pup, Frida, for all
the entertainment and emotional support these past three years.

VII

Table of Contents
Abstract.……………………………………………………………………………………….....IV
Dedication page.…………………………………...……………………………………………...V
Acknowledgments.……………………………...……………………………………………….VI
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION.………………………………………………………….....1
Background of the Problem…………………………………………………………….....2
Statement of the Problem……………………………………………………………….....4
Purpose of the Study………………………………………………………………………7
Research Questions………………………………………………………………………..8
Significance of the Study………………………………………………………………....,8
Definition of Terms………………………………………………………………………11
Limitations, Delimitations, and Assumptions……………………………………………13
Conclusion……………………………………………………………………………….15
Organization of the Study………………………………………………………………..15
CHAPTER TWO: REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE.…………………………………………17
Search Description…..………………………………..……………………………….…18
Theoretical Frameworks…..………………………………..……………………………19
Review of Research…..………………………………..………………………………...20
Summary…………………………………………………………………………………55
CHAPTER THREE: METHODOLOGY…………………………………..……………………56
Research Design………………………………………………………………………….56
Research Questions………………………………………………………………………57
Setting……………………………………………………………………………………57
VIII

Participants………………………………………………………………………….……57
Target and Accessible Population…………………………………….…….……57
Sample…………………………………………..…………………….…….……58
Sampling Method…………………………………….……………….…….……58
Recruitment…………………………………….……………….…….………….59
Data Collection…………………………………………………………………………..60
Demographic Survey…………………………………………………………….60
Interview Protocol………………………………………………………………..60
Procedures………………………….…………………………………………….61
Confidentiality Parameters………………………….……………………………62
Data Management………………………….………………………………….…62
Encryption………………………….………………………………….…62
Dissemination of Findings………………………….……………………………63
Data Analysis……………………………………………….……………………………63
Descriptive Analysis……………………………………………….…………….63
Thematic Analysis…………………………………………….…………………64
Reliability……………………………………………….………………………..65
Dependability……………………………………………….………..…..65
Confirmability……………………………………………….………..….66
Validity……………………………………………….………..………………...66
Credibility……………………………………………….………..……...66
Transferability………………………………………………..………..…67
Conclusion…………………………………………………………….……...…..……...67
IX

CHAPTER FOUR: RESEARCH FINDINGS……………………………………...……………69
Participants Profile……………………………………………………………………….70
Findings for Research Question 1………………………………………………………..72
Findings for Research Question 2………………………………………………………..82
Findings for Research Question 3………………………………………………………..94
Findings for Research Question 4………………………………………………………102
Summary………………………………………………………………………………..111
CHAPTER FIVE: SUMMARY, IMPLICATIONS, CONCLUSIONS
Introduction……………………………………………………………………………..113
Discussion of Findings………………………………………………………………….113
Recommendations for Practice…………………………………………………………128
Recommendation 1…………………………………………………………….129
Recommendation 2……………………………………………………………..131
Recommendation 3……………………………………………………………..134
Limitations and Delimitations…………………………………………………………..136
Recommendations for Future Research………………………………………………...137
Conclusions …………………………………………………………………………….139
References………………………………………………………………………………………142
Appendix A: Interview Protocol….……………………………………………………….……171
Appendix I: Consent to Participate in Study:…………………………………..………………177
Appendix R: Recruitment Letter……………………………………..…………………………182
Appendix T: Quotes from Interview……………………………………………………………184
1

CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION
The United States (US)’ Latino student population is rapidly growing, yet the number of
Latino teachers in public elementary schools is severely underrepresented. As of 2019, the
Latino population accounts for 60.6 million individuals, or approximately 18% of the United
States population (Bustamante et al., 2020). In 2017, Latino students accounted for 27% of K-12
students in public schools, an 11% increase from 2000. In 2029, the Latino student population is
projected to grow from 27% to 28% (National Center for Education Statistics [NCES], 2020a).
By 2060, the representation gap between Latino students and teachers in K-12 public schools
will expand by over 20% (Putman et al., 2016).
Although ample research finds that students of color generally demonstrate greater
academic achievement and social and emotional development when they have teachers of color
(Carver-Thomas, 2018; Jackson & Kohli, 2016; Villegas & Irvine, 2010), Latino teachers,
specifically male Latino teachers, are under-represented in public schools and in teacher
preparation programs (AACTE, 2013; NCES, 2020a; NCES, 2020b). Despite research
demonstrating that male teachers of color can have a positive impact on male students of color,
the percentage of Latino male students is seven times the percent of Latino male teachers in the
K-12 public schools (Bristol, 2015; Bristol, 2018; Bristol & Martin-Fernandez, 2019; Brown,
2009; Harper & Associates, 2014; Lewis & Toldson, 2013; Lynn, 2006a; Saenz & Ponjuan,
2011). There is a shortage of research disaggregating the percentage of Latino Male Elementary
School Teachers in public schools, the impact of having Latino Male Teachers in elementary
schools, factors contributing to recruiting Latino Male Elementary School Teachers, or the
challenges presented by Latino male elementary school teachers in the profession. This study
seeks to understand the lived experiences of Latino Male Elementary School Teachers to use the
2

knowledge uncovered to inform teaching preparation programs, school leaders, and district
leaders to adjust their approach to recruiting and sustaining Latino male teachers in the years to
come. Additionally, this study seeks to uncover the factors contributing to Latino Male
Elementary School Teachers joining the profession and the challenges that Latino Male
Elementary School Teachers face as they become teachers and in their work setting. Lastly, this
study explores the implications of having Latino Male Elementary School Teachers in the
classroom.
Background of the Problem
To critically understand the lack of research regarding Latino Male Elementary School
Teachers and the disproportionate percentage of Latino male teachers compared to Latino
students, we must interrogate the following systems of schools, teachers, and students in the
history of public education in the US.
Schools
Historical and contemporary systemic factors in public schools negatively affect the
educational attainment of Latino students to become teachers. Latino educational attainment is
the lowest among racial groups in America, partly due to unequal K-12 school conditions (Perez
et al., 2015; Yosso & Solórzano, 2006). In the 21st century, Latino communities are more likely
to attend segregated and overcrowded K-12 schools. Latino students are often enrolled in classes
with limited resources and undertrained and uncredentialed educators (Yosso & Solórzano,
2006). Additionally, Latino students in K-12 are often seen with suspicion and perceived threats
in the classroom, experience racial microaggressions in curricular and pedagogical practices, and
are more likely to be suspended than their white counterparts. Latino students encounter lower
3

educational expectations from teachers and school administrators, which leads to Latinx students
not seeking help in school (Perez-Huber et al., 2015).
Teachers
Calls to increase the number of Latino teachers, in general, started at the beginning of the
20th century. During this period, there were calls by the U.S. government to increase the hiring
of Latino teachers to educate Latino students. In a 1933 report, the Office of Education of the
United States recognized the value of representation in public schools and stated that
[the]teachers familiar and sympathetic with the cultural and social background of their
pupils have an advantage over others without this background argues the wisdom of
increasing the number of teachers of Mexican stock in schools attended by pupils of the
same stock (Reynolds, 1933, as cited by Gershenson et al., 2021)
Nevertheless, these findings were left unanswered. The impact of segregation remained the main
reason for the absence of Latino teachers during the beginning years of public education in the
United States (Moreno, 1999). Latinos lacked access to higher education, a prerequisite to
becoming a teacher, because public schools did not mandate high school, and segregated schools
served students up to 8
th
grade (Gershenson et al., 2021).
Students
The Latino student population has been present in the United States since the territorial
acquisitions in the country’s westward expansion in the first half of the 19
th
century (Miguel &
Valencia, 1998). As public schools were established in the United States in the middle of the 19
th

century, Latino students were segregated from attending public schools (Moreno, 1999). At the
beginning of the 20th century, educational policies and practices became a weapon that
negatively impacted Latino communities. Latino communities were segregated based on
4

language, surnames, and pedagogical opinions. It was often justified that these separate schools
were needed to address student language needs and to “Americanize” Latino students (Donato &
Hanson, 2019). Mendez v. Westminster School District, Brown v. Board of Education, and
Cisneros v Corpus Christi ISD categorically prohibited de jure and de facto segregation in the
late 1940s and 1950s, but Latino students remained ignored under desegregation plans (Orfield et
al., 2014). As a result, Latino students became more isolated from White students over the
second half of the 20th century and have remained among the lowest educational attainment
(Orfield et al., 2012).
Statement of the Problem
There is a need to address the current racial demographics of teachers in public
education. As of 2017, Latino students accounted for 27% of K-12 students in public schools, but
Latino teachers accounted for 9% of the teachers in public schools. However, White teachers
account for 79% of teachers in public schools, although 48% of K-12 students are White
(National Center for Education Statistics [NCES], 2020a; National Center for Education
Statistics [NCES], 2020b). There is a disproportionate number of White teachers compared to
Latino students, the largest growing racial demographic in the United States. There is a large
underrepresentation of Latino Male Elementary School Teachers and an over-representation of
White public school teachers, which has serious consequences. Based on the background of the
problem, the lack of Latino Male Elementary School Teachers can negatively impact the same
three systems.
Schools
We can understand the urgency of addressing the lack of Latino Male Elementary School
Teachers in public schools if we examine how the current racial makeup of public school
5

teachers can affect the school’s climate. White teachers account for the overwhelming majority
of school teachers (National Center for Education Statistics [NCES], 2020a). Education research
indicates that White teachers judge students of color as less proficient than White students, and
White teachers have lower expectations of students of color (Glock, 2016). Compared to teachers
of color, White teachers are more likely to recommend suspension or expulsion for students of
color and less likely to refer students of color to academically gifted programs (Bryan, 2017;
Grissom & Redding, 2016; Grissom et al., 2017; Lindsay & Hart, 2017). The over-
representation of White public school teachers and under-representation of Latino public school
teachers would infer that whiteness–the ideology and practices used to maintain White
supremacy–in schools will continue to affect the school climate of public schools (Castagno,
2014; Picower, 2009). In turn, this will continue to create the conditions that lead to low levels of
educational attainment for Latinos and affect the number of Latinos who have access to the
pathway of becoming a teacher.
Teachers
We can understand the urgency of addressing the lack of Latino Male Elementary School
Teachers in public schools if we examine the current racial composition of teachers in teacher
preparation programs. As stated in a racial diversity report on the educator workforce by the U.S.
Department of Education (2016), White teachers accounted for 74% of students in teacher
preparation programs, while Latino teachers accounted for 10% of students in teacher
preparation programs. The racial composition of teacher preparation programs affects how the
programs are designed, the chosen curriculum, and how the curriculum is taught. As noted by
Sleeter (2017), teacher programs are designed to cater to White student teachers. Matias (2016)
notes that when teaching about race-related content, culture, and language–factors that can help
6

the experiences of potential teachers of color–the teacher programs cater to the emotional needs
of White students.
Additionally, some obstacles to becoming a teacher for Latinos and students of color are
caused by educational institutions. Financial difficulties, time commitments that impact family
obligations, culturally biased recruitment and admissions procedures, Eurocentric curriculum and
assessments, and lack of role models and mentors are some factors that impact the lack of
students of color from entering teacher preparation programs (Sleeter et al., 2015). These
conditions can lead to adverse experiences for Latino students in teacher preparation programs
(Irizarry, 2011; Sleeter et al., 2015; Sleeter, 2017). These conditions will maintain the status
quo–limited Latino male elementary school teachers in public schools.
Students
The lack of Latino male elementary school teachers can continue to be detrimental to
Latino students. Latino students. Research finds that White teachers teaching Latino students, or
students of color in general, can have larger detrimental effects. The sociocultural, historical
context of schools allows White teachers to enter classrooms with a savior mentality–the self-
satisfaction that white teachers have when they share their norms and practices to “help”
disenfranchised students (Matias, 2013; Whitaker, 2020). The current demographic make-up of
teachers is detrimental to Latino students because the conditions perpetuate existing power
relationships between White teachers, as a settler class, and Latino students and students of
color, as the laboring disposable class (Patel, 2016). Granted that not all White teachers are
actively operating in this manner to perpetuate systems of oppression, Whiteness operates as an
undercurrent in U.S. society. White teachers’ “privileges, ideologies, and stereotypes reinforce
7

institutional hierarchies and the larger system of White supremacy” if not consciously countered
(Picower, 2009, p.198).
Education research has shown that White teachers often harbor misperceptions and
misunderstandings of students of color, influenced by stereotypical views (Whitaker, 2020).
White teachers may rely on preconceived notions and stereotypes to ease their cognitive load
when faced with unfamiliar situations. Consequently, when evaluating academic achievement,
White teachers tend to make less favorable judgments of students of color compared to their
white counterparts (Glock, 2016). This is troublesome because teachers often have negative
stereotypes, biases, and low expectations for Latino students (Darder,1991; Solorzano,1997;
Gonzales & Ayala-Alcantar, 2008), and the media has created a negative image of Latinos in US
society (Erba, 2018). Consequently, Latino students and students of color may be predominantly
taught by a predominantly White teacher population, potentially subjecting them to unconscious
or conscious stereotypes and biases.
Purpose of the Study
With the growing number of Latino students in public schools, the stagnant
underrepresentation of Latino Male Elementary School Teachers, the over-representation of
White teachers, and the culture of Whiteness in public schools, there needs to be a deeper
understanding of what can be done to increase the number of Latino Male public school teachers,
particularly elementary school teachers, in the years to come. This qualitative case study
examines the lived experiences of eight Latino Male Elementary School Teachers in Southern
California through the systems of schools, teachers, and students.
Schools
8

One of the purposes of this qualitative study is to understand and describe strategies and
practices that schools can use to improve working conditions for Latino Male Elementary School
Teachers. Further, this study seeks to propose strategies school and district leaders can take to
recruit and improve the number of Latino Male Elementary School Teachers.
Teachers
The second purpose of this qualitative study will explore how Latino Male Elementary
School Teachers approach their decision to become classroom teachers, identify challenges they
encounter in becoming a teacher, and how they navigate these challenges as they remain
teachers.
Students
Lastly, this qualitative study aims to investigate Latino Male Elementary School
Teachers' impact on their students in the classroom.
Research Questions
RQ1: What are the lived experiences of Latino Male Elementary School Teachers?
RQ2: What are the challenges of Latino Male Elementary School Teachers?
RQ3: How can the lived experience of Latino Male Elementary School Teachers be improved?
RQ4: What are the implications of having Latino Male Elementary School Teachers?
Significance of the Study
Scholars have explored the positive impact that teachers of color can have on all students
in the classroom (Carver-Thomas, 2018; Villegas & Irvine, 2010). Additionally, there is a
notable amount of research regarding the lived experiences of Black male teachers and factors
that retain and exclude Black male teachers in public school and teacher preparation programs
(Bristol & Goings, 2019; Black & Rice, 2020; Robinson, 2020; Woodson & Bristol, 2020;
9

Young & Young, 2020). In contrast, there is a noticeable research gap in understanding the
impact of Latino Male Elementary School Teachers and the lived experiences unique to this
group. Limited studies exist on the effects of Latino Male Elementary School Teachers on both
students and the schools where they teach. Similarly, there is a lack of comprehensive research
that explores the lived experiences of Latino Male Elementary School Teachers.
The existing research regarding Latinos as teachers is in the realm of Latinos as bilingual
teachers (Lara & Franquiz, 2015) or Latina female teachers' lived experience and identity
(Haddix, 2010; Kayi-Aydar, 2018). We must begin to understand and describe strategies and
practices that schools, districts, and teacher preparation programs can use to improve working
conditions for Latino Male Elementary School Teachers; explore how Latino Male Elementary
School Teachers approach their decision to become classroom teachers and identify challenges
they encounter in the process of becoming a teacher and investigates the impact that Latino Male
Elementary School Teachers can have on their students in the classroom. This research can begin
to improve the factors necessary to increase the number of Latino Male Teachers in Elementary
Schools. The results from this research can help the following three systems in education:
Schools
This research will be instructive for talent acquisition staff in school districts that are
recruiting teacher personnel that reflect their students and for school leaders who are creating
school environments that are welcoming for all stakeholders in their school. With limited
research about the lived experience of Latino male teachers in elementary schools, the findings
in this study can help schools and districts adjust their hiring practices and create school
environments necessary to recruit and retain Latino Male Elementary School Teachers. The
experiences and feedback shared by the Latino Male Elementary School Teachers in this study
10

can support schools in reflecting on what can be done to improve the satisfaction of their current
Latino male teachers in their respective schools.
Teachers
This research will be informative for teacher preparation programs as they adapt to the
changing demographics of incoming student teachers and refine their pedagogical practices in
developing teachers. With the limited research about Latino male teachers in teacher preparation
programs, these findings will assist admission officers in teacher preparation programs in
recruiting Latino male students by providing insight into the positive factors and challenges that
current Latino male elementary teachers have encountered in their journey to becoming teachers.
Furthermore, the significance of this study can begin a new wave of literature that can re-imagine
how teacher preparation programs are designed. Currently, Latino enrollment in teacher
preparation programs is at 4%, while White student enrollment accounts for 82% (American
Association of Colleges for Teacher Education, 2013). As noted before, the student body's racial
composition in teacher preparation programs influences how the programs are designed, the
chosen curriculum, and how it is taught (Sleeter et al., 2015). The experiences shared by current
Latino male elementary school teachers can ultimately help teacher preparation programs revisit
the admissions qualifications and help rethink environmental factors that hinder Latino teachers’
self-efficacy and access.
Students
Lastly, students will benefit if schools and teacher preparation programs can improve
Latino male elementary school teachers' working conditions and lived experiences. Research
shows that students of color, in general, demonstrate greater academic achievement and social
and emotional development when they have teachers of color (Carver-Thomas, 2018). Schools
11

and students will reap the benefits by learning about the factors that can help increase the number
of Latino male elementary school teachers.
Definitions of Terms
Certain terms must be defined to have a common understanding of the case study being
researched. The following terms are central to understanding the lived experiences of Latino
male elementary school teachers in public schools.
Achievement Gap
The achievement gap in academia focuses on disparities in academic outcomes
between marginalized students and their more privileged counterparts. In this
study, the achievement gap in education is the difference in academic
achievement that exists between White students and Black and Brown students
(Ladson-Billings, 2006).
Critical Race Theory (CRT)
Critical Race Theory (CRT) is a theoretical framework that illustrates racism as a
normal aspect of U.S. society (Ladson-Billings, 2013). CRT does this by
highlighting that race is an important factor in determining inequality in the
United States, that the U.S. society is based on property rights (literally and
figuratively), and that the intersection of race and property can be an analytical
tool through which we can understand the inequalities in the educational system
(Ladson-Billings & Tate, 1995).
Diversity Gap
The diversity gap is measured by the difference between the percentage of
students and teachers of the same race (Shapiro & Partelow, 2018).
12

Latino
The term “Latino” and “Hispanic” are used interchangeably in the United States
to describe people of Latin American ancestry (Martinez & Gonzalez, 2021).
Latinos in the United States are racially heterogeneous and encompass individuals
that have Indigenous, European, African, Asian, or mixed-race backgrounds
(Masouka, 2008).
Latino Critical Race Theory (LatCrit)
LatCrit disrupts the prevailing Black/White binary that restricts discussions of
race and racism to a dichotomy between two groups. LatCrit seeks to broaden the
scope of analysis by incorporating the intersections between race and various
other variables, such as class, gender, language, ethnicity, and immigration status.
This expansion enables a more comprehensive understanding of the complex
dynamics at play within the experiences of Latinas/os. By considering these
intersecting factors, LatCrit acknowledges the multiple layers of identity and
social structures that shape the lived realities of Latinas/os in a more inclusive and
nuanced manner (Delgado & Stefancic, 2001; Perez-Huber, 2010; Yosso, 2005).
White People
‘White people” represents a socially constructed identity based on skin color
(Leonardo, 2009, p. 169). “White people are individual agents capable of acting
through “the perspective of a White racial paradigm” or “articulating [their] life
choices through non-White discourses or strategies of anti-Whiteness” (Leonardo,
2009, p. 170 as cited by Utt & Tochluk, 2020)
Whiteness
13

‘Whiteness’ is a racially constructed social concept supported by material
practices and institutions. Whiteness refers to the constructed racial discourse and
its connectedness to systems of oppression (Leonardo, 2009, p. 170).
Limitations, Delimitations, and Assumptions
The limitations of this study are those elements that can influence the findings but were
beyond the researcher's control. The first limitation is the time constraint of the Ed.D program
and the researcher. The Ed.D. program dissertation schedule allowed for data collection to be
conducted for a span of four months. A study of this nature would benefit from a longitudinal
study to better understand the lived experiences of Latino Male Elementary School Teachers
throughout an entire school year.
The second and third limitation is the sample size and the setting of the participants being
researched in this qualitative study. Currently, 8 Latino Male Elementary School Teachers from
Southern California are participating in semi-structured interviews. The sample size is limited
due to the research time constraints and the researcher's physical setting. It would benefit future
researchers to expand the sample size and seek participants across the United States to produce
more generalizable results (Johnson & Christensen, 2017). The fourth limitation of this case
study is a common limitation of qualitative research. The researcher was the primary instrument
for data collection and analysis of this study, and the positionality and biases he carried may
have impacted the collection and analysis of the data (Maxwell, 2013; Merriam & Tisdell, 2016).
The delimitations of this study are factors the researcher controlled to understand the
phenomenon being researched. Latino Male Elementary School Teachers were chosen as the
targeted population for questioning. Granted that the number of Latino Male Teachers in public
schools is significantly low in general, this study seeks to understand and describe strategies and
14

practices that schools, districts, and teacher preparation programs can use to improve working
conditions for Latino Male Elementary School Teachers; explore how Latino Male Elementary
School Teachers approach their decision to become classroom teachers and identify challenges
they encounter in the process of becoming a teacher and investigates the impact that Latino Male
Elementary School Teachers can have on their students in the classroom. Thus, Latino Male
Teachers that worked in elementary schools were only selected for this study. These
delimitations may produce findings that are not generalizable to other settings.
The researcher's assumptions for this study will be connected to their positionality. The
researcher identifies as a Latino heterosexual cis-gendered male educator working in South Los
Angeles. The researcher was a classroom teacher in Title-1 elementary schools for nine years
and is entering their second year as a school administrator in a Title-1 elementary charter school.
Their positionality—how they are situated through the intersection of power and politics
(Villaverde, 2008, as cited by Douglas & Nganga, 2013)— and their experience as an elementary
school teacher in the South Bronx and South Los Angeles has influenced their interest in this
research topic for this study. The researcher cannot separate their positionality as a Latino
heterosexual cis-gendered male educator from this study. As Maxwell (2013) noted, separating
the research from the researcher can create an illusion that research occurs in an “objective”
environment and negates researchers from being a tool that can help generate insights, questions,
and practical guidance when conducting the research. As a tool in researching Latino teachers,
the researcher needs to be aware that power dynamics will exist because of their positions of
power as an administrator in the public school district they are interviewing participants in and as
a Latino attaining his doctorate at a renowned private research institution. The researcher needs
to be conscious not to assume that their trajectory of becoming a Latino Male Elementary School
15

Teacher–via Teach for America–is the pathway for other Latino Male Elementary School
Teachers. The researcher cannot assume that the participant's experiences will be similar to his
experience as a Mexican-American Chicano born and raised in Southern California.
Conclusion
The Latino student population in public schools is rapidly growing in the United States,
but the percentage of Latino teachers, specifically Latino Male Elementary School Teachers, is
significantly disproportionate. This growing diversity gap among Latino students and teachers is
an educational problem that will continue to grow if not addressed. This growing diversity gap in
the current educational landscape will continue negatively affecting Latino students’ educational
attainment, and educators must question all aspects of why this is the case. This study seeks to
understand and describe strategies and practices that schools, districts, and teacher preparation
programs can use to improve working conditions for Latino Male Elementary School Teachers;
explore how Latino Male Elementary School Teachers approach their decision to become
classroom teachers, and identify challenges they encounter in the process of becoming a teacher,
and investigates the impact that Latino Male Elementary School Teachers can have on their
students in the classroom.
Organization of Study
This study will examine the lived experiences of Latinx male elementary school teachers
and use the knowledge revealed to inform how teacher preparation programs and school/district
leaders can adjust their approach to recruiting and serving Latino male elementary school
teachers. Chapter One will provide an overview of the study and establish the importance of
studying the lived experience of Latino male elementary school teachers in public schools.
Chapter Two provides a review of the literature, focusing on the history of public education that
16

has led to the low educational attainment levels of Latino students, the barriers that have been
present in teacher preparation programs for Latino teachers, and the push and pull factors that
affect Latino male elementary school teachers in the classroom. In addition, Chapter Two
describes the theoretical framework chosen for this study and the conceptual framework utilized
to organize the key factors, concepts, or variables involved in the study. Chapter Three will
outline the research methodology for this study, including the rationale behind a qualitative
approach. Chapter Four will convey the findings of the study based on the semi-structured
interview protocol used to answer the research questions asked in Chapter One. Chapter Five
will provide an analysis and synthesis of the findings, address the implications of the findings,
and suggest where further research may be needed.

17

CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW
The percentage of Latino students in public schools is growing, but the number of Latino
teachers, specifically Latino male teachers, still needs to grow (Shapiro & Partelow, 2018). The
diversity gap is an urgent educational issue for the Latino community. Latino students currently
are the lowest racial group in educational attainment. As of 2012, approximately 63% of Latino
students graduated from high school, and 13% graduated from college. By contrast, 92% of
White students graduated from high school, and 32% graduated from college (Perez-Huber et al.,
2015). There is a need to address the current racial demographics of teachers in public education.
Research has shown that the lack of Latino teachers in the classroom can be connected to the low
educational attainment of Latino students (Irizarry & Donaldson, 2012; Monzo & Rueda, 2001a;
Ochoa, 2007).
Conversely, research has shown that having teachers of color can help students of color
demonstrate greater academic outcomes (Carver-Thomas, 2018; Jackson & Kohli, 2016; Villegas
& Irvine, 2010). Thus, to create a school environment that can help Latinos in their educational
attainment, public schools will need a higher percentage of Latino teachers who can connect with
those students and serve as role models in their educational journey.
The purpose of this study is to understand and describe strategies and practices that
schools, districts, and teacher preparation programs can use to improve working conditions for
Latino Male Elementary School Teachers; explore how Latino Male Elementary School
Teachers approach their decision to become classroom teachers and identify challenges they
encounter in the process of becoming a teacher and investigates the impact that Latino Male
Elementary School Teachers can have on their students in the classroom. Subsequently, the
findings from this study would inform how teaching preparation programs, and school and
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district leaders, can adjust their approach to recruiting and attending to Latino male teachers.
Essential to this study is an examination of existing literature addressing the historical factors in
the United States public education system that has led to this significant diversity gap between
Latino students and Latino teachers.
In this literature review, the researcher will explain the methodology for gathering
relevant research data and the theoretical framework for interpreting and analyzing the literature
and data. Subsequently, the review will explore the research pertinent to the study. The first
section will provide an overview of the historical context of public education from a macro
perspective, with a particular emphasis on the policies and practices implemented by school
districts and local governments. The subsequent analysis will focus on the consequential impact
of these policies and practices on Latino education in the United States. Subsequently, this
literature review will shift its focus to the role of teachers, investigating how societal norms and
teacher preparation programs have shaped the demographics of the teaching profession.
Furthermore, this review will explore Latino students' educational outcomes while examining
teachers' crucial impact on their educational experiences.
Search Description
The academic literature surrounding this topic must be researched thoroughly. The
researcher used various databases to research and develop this study, including USC Libraries
Database, Google Scholar, EBSCOhost, and Proquest. The keywords searched were Latino male
teachers, Hispanic male teachers, Black male teachers, challenges of teachers of color, benefits
of teachers of color, and teacher preparation programs. As noted earlier, the researcher identified
three systems to investigate the lived experience of Latino Male Elementary School Teachers:
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schools, teachers, and students, all of which aided in gathering the necessary literature needed to
understand the phenomena at hand.
Theoretical Framework
To critically understand the origins of the growing diversity gap among Latino male
students and Latino male teachers, we must interrogate the history of public education in the US
with both a Critical Race Theory (CRT) and a Latino/a critical race theory (or LatCrit)
framework.
CRT was developed from critical legal studies in the US (Crenshaw, 1991). CRT is used
to highlight the importance of racism in teachers' professional lives and to place this within a
historical and contemporary context. CRT is a theoretical framework that allows us to understand
the US's pervasive, institutionalized, and systemic racism, and it is common and essential to
society's functions (Bell, 1992; Solorzano & Delgado Bernal, 2001). CRT does this by
highlighting that race is an important factor in determining inequality in the United States, that
the U.S. society is based on property rights (literally and figuratively), and that the intersection of
race and property can be an analytical tool through which we can understand the inequalities of
education (Ladson-Billings & Tate, 1995).
LatCrit is a theoretical framework that emerged in the 1990s as an offshoot of critical
race theory (CRT). As noted by LatCrit scholars (Bernal, 2002; Delgado & Stefancic, 2001),
LatCrit places race at the center of examinations of power, but it also attempts to broaden the
scope of CRT to examine how variables other than race can also shape the experiences of
racialized peoples. LatCrit is a framework that clarifies the multidimensional identities of Latinas
and Latinos and addresses the intersectionality of racism, misogyny, classism, and other forms of
oppression. Moreover, as Izarry & Donaldson (2012) noted, LatCrit also aims to challenge the
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prevailing Black/White binary framework that often restricts discussions of race and racism to
just these two racial groups. This restrictive framework often overlooks the diverse experiences
of Latinos/as, who can belong to various racial backgrounds, and individuals who identify as
multiracial. By questioning this binary framework, LatCrit creates a discursive space that
acknowledges and recognizes the complex racial identities within the Latino/a community. It
emphasizes the importance of understanding the intersectionality of race, ethnicity, and identity,
allowing for a more nuanced analysis of racism and its impact on diverse racial and ethnic
groups. Such an expansion is crucial to understanding the lived experiences of Latino
Elementary school teachers today.
Review of Research
Schools
As noted by DuBois (1935), Anderson (1988), Moreno (1999), Ladson-Billings (2006),
Spring (2014), and Darder & Torres (2014), public schools in the United States operated as an
arena that has produced educational inequities. These educational inequities were largely
determined by race, class, and gender. Although some inequities began to diminish over time, the
result of policies and practices left a lasting effect that impacted the educational attainment of
students of color.
Historical Overview of Public Education for Students of Color
As researched by Anderson (1988), the origins of universal public education that we see
now came about in the South after the end of the US Civil War when freely enslaved blacks
emerged with a desire to learn how to read, write and gain an education. However, as universal
public education expanded among the US Black population, systemic barriers were established
through policies and practices. In the late 19th century, the universal public education system
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became overly bureaucratic, with limited school funding. Local and state government laws
prevented public education from becoming a constitutional mandate, which created the
conditions for the ruling white settler class to reconfigure the economy of the South to coerce
black communities to accept low wages and repressive labor contracts to survive instead of
attending public school. This resulted in a proportional drop in school attendance for Black
children at the turn of the century (Anderson, 1988). Formerly enslaved black communities were
the founders of the United States public educational system, but racist policies and practices
systematically kept Black Americans out of the development and attendance of public education
throughout the majority of the 19th and 20th centuries (Anderson, 2002).
Inadequate Facilities. The literature describes the appalling physical condition of many
schools that served students of color when public schools were incepted. Fultz (1995) notes that
schools that served Black students in the South during the turn of the 20th century were in
deplorable conditions, undersupplied, and overcrowded. During this period, Black teachers in the
South had substantially larger teacher-to-student ratios than their white counterparts. Fultz
(1995) remarks that the pervasive state of degraded school conditions impeded the delivery of
adequate academic instruction for Black students at the early stages of public education.
Additionally, a regional report by Reynolds (1933), commissioned by the Office of
Education of the U.S. Department of the Interior, concluded that segregated racially
marginalized schools in Texas, Arizona, California, Colorado, and New Mexico lacked proper
funding, instructional materials, and teachers. San Miguel & Valencia (1998) found that from the
1930s to the 1960s, segregation policies in public schools resulted in inadequate schooling
conditions for students of color in the Southwest, frequently leading to poor academic
performance and educational attainment. Research shows a relationship between school building
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conditions and student achievement, notably how inadequate school facilities negatively impact
students' educational attainment (Mompriemer, 2013). However, for most of the middle of the
19th century to the second half of the 20th century, school building conditions for students of
color were despicable.
Public Schools as a Site for Deculturalization. In the US's early history of public
education, public schools were an arena to deculturate indigenous communities and communities
of color. At the end of the 19th century, schools were used to "civilize" native people by
removing their languages and customs and making them swear allegiance to the U.S.
government. To help these education policies, boarding schools took young indigenous children
away from their families and kept them from speaking their language or following their
traditions (Spring, 2016). The conditions of these boarding schools were noted to be horrific.
Anthropologist, Oliver La Farge, described the boarding schools as “penal institutions where
little children were sentenced to hard labor for a term of years to expiate the crime of being born
of their mothers” (Spring, 2016, p.38). Schooling was used to subjugate and erase the visible
presence of indigenous communities within the US.
In the early 20th century, school districts in the US utilized public schools as tools to
“Americanize” a growing population of Latino students. According to Negron de Montilla (1975,
as cited by Irizarry & Antrop-Gonzalez, 2007), the Puerto Rican Department of Education in the
early 1900s deliberately constructed an English-only school education system to acculturate and
"Americanize" Puerto Rican students. The school officials did not consider students' cultural
capital and largely ignored that most of the island’s teachers and students did not comprehend
English. Public schools in Puerto Rico became a tool to colonize and impose American culture
on Puerto Ricans. Further, as Gonzalez (2000) indicates, public school officials in the Western
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US developed coerced Americanization programs via segregated schools for Mexican-American
students to achieve acculturation. The segregated schools often appeared as traditional
neighborhood schools, but the schools' function served the purpose of instilling the patterns of
behavior and thinking that were deemed acceptable in Anglo society during this period. The
segregated schools for Mexican-Americans had different curriculums that emphasized vocational
training over academics, lower academic expectations, emphasized English and American
standards of conduct, were overcrowded, underfunded, and had unqualified teachers. Gonzalez
(2000) notes that although public schools had policies and practices structured to “Americanize”
Mexican Americans, segregated schools' larger goal in the early 20th century was maintaining
the racial and social order of White domination and non-White subordination.
Overview of Latino Student’s Education in the Early 20th Century.
The presence of the Latino student population in the United States can be traced back to
the country's territorial acquisitions in the mid-19th century, which occurred during its westward
and colonial expansion (San Miguel & Valencia, 1998). However, during the latter half of the
19th century, Latino students faced significant obstacles in accessing public schools. Local
officials showed little motivation to establish public schools for Latino students, and challenges
such as limited funds and political differences often hindered the process (San Miguel, 1999).
Not until the early 20th century did officials in the Southwest recognize public schools as a
means of "Americanizing" groups perceived as foreigners (San Miguel, 1999; San Miguel &
Donato, 2009). In this context, educational policies and practices implemented during the first
half of the 20th century directly and indirectly negatively affected Latino students.
Segregation of Latino Students. From the early 1900s until the 1950s, Latino students
were generally segregated based on language, surnames, and pedagogical opinions. It was often
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justified that these separate schools were needed to address student language needs and to
“Americanize” Latino students (Donato & Hanson, 2019; Gonzalez, 1999; San Miguel &
Donato, 2009). Latino community members opposed segregation in public schools and contested
the local and state policies through litigation—the results of the litigation varied by region and
rationale of the courts and local officials.
One early Mexican-American and Latino challenge to school segregation in the US was
Francisco Maestas et al. v. George H. Shone et al. (1914) in southern Colorado. According to
Donato & Hanson (2017), the district court, in this case, concluded that school administrators
had adopted a policy requiring all Mexican-American pupils to attend different schools based on
a linguistic barrier that needed to be resolved. The district court judge ruled in favor of Francisco
Maestas and stated that school officials could not prevent English-speaking Mexican-American
children from attending the schools of their choice and those closer to their homes.
The cases of Del Rio Independent School District v. Salvatierra (1930) in Texas and
Alvarez v. Lemon Grove (1931) in California contested the segregation of Mexican-American
and Latino students in public schools. In Del Rio Independent School District v. Salvatierra
(1930), the court determined that Texas law gave school boards the authority to manage,
regulate, and build schools in places of their choosing and to categorize and assign students to
schools rationally. According to the decision, housing and teaching students of Mexican or
Latino background in separate facilities was permissible as long as there was no intended
purpose to discriminate based on race. However, the Salvatierra judgment legitimized that
Mexican-American children could be divided for instructional purposes and that courts would
defer to local school officials' pedagogical knowledge even if it led to racial segregation
(Stritikus & English, 2009; Donato & Hanson, 2019). In Alvarez v. Lemon Grove (1931), the
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Lemon Grove school officials argued that Mexican American students needed to be segregated
to learn. The defendants claimed that the separate Mexican-American school had a fully
equipped playground, was closer in location, would better serve English language learners, and
helped Americanize students (Alvarez, 1986). In contrast to Salvatierra, the court in Lemon
Grove did not defer to the local school officials’ pedagogical knowledge but instead rejected the
notion that segregation would better meet the educational needs of Mexican-American students.
The court determined that curricular and instructional segregation went contrary to the interests
of Mexican-American students (Stritikus & English, 2009; Donato & Hanson, 2019).
The case of Mendez v. Westminster School District (1947) was a monumental US district
court case that struck down the de jure segregation of Mexican-American students in public
schools in California and established the precedent of challenging segregation on a federal level.
As Donato & Hanson (2019) indicated in the Mendez case, Mexican-American families
contended that Latino students were not listed among groups that can be segregated by California
school law and thus could attend any school. The defendants argued that the segregation was not
done for racial reasons but to help English Language learners and to aid in “Americanizing”
Latino students. In the case decision, the court found that the segregation of Latino students by
the school district was not done by language proficiency but rather “was determined largely by
the Latinized or Mexican name of the child” (Mendez v. Westminster School District, 1946, p.
550 as cited by Donato & Hanson, 2019). The court found that segregating Latino students
resulted in lower English language acquisition, prevented social interaction among communities,
and obstructed the development of a common American culture (Stritikus & English, 2009;
Donato & Hanson, 2019).
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Despite de jure segregation being prohibited by Mendez v. Westminster School District
(1947) and Brown v. Board of Education (1954), Latino students were disregarded by
desegregation plans in the years to come. Donato & Hanson (2019) noted that it was initially
unclear whether Mexican-American students would completely benefit from the Brown v. Board
of Education ruling because Brown was viewed as prohibiting only de jure segregation. Since
states did not have laws permitting or requiring the segregation of Mexican-American students,
some states believed that Brown's constitutional protections should not apply to them. In the case
of Cisneros v Corpus Christi Independent School District (1970), the Latino plaintiffs argued
that the school district in Corpus Christi, Texas, was perpetuating de facto segregation via
attendance zones and convoluted school transfer policies. The federal district court in Cisneros v
Corpus Christi Independent School District (1970) held that Mexican-American students were
an “identifiable ethnic minority group” for the purposes of public school desegregation plans and
thus are entitled to the same protections outlined in Brown v. Board of Education (Salinas, 1971).
Practices–Deficit Thinking by the Public School System. During the formative years
of public schooling, school administrators perpetuated racist deficit thinking that adversely
affected Latino students. San Miguel & Donato (2009) discovered that in the early 20th century,
biased Intelligence Quotient (IQ) exams, which favored White students, led to the unjust labeling
of Latino students as "intellectually inferior." In the mid-20th century, standardized testing was
introduced to assess aptitude and language proficiency. Unfortunately, Latino students
consistently scored lower on these standardized exams. Consequently, they were often unjustly
categorized as "educationally mentally retarded (EMR)" or "slow" learners (Valencia, 1997,
p.31).
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Being categorized as EMR or slow learner had implications for Latino students. As San
Miguel & Donato (2009) noted, once Latino students were categorized as EMR or slow learners,
they were systematically placed in separate instructional classes or tracks. Latino students were
generally placed in remedial classes in elementary schools and vocational courses in middle and
high school. Once assigned the instructional track, it was generally difficult for students to
change courses. San Miguel & Donato (2009) also noted that their classmates and teachers often
mistreated Latino students, were insensitive to cultural differences, and had low academic
expectations. In some cases, Latino students were disciplined for speaking Spanish at school and
were subject to “hazing” behavior by their White classmates. The policies, methods, and
practices adopted by public schools in the early 20th century stratified the Latino student
population, perpetuated the dominant hierarchy in society, and deprived Latinos of successful
opportunities in schooling (San Miguel & Donato, 2009).
Contemporary Overview of Latino Students' Education
Current policies and practices in U.S. public schools have negatively impacted the Latino
community in education and the larger societal context.
School Funding Disparities. Funding disparities across school districts perpetuate
educational inequities. Baker (2014) found that disparities in local taxable property wealth are a
factor leading to the severe fiscal disadvantage of certain public school districts. Specifically,
high-poverty schools remain concentrated in districts with less access to local revenue-raising
power. This current landscape of financially disadvantaged school districts in high-poverty
communities negatively impacts Latino students. As of 2016, 62% of Latino children live in or
near poverty, underscoring their challenging circumstances (Wildsmith et al., 2016). Moreover,
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this results in many Latino-majority school districts receiving less funding than districts with
higher proportions of non-Latino students (Baker, 2014).
Research consistently demonstrates a positive association between per-pupil spending
and improved student outcomes and the beneficial impact of various schooling resources, such as
smaller class sizes, additional supports, and competitive teacher compensation (Baker, 2016).
Despite these well-established findings, the issue of equity in school funding continues to affect
Latino communities across the United States significantly.
A study conducted by Baker et al. (2020) on disparities in school funding by race and
ethnicity further supports these concerns. The study reveals that as the proportion of Latino
students increases, there is a corresponding decrease in per-pupil spending and revenue.
Specifically, districts with an approximate 100% Latino student population experience a
reduction in per-pupil spending and revenue of around 4% to 7% compared to districts with few
or no Latino students. Remarkably, this correlation persists even after accounting for poverty
levels.
Furthermore, the study conducted by Baker et al. (2020) revealed a striking trend. When
poverty levels were taken into account, districts with a 100% Latino student population were
nearly 2.5 times more likely to face financial disadvantages (e.g., having revenue below 90% of
the labor market average and poverty rates exceeding 120%) compared to districts with a 0%
Latino student population. This significant disparity in financial disadvantages was even more
pronounced when poverty levels were not considered, with the likelihood increasing by 28.5
times. Consequently, the need for more equitable funding in schools for Latino students hampers
the provision of quality instruction, support services, and necessary infrastructure for educational
success.
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English Language Learners (ELs). The insufficient support provided to English
language learners (ELs) often poses challenges for Latino students, hindering their academic
progress and limiting opportunities for language development, ultimately impacting their overall
educational achievement. At the beginning of the 2015-2016 school year, approximately 4.9
million students in public schools were classified as English Language Learners (ELL), or 9.9
percent of the total public school enrollment. Latino students comprised 77.7 percent or 3.8
million students of the ELL student population across public schools (National Center for
Education Statistics [NCES], 2019). When considering poverty levels, Latino students comprise
28% of the student population in high-ELL districts with low poverty rates, while in high-ELL
districts with high poverty rates, they account for 62% of the student population. Recent studies
conducted by Knight & Mendoza (2019) reveal that the budget cuts during the Great Recession
have disproportionately impacted districts with a significant population of English Language
Learners (ELL). Moreover, the research highlights that the funding advantages allocated to high-
ELL districts are more evident in districts serving students from more privileged socioeconomic
backgrounds.
Statistics show that ELs perform significantly below average compared to their English
Only counterparts. For instance, the Pew Research Center found that in 4th grade, nearly half
(46%) of ELL students scored at the lowest level, labeled as "below basic," in mathematics. An
even higher percentage, approximately three-quarters (73%), scored below basic in reading.
Similarly, in middle school, over two-thirds (71%) of 8th-grade ELL students scored below basic
in mathematics and reading (Fry, 2007). Further, as data from the National Assessment of
Educational Progress (NAEP) revealed, the academic achievement gap increases between
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English Learners and English-Only students the longer they are not provided the reclassification
services (Rumberger & Gándara, 2015).
As it pertains to English Language Learners, Rumberger & Gándara (2015) have found
that additional educational resources (e.g., qualified teachers, quality instructional materials,
valid and comprehensive assessments, and data trackers.) are needed to provide a high-quality
education comparable to their peers with a command of English. Contrarily, if schools are not
creating the financial conditions that will cater to the educational needs of English Language
Learners, it will negatively affect their educational attainment (Rumberger & Gándara, 2015).
Considering the current situation for Latino EL students, it is evident that their challenges will
lead to larger achievement gaps in their educational attainment.
Disciplinary Disparities. Latino students are disproportionately suspended or expelled
compared to their White counterparts. A comprehensive examination conducted by Cruz & Rodl
(2018) concerning exclusionary discipline rates among students in California revealed that
Latino students faced suspensions or expulsions at twice the rate of White students. These
findings align with national-level research. Finn & Servoss (2014) utilized nationally
representative data from the Education Longitudinal Study of 2002, highlighting that Latino
students were one and a half times more likely than White students to be suspended for similar
infractions. Moreover, Losen et al. (2015), analyzing data from the 2011 to 2012 Civil Rights
Data Collection, found that Black males faced the highest suspension risk at 33.8%, followed by
Latino males at 23.2%. Lastly, Gage et al. (2021) reported that a recent examination of nearly
95,000 schools found that Latino students received statistically significantly more disciplinary
exclusion than White students. These disciplinary actions can disrupt their education, contribute
to a negative school environment, and perpetuate the school-to-prison pipeline.
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Additionally, the hidden curriculum that exists in schools can negatively impact Latino
students. The hidden curriculum, as defined by Jackson (1968), encompasses the unintentional
lessons that educators impart to students through their interactions, behavior modeling, and the
overall culture of the school or classroom. Moreno & Gaytan (2013) argues that K-12 schools are
responsible for educating and fostering the social development of students, preparing them to
enter society as productive contributors. In pursuit of this goal, schools often employ a hidden
curriculum built upon implicit White, middle-class values. However, the existing disciplinary
approach nationwide, characterized by swift suppression of undesirable behavior, can
disproportionately impact Latino students who often lack the opportunity to acquire the essential
behaviors necessary for success. Consequently, when Latino students deviate from the unspoken
curriculum, they frequently face separation and punishment and are forced onto a trajectory of
academic failure that proves arduous to rectify (Noguera, 2003; Rodríguez, 2008).
Teachers
The Impact of Gender in Elementary School Teaching.
The role of public school teachers in the US education system has played a significant
and evolving role over the past centuries. In order to comprehend the distinct position of Latino
male elementary public school teachers, it is crucial to explore the historical context of teaching
as a profession predominantly occupied by women. Additionally, it is important to identify the
factors that discourage men from pursuing elementary school teaching and examine how men
navigate their presence in a predominantly female-dominated field of elementary education. By
exploring these aspects, we can better understand Latino males' unique experiences and
challenges as elementary school teachers.
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The Feminization of Public School Teachers. As Kober & Rentner (2020) summarized,
during the 18th and 19th centuries, teachers were often untrained and underpaid, and the quality
of education was inconsistent across regions. The children who received schooling were
predominantly white students, and schooling was administered by various means, such as
church-supported schools, boarding schools, apprenticeship programs, and private tutoring.
However, as the importance of education for democratic participation and social mobility
became more widely recognized, the demand for universal public schools and teachers increased.
As noted by Go & Lindert (2010), due to the limited work employment opportunities for
women during this century and the fact that males often overlooked teaching because of the low-
paying nature of the profession, women entered the profession in vast numbers in the early
1800s. From 1850 to 1900, the proportion of female teachers increased as public schools became
institutionalized. As Boyle (2004) researched, female instructors were viewed as desirable since
they were viewed as inexpensive, better teachers of young children, and more amenable to the
bureaucracy shaping public education. It was in the 19th century that the image of the firm yet
caring, youthful, single female teacher was established. By the late 1800s, female teachers
accounted for ⅔ of public school teachers across the US and 90% of public school teachers in
urban areas (Albisetti, 1993).
In the early 20th century, the teaching profession underwent significant reforms, with
increased teacher training and certification standards and improved salaries and working
conditions. As noted by Sedlak & Schlossman (1986), in the early 1900s, the feminization of the
teaching corps was countered by employment trends that affected the male workforce. During
this period, small income increases and improved working conditions made teaching more
appealing to males, especially when projected earnings in teaching were compared to declining
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earnings in other occupations available for men. As decades progressed, the percentage of male
teachers increased to nearly 30% of the teacher workforce by the 1970s. However, it is noted by
Boyle (2004) that men considered teaching in this period as a second career or a pathway that
would lead to an administrative leadership role within schools. Accordingly, by the late 20th
century, men held the majority of school administrative positions of power, while women were
confined to teaching.
What Keeps Men Away from Teaching? Latino male elementary school teachers are
needed now more than ever. However, as of 2018, male teachers from any racial background
comprise 11% of elementary school teachers (National Center for Education Statistics [NCES],
2020b). Comprehending Latino male elementary public school teachers' experience requires us
to understand the factors that keep males from the teaching profession and away from becoming
elementary school teachers.
Academic research of the past three decades illustrates the negative perceptions males
face when entering the teaching profession. In Allan’s (1993 as cited in Williams, 1993)
qualitative study, participants reported that they knew how the public and their colleagues
perceived them–“that teaching children was not an occupation a competent “real man” would
willingly choose” (p.10). Cushman’s (2005) qualitative study found that when males entered the
teaching profession, family and friends often responded negatively due to the widespread
perception of teaching as having low status. As a result, the studies show that these negative
perceptions deter prospective teachers from entering the profession.
Once in the teaching profession, male teachers can be negatively impacted by their social
circles' judgments. Male preservice teachers frequently experience discouragement from their
male peers and family, as Weaver-Hightower's (2011) qualitative research illuminates.
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According to Weaver-Hightower (2011), gendered teasing about the "simplicity" and "cuteness"
of being a teacher, as well as gendered objections to "wasting" their talent, contribute to the
discouragement that male preservice teachers perceive. To combat the teasing about the teaching
profession being feminine, male pre-service teachers depersonalized themselves from the
comments from their friends and classmates to remove negative emotions that can arise from
their interactions. Nonetheless, navigating the notion of “wasting” their teaching talent proved
difficult for the male preservice teachers in this qualitative study. The male preservice teachers
responded to the discouragement of not living up to their talents by questioning their decision to
join the teacher workforce and considering alternative careers to demonstrate to their social
networks that teaching is temporary and that they had not ruled out careers with greater prestige
and compensation (Weaver-Hightower, 2011).
As it relates to becoming a male elementary school teacher, men encounter deterrents that
affect their decision to work with younger students. Sargent’s (2004) qualitative research
explored the impediments that male teachers perceived while working in the predominantly
female occupation of elementary school teaching. Sargent (2004) found that the fear of being
suspected of pedophilia was the biggest barrier to male teachers' endeavors to work in
elementary schools. In the study, male teachers hesitated to make physical contact with the
students, fearing that it would be misinterpreted as inappropriate. Second, male teachers
perceived that the care they would provide their students would be seen as subpar compared to
their female counterparts and that their personalities were not fit for elementary school teaching.
Lastly, Sargent (2004) found that male teachers in elementary schools felt that their actions were
constantly scrutinized because they stood out as males and that their motivation for being in the
profession was often questioned.
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Males Navigating their Gender as Elementary School Teachers. Brody's (2015)
qualitative study examined how experienced male educators in early childhood education have
grappled with their male identity in a female-dominated profession. Brody (2015) found that
these male educators felt successful because they embraced their roles as teachers in the
classroom while contesting the paradigm of masculinity. Brody (2015) notes that these male
educators welcomed their role as trusted adults who could respond to students’ emotional and
physical needs and create classroom environments of shared power. Further, these male
educators did not shy away from physical touch, despite potential concerns and worries about
parental disapproval. On the contrary, these educators reimagined what physical touch can look
like for male teachers and saw it as an essential part of being an early childhood educator.
Teacher Preparation Programs
Teacher Certification Exams. As universal public education became institutionalized in
the US in the 20th century, the demand for qualified teachers increased, and the use of teacher
certification exams became prevalent. To analyze the limited number of teachers of color in
public schools, specifically the number of Latino male elementary school teachers, we must
consider barriers present in recent decades in the education arena.
As reviewed by Cohen (1989), teacher certification exams were widely introduced in the
US in the late 20th century as a standardized form to measure the competency of prospective
teachers. However, in the 1960s and 1970s, several lawsuits were filed challenging the use of
these exams and policies that held the exams as the only factor determining one’s qualification to
become a teacher. These lawsuits found that the teacher certification exams and policies
negatively affected prospective teachers of color. As a result, many states were forced to change
their certification requirements and policies.
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Despite the changes in teaching certification requirements and policies in the late 20th
century, research has exhibited that teacher certification examinations demonstrate biases against
prospective teachers of color. As Bennet et al. (2006) analyzed, teacher certification exams at the
turn of the century were designed to be culturally neutral and improve the exam’s internal
consistency, but validity issues surfaced. Heubert & Hauser (1999, as cited by Bennet et al.,
2006) found that the teaching certification exams during this time exhibited norming, content,
linguistics, and cultural biases that inadvertently negatively impacted prospective teachers of
color.
Further academic research has demonstrated that the consequences of teaching
certification exams can harm students of color at a higher rate than white students when the
exams become a barrier for prospective teachers of color. In a quantitative study conducted by
Goldenhaber & Hansen (2010), in the context of teaching certification exams, the researchers
discovered that teachers of color are more consistently successful than White teachers at teaching
students of color. This matching effect is most pronounced for teachers of color who perform at
the lower end of the performance distribution for teaching certification exams. Furthermore, the
data suggests that when it comes to the academic performance of students of color, the
ethnic/racial matching effects between students and teachers are just as significant as any
information provided by the tests' signaling or screening functions (Goldenhaber & Hansen,
2010).
Demographic Make-Up of Teacher Preparation Programs. As Sleeter (2017) noted,
the composition of the teachers and faculty in teacher preparation programs was overwhelmingly
White; 74% of traditional teacher preparation programs in the United States were White, but less
than half of public school students were. Using the interest convergence from the CRT
37

framework, we can understand why teaching professions remain overwhelmingly White and how
White interest impacts the design of teaching preparation programs. Knowing how teacher
preparation programs are designed can assist in identifying hurdles prospective Latino male
elementary school teachers have when entering the profession.
As Bell (1987) argued, interest convergence is the notion that Whites only promote the
interests of people of color when they coincide with and boost White objectives. This approach is
important for evaluating limited efforts to diversify the teaching staff. According to Milner's
(2008) research, admissions policies designed to increase racial diversity among students
enrolled in teacher preparation programs are occasionally justified by citing the needs and
interests of the students (i.e., White students). Milner (2008) argues that teacher preparation
programs will make minimal changes, such as admitting a small number of aspiring teachers of
color when White students can benefit from learning from the diversity and experiences of their
peers of color in their classrooms.
The racial composition of teacher preparation programs affects how the programs are
designed, the chosen curriculum, and how it is taught. As Sleeter (2017) highlighted, teacher
preparation programs that were more racially diverse in their faculty would more likely have
coursework about working with students and communities from diverse backgrounds. Likewise,
teacher preparation programs with less diverse faculty would have limited coursework regarding
teaching in diverse communities. Agee’s (2004, as cited by Milner et al., 2013) study notes that
when policy decisions are made surrounding the curriculum and instruction of teacher
preparation programs, they are made with the assumption that the prospective teachers will be
White and with the interests of White students and faculty at the forefront. Despite the fact that
almost all teacher preparation programs now offer courses on race, culture, and language, these
38

courses are often constrained to a small number of classes and do not form part of the overall
core curriculum (King & Butler, 2015).
The curriculum design in teacher preparation programs impacts how prospective teachers
engage with topics of race and racism. In a review of multicultural teacher education course
syllabi across 45 institutions, Gorski (2009) found that more than half of the programs
emphasized celebrating differences between racial communities rather than confronting the
topics of systematic inequalities (i.e., oppression, racism, and systemic power relations).
Moreover, as Sleeter (2017) highlighted, when teaching about race-related content, teaching
preparation programs were found to cater to the emotional needs of White students rather than
students of color, creating environments that favor Whiteness and reinforce White interests
(Matias, 2016). Furthermore, when faculty challenges White students to engage in race-related
content on a critical level, Evans-Winters & Hoff (2011) found that the students unleash their
frustrations through course evaluations, which are subsequently used to criticize and disparage
the instructors teaching the material.
Experiences of Teachers of Color in Teacher Preparation Programs. Current
conditions in teaching preparation programs can lead to adverse experiences for prospective
Latino teachers and teachers of color. Ample research has demonstrated that teachers of color in
teacher preparation programs often feel disconnected from their lived experiences as people of
color and the dominant cultural norms espoused in their programs (Gomez et al., 2008; Irizarry,
2011; Meacham, 2000; Nguyen, 2008; Pailliotet, 1997; Sheets & Chew, 2002). Additionally, as
Sleeter (2017) emphasizes, when researchers (Amos, 2016c; Bower-Phillips et al., 2013; Gomez
et al., 2008; Irizarry, 2011) interviewed Latino students and students of color enrolled in teacher
39

preparation programs, there was a similar motivation that brought them into education and
common factors that negatively affected their experiences in the program.
The prospective teachers of color indicated that their primary motivation for entering the
teaching profession was to give back to communities similar to the ones in which they had been
raised. However, the prospective teachers of color voiced that the curriculum and field
placements were irrelevant when preparing them to be teachers in the communities they wanted
to teach in (Gomez et al., 2008; Irizarry, 2011). The prospective teachers of color noted that their
professors and instructors appeared unaware of diversity issues or had a shallow understanding
of the topic (Amos, 2016c). The research found that prospective teachers of color often felt
isolated, silenced, or “othered” in the teaching programs. The prospective teachers of color
resorted to avoiding attention and keeping quiet because they did not believe their voice or ideas
would be acknowledged by the instructional staff and to avoid being seen as the voice of their
respective communities (Amos, 2016c; Bower-Phillips et al., 2013; Gomez et al., 2008; Irizarry,
2011)
Irizarry (2011) precisely denotes the arenas where prospective Latino students in teacher
preparation programs felt that their voices and experiences were silenced and disregarded:
through the program's and curriculum's instructional design, in social settings, and via school
policies and practices. As it relates to the instructional design of the program and curriculum, the
participants of Irizarry's (2011) qualitative study shared that:
Professors were culturally insensitive, and the curriculum never explicitly addressed the
needs of Latino/a K–12 students nor prepared teachers to implement culturally responsive
approaches with this group. Students expressed feeling tangential to the college and
40

marginalized within the teacher education program rather than treated as valued members
of those communities (p. 15).
As it concerns how Latino students in the program navigated the social arena, Irizarry (2011)
noted that students were “often confronted by faculty, staff, and students in social spaces in ways
they found to be offensive and problematic” (p. 16) and were approached with the rigid and
negative stereotypes that society often depicts of Latinos.
Lastly, regarding school policies and practices, Irizarry (2011) found that school
placement and standardized testing adversely affected Latino students in the program. It was
found that depending on the school placement, Latino students would need to navigate
unpleasant hostile schooling conditions. Moreover, the testing policies placed by the teacher
preparation programs became impediments for Latino students who were traversing the teacher
preparation programs. In this context, teacher preparation programs, policies, and practices
create conditions that silence and disregard the voices and experiences of Latino students. In
light of this, research has shown that to improve Latino students' experiences in teacher
preparation programs; institutions must pay closer attention to the intersection of language,
culture, class, and race and be more deliberate about diversifying the faculty (Bell & Busey,
2021; Gomez et al., 2008; Irizarry, 2011; Knight, 2002)
The Current Demographic Make-Up of Teachers in K-12 Schools.
Understanding the demographics make up of teachers is significant in understanding how
Latino male elementary school teachers traverse the landscape of becoming and being a
classroom teacher. The most recent data from the National Center for Education Statistics
[NCES] (2020a) is the following.
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Racial Ethnic Demographics. In the 2020-21 academic year, the composition of public
school teachers displayed the following characteristics regardless of gender: 80 % identified as
White, 9% as Latino, 6% as Black, 2% as Asian, 2% as belonging to two or more races, less than
1 %as American Indian/Alaska Native, and less than .5% as Pacific Islander (National Center for
Education Statistics [NCES], 2020a). When comparing the representation of each racial/ethnic
group among public school teachers from 2011-12 to 2020-21, there were limited shifts. Notably,
a slightly lower percentage of teachers in 2020-21 were White (80%) compared to 2011-12
(82%), while the proportion of Black teachers decreased from 7% to 6%. There was a slight
increase in the percentage of Latino teachers (from 8% to 9%), Asian teachers (from 1.8% to
2.4%), and teachers identifying with two or more races (from 1%to 2%) in 2020-21 compared to
2011-12 (National Center for Education Statistics [NCES], 2020a). Regarding the racial-ethnic
makeup, the National Center for Education Statistics [NCES] (2020) data shows a notable
disparity between the composition of K-12 public school teachers and K-12 public school
students in the 2020-21 academic year. The percentage of White teachers (80%) surpassed that
of White students (46%), indicating an overrepresentation of White teachers. Conversely,
teachers from other racial/ethnic groups were underrepresented compared to the student
populations they served. Most notably, 9% of public school teachers identified as Latino, a
significant underrepresentation among public school students who identify as Latino (28%).
Gender Demographics. In the 2020-21 academic year, the National Center for
Education Statistics [NCES] (2020a) data shows that most public school teachers were female,
accounting for 77% of the teaching workforce. The remaining 23% were male teachers. If the
distribution of male teachers were disaggregated based on instructional level, elementary school
male teachers would account for less than 11% of teachers. In contrast, middle and high school
42

male teachers accounted for 36% of the teaching workforce. Comparing 2020-21 to 2011-12
gender makeup of K-12 public school teachers, there were no significant changes–the overall
proportions of male and female teachers remained consistent.
Education and Certifications of Teachers. In the 2020-21 academic year, the National
Center for Education Statistics [NCES] (2020a) data shows that public school teachers
demonstrated higher levels of educational attainment compared to 2011-12. The percentages of
post-baccalaureate teachers increased in 2020-21, including master's degrees, from 48% to 51%.
However, there was a lower percentage of teachers with bachelor's degrees, decreasing from
40% to 38%. Among teachers, middle and high school teachers had post baccalaureate degrees
compared to elementary teachers, with higher percentages holding master's degrees (53% vs.
49%) and doctor's degrees (2% vs. 1%). Regarding teaching certifications, in 2020-21, 90% of
public school teachers held regular or standard state teaching certificates or advanced
professional certificates. A small percentage had provisional or temporary certificates (4%),
probationary certificates (3%), no certification (2%), or waiver/emergency certificates (1%).
Teaching Experience. In the 2020-21 academic year, the distribution of public school
teachers' experience levels was as follows: 7 % had less than three years of teaching experience,
29% had three to nine years of experience, 37 % had 10 to 20 years of experience, and 26% had
more than 20 years of experience. Compared to 2011-12, a lower percentage of teachers in 2020-
21 had 3 to 9 years of experience (29% vs. 33%), while the percentage of teachers with more
than 20 years of experience was higher in 2020-21 (26% vs. 23%). However, there were no
discernible differences between 2011-12 and 2020-21 in the percentages of teachers with less
than three years or 10 to 20 years of experience (National Center for Education Statistics
[NCES], 2020a)
43

Contemporary: Challenges of Being a Teacher
A Stressful Profession. Teaching is a difficult and stressful profession (Kyriacou, 2001).
According to the 2013 Healthways Well-Being Index data, teachers frequently experience
positive daily interactions. However, almost half of K-12 teachers (46%) report experiencing
high daily stress levels during the school year–tied for the highest compared to other professions
(Gallup, 2014). Although engaging in the teaching profession can offer individuals personal
satisfaction, it is crucial to acknowledge that it also brings about stress. Greenglass & Burke
(2003) noted that teacher stress can arise from various sources, including the demands placed on
teachers by administrators, colleagues, students, and parents.
Furthermore, work overload, student misbehavior, and a lack of recognition for their
accomplishments contribute to this heightened stress. Research indicates that there is a
connection between teacher stress and negative emotions and the occurrence of student
misbehaviors (Yoon, 2002). When stressed, teachers commonly experience negative emotions in
response to student behaviors (Hamre & Pianta, 2001; Sutton & Wheatley, 2003). Additionally,
when teachers have multiple disruptive students in their classrooms, the stress they experience
intensifies. This increased stress can lead even typically effective teachers to resort to coercive
and harsh behaviors (Jennings & Greenberg, 2009). Further research consistently demonstrated a
link between teacher stress and negative professional outcomes, such as burnout, absenteeism,
stress-related issues, and attrition (Menken, 2006; Von der Embse et al., 2015; Yoon, 2002).
Teacher Turnover. In 2012-2013, most teachers left the profession voluntarily (67%),
and turnover rates were 50% higher in Title I schools and 70% higher for schools serving a high
percentage of students of color (Carver-Thomas & Darling-Hammond, 2017). As researched by
Carver-Thomas & Darling-Hammond (2017), several reasons drive teachers to leave the
44

profession. These reasons include dissatisfaction with testing and accountability pressures, lack
of administrative support, dissatisfaction with the career, lack of opportunities for career
advancement, dissatisfaction with working conditions, and personal and financial reasons. The
training teachers receive before employment, and the type of administrative assistance are two
important factors influencing and predicting turnover. Carver-Thomas & Darling-Hammond
(2017) found that teachers who entered the profession through alternative certification pathways
are more likely to leave the profession (25%); and that teachers that reported a lack of
administrative support or disagreed with their administration were twice as likely to leave their
school than teachers who strongly agreed their administration was supportive.
Teacher Shortages. The teacher labor market shortage is a current educational issue
impacting student learning (García & Weiss, 2019). The staffing challenges stem from factors
that include a limited pool of qualified teachers, difficulties in recruiting teachers for specific
roles, issues with teacher retention, and obstacles in effectively distributing teacher expertise
among various school districts (Rice et al., 2009). In addition, the research shows that teacher
recruitment and retention have consistently found that salaries and societal appreciation are
among the key attractions to teaching, but research shows that the teaching profession often lacks
substantial societal appreciation (Burns & Darling-Hammond, 2014). Further, concerning
compensation, the starting salary for teachers in numerous states remains below $42,000 per
year, contributing to the notion that teachers are undervalued in US society (National Education
Association, 2022). Although research consistently shows that high-quality instruction plays a
significant role in student academic success (Rivkin et al., 2005; Sanders & Rivers, 1996, cite
more), many schools have faced difficulties recruiting qualified teachers in the past decade.
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Current data reveals that black male teachers account for less than two percent of all
public school teachers and experience the highest turnover rates (Underwood, 2019). Similarly,
Latino male teachers face similar underrepresentation challenges (Chillag, 2019; Will, 2018).
These statistics are unsettling, especially considering the positive impact that teachers of color
can have on students of all racial backgrounds (Egalite & Kisida, 2016). Moreover, according to
studies by the Brookings Institute, the lack of teacher diversity is projected to worsen as student
demographics become increasingly diverse (Hansen & Quintero, 2019). This shortage of
teachers, specifically teachers of color, applies to states with a diverse general population. For
example, in California, there is a need for more teachers that reflect the student population in K-
12 public schools. People of color account for 75% of the public school student population, but
34% of teachers are people of color (Carver-Thomas et al., 2020).
Teachers of Color
Diversity of Race and Ethnicity in Teaching. According to Carver-Thomas's (2018)
research, there has been a notable increase in the proportion of teachers of color within public
schools, rising from 12% to 20% over the past three decades. In the late 1980s, a mere 10% of
newly recruited teachers identified as non-White, but by 2015, this figure had significantly risen,
with one in four first-year teachers now identifying as non-White. Despite these hopeful
developments, the existing racial makeup of the teacher workforce must effectively reflect our
country's expanding diversity. This concern is underscored by the fact that approximately 50% of
students and 40% of the general population consisted of individuals from diverse racial and
ethnic backgrounds (McFarland et al., 2018), thus exemplifying the ongoing underrepresentation
of teachers of color.
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Teachers of Color's Impact in K-12 Schools. In an extensive literature review, Villegas
& Irvine (2010) identified three empirically-based arguments for the benefits that Teachers of
Color bring to K-12 public education: positive role models for all students, often work in
predominantly urban schools serving students of color, and understanding of the cultural
experiences of students of color.
Role Models for All Students. Teachers of Color serve as role models to all students.
Starting in the late 20th century, researchers (Cole, 1986; King, 1993; Waters, 1989) have
demonstrated that students of color admire and are inspired by teachers who share their racial or
ethnic backgrounds. When students of color see teachers who resemble them and have achieved
success, it can motivate them to set ambitious goals for themselves, provide positive
representation, and contribute to developing a strong sense of identity and belonging (Ochoa,
2007). Additionally, exposure to a diverse teaching force benefits White students too. Irvine
(1988) states that it communicates to them that individuals from racial/ethnic minority
backgrounds can be successful and contribute to society. Waters (1989) argues that regular
interactions with teachers of color allow White students to challenge and overcome any
misconceptions or stereotypes they may have internalized about people of color from their
experiences outside of school. In recent decades, an empirically supported justification for the
advantages that teachers of color provide to K–12 education was uncovered by Villegas & Irvine
(2010), and it included the assertion that these teachers of color function as role models for all
students.
Addressing Teacher Shortage. Research shows that teachers of color tend to work in
urban schools that serve predominantly students of color and schools that are often facing teacher
shortages (Elfers et al., 2006; Horng, 2005; Kirby et al., 1999; Murnane et al., 1991; Scafidia et
47

al., 2007). Several studies establish that teachers of color tend to exhibit higher retention rates in
teaching, particularly in schools serving predominantly students of color. Murnane et al. (1991)
analyzed data from North Carolina and Michigan and noted that teachers of color remained
teaching longer than White teachers. Similarly, Elfers et al. (2006) observed in the state of
Washington that teachers of color were more likely to stay in schools serving predominantly
students of color than their White counterparts. In Texas, Kirby et al. (1999) found that Latino
teachers had the lowest early attrition rates among cohorts of teachers entering the profession
entering the late 20th century. Horng (2005) conducted a study in a California elementary school
district and reported that Latino teachers were likelier to remain in low-performing schools
serving predominantly students of color than White teachers. These studies collectively highlight
that by actively recruiting and retaining teachers of color, schools can help alleviate this
shortage. Having a diverse teaching workforce not only provides more teachers for these schools
but also brings a variety of perspectives and experiences into the educational environment.
Cultural Understanding. Many teachers of color deeply understand the cultural
experiences of students of color and serve as cultural brokers with the community (Eddy &
Easton-Brooks, 2011; Gomez & Rodriguez, 2011; Okraski & Madison, 2020). They bring to
their work a firsthand knowledge of the challenges and strengths that students from diverse
backgrounds may encounter. This understanding enables them to create culturally responsive
classrooms and instructional strategies that better meet the needs of students of color. They can
draw upon their experiences to establish connections, build trust, and tailor instruction to foster
student engagement and success (Nieto, 2015). For instance, in a study conducted by Garcia-
Nevarez et al. (2005) comparing teachers from Latino and non-Latino backgrounds, it was
discovered that Latino teachers exhibited a more positive and accepting attitude towards Latino
48

students' utilization of their native language, in contrast to non-Latino teachers. The findings of
all these studies support a frequently emphasized argument highlighting the importance of
having teachers of color (Villegas & Irvine, 2010).
High Expectations. According to literature already conducted, teachers of color
frequently have higher expectations for students who share their racial identity. The presence of
a teacher of color has been associated with various positive outcomes, including higher
expectations, enhanced teacher-student relationships, culturally relevant instruction, and the
provision of role models (Bristol & Matin-Fernandez, 2019; Irvine, 1989; Ladson-Billings, 1994;
Luke, 2017; Milner, 2011; Oates, 2003; Uhlenberg & Brown, 2002). Additionally, as highlighted
by Jackson & Kohli (2016) in their review of the current state of teachers of color, they found
that teachers of color are more inclined to employ pedagogical approaches that incorporate
cultural relevance (Dixson & Dingus, 2008; Irizarry & Donaldson, 2012; Lynn, 2006b). These
results highlight the impact that teachers of color may have on their expectations for students of
color and their teaching pedagogy.
Sociopolitical Consciousness. As the literature has shown, teachers of color have played
a crucial role in introducing students to issues of social injustice and recognizing that education
is a potential site to address inequitable conditions for people of color (Farinde et al., 2016;
Walker, 2001). Teachers of color often perceive schooling as a political process and view their
work as part of a broader commitment to effect social transformation (Berta-Avila, 2004;
Martinez, 2017; Tillman, 2004). Teachers of color challenge the dominant culture of schooling
and frequently make deliberate curricular and pedagogical choices to foster critical thinking that
can lead to social change (Darder, 1995; Dingus, 2006). Additionally, teachers of color are more
likely to engage in racial discourse and challenge racial inequality (Kohli, 2009; Thompson,
49

2004 ). While it is not guaranteed that all teachers of color will be effective with students of
Color (Achinstein et al., 2010; Jackson & Knight-Manuel, 2019), research has shown that
teachers of color can play a role in remedying racial disparities in the achievement gap that has
historically existed between students of color and white students (Castro & Calzada, 2021;
Flores, 2017; Villegas & Irvine, 2010).
The Impact of Latino Teachers. Recent research has established that Latino teachers,
similar to teachers of color, can play a vital role in advancing social justice within and beyond
the classroom. As Bristol & Martin-Fernandez (2019) noted, Latino teachers tend to have higher
academic expectations for students of Color. In addition, Latino teachers have demonstrated that
they can be intermediaries between students, families, and schools by bridging cultural gaps
(Gomez & Rodriguez, 2011; Okraski & Madison, 2020) and possess significant potential to
establish connections with historically underserved student populations, aiding their successful
navigation of the educational system (Castro & Calzada, 2021; Flores, 2017). Specifically, as
highlighted by Bristol & Martin-Fernandez (2019), Latino teachers go about establishing these
connections by being able to share their culture, language, and lived experiences with the
stakeholders in their school (Lopez, 2016; Monzo & Rueda, 2001a).
Recruiting Teachers of Color. As Flores et al. (2007) noted, scholars have examined the
recruitment and retention strategies for Latino students pursuing careers in the teaching
profession. Calderón & Díaz (1993) study offered recommendations to ensure the success of
aspiring Latino teachers, including early recruitment, establishing support structures, engagement
in field-based experiences with mentor teachers, and providing a support system for novice
teachers. Similarly, González (1997) found that prospective teachers of color satisfaction,
retention, and completion of the teacher preparation program are connected to factors such as
50

academic support and skill development, the presence of caring mentors and a supportive
network, a nurturing environment, a cohort design, the setting of educational goals, engagement
in volunteer work, the maintenance of high academic standards, and the presence of mediators to
assist with navigating and accessing university structures.
Recent research has affirmed the findings in recruiting teachers at the turn of the century.
A 2018 report about diversifying the teaching profession by the Learning Policy Institute found
three major practices that can effectively increase the number of teachers of color in school
districts (Carver-Thomas, 2018) First, the report emphasizes the need to build high-retention,
supportive pathways into teaching through comprehensive teacher preparation, financial support,
and teacher residencies. Second, the report recommends proactive hiring strategies to diversify
the teaching profession, such as early recruitment and involving teachers of color in hiring.
Lastly, the report advocates that creating supportive school environments through improved
school leadership, including principal preparation and ongoing professional development, is
crucial in improving the number of teachers of color in the profession (Carver-Thomas, 2018).
Challenges Faced by Teachers of Color. A recent report by Dixon et al. (2019)
examined the challenges teachers of color face as they navigate the profession and found five
major challenges that teachers of color face in school sites. The challenges include managing
unpleasant working conditions, the financial load of being a teacher, an adversarial school, the
environment feeling underappreciated, and being denied agency and autonomy (Dixon et al.,
2019). In addition, studies have highlighted that financial difficulties, time commitments that
impact family obligations, culturally biased recruitment and admissions procedures into teacher
preparation programs, Eurocentric curriculum and assessments, and lack of role models and
51

mentors are some factors that impact teachers of color from entering the profession (Sleeter et
al., 2015).
Challenges Latino Teachers Face. Research repeatedly showcases the benefits of having
teachers of color and Latino teachers, yet there is a notable underrepresentation of Latino
teachers (Chillag, 2019; National Center for Education Statistics [NCES], 2020a; Shapiro &
Partelow, 2018; Will, 2018). In a recent study, Kirmaci (2022) summarized the challenges that
hinder Latino teachers from entering the profession. These challenges include limited
professional networks in teaching (Amos, 2016a), insufficient school resources, an excessive
workload (Griffin, 2018), and feeling marginalized in an educational work environment catering
to White normative values (Amos, 2016b; Kohli, 2018). As a result, Latino teachers have a
higher teacher turnover rate than White teachers (Griffin, 2018; Lopez, 2021).
Students
Latino Students in the United States.
In the 20th century, court cases such as Francisco Maestas et al. v. George H. Shone et al.
(1914), Alvarez v. Lemon Grove (1931), Mendez v. Westminster School District (1947), Brown
v. Board of Education (1954), and Cisneros v Corpus Christi Independent School District (1970)
unequivocally prohibited both de jure and de facto segregation. However, in the 21st century,
Latino students have emerged as the most segregated racial group. Research by Orfield et al.
(2012) indicates a significant increase in segregation for Latino students across the country.
Presently, Latino students attend public schools that are more segregated and underfunded
compared to previous generations. Notably, the Western US has experienced the most substantial
surge in segregation. Latino students often attend socioeconomically disadvantaged schools in
52

this region, and their isolation from White students has intensified throughout the latter half of
the 20th century (Kozol, 2005; Valencia, 2002; Valencia et al., 2002).
Negative School Factors. In conjunction with the history of public education in the US,
contemporary systemic public school factors negatively affect the diversity gap among Latino
students and teachers. Latino student educational attainment is the lowest among racial groups in
the US (Perez-Huber et al., 2015; Yosso & Solórzano, 2006). In the 21st century, Latino students
are more likely to attend overcrowded and poorly maintained K-12 schools (Rogers et al., 2009;
Valencia, 2002). Latino students are often enrolled in classes with limited resources, have
undertrained and uncredentialed teachers, or attend schools with a high teacher turnover rate
(Valencia et al., 2002; Yosso & Solorzano, 2006). Additionally, as stated by Perez-Huber et al.
(2015), Latino students in public schools are often seen with suspicion and as perceived threats
in the classroom. They experience racial microaggressions in curricular and pedagogical
practices and are more likely to be suspended than their white counterparts. Latino students
encounter lower educational expectations from teachers and school administrators, are less likely
to be identified for talented and gifted programs, and are more likely to report that they do not
seek help in school (Benner & Graham, 2011; Perez-Huber et al., 2015; Ponjuan et al., 2012;
Torres & Fergus, 2013).
Achievement Gap. Persistent achievement gaps exist between Latino students and their
peers regarding academic performance, graduation rates, and college readiness. Madrid (2011)
explores the educational challenges Latino students face in the U.S., including socioeconomic
status, language barriers, and cultural differences. Madrid (2011) discusses how the lower
socioeconomic status of many Latino families often limits their access to quality education and
resources, leading to disparities in academic achievement. Language barriers, particularly for
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English language learners, also pose significant challenges, affecting their academic performance
and engagement in the classroom. Further, Madrid (2011) argues that traditional teaching
approaches often neglect the cultural strengths and assets that Latino students bring to the
educational setting.
Impact of School Culture Research indicates that establishing a positive school culture
impacts student learning and behavior. It creates the necessary conditions for fostering students'
psychological well-being and cultivating a sense of safety and belonging (Cowen, 1996).
Moreover, students who perceive their school as an integral part of their culture are more likely
to actively engage in academics and develop positive sentiments towards their educational
environment (Langhout & Mitchell, 2008). Contemporary studies consistently highlight the
significance of creating a positive and inclusive school climate to narrow the achievement gap
between Latino and White students. In their work, Leavitt & Hess (2019) emphasize the
importance of promoting cultural responsiveness, building strong relationships between students
and teachers, providing equitable resources, and fostering a sense of belonging for Latino
students. Their findings underscore the potential of these strategies in addressing the
achievement gap.
Effective Practice of Teaching Latino Students. Huerta & Britain (2009) researched
teachers' attributes that effectively contribute to Latino students' academic success. They found
that teachers that are effective at teaching Latino students have certain training, expertise, life
experiences, and values in common. These instructors are properly qualified, have an average of
seven years of teaching experience, and have completed bilingual teacher education programs
(Garcia, 1988; Huerta, 2002). The teachers are bilingual, have a knowledgeable understanding of
the curriculum, are effective in teaching the academic curriculum in a manner that will lead to
54

student understanding of the material, are knowledgeable of the sociocultural dimensions of the
students in their classroom, and can engage with families, and are eager to seek opportunities to
improve their capacity as teachers (Dalton, 1998; García, 1994; Huerta, 2002; Moll et al., 1992;
Monzó & Rueda, 2001b; Nieto & Rolón, 1997; Tikunoff, 1985). Further, Huerta & Britain
(2009) found that effective teachers of Latino students can use the cultural and linguistic
background of their students to build the knowledge base that is needed to engage with the
academic content and uplift their student’s self-esteem (Huerta, 2002; Lucas et al., 1990; Nieto
& Rolón, 1997; Pease-Alvarez et al., 1991).
Latino Teachers Teaching Latino Students. Research on the enhanced benefit of
teachers of color teaching students of color has been studied since the middle of the 20th century
(Hundley, 1965). As Bristol & Martin-Fernandez (2019) summarized, since the turn of the 21st
century, researchers have demonstrated how Latino teachers who share Latino students' cultural
experiences have demonstrated to create classroom environments that foster positive social and
emotional support (Lara & Fránquiz, 2015; MacDonald, 2004; Quiocho & Rios, 2000; Ochoa,
2007). A significant reason Latino teachers can create these positive classroom environments is
based on the Latino community virtue of confianza. As Weisman, Flores, & Valenciana (2007)
described, confianza (i.e., mutual trust) is central to forming lasting relationships within the
Latino community. Latino teachers build relationships and confianza in the classroom by sharing
their culture, language, and experiences (Monzo & Rueda, 2001a). As a result, these shared
cultural similarities enable Latino teachers to facilitate their Latino students' social and emotional
growth and learning (Lopez, 2016).
Additionally, longitudinal studies have indicated the academic benefits of having Latino
teachers teaching Latino students. As Kettler & Hurst (2017) found in their longitudinal study,
55

the increase of Latino teachers in public schools was connected to supporting Latino students to
take more advanced placement and international baccalaureate courses, compared with Latino
students in schools with fewer Latino teachers. Atkins et al. (2014) found in a nationally
representative longitudinal survey of middle and high school students that Latino students were
more likely to report that they would graduate from college if taught by a Latino teacher than by
a Black or White teacher. Moreover, researchers have found that having more Latino teachers
raises Latino students' hopes and makes them feel more connected to their schools (Flores et al.,
2007; Villegas & Lucas, 2004). Based on contemporary studies, the research suggests that Latino
students benefit from having Latino teachers.
Summary
This chapter provides an overview of the literature and outlines the methodology for
gathering relevant research data and the theoretical framework for interpreting and analyzing the
literature and data. The beginning of the literature review provided an overview of the historical
context of public education from a macro perspective, with a particular emphasis on the policies
and practices implemented by school districts and local governments. The middle of the
literature review focused on the role of teachers, investigating how societal norms and teacher
preparation programs have shaped the demographics of the teaching profession. The end of the
literature review explored Latino students' educational outcomes and examines teachers' impact
on their educational experiences. The following chapter will describe the researcher’s design for
the study and the connected research questions, describe the study's setting and participants, and
explain how they will collect and analyze the data for the research.

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CHAPTER THREE: METHODOLOGY
Census data shows that the Latino student population is increasing in public schools
(National Center for Education Statistics [NCES], 2020a; Putman et al., 2016). Under this
landscape, it was essential to know the lived experiences of Latino Male Elementary School
Teachers, the implication of having Latino Male Elementary School Teachers, the challenges of
having Latino Male Elementary School Teachers, and how to improve the overall experience of
Latino Male Elementary School Teachers. In this chapter, the researcher proposed their research
design, stated their research questions, described the study's setting and participants, and
explained how they collected and analyzed the data for the research.
Research Design
As stated by Lochmiller and Lester (2017), qualitative research focuses on the human
experience and seeks to describe and make sense of these experiences. In qualitative studies, the
researcher does not seek to generalize the findings to a specific population; rather, they seek to
study experiences, views, and practices in-depth (Lochmiller & Lester, 2017). To fully
understand Latino Male Elementary School Teachers' perceptions, the researcher was seeking to
understand their lived experiences in the classroom. The researcher looked in-depth into how
Latino Male Elementary School Teachers feel and view themselves as teachers in a
predominantly white and female field. Due to the research time constraints and the physical
setting of the researcher, this study was designed as a qualitative case study.
Case study research is a method that qualitative researchers are using more and more
frequently (Thomas, 2011). Merriam and Tisdel (2016) describe a qualitative case study as a
detailed explanation and analysis of a contemporary phenomenon within a bounded system. A
bounded system is a single entity or unit with particular boundaries (Smith, 1978, as cited by
57

Merriam & Tisdell, 2016). In this study, the bounded system was a public school district the
researcher was employed in. As noted by Ebneyamini & Sadeghi Moghadam (2018), using a
case study as a methodology is useful to answer “how and why?” questions and when in-depth
research is required using a holistic lens.
Research Questions
RQ1: What are the lived experiences of Latino Male Elementary School Teachers?
RQ2: What are the challenges of Latino Male Elementary School Teachers?
RQ3: How can the lived experience of Latino Male Elementary School Teachers be improved?
RQ4: What are the implications of having Latino Male Elementary School Teachers?
Setting
Describing the study's setting is necessary to answer these qualitative research questions.
As noted by Maxwell (2013), a description of the setting helps clarify and justify the purpose of
this study. The setting of the study was done virtually via Zoom during the beginning of the
2022-2023 school year, with 8 participants from one public school district in Southern
California. Interviewing participants via Zoom decreased problems with time, location, and data
collection space. Interviewing participants via Zoom allowed them to participate from their
preferred locations and have better access to them in particular circumstances (Onwuegbuzie et
al., 2010). Since the study needed classroom teachers, the participants were interviewed outside
their roles to avoid time constraints and any items that may come up within a school's day-to-
day.
Participants
Target and Accessible Population
The study seeks to understand and describe strategies and practices that schools, districts,
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and teacher preparation programs can use to improve working conditions for Latino Male
Elementary School Teachers, explore how Latino Male Elementary School Teachers approach
their decision to become classroom teachers, identify challenges they encounter in the process of
becoming a teacher; investigates the impact that Latino Male Elementary School Teachers can
have on their students in the classroom. Accordingly, the target population for the study is Latino
Male Elementary School Teachers in the US. Given the researcher's location, availability, and
network, the accessible population was Latino Male Elementary School Teachers in a public
school district in Southern California.
Sample
To expand our understanding of the experiences of Latino Male Elementary School
Teachers in public education, the sample for this study targeted 8 Latino Male Elementary
School Teachers in a public school district in Southern California. The sample in a qualitative
research study should enable the researcher to interpret the data soundly and have sufficient data
to ground and produce an in-depth report of the findings (Lochmiller & Lester, 2017,
Onwuegbuzie & Leech, 2007). To answer the research questions in this study and to ensure that
there may be some generalizable findings, the sample size was 8 Latino Male Elementary School
Teachers in one district of Southern California. The choice of having a small number of
participants in the sample–8 Latino male elementary school teachers–allowed the researcher to
elicit rich, deep perspectives of the participants’ experiences (Gall et al., 2007). Additionally, all
8 participants in this study met the following criteria: identify as Latino, male, and have
experience working as public school elementary teachers.
Sampling Method
It was essential to choose participants who matched the requirements of the study to
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provide a sufficient sample size for generalizations. This study used purposeful sampling as the
primary sampling method and snowball sampling as a secondary method in choosing
participants. Purposeful sampling is when researchers choose individuals based on specific
criteria aligned with the research question (Lochmiller & Lester, 2017). Snowball sampling is the
process of selecting participants based on the recommendations of current participants, and it is
useful when researching a specific demographic population (Lochmiller & Lester, 2017). These
sampling methods were effective for this study because the target population, Latino Male
Elementary School Teachers, account for less than 2% of public school teachers (Chillag, 2019;
Will, 2018). The researcher selected the public school district in Southern California they were
employed in as the location for the study due to the convenience of accessing participants.
Specifically, the researcher used purposeful sampling in this school district until 6 participants
who met the criteria were selected. The researcher then employed the snowball sampling method
within his network to recruit the last two participants who met the criteria.
Recruitment
Once USC approved the researcher’s IRB, the participants were recruited via
Recruitment Letter (see Appendix R) through the researcher's network in the public school
district in Southern California. Specifically, the researcher asked elementary school principals of
this public school district to share this letter. The recruitment letter requested their participation
in the study, stated the purpose of the study, and stipulated the criteria for participation (see
Appendix R). Once participants agreed, Informed Consent (Appendix I) was sent to them to sign
and agree to the study. The Informed Consent included the purpose of the study and why the
participants were chosen, a description of the involvement the participant can expect in the study,
compensation for participating, confidentiality measures, the researcher's contact information,
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and the IRB contact information (Appendix X). The recruiting window occurred from September
2022 to March 2023.
Data Collection
There were two points of data collection for this study. The Demographic Survey
(Appendix A) allows the researcher to gain background information on their participants,
describe them, and better analyze their data (Dobosh, 2017). The semi-structured interview
protocol (Appendix A) gives a researcher more flexibility in the questions presented during the
interview protocol. It serves as a general guide when collecting data in the interview, but the
researcher often introduces the questions as topics, ideas, or room for comments (Lochmiller &
Lester, 2017).
Demographic Survey
This study seeks to understand the experiences of Latinx male elementary school
teachers. Using Harvard University’s Office of Regulatory Affairs and Research Compliance
(ORARC, 2020) frame of inclusive demographic data collection, the researcher designed a
Demographic Survey (see Appendix D) that considers the multiple demographic categories. The
categories include the participant’s age, number of years of education, years in the classroom,
nationality as it pertains to being Latino, if they worked in a charter school, Title 1 school,
location of the school in Los Angeles, and the participants' estimated number of Latino students
in their classroom. This demographic data can be important for future studies if researchers
would like to disaggregate the findings to focus on a specific sub-group of Latinos or based on
years of experience.
Interview Protocol
This qualitative case study was conducted via Zoom using a semi-structured interview
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protocol (Appendix A). Merriam and Tisdell (2016) state that the interview process involves a
conversation focused on questions related to the study. The main purpose of the interview is to
obtain specific information from Latino Male Elementary School Teachers in public schools.
The researcher designed a semi-structured interview protocol to allow flexibility when collecting
data. All interview questions in the semi-structured interview protocol were linked to the four
research questions.
The interview protocol incorporates the semi-structured interview structure when asking
participants questions. The semi-structured interview allows the researcher to use questions
flexibly based on participants' responses while still allowing all questions and issues to be
explored in the process (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016). The semi-structured interview allows the
interviewer to respond to the conversation at hand. Probing follow-up questions were asked to
gain clarity and more nuanced answers from the participants. The probing aims to explore and
fully understand the participants' lived experiences when being interviewed (Merriam & Tisdell,
2016).
Procedures
The study participants were interviewed via Zoom in the 2022-2023 school year. All
interviews were conducted after work hours to allow participants to log into the Zoom interview
after school and throughout the weekend. Having participants log in during non-work hours can
eliminate external factors that can alter the data collection process (Onwuegbuzie et al., 2010).
The 8 participants of this study were interviewed using the following procedures.
Initially, the researcher emailed or messaged all participants to find a 60-minute time block for
the interview. The participants sent their preferred times, and the researcher confirmed their time
slot via Google Calendar invite. The Google Calendar invite included the interview date, time,
62

and Zoom link invitation. All interviews occurred via Zoom, which will be 60 minutes. The
researcher read the interview protocol introduction verbatim (Appendix I) and asked the
participants the semi-structured interview questions listed in the interview protocol (Appendix I).
Once the interview was complete, the researcher thanked the participant and ensured that the
recording and notes transcribed were safely secured and stored.
Confidentiality Parameters
By researching the lived experiences of Latino elementary teachers, the researcher will be
studying a population in the US that has and continues to face institutionalized racism in the
educational system. The researcher is responsible for minimizing harm to participants that might
arise because of my study. The researcher must respectfully approach the community they are
researching (Rubin & Rubin, 2012; Smith, 2021). As the researcher provided informed consent
to participants, the researcher explicitly stated that the participants' identities were to be
concealed with pseudonyms. By not providing anonymity to the participants, the researcher is
putting the participants at risk of being judged or reprimanded by their employers and colleagues
based on their responses. The researcher would need to honor the promises they make when they
approach participants in the study—it is an ethical responsibility that the researcher has (Rubin &
Rubin, 2012).
Data Management
All interviews were digitally transcribed in a Microsoft Word document, and the data was
video recorded via the Zoom recording function to ensure an accurate account of the participant's
answers to the interview questions. They were stored in a secured location within the
researcher’s laptop and were not shared with anyone.
Encryption. The researcher ensured they have anti-virus protection technology, access to
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a secured internet connection, and the most recent up-to-date laptop version.
Regarding system authentication and security, the researcher ensured that access to all
confidential and sensitive data is managed by using complex passwords, restricting files being
used by the researcher, and locking the laptop in a keyed location when the researcher was away.
All documents, recordings, and folders were secured with an encryption key that were only
accessible to the researcher. After being recruited, all email communications with the
participants were done using the researcher’s USC email address, an email domain with multiple
security layers.
Dissemination of Findings
At the end of this qualitative study, the researcher disseminated the findings to the
research participants. The researchers disseminated their findings by sharing the entire study
with them via the email they provided at the beginning of the study. The email will contain an
introduction, a recap of the purpose of the study, the research questions, the findings organized
by the research question, and the researcher's contact information if they have further questions.
Data Analysis
Two types of data analysis were used in this qualitative study. The first data analysis was
a descriptive analysis to break down the demographic data collected with the Demographic
Survey (Appendix D). The second data analysis was a thematic content analysis to look for
patterns of meaning in the data collected from the interview protocol. The Demographic Survey
(see Appendix D) data was collected and exported to Google Sheets from Google Survey for
analysis. The Semi-Structured Interview (see Appendix A) data from the thematic content
analysis was exported to Excel from NiVo for analysis.
Descriptive Analysis
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Descriptive statistics analyze data to identify the status of identified variables or
characteristics of participants (Mann,1998). Descriptive statistics can be used to characterize data
based on the properties of each demographic data point. The type of descriptive analysis for the
Demographic Survey will measure frequency and variation. In particular, a measure of frequency
was used to show the number of different nationalities among the participants in this qualitative
study. A measure of variation was used to display the range of years of teaching experience
among the participants of this qualitative study.
Thematic analysis
This qualitative study used Thematic Content Analysis (TCA) to analyze the data
collected from the participant interviews. As stated by Braun & Clarke (2006), “thematic
analysis is a method for identifying, analyzing and reporting patterns (themes) within data. It
minimally organizes and describes your data set in (rich) detail” (p.79). The researcher used
NVivo transcription tools to support the transcription and analysis process. In the analysis, the
researcher closely examined the data to identify common themes, topics, ideas, and patterns of
meaning that come up repeatedly. Thematic Content Analysis was conducted using Braune &
Clarke (2006)’s six phases of thematic analysis. Figure 1 is a graphic representation of Braune &
Clarke (2006)’s six phases of thematic analysis.

65

Figure 1: Braune & Clarke (2006)’s six phases of thematic analysis
As indicated by the model and by Braune & Clarke (2013), the first step in the thematic
analysis is to be familiar with the data collected by reading and re-reading transcriptions from the
interview. The next step included generating preliminary codes–features of the data that appear
interesting and meaningful. The next step involves searching for themes, coherent and
meaningful patterns in the data relevant to the research question. This step is an active process
involving the researcher constructing themes based on coding all data. Step four involves
reviewing the themes by checking if the themes are coherent in both the coded sections and the
full data set. In this step, “the researcher should reflect on whether the themes tell a convincing
and compelling story about the data, and begin to define the nature of each individual theme, and
the relationship between the themes” (p.3). Step five defines and names the themes by having the
researcher form a detailed analysis of each theme and identify the significance of each theme.
Lastly, the last step requires the researcher to write an analytical narrative that shares the findings
about the data and contextualizes it to existing literature.
Reliability
Although reliability is generally problematic in the social sciences because human
behavior is not static and human experiences are not standardized, qualitative research can
maximize reliability by ensuring that the results are consistent with the collected data (Merriam
& Tisdell, 2016). As Lincoln & Guba (1985) described, the qualitative equivalent of internal
reliability is dependability, and external reliability is confirmability. Dependability is the
consistency and trackability of the research design, and confirmability is the concept that the data
captured in the qualitative study can be traced back to the source (Lincoln & Guba, 1985).
Dependability. To improve the dependability of the interview protocol, the researcher
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enhances the dependability of the qualitative study via an audit trail. The audit trail convincingly
shows how the researcher arrived at their conclusions by describing “in detail how data were
collected, how categories were derived, and how decisions were made throughout the inquiry”
(Merriam & Tisdell, 2016, p.252). Specifically, the researcher attached significant quotes from
the semi-structured interviews that correlate to the findings discovered from the four research
questions (Appendix T). The researcher ensured the dependability of this study by describing in
detail how data was collected, describing the purpose of the study that affected the creation of
the categories in the interview protocol, and explaining the qualitative methodology of this
qualitative study.
Confirmability. As noted by Korstjens & Moser (2018), confirmability concerns
neutrality and the interpretations of the findings derived from the data. To ensure the qualitative
study has strong confirmability, the researcher ensuree an audit trail of the research. Specifically,
the researcher will be “providing a complete set of notes on decisions made during the research
process, research team meetings, reflective thoughts, sampling, research materials adopted, the
emergence of the findings, and information about the data management” (Korstjens & Moser,
2018, p. 122).
Validity
As Lincoln & Guba (1985) stated, the qualitative equivalent of internal validity is
credibility, and external validity is transferability. Credibility entails how believable and accurate
findings are, and transferability concerns the extent to which findings apply to other situations
(Lincoln & Guba, 1985).
Credibility. To improve the credibility of the interview protocol, the researcher
confronted their researcher bias and validated the participants’ responses. Maxwell (2013) noted
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that researcher bias is a validity threat that can not be fully eliminated because the researcher
enters the study with their own beliefs, theories, and perspectives. Researcher bias can be
addressed by having the researcher be cognizant of one’s possible biases as a researcher and
explain how one will deal with these biases (Maxwell, 2013). Further, to ensure that the
responses recorded from the interview were aligned with the responses provided by the
participants, the researcher member checked the participants. By member checking, the
researcher is soliciting feedback from the participants to ensure that the responses gathered were
accurate; and to account for any discrepancies in how the researcher recorded the responses and
how the participants interpreted what the researcher recorded their responses to be (Merriam &
Tisdell, 2016)
Transferability. To improve the transferability of the study, the researcher will ensure to
capture rich, thick descriptive data and maximum variation in the sample. The concept of rich,
thick descriptive data refers to a “highly descriptive, detailed presentation of the setting and, in
particular, the findings of the study” (Merriam & Tisdell, p. 257, 2016). The researcher ensured
to capture rich, thick descriptive data by transcribing all interviews and creating a detailed
interview protocol that can be replicable by future researchers. Maximum variation sampling
involves the purposeful selection of a wide variety of participants and sites in the study to allow
for potential future applicability (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016). The researcher maximized variation
within their specific participant criteria, Latino Male Elementary School Teachers in one
Southern California public school district, by attempting to have participants from across
different schools and a mixture of participants with different years of teaching experience.
Conclusion
This chapter overviews the research method and data analysis used to implement this
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qualitative case study. The next chapter will present the study’s findings correlated to the
research questions. The second part of Chapter 4 will review the data collection findings and
examine their meaning related to the purpose of the study: understand and describe strategies and
practices that schools, districts, and teacher preparation programs can use to improve working
conditions for Latino Male Elementary School Teachers; explore how Latino Male Elementary
School Teachers approach their decision to become classroom teachers; identify challenges they
encounter in the process of becoming a teacher; investigates the impact that Latino Male
Elementary School Teachers can have on their students in the classroom.

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CHAPTER FOUR: FINDINGS
This study seeks to explore how Latino Male Elementary School Teachers approach their
decision to become classroom teachers, identify challenges they faced in the process of
becoming a teacher, and describe strategies and practices that schools, districts, and teacher
preparation programs can use to improve working conditions for Latino Male Elementary School
Teachers. The findings of this research aimed to present techniques and practices that schools
and districts can utilize to enhance working circumstances for Latino Male Elementary School
Teachers, as well as approaches for recruiting and increasing the number of Latino Male
Elementary School Teachers in public schools. Furthermore, this study seeks to comprehend how
Latino Male Elementary School Teachers approach their decision to become classroom teachers,
understand how they navigate the challenges they face as teachers, and their perceived impact on
their students in the classroom, specifically Latino male students.
The study aimed to explore the firsthand experiences of Latino male elementary school
teachers in public schools, and to achieve this; four research questions were formulated to guide
the investigation. A related participant interview protocol and demographic question survey were
generated from the following research questions:
RQ1: What are the lived experiences of Latino Male Elementary School Teachers?
RQ2: What are the challenges of Latino Male Elementary School Teachers?
RQ3: How can the lived experience of Latino Male Elementary School Teachers be
improved?
RQ4: What are the implications of having Latino Male Elementary School Teachers?
Data collection occurred via interviews with participants and participant referrals. After a brief
introduction of the participants, the study’s findings will be presented in alignment with the
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related research questions.
Participants Profile
Eight participants were purposefully selected for this study by sharing a Recruitment
Letter (see Appendix R) through the researcher's public school district network and referrals
from the researcher’s colleagues. All participants agreed to participate in a one-hour interview
via Zoom and orally provided their demographic information (Appendix D) to the researcher.
All eight individuals in the study identified as male and Latino. All of the participants
were either current or previous elementary school teachers. Participants ranged in age from 24 to
41. The years of experience as classroom teachers varied from pre-service to thirteen years. Half
of the participants are currently in the classroom; two are school administrators, one is a school
psychologist, and one is an educational consultant. Four participants identified as Mexican
American; two as Central American; one as Guatemalan and Mexican, and one as “American
with Latino ancestry” (See Table 1: Participants Overview).
Table 1
Participants Overview
Participant Age Years in
Education
Years as a
Classroom
Teacher
Nationality Currently in the
Classroom? If not, what
is their position?
Andres 31 10 2 Central American
(Salvadorian &
Guatemalan)
Yes
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Hector 31 5 2 Central American
(Salvadorean)
No, School Psychologist
Rey 37 15 10 Mexican American No, School
Administrator
Jordan 41 15 12 American with
Latino Heritage
No, Educational
Consultant
Emilio 30 6 1 Mexican American Yes
Roberto 35 4 1 Mexican American Yes
Bonifacio 24 4 0 Half Guatemalan
and Half Mexican
Yes
Edgar 33 11 2 Mexican American No, School
Administrator
In addition, six participants have worked exclusively for charter elementary schools, and
two work in traditional elementary schools. Seven of the eight participants were elementary
school teachers in Title 1 schools. Two were teachers in West Los Angeles, two were teachers in
East Los Angeles, and four were teachers in South Los Angeles. The estimated number of Latino
students in the participants' classrooms ranged from 30% of the class to 100% of the classroom
(See Table 2: Participant’s School overview).
Table 2
Participant’s School Overview
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Participant Charter
School?
Title 1 School? Location of School? Estimated Number
of Latino Students
in Classroom?
Andres Yes Yes South Los Angeles 70%
Hector Yes Yes South Los Angeles 60%
Rey Yes Yes East Los Angeles 100%
Jordan Yes Yes East Los Angeles 100%
Emilio Yes Yes South Los Angeles 70%
Roberto No No West Los Angeles 30%
Bonifacio No Yes West Los Angeles 55%
Edgar Yes Yes South Los Angeles 55%
Findings for Research Question 1: What are the Lived Experiences of Latino Male
Elementary School Teachers?
The first research question explored Latino Male Elementary School Teachers' decision-
making process as they pursue careers as classroom teachers. It aimed to examine the influences,
individuals, and experiences that have shaped their perceptions of the role of an elementary
classroom teacher, as well as to gain insights into their daily lives both inside and outside the
classroom. Through a comprehensive review of the data, three overarching themes emerged,
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providing a holistic understanding of the lived experiences of Latino Male Elementary School
teachers. These themes include the inspiration derived from their former teachers, their critical
consciousness of the urban educational landscape, and the challenges they face regarding long
working hours and lack of self-care.
Table 3
Themes of Research Question 1: What are the Lived Experiences of Latino Male Elementary
School Teachers?
Themes for RQ1 Summary
Teachers Inspire
Future Teachers
Participants positive interactions with their own teachers, who
employed culturally relevant pedagogy and created engaging
classroom environments, played a significant role in inspiring them
to become teachers.
Critical Awareness
of the Educational
Landscape of
Urban Education
The participants' critical consciousness about educational disparities
for Latino students and the larger systemic issues of the education
debt further motivated their career choice.
(the lack of) Self-
Care of Latino
Male Elementary
School Teachers
The study revealed that the lived experience of the participants
included long working hours and a lack of emphasis on self-care.
The participants emphasized the need for improved support and
well-being practices in the profession.
Teachers Inspire Future Teachers–Creating Engaging Classroom Communities
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Thematic content analysis revealed that inspiration from teachers growing up was the
most prevalent factor that led participants to pursue careers as elementary school teachers. Seven
out of eight participants described the importance of experiencing a classroom environment
conducive to student engagement and learning as inspiration in replicating engaging classroom
experiences as teachers themselves. Hector remarked that his third-grade teacher, a Latina, made
learning fun and sought extracurricular activities to engage student learning. Hector shared:
This teacher, she would always be applying for grants because she would be taking us on
field trips all the time. And that was like her philosophy. She would try to go on as many
field trips, educational field trips as she could. And she went out of her way to apply for
grants so she could sponsor these field trips...and you know, that is when I realized, you
know, that learning should be fun.”
Although Hector's time in the classroom was short, he explained that as a teacher, he attempted
to replicate a classroom community in which students engaged daily with academic materials
and each other through morning meeting circles and the inclusion of critical thinking questions in
ELA and social studies classes.
Andres recalled his experience with his 8th-grade teacher, a Japanese-American male, as
a source of inspiration to create an inviting classroom environment where students felt safe.
Andres experienced a sense of community and belonging in his 8th-grade teacher's classroom
that he was not exposed to as a young male raised in a low socioeconomic section of South Los
Angeles. Andres repeatedly referred to this teacher as a “father figure” and was thankful for the
firmness that he brought to the classroom. Andres noted that he holds on to this image of this
teacher when he enters the classroom because “we do not know what these kids are experiencing,
or issues they have at home. So sometimes they need a male model figure.” Andres is currently
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an in-house substitute teacher in the community where he grew up, and he shared that he
establishes safety and respect expectations whenever he enters a classroom because he
understands that structure can benefit his students.
Edgar distinctly recalled how his third-grade teacher, a Latino male, motivated him to
foster a joyful learning environment as a classroom teacher. Edgar explained that his teacher's
numerous learning activities inspired him to become a better student. Particularly, he shared:
I remember we had a multiplication competition, and if you won, you would get a pet
rooster. And it just motivated me like, “Oh, I want that pet rooster.” And I studied my
butt off, and I got that pet rooster. I was the top kid….It was kind of a spark in me to
always want to be number one.
Edgar went on to explain that when he was a teacher, he attempted to replicate his mentor's
"exciting energy" and fostered an environment that "motivated students to be the best versions of
themselves."
Roberto remembers the middle school teacher that inspired him to enter teaching and the
impact it had on him regarding how he engages with his classroom. He shared that his teacher
“was just so fascinating when it came to history” and that “a lot of history teachers make history
boring, but there are those that will actually make it very interesting and engaging and will keep
you hooked in for a long time.” Roberto shared that in his typical day in the classroom, he seeks
ways to make the academic material lively and to ensure opportunities for “kids [to] think
critically.”
Three participants shared in their interviews how their mentor teacher or experienced
teachers within their grade level inspired them to replicate a warm and welcoming classroom
environment and feedback to become better teachers. Emilio noted that his mentor teacher, a
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white woman, would model and demonstrate inclusivity in the classroom by asking for his input
during lesson planning, allowing students the opportunity to share their viewpoints freely during
class discussions, creating a designated space where students can leave feedback to the adults,
and allowing him to lead lessons that were valuable to his identity. Rey shared that observing the
veteran teachers in his team, two white women, benefited him because he could learn “how to
talk to kids” and receive informal feedback from them. Roberto remarked how his mentor
teachers have been helpful in how he goes about planning a lesson and receiving feedback from
lessons he teaches. Roberto feels fortunate to have his mentors, and he notes that “being a first-
year teacher, a lot of times you don't have that, you know?”
Jordan stated that he, too, was motivated by an educator rather than through his K-12
experience. Jordan stated that Jeff Duncan Andrade, a scholar-practitioner of Latina/o Studies,
Race and Resistance, inspired his approach in the classroom. Jordan stated that after he saw
Duncan-Andrade in person, he began to wonder how he could become a "thoughtful practitioner"
in the classroom for his fourth-grade students. Jordan stated, "It was definitely inspiring to see
someone who was taking critical pedagogies and talking about them to other educators."
Critical Awareness of the Educational Landscape of Urban Education
The participants' critical awareness of the educational landscape influenced their
decisions to become teachers. Three participants spoke considerably about how their critical
awareness of educational disparities propelled their careers as elementary educators.
Two of the participants that spoke on this theme were Hector and Edgar. Hector is from a
working-class Salvadoran immigrant household in South Los Angeles, and Edgar is from a
working-class Mexican immigrant household in East Los Angeles. Hector and Edgar only
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thought about becoming teachers once they attended college in the University of California
system and saw how different students' educational experiences could be.
Hector shared that at UC Berkeley, he “realized that students like myself were outliers in
higher education. I didn't see people that looked like me. I didn't see people that were from the
same communities. I realized that I was, like, alone.” He found it unfair that he was receiving
opportunities in college that he did not have in South Los Angeles. Hector shared:
I wanted to expand these opportunities to people from my community, you know,
because I think that everybody deserves to have the opportunities that I had And I
thought it was unfair that I was, I was like one of the handful of students that, you know,
got to leave like a low-income community of color and go to a higher institution of
education.
Edgar felt imposter syndrome and culture shock when he entered UC San Diego. He shared that
Latino students were underrepresented in the university, even though Latinos make up most of
the city of San Diego and the state of California. Edgar noted:
I thought it was all about reaching out to Latino students because I know colleges didn’t
do that where I grew up. So let's reach out, right? But it was beyond that…like even if
students wanted to come to UCSD like they couldn’t even get in. They don't have the test
scores or GPA to get in.
As Hector and Edgar’s critical awareness of educational disparities unfolded, they began to see
teaching as an arena to address the present educational disparities. Hector became a high school
tutor in working-class communities in Oakland before becoming a teacher, while Edgar was a
volunteer for college outreach programs in southeast San Diego before joining Teach for
America.
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Jordan had a unique experience in developing his critical awareness. Jordan is from a
third-generation Latino middle-class family in the Los Angeles suburbs. He never considered
being an elementary school teacher and grew up believing in the mantra of “Those who can, do.
Those who cannot teach.” Jordan had a negative perception of what teaching was because his
teachers were mostly older white women. It was until, as an adult living in Nicaragua, that he
saw:
A bunch of young, very well-educated folks who were radically preaching education as a
means of critical consciousness to raise the levels of. Social awareness of the issues that
were happening in Nicaragua at the time. Like, I really started to make the connection
between education and how important it was for educated folks to go back and be a
critical voice for younger folks.
Jordan left Nicaragua inspired. At 26, Jordan returned to the US and joined Teach for America in
Los Angeles.
(the lack of) Self-Care of Latino Male Elementary School Teachers
The idea of long hours as a teacher and the lack of quality self-care to recharge from the
demanding career of teaching was the last theme that arose while asking participants interview
questions about their lived experiences as Latino Male Elementary School Teachers. (Cite).
Long Hours
When asked about their typical day as classroom teachers, six participants expressed that
their daily experience involved working long hours and studying for the required teaching
credentials after work or on the weekends. Jordan vividly recalled his first few years as a teacher
and elaborated in detail on his first few years as a classroom teacher. He shared:
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Oh, God, those first years were…I didn't know that the work was that much and that
hard, you know? So I was getting up at 5:30, at school by six, prepping for lessons. The
school day started at 7:15. We were on with kids at 7:15 and didn't end until 5:15, and we
had two 30-minute breaks, but we were on during lunch. So yeah, it was like a ten to
eleven hour day. And then in the evenings, you know, through Teach for America. We
were doing both credentialing and grad school. So it was like 80-hour weeks for the first
two to three years.
The experience of long hours was prevalent among these six participants. Many participants
shared that their days in the classroom consisted of 8-12-hour work days, plus preparing lesson
materials, internalizing lessons, and grading assignments.
Bonifacio, a pre-service teacher in the process of acquiring his teaching credential,
conveyed a similar sentiment about the long hours involved in his typical day but was adamant in
explaining that he was not complaining about the tasks of being a teacher. Rather he wanted to
emphasize that he was struggling to find a balance between his self-care and adapting the
curriculum best to meet the needs of his students in the class. He shared:
[we are] creating and redesigning lessons to support the needs of the students without a
planning period…we're teaching full days. We're with our students for 8 hours a day, but
then when we leave school. And we still have to plan for the next day. We have to
prepare for the next day.
Participants often explained that they were aware of the long hours of the profession but enjoyed
the outcomes of student learning. Rey stated, “I really enjoyed my time as a teacher. I felt very
invested in my student's learning and the data that I was collecting”.
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Several participants preferred extending their workday hours to stay ahead of their
workload. Emilio, for instance, highlighted his practice of waking up early to alleviate stress and
avoid feeling rushed. By arriving at the school half an hour earlier, he can savor his coffee, listen
to music, and adequately prepare for his lessons before students arrive. Similarly, Edgar shared
that he would arrive 45 minutes ahead of schedule to work because his approach involved
“getting there early, getting prepped, getting in the zone.” It is worth noting that all six
participants that reported working long hours shared the sentiment of arriving earlier than
contractually expected.
Lack of Self-Care
All participants acknowledged their engagement in self-care practices, and it is
noteworthy to highlight the specific self-care activities identified by the Latino male elementary
school teachers. Among the eight participants, two emphasized the significance of socializing
with their friends, family, and colleagues as a form of self-care. Andres expressed that engaging
in conversations with his co-workers brought him joy and motivated him even during stressful
days. On the other hand, Bonifacio described himself as "family-oriented" and enjoyed spending
time with his family and going out with friends in various locations around Los Angeles.
Another three of the eight participants shared that their self-care included drinking or
consuming cannabis to decompress. When Jordan was asked the question of self-care, he broke
out in laughter and shared:
Drink in the evenings….really like, you know, because you were mentally and
emotionally exhausted. And physically exhausted, you know? In the end, that was the
way to calm down as quickly as you could. There wasn't a whole lot of self-care.
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Honestly, there was no self-care in the first probably, I don't know, eight years of
teaching.
Edgar had similar sentiments about drinking to unwind after having long days in the classroom
but began to reflect on how his self-care routine at the beginning of his teaching career changed
over time. He reflected and said:
In my first two years, I wasn't really looking after myself. I felt like I was just partying.
So I guess that was about looking after myself. I would go out at least twice during the
weekdays, go out with friends and drink, you know?
Edgar continued to reflect on how he would release stress after work by going to the gym or
consuming cannabis to “just cool off and chill out.” Hector had a similar experience with using
cannabis and working out as a form of self-care. Hector shared that consuming cannabis and
exercising kept his mind busy so he would not have to think about what happened earlier in the
day.
One participant, Roberto, shared that self-care was absent due to his workload. He
explained that he used to work out as a form of self-care but had to stop when he began to
balance being a pre-service teacher, getting credentialed, and working a second job to sustain
himself in Los Angeles. To alleviate the stress, Roberto recently stopped working his second job
and is focused on completing his teaching credential. Roberto hopes to return to working out and
engaging in leisure activities after completing his teaching credential.
Another participant, Rey, had a different point of view on self-care. Rey reflected that
self-care for him in his first five years in the classroom meant “being prepared” and not taking
personal time off. Rey noted that he felt he cared for himself if he felt he did a good job, was
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internalized, knew his student data, and knew what to do. He noted, "It is not that it didn’t matter
that I was working so much, but it just felt worth it.”
Findings for Research Question 2: What are the challenges of Latino Male Elementary
School Teachers?
The second research question examined Latino Male Elementary School Teachers'
challenges as they entered the teaching profession and during their tenure as classroom teachers.
Additionally, it aimed to explore the factors that may contribute to their attrition from the
profession. Through comprehensive data analysis, three prominent themes emerged, illuminating
Latino males' challenges in pursuing careers as elementary school classroom teachers. These
themes include the complexities associated with the teacher credentialing process, the nuances of
behavior management within the classroom setting, and the issue of inadequate compensation.
Table 4
Themes of Research Question 2: What are the challenges of Latino Male Elementary School
Teachers?
Themes for RQ2 Summary
Teaching
Credentials and
Teacher Preparation
Programs
The participants expressed difficulties with credentialing and
teacher preparation programs, particularly with demanding teacher
certification exams, the gap between theory and practice in teacher
preparation programs, and the financial burden of obtaining a
teaching credential.
Navigating The participants identified societal expectations of masculinity as a
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Behavior
Management
Systems as Latino
Males
challenge in the classroom. While the pressure to conform to these
expectations may not directly cause teacher attrition, it can deter
potential Latino male educators from entering the profession.
Inadequate
Compensation
The participants noted the financial strain caused by inadequate
compensation as a major factor that may lead to Latino Male
Elementary School Teachers having a decreased commitment to the
profession, leaving the profession, or avoiding pursuing a teaching
career altogether.
Challenge: Teaching Credentials and Teacher Preparation Programs
The thematic content analysis uncovered that the realm of acquiring teacher credentials
was a significant hurdle faced by the participants on their journey to becoming classroom
teachers. When asked what challenges the participants faced in becoming a classroom teacher,
six out of eight participants described that the main challenges revolved around the credentialing
process. This included but was not limited to the amount of work in the program, certifications
exams needed to get a credential, the practicality of what is being taught, and the financial
burden of obtaining a credential.
Teaching Credentialing Programs
Roberto and Bonifacio stated that becoming a credentialed teacher in California was
arduous and stressful. They both shared that the exams required by the state and the coursework
from their teaching credential program took much work to accomplish. Roberto noted that
passing the California Subject Examinations for Teachers (CSET) was demanding. Roberto
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shared that even though he understood the importance of the exam in vetting future teachers, he
found it difficult:
Trying to cram everything and remembering science practices, PE practices, math
practices, and things you probably haven't remembered in a while. And also trying to
remember or learn the adequate way to teach phonemic awareness and phonics–all the
necessary tools and the building blocks for kids.
Bonifacio shared that the deadlines required by his credentialing program, studying for the
Reading Instruction Competence Assessment (RICA), and completing his edTPA, were
demanding. Bonifacio enumerated that he wished his program had a supporting structure to feel
the work was doable. He stated:
Sometimes lack of support from the professors was another challenge I faced because
there were so many assignments that they had us do without them providing examples or
giving us other ways to complete them. And that was very challenging because they
wanted a certain criterion, which wasn't described in what they were asking.
Roberto pointed out that becoming a credentialed teacher would have been less stressful if the
programs themselves would prepare them for the exams they would have to take to become
credentialed teachers. Roberto referred back to the state credentialing exams and shared:
I feel like that [material from the exams] should have been something that was also
taught within the credentialing program so that you don't have to take these tests, and so
it's much easier for students to go through the process and become teachers.
Roberto and Bonifacio observed that their credentialing program assignments would frequently
result in them receiving full credit, with feedback that was either absent or only relevant to the
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exams they were required to take. Reflecting on this situation, Brian questioned, "What was the
purpose of this assignment if I am still going to receive full credit?"
Edgar had a slightly different experience in his teaching credentialing program. Edgar
entered his credentialing program through Teach for America and was simultaneously a lead
teacher and full-time student. Although Edgar shared that he did not struggle with the teaching
exams necessary for his credential, he did feel pressure from the deadlines of his assignments.
He shared that he was placed on academic probation in his program and how they became a
wake-up call for him. Edgar reflected on the academic probation and noted that this was a wake-
up call for him. He shared, “I could not drop out; I was not going to. That would have been
embarrassing for me”.
The Difficulty in Turning Theory into Practice
Emilio and Jordan observed a clear disparity between the knowledge acquired in their
credentialing programs and its practical implementation within the classroom. Emilio, currently
undergoing a teacher residency at his school, expressed his struggle in effectively applying the
teachings from his program to his actual teaching practice. Despite successfully completing his
coursework, he revealed that his program mentor and supervisor did not evaluate him as an
"adequate teacher" during classroom observations. Consequently, this situation led to Emilio
being overlooked for a full-time lead teacher position at his current school for the upcoming
school year.
Reflecting on his experiences in the credentialing program, Jordan expressed a desire to
acquire more practical skills relevant to classroom teaching. He highlighted a significant
disconnect between the teachings of his credentialing program and the practical knowledge
necessary for effective classroom instruction during his initial years as a teacher. He shared that
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in his experience, in teacher preparation programs, “you learn theory, you learn about ethereal
ideas in Ed school that have no practice in the real world.” He stated that most of his growth did
not come from his teacher preparation program but through his school site that implemented
“Teach Like a Champion” strategies from Doug Lemov. Jordan noted it was not that he found
the theory that he was learning in his program to be useless but rather that he was not able to
have the skill set to apply it. He stated:
I remember taking one class in particular with a professor who was this incredible early
literacy teacher. But I had no context with which to map it, right? So I was getting all of
these ideas, and I was like, God, I wish I could do this. But there was no practical
application to the things that we were learning.
During this time, Jordan would note that he would go back and apply the theory he learned in his
program but found that “there’s never enough time.”
The Financial Burden of Obtaining a Teaching Credential
Hector stated that the main reason he did not complete his teaching credential, and
subsequently, a factor that pushed him away from the career of being a classroom teacher, was
the financial burden of the teacher preparation programs. He declares, “I think a lot of the teacher
residency programs, you know, expect teachers to work for free. And that is a big problem.”
Hector further explains that the cost of living in Los Angeles presents significant challenges for
individuals from working-class backgrounds to view teaching as a realistic and feasible career
choice. He goes on to state:
For example, you know, I have bills to pay. I can't just work for free. And many teacher
credentialing programs require a residency where teachers have to work for free. And
yeah, we don't live in a free society, so that doesn't correlate.
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Roberto noted how the cost and time commitment in completing his credentialing program led
him to quit his second job and take on debt. Roberto is from a working-class Mexican immigrant
household in South Los Angeles, and prior to entering his teaching credential program, he
worked two hourly jobs to sustain himself in Los Angeles. Once he entered the credentialing
program and was one step closer to realizing his dream of being a classroom teacher, he had to
change how he approached his finances. Roberto shared that there was no financial support to
help him pay for the program. He disclosed how he was:
I stressed about life and money-wise and how I would get through this program. It was a
very difficult time because I had to take out a lot of student loans and put a lot of debt on
my credit card. I think the biggest part of the program itself is not a [financially] viable
program.
Roberto ended his comment by saying that this period, acquiring his teaching credential, was a
very stressful time.
Challenge: Navigating Behavior Management Systems as Latino Males
In exploring challenges encountered by Latino Male Elementary School Teachers, the
second theme that emerged from the participants' responses pertains to their experiences with the
behavior management systems within their respective school sites. When questioned about the
difficulties they face as classroom teachers, a significant number of participants (five out of
eight) identified behavior management as a prominent stressor or challenge in their classroom
settings.
Navigating School Behavior Management Systems
As classroom teachers, Hector and Jordan encountered difficulties with the behavior
management system at their respective school sites. Hector's school utilized a restorative justice
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approach, which he partly supported. However, he believed that the school lacked appropriate
consequences for severe misconduct. When Hector was asked to recall a difficult situation he
had when he was a classroom teacher, he shared the following moment:
One of the hardest situations I've had was when I had a student in second grade that got
really aggressive and started hitting students around them to the point that the class had to
evacuate. So I feel like that was a very, that was a very tough moment. That was a very
hard moment.
During an interview, Hector was asked how he felt during that challenging incident. He
expressed a sense of powerlessness in his inability to keep his students safe from an agitated
student. He stated, "I couldn't keep them all safe, which made it hard." While Hector recognized
his school's objective of disrupting the school-to-prison pipeline by reducing suspensions and
expulsions, he believed this approach resulted in a lack of disciplinary measures. Consequently,
multiple disruptive behaviors arose, negatively affecting student learning and safety.
In contrast, Jordan’s school utilized a zero-tolerance behavior management approach that
he felt was not suited for the Latino working-class immigrant community in East Los Angeles
because it led to adverse student behavior outcomes. Reflecting on his teaching experience, he
recounted the pervasive "no-excuses" philosophy and expressed deep sadness witnessing his
students' fear of attending school. While acknowledging the importance of a robust behavior
management system, he firmly believed that disciplinary practices could be strong without
resorting to punitive measures. Regarding his school’s behavior management system, he said, “It
always felt punitive. It always felt like it was a power struggle. And you know, for the younger
kids, it was fine. But as soon as those kids got into 7th and 8th grade, there was so much
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pushback” He described that the school failed to create an environment where students could
truly feel a sense of belonging and connection to the school culture around them.
Behavior Management & Self-Reflection
Edgar's school implemented a zero-tolerance behavior management approach, and he
expressed mixed feelings regarding this disciplinary system. On the one hand, he recognized that
his behavior management style was acknowledged as his greatest asset in the classroom.
However, he also recalled that it presented him with significant challenges. Edgar shared that he
struggled to accept “kids are going to be kids” and the developmentally appropriate behaviors.
He shared that he took an “authoritarian approach” to discipline and that this style of discipline
was applauded by his school administrators and colleagues, but remarked that “little did they see
behind the scenes of all the things, all the crazy things I will do so I could keep the kids on
check.”
Edgar said that his behavior management style led to many moments where he was
stressed because he felt that he had to shape all student behavior. He remembers a particularly
challenging student that was eventually placed in a restrictive classroom setting years later. At
the time, a novice teacher, Edgar felt that he had to mold the student to fit the “military” behavior
management system at his school site, even though his “gut told me that there’s something off.”
He felt that no one offered to evaluate the student because he was deemed as the disciplinary
teacher at his school, and he felt that the admin team would say, “Edgar has it,” “Edgar’s got it,”
or “Edgar Is okay.” When asked why he believed Admin held that perception of him, he stopped
and reflected that “it was probably because I rarely called admin for help with any behaviors.”
Roberto and Andres shared that a challenge they faced in the classroom was finding a
balance between being “tough” and “empathetic.” Roberto is a classroom teacher at a school site
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in a predominantly affluent neighborhood in West Los Angeles. The school implements a
behavior management system called Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS). He
shared that he feels that colleagues perceive him as being a disciplinarian. Roberto
acknowledged that being a Latino male educator comes with the image of being the “tough one”
and that being “tough” is sometimes for different sets of students. However, Roberto is currently
trying to find a balance between being strict and silly. He shares that he has an inner dialogue
about whether he is at his school site to “just to be the mean one, or am I here to be the one that’s
also providing some form of support to the kids so that they are not feeling angry, they are not
feeling sad”
Andres is an in-house substitute classroom teacher in a predominantly working-class
neighborhood in South Los Angeles with a school that implements PBIS. He shares that his
behavior management style is about setting clear expectations to avoid “chaos” and stress. He
emphasized that as a Latino male teacher, he wants to model how men can show emotions too
for their students. Andres shared that he grew up in a machista household where men did not
show emotions and that he was considered a “softee.” However, he wants to change that
narrative of “what it means to be a man.” He said he hopes to show students that “men could also
be empathetic” and “open and vulnerable.” He hopes to have this opportunity when he holds his
permanent classroom in the near future.
Challenge: Inadequate Compensation
Thematic content analysis identified inadequate compensation as a significant challenge
for Latino male elementary school teachers. The theme of inadequate compensation emerged as a
factor influencing participants' commitment to the teaching profession. When questioned about
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potential factors contributing to their decision to leave the classroom role, if any, all participants
highlighted compensation as a major determinant.
The Pay is not Enough.
Among the participants, the issue of compensation emerged as a significant factor that
could lead them to leave the teaching profession. Roberto shared that he knows that he did not
enter the profession for the money, but rather “we get into the profession for the love of what we
do and being able to shape minds.” However, he expressed concerns about the practicality of
living in Los Angeles on the starting salary of a first-year teacher. Roberto notes that the starting
salary at his current school site is $56,000, and he thinks that “is nothing, especially when you
have a master’s degree.” Roberto reemphasized that he decided to become a teacher because of
the impact he could have on the “new generation.” He understands that his salary would increase
with more years in the classroom. Nevertheless, he becomes unsettled when he talks to
experienced teachers and realizes that it has taken them over twenty years in the classroom to
reach a salary range of $90,000 to $100,000. He believes that if teacher compensation were
higher, schools would not go “through a crisis of teacher shortages.”
Bonifacio and Andres are still new in their roles as classroom teachers, but both noted
that the pay is low for their responsibility as teachers. Bonifacio shares that he knows that being
a teacher, “you get underpaid for the amount of work that you put into lesson planning,
scaffolding, differentiating, and also figuring out how to support the students.” Similarly, he
notes that lack of pay and the number of responsibilities he would have as a teacher could lead to
burnout and leaving the profession altogether. Andres noted the lack of pay while working with
students in his school site as a challenge as a classroom teacher. He shares that “a lot of students
in my school site come with emotional stress. And I think being overwhelmed with too many
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kids with this emotional stress and without enough pay could definitely lead you out of the
field”.
Edgar expressed that one of the primary factors contributing to his decision to leave his
role as a classroom teacher was the feeling of inadequate compensation for the extensive hours
he dedicated to his work. Edgar shared that “they don't pay enough for the amount of hours we
work. If we were just to work 40 hours a week, I don't think it's bad pay for 40 hours a week”.
However, Edgar noted that his minimum hours as a classroom teacher were closer to 50-hour
work weeks. Nevertheless, he felt that the week was “way longer than that because you have to
prepare, you have to grade, you have to commute, etc.” Edgar noted that he did not care about
the money in his first years as a classroom teacher because it was more money than both of his
parents made combined growing up in a working-class family in East Los Angeles. However, he
felt that as time went on, living expenses began to accumulate, and wanting time to explore his
hobbies and interests became a focal point, he became aware of his salary and time spent.
Eventually, Edgar pursued an administrator role and now feels he has more time in the week and
weekend than when he was a teacher.
Raising a Family. Rey and Jordan shared that inadequate compensation and the charge
of raising and sustaining a family in Los Angeles played a pivotal role in their decisions to leave
the classroom. Rey conveyed that not being paid enough was a major challenge for him. He
stated that:
For many [males] in the Latino community, you’re seen as the “breadwinner.” Like you
should be making a lot of money, you should be making more money. Like all those
things are in the back of my mind. Like I’m not trying to be macho, but sometimes I am
like, I do want to make more money, and I want to be able to take care of my family. And
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there's not a lot of opportunity for that as a teacher where you're making enough money.
Rey mentioned that his brothers, trade workers, make more money than he did as a teacher. He
noted that his oldest brother made enough income to allow the wife never to work and be a stay-
at-home mom. Rey emphasized that it was not feasible for his wife to be a stay-at-home mom as
a teacher, explaining, "that scenario could have never happened. We could never afford it. All
because of my career choice."
When Rey was asked about how long he had been contemplating the role of money as a
potential reason for leaving the profession, he shared that it began to cross his mind in year four
in the classroom–during a period when he and his wife were making plans to start a family.
Initially, Rey still considered staying in the classroom as a teacher, while his wife would take a
few years off to care for his daughter. However, his entire view shifted when life expenses
accumulated from starting a family. He said:
And then when we got closer to it, we were like, what are we thinking? There's no way.
There's no way because we have a mortgage, we have a car payment. Like there's no way
that I can survive on just my salary.
Rey left the classroom teacher role and is currently an assistant principal at his school site. His
wife, a teacher, is now working in an affluent school district in the suburbs of Los Angeles.
Jordan had a similar sentiment as Rey and explicitly stated that his salary was why he left
teaching. Jordan stamped the following:
I don't think I would have left teaching if it hadn't been for salary. I couldn't support my
family with the money I made as a teacher. I couldn't have a house or do any of those
things. I mean, living in LA is just really challenging, you know? Even if you have two
incomes, being on a teacher's income and trying to support a family is damn near
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impossible.
Jordan emphasized that the combined pressures of being a teacher and the financial strain of
being unable to provide for his family adequately eventually led to burnout. When asked about
when he started considering money as a potential reason for leaving the profession, he stated that
it was during his eighth year of teaching, coinciding with the period when he and his wife began
having children. He noted that he began to work a second job after teaching to “make ends
meet.” Eventually, Jordan left the classroom teacher role and is currently an educational
consultant in a national non-profit educational organization. He has expressed that this current
job allows him to work from home, be with his family, and it pays more than his role as a
classroom teacher.
Findings for Research Question 3: How can the Lived Experience of Latino Male
Elementary School Teachers be improved?
The third research question investigates strategies for enhancing the lived experiences of
Latino Male Elementary School Teachers. This research question aims to identify ways in which
schools can improve the classroom experiences of Latino Male Elementary School Teachers and
develop innovative approaches to increase their representation within the teaching profession at
the elementary level. Upon thorough analysis of the collected data, two distinct themes have
emerged. Firstly, schools can enhance the lived experiences of Latino Male Elementary School
Teachers by redesigning the school day schedule to allow for additional time for preparation and
readjusting the length of the school day. Secondly, teacher preparation programs, school districts,
and the broader education system should consider implementing targeted recruiting efforts to
attract more Latino males into teaching positions within elementary schools.
Table 5
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Themes of Research Question 3: How can the Lived Experience of Latino Male Elementary
School Teachers be improved?
Themes for RQ3 Summary
Reimagining the
School Day
Participants suggested redesigning the school day to provide longer
planning periods and shorter teaching hours to enhance work-life
balance and instructional quality.
Targeted
Recruitment
The participants proposed targeted recruitment efforts to improve the
number of Latino Male Elementary School Teachers, starting as
early as high school, to generate interest in teaching among Latino
male students. The participants highlighted the effectiveness of
alternative certification programs (e.g., Teach for America) in
recruiting and retaining teachers of color.
Financial Viability The participants emphasized financial viability, including proposing
financial support, incentives, and alternative teaching programs to
make teacher preparation programs more accessible and appealing to
Latino male individuals.
Improving the Experience: Reimagining The School Day
The thematic content analysis identified that reimagining the current school day can
ultimately improve the perceived experiences of Latino males working as classroom teachers in
elementary schools. When the participants were asked questions about what could be done by
their school site to improve their overall experience as classroom teachers or what an ideal day
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would look like for them, six out of eight participants stated that the structure of the school day
could be shifted to include long teacher planning periods and a shorter school day.
Increasing the Length of the Teacher Planning Period. Five of the eight participants
shared that increasing their planning period would improve their overall role and experience as
classroom teachers. Rey and Hector shared that balancing all their responsibilities in their
planning periods when they started teaching was difficult. Rey shared that he had to balance
multiple tasks to feel prepared for the week. In one 40-minute planning period, he had to meet all
the expectations given by his school site. These included creating lesson plans, making copies,
having one-on-one meetings with his manager, preparing materials, and holding time to check in
with his teammates. Rey noted, “To get [responsibilities] done, it also meant that on weekends, I
was lesson planning because there’s no way that I can lesson plan in 40 minutes.” Hector wished
teachers had “all the time in the world to prepare for their lessons.” He described the challenging
nature of lesson planning and the time he would need to invest in internalizing a lesson. Hector
shared that besides lesson planning, there were multiple responsibilities that he had to manage
during his planning periods, such as student behavior follow-ups, meetings with his manager, or
grade-level meetings. He shared that as things are in schools, teachers must learn how to balance
those roles, but notes that it takes away from prioritizing being prepared for instruction.
When asked about their vision of an ideal day as classroom teachers, Edgar and Jordan
reimagined the concept of the planning period in the school day. Edgar noted an idea of a “rest
prep,” a time in the school day when teachers can mentally and physically recuperate. He states
that teaching is an “intellectually rigorous” profession, but teachers are often given a short time
to prepare to teach multiple subjects fully. Jordan had similar sentiments as Edgar and shared
that:
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“An ideal day is probably 4 hours of teaching and about 3 hours of preparation. And in
that preparation time, it is time to work with colleagues, time to look at student work, and
time to plan lessons, adequate time for recuperation.”
Jordan noted that a challenge he faced throughout his time in the classroom was having to
prepare for seven subjects daily, and it felt “impossible to prepare well for 8 hours of teaching.”
Shorter School Day. Half the participants indicated a shorter school day would enhance
their lives as Latino male elementary school teachers. When asked about their ideal day as
classroom teachers, Rey mentioned his position as a parent and how he has limited time to enjoy
time with his family. He shared that his school site is leaning towards shortening the school day
next year, but he believes that the day is still long for the compensation that is given to classroom
teachers. Andres noted how the current length of the school day is depleting for staff and
students. He recalled how his school days were six hours when he was younger, but now is
closer to nine hours for students at his school site. Andres believes that shorter days can increase
morale for staff and students. He states, “We’ll have more energy…and a better experience for
everybody” Edgar stated that compared to the ten-hour workday he experienced as a classroom
teacher, the ideal day would “start around 8:00 am and end no later than 3:00 pm. It would
include two hours, at least, of prep time.”
Targeted Recruitment: Improving the Number of Latino Male Elementary School Teachers
The second prominent theme that emerged from the thematic content analysis delves into
the vital task of reimagining teacher preparation programs, school districts, and the broader
education system to effectively bolster the representation of Latino Male Elementary School
Teachers. This subsection explores the valuable insights provided by participants when asked for
suggestions on increasing the number of Latino Male Elementary School Teachers. Two distinct
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sub-themes surfaced: targeted campaigns to recruit prospective Latino teachers during their high
school and college years, the significance of providing tailored experiential learning
opportunities for young Latino males, and the value of employing financial incentives to enhance
the appeal of the teaching profession.
Targeted Campaigns: High School, College, and Beyond. Six of the eight participants
shared that recruiting more Latinos males to become elementary school teachers needs to be
targeted and organized through outreach in high school, college, and Latino communities. Rey
and Emilio emphasized the significance of targeting potential Latino Male Elementary School
Teachers starting as early as high school. Rey stressed the importance of outreach efforts during
high school, asserting that such initiatives are crucial in enabling Latino male students to
envision a career in the classroom as they transition into college. He shared his experience during
his college years, noting that while he attended a predominantly Latino-serving university, CSU
Los Angeles, located in East Los Angeles, most male students in his teaching credential program
were White. Rey attributed this disparity to the lack of exposure Latino boys have to the teaching
profession at an earlier age. To address this issue, he proposed the implementation of campaigns
where teacher preparation programs could offer volunteer opportunities for high school students
to engage as teacher assistants in elementary school classrooms. Rey firmly believes that by
providing Latino male students the chance to experience the rewarding aspects of building
relationships with students and witnessing their impact, their interest in pursuing a teaching
career would substantially increase.
Emilio highlighted the importance of targeting Latino males in high school to increase
their representation as elementary school teachers. He emphasized the potential of local school
districts partnering with local tutoring services to create opportunities where high school students
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can tutor K-12 students in the classroom while also fulfilling their academic requirements or
earning high school graduation credits. Emilio shared that in his lived experience, he had many
male friends in tutoring roles for younger siblings or their close friends in high school. Emilio
shared that these friends would “take on that role that's kind of like a teacher” and that it was
“natural for them.” However, he shares that his friends did not pursue the role of a teacher
because “they didn’t know any better” and that they perceived teaching as a “women’s job.”
Emilio and Rey believe that targeting Latino males in high school through recruitment efforts
and collaboration with local tutoring services can be a path to increasing the number of Latino
Male Elementary School Teachers.
Hector and Jordan believed that teacher preparation programs and school districts could
target potential Latino Male Elementary School Teachers through strategic outreach campaigns
on college campuses. Hector shared that schools must intentionally and specifically target
Latino-dominant colleges and undergraduate schools. Hectors states that teacher preparation
programs could be:
“going to Latino dominant colleges, and you know, tabling and having workshops there.
Just being very intentional, being very specific…like, you know, find a way to target
Latinos so you can inform them and offer them an opportunity to become teachers.”
He believes that teacher preparation programs and school districts can proactively reach out to
Latino males as they decide on their career trajectories. Jordan shares a similar viewpoint to
Hector, believing college is an ideal environment for fostering a movement of potential Latino
male educators. According to Jordan, teacher preparation programs and school districts can play
a vital role by inviting accomplished Latino male teachers to participate in campus events where
they can share their experiences in the classroom. This would allow aspiring Latino male
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teachers to observe and learn from these exemplary individuals who successfully make a
difference in the field.
Andres emphasized the importance of sharing information and statistics on the low
numbers of Latino Male elementary school teachers with the larger Latino community to
generate interest and curiosity among community members. Specifically, Andres believes
actively sharing information with the community–including statistics, numbers, and data–will
raise awareness and inspire interest. By providing this information, Andres believes young
students can potentially become curious about the possibility of pursuing a career as a teacher.
Andres believes there could be campaigns by teacher preparation programs where current Latino
male teachers share their positive experiences in the classroom. He says these positive
experiences can be shared in various ways, “whether through social media, news, presentations,
whatever it may be.” Lastly, Andres highlighted the importance of utilizing existing Latino-
based organizations as platforms for reaching out to the youth. He states that these organizations
serve as valuable resources to connect with young individuals, highlight role models, and
showcase the positive influence that Latino male teachers can have within their communities.
Financially Viability
Half of the participants shared that recruiting more Latino males to become elementary
school teachers would require the profession to become financially viable and appealing.
Roberto emphasizes the importance of making teacher preparation programs financially
accessible for students because he states that the programs are not affordable. He believes that
the cost of tuition for teacher preparation programs has to be reduced or financial aid needs to be
provided. Jordan suggests that offering student loan forgiveness or implementing a public service
loan program specifically for Latino male teachers would make the profession financially viable
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for them. He shares that the new wave of young Latino professionals come from immigrant
households, and these loan forgiveness initiatives would address the concerns of immigrant
families who have made significant sacrifices to provide better opportunities for their children.
Jordan states that becoming a teacher may not always be seen as a desirable career choice due to
financial constraints, but with a financial incentive in place, it would become more appealing and
meaningful.
Roberto suggests incorporating various pathways within teaching programs to offer
alternative career options for individuals who may not be inclined toward traditional elementary
school teaching. He proposes the idea of a multifaceted degree, where teaching or education
remains the central focus, but with the inclusion of additional offshoots or specializations that
can be pursued alongside it. This approach would enhance the financial appeal of teacher
preparation programs, providing prospective teachers with a wider range of choices and
increasing their competitiveness and desirability in the job market.
Edgar emphasized the issue of compensation and suggested that higher salaries for
classroom teachers would attract more Latino males to the field. Edgar offered the idea of
creating an experiential learning opportunity for Latino males in Southern California, similar to
Teach for America and NYC Men Teach, to address the low representation of Latino males in
the teaching force. Given the substantial Latino population in Southern California, Edgar
believes such a program would effectively increase teacher diversity. The proposed program
could offer incentives such as sign-up bonuses, living stipends, higher salaries, waive fees for
certain credentialing requirements, and provide full tuition scholarships for their teacher
preparation programs.
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Findings for Research Question 4: What are the Implications of having Latino Male
Elementary School Teachers?
The last research question investigates the implications of having Latino Male
Elementary School Teachers, the perceived impact that Latino Male Elementary School Teachers
can have on their students in the classroom, and to learn about the positive daily interactions that
happen when Latino Male Elementary School Teachers are in classrooms. After data analysis,
three themes emerged about the implications of having Latino Male Elementary School
Teachers. First, Latino Male Elementary School Teachers prioritize creating classroom
environments conducive to building positive relationships with their students. Second, student
learning is a positive experience for Latino Male Elementary School Teachers that contribute to
their overall satisfaction in the classroom and profession. Third, Latino Male Elementary School
Teachers perceive that their impact in the classroom is that they can be a positive role model for
their students, specifically serving as an embodiment of possibilities and a face of familiarity.
Table 6
Themes of Research Question 4: What are the Implications of having Latino Male Elementary
School Teachers?
Themes for RQ4 Summary
Positive Daily
Interactions &
Relationship
Building.
The participants prioritize creating positive classroom environments
by fostering strong relationships with students through daily positive
interactions, cultural connections, and family involvement.
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Role Models as
Latino Male
Elementary
School Teachers
The participants noted they opted to serve as positive role models,
challenging negative stereotypes and inspiring students with shared
backgrounds and cultural connections.
Nurturing
Academic, Social,
and Emotional
Development:
Leading to Career
Satisfaction
Latino Male Elementary School Teacher participants noted that they
found fulfillment in contributing to their student's academic, social,
and emotional development. A contributing factor to their overall
satisfaction in the profession
Positive Daily Interactions & Relationship Building.
All eight participants emphasize the importance of daily positive interactions with
students. Andres and Hector emphasized the importance of daily positive interactions with
students, such as greeting them in the morning, engaging in small talk, and showing interest in
their student’s interests. Andres shares:
So I think for me, it's on the daily is just being positive. It's saying “Good Morning” to
everybody, to all the kids. Getting them daps or fist bumps, asking them, you know,
how's their day going or small talk. If I see someone with a cool anime shirt, I might say,
“Oh, I like your shirt,” you know? So building rapport that way.
Andres highlights the importance of fostering an environment in which students can truly
comprehend and establish a connection with their teacher's personality. He mentions an example
of a veteran male teacher at this school site, Mr. Hofstadter. According to Andres, Mr. Hofstadter
is an example of how you can build connections to engage students in the classroom
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academically. Andres shares that Mr. Hofstadter sits in the middle of the class, plays his guitar,
and encourages students to ask questions. Inspired by this example, Andres aims to create a
comfortable and inclusive atmosphere where students feel at ease and are enthusiastic
participants in his own classroom next school year.
Hector shares how he strives to connect with each student by finding common interests
and engaging in conversations based on those interests. He highlights the significance of cultural
and linguistic connections, such as speaking Spanish with students who use the language to form
relationships. Hector says:
I would try to build rapport by finding a connection between the student and I. For
example, if a student likes soccer, I would talk to the student about soccer. If I heard the
student speak in Spanish, I would talk to them in Spanish. I would try to make a
connection with every student in some type of way or form.
Hector shared that he aimed to create a supportive and inclusive classroom environment by
making these connections.
Rey underlined the importance of personal greetings and ongoing conversations with
students during independent work time to foster a sense of connection with his students. He
shared how he would use in-class incentives, such as having lunch with the teacher or watching a
movie, to engage and motivate students. Rey emphasizes the value of communicating with
families and sharing personal stories and experiences as another form of building relationships.
When describing his interaction with his Latino families, he shared the following:
There's a sense of relief. It's like, “Oh you speak Spanish?” or like, “Oh, you understand
my struggle, right?”... And I think just making that connection with families has been
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helpful because students feel like, “Hey, you have a relationship with my mom and my
dad! Like we're all a team,” and so they feel it.
Rey emphasizes the importance of establishing family connections, as it relieves students and
demonstrates the teacher's understanding of their experiences. Furthermore, Rey describes how
he shares personal experiences from his own childhood in East Los Angeles when engaging in
modeling activities for writing, creating opportunities to foster connections with his students.
Edgar highlighted the importance of adapting his teaching style, making targeted efforts
to get to know the students and their interests, and helping students develop socially in school.
He shares a specific example of building a connection with a quiet student named Maribel by
using humor and creating a class joke around the "Maribel Walk'' or "Maribel Shuffle." This
interaction helped Maribel feel included in the classroom community and allowed the classroom
to become a site where students could be who they wanted to be without judgment.
Nurturing Academic, Social, and Emotional Development: Leading to Career Satisfaction
All eight participants could vividly describe positive interactions with their students in
their school sites, contributing to their overall satisfaction as classroom teachers. Overall, the
interviews with the participants highlight how Latino males connect their satisfaction as
elementary school teachers with their perceived lived experiences that have positively impacted
students' academic, social, and emotional development.
Engaging Students in Academic Learning. Andres shared an experience where he felt
the magnitude of his role as a classroom teacher. Recalling a moment when he covered a 4th-
grade classroom, he described feeling a sense of fulfillment when he witnessed the impact of his
teaching. Andres shared that helping struggling students grasp the mathematical concept they
were learning for the week brought him a sense of purpose. He shared:
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And at the end of the day, I wasn't exhausted. It was more like a sigh, but a sigh like it
was a good day, you know? You felt like you actually did something and contributed, and
it helped students learn.
In his response, Andres emphasized his teaching approach, highlighting that he strives to teach in
a way that he would have found helpful when he was the same age as his students. He culminates
his response by saying, “This is what I want. To give back because I never had that. But knowing
that I can provide that now as a teacher is fulfilling for sure.”
Rey shared an experience where he felt appreciated as a classroom teacher. During his
first year as a classroom teacher, Rey would model writing behaviors by sharing aspects of his
life, or as “Little Rey.” He would draw a picture of “Little Rey” in the writing pieces that would
match his story. As the year progressed, Rey vividly remembered his students expressing their
appreciation toward him as a teacher through art. It started with one student drawing a picture for
him, matching his style of drawing, which quickly sparked a chain reaction as more students
wanted to share their art with him. When Rey was asked a follow-up question about what he did
so the students could feel comfortable bringing him art, he shared that it happened organically.
He says:
When you're modeling writing, a lot of it is like drawing a picture and labeling it. So I
would draw things and label them. And the kids would be like, “Whoa, you're an artist!”
And I'm like, “Oh, yeah, thank you!” So then they were like, “Oh, I can draw.” And I was
like, you guys are artists too.
Rey's encouragement of creativity and self-expression built a sense of community in his
classroom, helped students develop their writing and artistic capacity, and boosted their
confidence.
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Hector & Jordan both emphasized the significance of fostering critical thinking skills in
social studies and class read-aloud. Both participants shared that they allowed intellectual and
emotional conversations to occur where they served the role of a facilitator. Jordan highlighted
that by selecting read-aloud books that tackled challenging topics, such as trauma and racism,
Jordan could foster meaningful discussions among his fourth grader where they could apply the
skills they learned throughout the day. Hector gave his second-grade students straightforward
information and encouraged independent judgment when discussing injustices in their social
studies curriculum. Hector and Jordan shared that facilitating open discussions and allowing
students to develop their ability to think critically about social issues reaffirmed their passion for
teaching.
Supporting & Guiding Students. Emilio and Roberto emphasized their crucial role as
male classroom teachers, particularly for students who lacked male figures in their lives. They
found great satisfaction in their positions and shared their personal experiences to highlight the
importance of their role. Roberto specifically discussed his involvement in supporting a student
who had tragically lost her father in a violent incident. Recognizing the predominantly female
teacher environment, Roberto understood the significance of being a positive male role model for
the student and being aware that he could not replace her father. He aimed to fill the fatherly
figure role and provide support without attempting to replace her father.
Similarly, Emilio described how he remembered his presence as an assistant teacher
making a difference for a student who felt more comfortable and connected in the predominantly
female environment. The student found Emilio's male presence familiar, which helped her adjust
and feel at ease. Emilio shared his perspective, stating, “Being able to provide support and serve
as a role model for my students, especially those without male figures in their lives, has been
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rewarding." Both Emilio and Roberto acknowledged the significance of their presence and the
emotional support they provided to their students. They recognized that being supportive male
figures in the classroom brought them a sense of overall satisfaction as classroom teachers.
Bonifacio describes how he feels fulfilled in servicing students’ individual needs. He
shared that as a pre-service teacher, one of his assignments was developing a behavior
intervention plan for an IEP meeting. Bonifacio shared how, while collecting data for the
behavior plan throughout the school year, he established a close bond with this student, created a
safe space to seek help, and witnessed the student's progress. Furthermore, when he witnessed a
student whom he perceived to have special education needs, he collaborated with the student’s
parents and school stakeholders so the student could have an evaluation. For Bonifacio, he states
that "supporting individual needs and advocating for my students gives me a deep sense of
satisfaction as a classroom teacher."
The Impact of Latino Male Elementary School Teachers: Role Models
All eight participants noted that their impact as Latino Male Elementary School Teachers
is closely connected to being role models for their students. Emilio and Hector noted their impact
in breaking stereotypes and presenting what is possible for Latino males as adults.
Challenging Stereotypes & Presenting Possibilities. Emilio shared that his perceived
impact in the classroom with students is his ability to demonstrate that Latinos can succeed
academically and break societal stereotypes. Emilio, an immigrant from Mexico brought to and
raised in South Los Angeles at the age of six, recalls how his parents would encourage him to do
well in school. However, he shared that some of his friends in middle school did not value doing
well in school because it was not considered “cool.” Emilio described that, in retrospect, he
understood that being “smart” was equated to being “White” in his community. Regardless,
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Emilio, who admitted that he sometimes is told that he speaks “White,” shared in the interview
that he is proud of himself, a Latino male. He stated that he knows that his students in South Los
Angeles may be experiencing something similar to what he experienced in school; being
“White” because of success in school. However, he emphasizes that as a classroom teacher, he
can be a positive Latino male role model and show that navigating different cultural contexts
while maintaining one's identity is possible.
Hector expressed that his perceived impact on students is that he can be a role model with
a cultural connection that students can relate to. Hector believes it is important for his students,
especially those who may not have had a Latino male teacher before, to have someone they can
relate to and see as a potential future self. Hector shares that some Latino male teachers may not
necessarily enter the profession to be role models, but he recognizes that “At the end of the day,
[students] see teachers as role models, even though they might not say that.” Further, he states
that students unconsciously learn behaviors and traits from the adults in the classroom “even if
they don’t know.” Hector stamps that when he was in the classroom, he was conscious that his
presence and actions could have inspired his students to believe in their abilities and potential.
The Importance of Representation. When the participants were asked about their
perceived impact as Latino male teachers in the classroom, Rey, Edgar, and Jordan shared about
the importance of representation for Latino students. Rey started by sharing that in his
experience growing up in East Los Angeles, where the vast majority of students were Latino, he
did not have many Latino male teachers. Rey expressed his belief that teachers can significantly
influence student learning and noted that he had seen the impact on his students, particularly
boys, who have connected differently with him because of shared backgrounds.
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Edgar notes that he impacted the classroom by being a Latino male elementary school
teacher. He shared that for many of his students in the nine years as a classroom teacher, he was
the first male teacher, Latino teacher, Latino male teacher, and Mexican teacher they had
experienced. Edgar mentions that he was able to make connections with his Latino students, and
Latino boys in particular. However, he also emphasizes that he was able to connect with his
Black students in the classroom and recognized that he might have been their first male teacher
of color. Edgar believes connecting with students without preconceived biases allows students to
feel comfortable and make meaningful connections. In the end, Edgar shared that he hopes to
“spark the love for learning, joy for learning, the spark of learning that kids will never turn
back.”
Jordan highlighted that his impact as a teacher of color, specifically a highly skilled
Latino male teacher, significantly impacted students' excitement, connection, and learning.
Jordan stated that in his experience, his students were accustomed to teachers perceived as
“below average” or substitute teachers cycling through the classroom. However, these students
were surprised when they became his students in his classroom. Jordan shared, “For them to see
me as a highly-skilled Latino teacher was like “whoa.” And there was a lot of instant connection
to what I was teaching, what I was saying, and lots of student learning.” Jordan believed that his
identity contributed to student investment and student success. He notes:
My identity was definitely a huge piece of my success in the classroom and student
success because they knew I had their best interest at heart... because a person who
looked like them wanted the best for them, you know?
His students recognized that Jordan genuinely cared about their well-being and wanted to see
them succeed, providing them with choices for their future.
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Cultural Connections & Familiarity. Rey highlighted that as a Latino Male Elementary
school teacher working in a predominantly Latino community, he saw his impact in increasing
parent participation in the school system. Rey mentioned that parents felt comfortable and
involved with them as a teacher, which extended beyond the classroom. He stated:
[Families] could communicate with me. And so they felt involved in the school. And they
were able to take that past my classroom. Like, “Oh, like I know that I can be involved.
You know what, I feel empowered to be involved.”
Rey noted that as a current school administrator, he still encourages conversations with families
and emphasizes hearing their questions and concerns. He believes that his identity as a Latino
male impacted and empowered parents to be involved in their children's education.
Andres was able to see his impact as a Latino Male Elementary School Teacher through
the language and cultural connections he has established with his students. He shares that his
ability to communicate in Spanish significantly impacts students, particularly English Learners
(ELs). Andres states that there is a current student in his school site whose family recently
migrated to the US and how he has built a connection with him. He shares that every time he
sees this student, they exchange greetings in Spanish, and the student appears to acknowledge
Andres as an adult whom the student can trust and ask questions that he may feel uncomfortable
asking his non-Spanish speaking homeroom teacher. Andres highlights that as a Spanish-
speaking Latino male teacher, he hopes to provide comfort for ELs and be a supportive figure
where students feel more at ease asking for help.
Summary
In this chapter, the study's findings were examined in relation to each research question.
It detailed the experiences and challenges Latino Male Elementary School Teachers encountered
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as they pursued their teaching careers. The chapter also presented these teachers' perspectives on
improving their lived experiences and the implications and perceived impact they can have on
their students in the classroom. Findings from research question one reveal that Latino Male
Elementary School Teachers were inspired to become teachers because of positive interactions
with their own teachers growing up and a critical awareness of the need for teachers that look
like them. Additionally, the findings from this first research question displayed that most
participants did not engage in self-care activities. Findings from research question two reveal that
Latino Male Elementary School Teachers found the teaching credentialing process and teacher
preparation programs significant challenges they encountered as they became teachers. Further,
the participants identified behavior management and low compensation as prominent stressors or
challenges in their experience as classroom teachers. Findings from the third research question
unveil that participants believe that a reimagined school day (i.e., shorter days and longer
planning periods) can improve the lived experience of Latino Male Elementary School Teachers
and that targeted recruitment and financial viability can increase the number of Latino Male
Elementary School Teachers. Lastly, findings from the fourth research question establish that the
implications of having Latino Male Elementary School Teachers include having teachers that
prioritize building relationships, creating a positive classroom environment, and being role
models for their students. Chapter Five presents a comprehensive discussion, analyzing the
findings and how they align with the literature review. Additionally, recommendations based on
these findings are provided.

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CHAPTER FIVE: DISCUSSION & RECOMMENDATIONS
The previous chapter presented the study's findings, outlining the lived experiences and
challenges Latino males encounter in their pursuit of becoming elementary school teachers. It also
explored the perspectives of Latino Male Elementary School Teachers on ways to improve their
experiences overall. Furthermore, the chapter discussed the implications and perceived impact that
Latino Male Elementary School teachers can have on their students. This chapter is organized into
five sections. The first section analyzes the findings and their alignment with the literature and
theoretical framework discussed in chapter two. Specifically, this section will discuss the findings
from chapter four and answer the four major research questions of this study:
RQ1: What are the lived experiences of Latino Male Elementary School Teachers?
RQ2: What are the challenges of Latino Male Elementary School Teachers?
RQ3: How can the lived experience of Latino Male Elementary School Teachers be
improved?
RQ4: What are the implications of having Latino Male Elementary School Teachers?
Next, the researcher presents three recommendations for practice. These recommendations have
implications for school leaders, school districts, and teacher preparation programs wanting to
recruit Latino males into education, specifically into elementary school teaching, and retaining
current Latino Male Elementary School Teachers at their school sites. Following this section are
the limitations and delimitations experienced during this study. Finally, recommendations for
future practice are identified, followed by the conclusion.
Discussion of Findings
Becoming a Latino Male Elementary School Teacher
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The findings of the first research question provide valuable insights into the lived
experiences of Latino Male Elementary School Teachers, including their decision-making
process, influences, and experiences in pursuing a career in teaching. The findings reveal that
participants were inspired to become teachers by their public school teachers, who created
engaging and inclusive classroom environments and utilized a culturally relevant pedagogy. The
participants’ teachers employed innovative teaching practices and strongly emphasized student
engagement and active learning. Further, the participant’s teachers appear to have utilized
culturally relevant pedagogy, focusing on academic achievement and empowering students to
embrace their cultural identity while fostering critical thinking (Ladson-Billings, 1995). These
positive experiences deeply impacted the participants, motivating them to become classroom
teachers. These findings highlight the influential role of positive school and classroom
environments in shaping the aspirations of potential future Latino Male Elementary School
Teachers.
These findings align with the conclusions drawn by Huerta & Britain (2009) regarding
effective teaching practices for Latino students. Huerta & Britain (2009) emphasized the
importance of schools fostering a positive learning culture and teachers holding socio-political-
cultural attitudes that can engage Latino students. In addition, Huerta & Britain (2009) stressed
the significance of culturally responsive pedagogy, which recognizes the humanity of all
students. These findings demonstrate how positive experiences with teachers who embrace
culturally responsive frameworks can inspire Latino students to replicate such conditions and
provide similar opportunities for future generations.
Furthermore, the study reveals the significant influence of the participants' critical
consciousness regarding the educational landscape impacting Latinos, ultimately shaping their
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decision to pursue careers as classroom teachers. The findings indicate that the participants
demonstrated a keen awareness of the educational disparities prevalent in urban settings based on
their lived experiences. For instance, Hector and Edgar developed a critical awareness of the
educational landscape while attending college. They realized that students from their own
communities, who faced socioeconomic challenges, were underrepresented in higher education..
As Hector and Edgar's critical awareness unfolded, they saw teaching as a way to address the
educational disparities they observed. Jordan, from a middle-class family, initially had a negative
perception of teaching due to his teachers' lack of diverse representation. However, while living
in Nicaragua, he witnessed young, well-educated teachers of color utilizing education as a means
of critical consciousness and social awareness. His lived experience as a young adult challenged
his preconceptions of the educational system and connected the importance of education as a tool
to empower younger generations.
These findings are linked with the literature, specifically regarding the achievement gap,
educational debt, and the historical structures that have led to educational disparities for Latino
students. As presented by Ladson-Billings (2006), the achievement gap is a symptom of the
larger systemic issues that are part of the “education debt” of the US. Ladson-Billings (2006)
states that the education debt refers to the historical, economic, sociopolitical, and ongoing
disadvantages and injustices marginalized communities face in the US education system. The
participants shared that they became aware of the larger educational disparities that impacted
their communities when they either entered higher education and witnessed a disproportionate
number of Latino students in the university or by experiencing education outside of the US
context.
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The study did not explore the reasons for the low number of Latino students in higher
education, but the literature can provide information to explain the outcomes. The segregation of
Latino students in the first half of the 20th century, based on language, surnames, and
pedagogical opinions, contributed to low educational attainment among Latino students. Separate
schools were justified to address language needs and "Americanize" Latino students (Donato &
Hanson, 2019; Gonzalez, 1999; San Miguel & Donato, 2009). Utilizing the conceptual
framework of CRT, it can be concluded that these larger systemic issues of educational debt will
not be addressed because racism is a normal aspect of U.S. society and is essential for the nation
to function (Bell, 1992; Ladson-Billings, 2013; Solorzano & Delgado Bernal, 200). And
currently, the existing power relationships between White people, as a settler class, and Latinos
and people of color, as the laboring disposable class, are necessary to maintain the status quo
(Patel, 2016). However, it is worth noting that despite the systemic racism looming over US
society, Latino males in the study desired to enter the classroom to disrupt the current education
narrative.
The final finding, which surprised the researcher, was the participants' experiences of
long hours and the lack of quality self-care in their teaching role. The participants acknowledged
that being an elementary school teacher involved working long hours, often extending beyond
the regular school day. They described the demands of lesson planning, grading, and pursuing
teaching credentials, which contributed to their workload. And despite the recognition of the
importance of self-care, the participants faced challenges in maintaining a balance between their
work responsibilities and personal well-being. Some participants mentioned engaging in social
activities with friends and family as self-care, while others resorted to consuming alcohol or
cannabis to decompress. However, it is important to note that these coping mechanisms may not
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necessarily promote long-term well-being and effective self-care. Granted, literature shows that
the notion of self-care is rarely integrated into teacher preparation programs, despite its role as a
preventive measure against work-related stress (Beaumont et al., 2016). The findings indicate a
need for improved self-care practices among Latino Male Elementary School teachers. It is
crucial for educators to prioritize their well-being and establish healthy boundaries to prevent
burnout and sustain their teaching careers effectively.
Challenges of Becoming and Remaining a Classroom Teacher
The findings of the second research question provided an ongoing understanding of the
challenges Latino Male Elementary School Teachers faced as they entered the teaching
profession and throughout their tenure.
The findings reveal that most participants expressed difficulties with the credentialing
process and preparation programs. The California Subject Examinations for Teachers (CSET)
and Reading Instruction Competence Assessment (RICA) were particularly demanding for some
participants. They felt that the credentialing programs should have better prepared them for these
exams to make the process easier. The participants also highlighted the gap between theory and
practice in their teaching preparation programs. They felt that the knowledge they acquired did
not always translate effectively into their actual teaching practice. Some participants mentioned a
lack of support from professors, who assigned numerous tasks without providing clear guidance
or examples. They believed that more practical skills and context-specific knowledge should
have been emphasized in their programs. Lastly, the financial burden of obtaining a teaching
credential and attending a teacher preparation program was another challenge mentioned by the
participants. Some programs required unpaid residencies or placements, which posed difficulties
for participants who mostly came from working-class backgrounds. And the cost of living in Los
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Angeles, the setting of this study, made it challenging for participants to sustain themselves
financially while pursuing their teaching credentials. Student loans and credit card debt were
common among participants, leading to significant stress during this period.
The findings align with the literature, specifically stating prospective Latino students'
obstacles in becoming classroom teachers. As noted by researchers (Irizarry, 2011; Sleeter et al.,
2015; Sleeter, 2017), the financial burden of certification exams and programs, time
commitments that impact family obligations, culturally biased recruitment and admissions
procedures, Eurocentric curriculum and assessments, and lack of role models and mentors are
some factors that impact the lack of students of color from entering teacher preparation
programs. Moreover, when teachers of color decide to enroll in teacher preparation programs, the
hurdle of the certification exams becomes a large barrier to entering the profession (Ingersoll &
May 2011).
It is worth noting that the challenges of becoming a teacher can be viewed within a CRT
framework. As illustrated by Ellis & Epstein (2014), the current teacher-credentialing issues that
prospective teachers of color face are a manifestation of the systemic racism that is present in US
society. Ellis & Epstein (2014) note that California's prospective teachers are expected to teach
without compensation for their student teaching. This is an issue for prospective Latino teachers
because there is an 18-to-1 racial wealth gap between Latino and White families. These financial
conditions allow White students to consider financing a year of unpaid work to become teachers,
leaving Latino students in a difficult financial position before becoming a teacher (Ellis &
Epstein, 2014). Furthermore, the literature shows that Whites are often connected to social
networks and the relevant knowledge required to enter the teaching profession because Whites
are the overwhelming demographic makeup of the system (Ellis & Epstein, 2014). Although the
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Latino Male Elementary School teacher participants of this study have overcome these obstacles,
it can be suggested that they were more of the exception rather than the norm.
A second challenge that emerged from the findings was navigating behavior management
systems and the societal expectations of being a Latino male in education. Edgar struggled with
the zero-tolerance behavior management approach at his school site. While administrators and
colleagues praised his discipline style, he felt pressured to constantly shape student behavior and
maintain strict control. Edgar experienced internal conflict about the impact of his disciplinary
style on his students' well-being. Roberto and Andres grappled with the notion of being Latino
males in education. Roberto shared that he felt the pressure at his school site to fulfill the role of
the disciplinarian as a Latino male teacher. He acknowledges the expectation that he should be
the "tough one" for certain students. However, Roberto is also aware of the importance of
providing support and emotional understanding to his students. Andres, who grew up in a
household where showing emotions was discouraged, wants to redefine what it means to be a
man and break away from traditional gender stereotypes. As a Latino male teacher, he aims to
change the stereotype of a Latino male and model emotional vulnerability and empathy for his
students.
The findings from the participants are connected to the broader societal expectations and
stereotypes surrounding masculinity for Latino male teachers. Literature shows that Latino men
in schools are expected to illustrate hegemonic masculinity and are positioned to serve as role
models for male students (Lara & Fránquiz, 2015). However, male teachers' masculinity is
questioned because the teaching profession is feminized (Allan, 1993). Further, research from
Sargent (2004) shows that the social constructions of gender identity place excessive demands on
male teachers. Male teachers describe the need to regulate their actions and deliberately avoid
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displays of affection towards children, fearing that the actions would be misinterpreted as
inappropriate. There are examples in the literature (Brody, 2015) where male educators have
successfully navigated their masculinity as teachers in the classroom, but it has been found to
occur later in a male teacher’s career. As it relates to the challenges that Latino Male Elementary
School Teachers described in this study, it appears that the pressure to meet the societal
expectations of masculinity is not a factor that is causing teacher attrition. However, it should be
noted that the societal expectations of Latino males can be an obstacle that prevents potential
Latino male educators from entering the profession.
In addition, the findings highlight that inadequate compensation is a challenge Latino
Male Elementary School Teachers face. Almost all participants felt that the starting salaries for
teachers, especially in Los Angeles, were insufficient for the cost of living and their educator
responsibilities. The participants mentioned concerns about the practicality of sustaining a living
on a teacher's salary, particularly with the burden of student loans and the slow salary growth
over years of experience. The low pay for the work involved in teaching was identified as a
potential factor leading to burnout and a decreased commitment to the profession.
These findings coincide with what the literature states surrounding teacher compensation
and attrition. As noted by Gray & Taie (2015), data from a 5-year longitudinal study conducted
by the National Center for Education Statistics displayed that if incoming teachers experienced a
starting salary of $40,000 or less, they are 10% more likely to leave the profession in their first
year. Further, as highlighted by Carver-Thomas & Darling-Hammond (2017), the expected
turnover rate for teachers working in school districts who could eventually expect to earn more
than $78,000 at the top end of their district compensation schedules was 31% lower than for
teachers in the worst quintile, who could only expect to earn a maximum district salary of less
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than $60,000. In California, the average teacher salary is more substantial–the average starting
salary for an elementary school teacher is $52,600, and the average highest salary for an
elementary school teacher is $107,500 (California Department of Education, 2022). However,
the cost of living for a two-parent, two-child family in Los Angeles County is $102,200 (Gould
& Mokhiber, 2022).
Rey and Jordan both mentioned that the salaries in their role as classroom teachers
impacted their decision to leave the classroom later in their careers. They expressed that when
they began to have children, they had concerns about being unable to provide adequately for
their family and cited examples of other professions, such as trade workers, where they have the
potential to earn more income. Further, the financial strain of being unable to afford essential
expenses like mortgages and car payments while working as a teacher impacted their decisions.
This would suggest that current Latino Male Elementary School Teachers in Los Angeles can
reach a point where they may leave the profession if they are to start a family to increase their
income or avoid the teaching profession entirely because of the inadequate compensation relative
to the cost of living.
Improving the Lived Experiences of Latino Male Elementary School Teachers
The findings from the third research question revealed strategies that school leaders,
school districts, and teacher preparation programs could implement to improve the classroom
experiences of Latino Male Elementary School Teachers and increase their representation within
the teaching profession at the elementary level.
First, the participants highlighted how the structure of the school day could be redesigned
to enhance the experiences of Latino Male Elementary School Teachers. The data revealed that
five out of the eight participants perceived that increasing the length of the teacher planning
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period would be a crucial improvement. These teachers expressed the challenges they faced in
balancing multiple responsibilities within a limited planning period–including lesson planning,
meetings, and preparation of materials. The participants emphasized the need for adequate
preparation time to deliver high-quality instruction effectively.
Second, half of the participants suggested that the school day should be shorter. They
mentioned the impact of the current long school day on their personal lives, such as limited time
with family and the depletion of energy for both staff and students. Shortening the school day
was viewed as a way to improve teachers' and students' overall well-being and morale.
Participants expressed their ideal school day length, ranging from four to seven hours of
teaching, allowing for substantial preparation time. Shorter school days were seen as a means to
create a better work-life balance for teachers and contribute to a more positive experience in the
classroom.
As mentioned in the participants' profiles, most participants have taught exclusively in
charter schools. Charter schools often have extended learning times, including longer school
days, Saturday school, summer school, and extended school years or calendars (Stetson, 2013).
Regarding the length of an elementary school day, limited research describes the impact of
having a shorter day for elementary school students. However, there is substantial research on
having extended learning time in schools. As stated by Patall et al. (2010), the argument put up
by supporters of extended learning time is that adding more time will have both academic and
nonacademic advantages. Proponents note potential positive effects include students having
more time for instruction, lowered childcare costs for working-class parents, leveling the playing
field for socioeconomically disadvantaged students, etc. On the other hand, opponents of
extended learning time argue that extra time does not guarantee more effective instruction, raises
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the likelihood of additional expenses for school sites, can lead to teacher and administrator
burnout, takes resources from proven effective interventions, etc. (Patall et al., 2010).
It is worth noting that the participants who suggested longer preparation periods have
worked exclusively in charter schools. As Lake et al. (2010) noted, the charter school setting
often employs young and energetic teachers between 60 to 80 hours, which can lead to
exhaustion and burnout. Additionally, Stuit & Smith (2010) have discovered that teachers who
worked more than 60 hours a week had 1.6 times the likelihood of leaving their position than
teachers who worked less than 60 hours a week. It can be inferred that the long hours associated
with charter schools can be an obstacle that needs to be addressed to improve the working
conditions for Latino Male Elementary School Teachers within those school sites.
In addition, the findings from this third research question provide strategies to increase
Latino male teachers' representation within the education system. The participants emphasized
the importance of targeted recruitment efforts and outreach campaigns. They highlighted the
need to target potential Latino male teachers as early as high school and suggested offering
Latino male students volunteer opportunities or tutoring roles in elementary school classrooms.
By providing these experiences, young Latino males can gain exposure to the teaching
profession and develop an interest in pursuing a career in education. Participants emphasized the
significance of targeted campaigns in college settings, such as workshops and events featuring
accomplished Latino male teachers. Further, the participants believed that current Latino male
teachers could share positive experiences in the classroom with the larger Latino community via
social media or traditional media outlets to generate interest and curiosity about teaching as a
career option.
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The current literature describes pathways that Latinos take to become teachers and
strategies that have been utilized to improve the number of Latino educators. Ocasio (2014)
states that Latino teachers typically pursue their careers through alternative certification
programs, enrolling in a 2-year college and transferring to a 4-year institution, transitioning from
paraprofessional roles to becoming teachers, and participating in career pathway programs.
Further, as it connects to recruiting potential Latino male educators, innovative programs have
utilized the K-12 setting to enhance Latino students' interest in teaching. Flores et al. (2007)
noted that the Texas Academy for Teacher Excellence (ATE), a federally funded program
focused on recruiting, preparing, and retaining Latino students interested in teaching,
implemented effective recruitment strategies. These strategies involved early identification of
high school students and purposeful outreach efforts. ATE played a vital role in supporting
Latino preservice teachers through mentoring, counseling, advising, and summer bridge
programs. These initiatives proved essential in recruiting and preparing Latino students as future
classroom teachers (Flores et al., 2007). Further, Oliva & Staudt (2003) have found that teacher
training magnet high schools offer a distinctive route to the teaching profession, particularly for
Latino communities. These magnet schools are established to recruit, prepare, and train teachers
early. As part of this pathway, students eventually progress to a 4-year program in collaboration
with a partnering school to fulfill their teacher education requirements. This magnet school
program was able to be successful in recruiting potential Latino teachers because it nurtured the
belief that teaching is a profession and a calling for students (Oliva & Staudt, 2003).
Financial viability was another key aspect discussed in improving the number of Latino
Male Elementary School Teachers. Participants stressed the importance of making teacher
preparation programs financially accessible and appealing. They suggested reducing the cost of
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tuition or providing financial aid to make these programs more affordable. Financial incentives,
such as student loan forgiveness or public service loan programs specifically for Latino male
teachers, were proposed to address the financial constraints that may discourage individuals from
pursuing a teaching career. Offering alternative career options and pathways within teaching
programs was also suggested to enhance teacher preparation programs' financial appeal and
competitiveness. Moreover, participants proposed the creation of experiential learning programs
in Southern California, similar to Teach for America (TFA) and NYC Men Teach, that can
provide incentives such as sign-up bonuses, living stipends, higher salaries, waived fees for
credentialing requirements, and full tuition scholarships. These programs were seen as potential
ways to increase teacher diversity and improve the representation of Latino male teachers.
The suggestion of financial support and alternative teaching programs align with the
literature. One main challenge for Latinos in obtaining higher education degrees (i.e., teaching
degrees) is the elevated financial cost of college attendance and the insufficient financial support
available, compounded by Latino families typically earning significantly less than their White
counterparts (Downs et al., 2008; Swail et al., 2004). Further, according to Kane and Rouse
(1999), the opportunity cost, which refers to the earnings students sacrifice by dedicating their
time to classes and studying instead of pursuing employment, for a young male high school
graduate is seven times higher than the tuition of attending a four-year college institution.
Researchers (Dai et al., 2007; Guha et al., 2017) suggest that the expenses associated with
teacher preparation programs can be alleviated through various means, such as offering living
stipends, student loan forgiveness, and tuition remittance. In return for these benefits,
participants commit to teaching for a specified period of time following the completion of the
program.
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Lastly, it is important to highlight that programs such as TFA have proven effective in
recruiting and placing teachers of color in urban schools (Ocasio, 2014). For the Latino teacher
pipeline specifically, TFA plays a significant role as both an entry point for Latinos interested in
teaching and a means of retention. Research indicates that Latinos are more likely to stay in their
teaching positions when placed in high-need area schools than their White counterparts (Irizarry
& Donaldson, 2012). In this study, it is worth noting that six of the eight study participants were
either TFA alumni or entered the teaching profession through an alternative certification
program.
Implications of Having Latino Male Elementary School Teachers
The final research question examined the implications of having Latino Male Elementary
School Teachers and their perceived impact on their students in the classroom. The first
implication of having Latino Male Elementary School Teachers is the importance that Latino
Male Elementary School Teachers place on creating classroom environments conducive to
building positive relationships with their students. Participants highlighted the significance of
daily positive interactions, such as greeting students, engaging in small talk, and showing interest
in their interests. Building rapport and establishing connections with students was essential in
fostering a comfortable and inclusive atmosphere where students feel at ease and actively
participate in the classroom. Participants emphasized the value of cultural and linguistic
connections, including speaking Spanish with students, to form relationships. They also
recognized the importance of personal greetings, ongoing conversations, and involving families
to establish connections and demonstrate an understanding of students' experiences.
The second implication of having Latino Male Elementary School Teachers is that they
can serve as positive role models for students. Participants noted that their position as Latino
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males as classroom teachers challenged negative stereotypes and presented possibilities for
Latino males as adults. The participants emphasized the importance of representation,
particularly for Latino students who may not have had many Latino male role models.
Participants shared their experiences as role models and connected with students through shared
backgrounds, cultural connections, and familiarity. By embodying possibilities and breaking
stereotypes, Latino Male Elementary School Teachers have the potential to inspire their students
and foster a belief in their abilities and potential.
The third finding from this research question did not contribute to the implications of
having Latino Male Elementary School Teachers. However, it did showcase that Latino Male
Elementary School Teachers find satisfaction in contributing to their student's academic, social,
and emotional development. Participants described positive interactions with their students that
gave them purpose and fulfillment. Engaging students in academic learning and witnessing their
progress was highlighted as a rewarding experience. The participants aimed to provide support,
guidance, and a sense of belonging to their students, particularly those who lacked male figures
in their lives. They recognized the significance of their role as male classroom teachers in
shaping students' academic and personal growth, which contributed to their overall satisfaction in
the teaching profession.
These findings that describe the perceived implications of having Latino Male
Elementary School Teachers are closely connected to the literature about the impact of Latino
teachers on Latino students. Research on the impact of Male Elementary School Teachers on
schools has shown positive implications, specifically in how Latino teachers who share cultural
experiences with Latino students can create classroom environments that foster positive social
and emotional support for students (Lara & Fránquiz, 2015; MacDonald, 2004; Quiocho & Rios,
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2000; Ochoa, 2007). Latino teachers can share their culture, language, and experiences to build
relationships and confianza in the classroom, facilitating Latino students' social and emotional
growth and learning (Monzo & Rueda, 2001a; Lopez, 2016). Also, having more Latino teachers
has increased students' hopes and feelings of connection to their schools (Flores et al., 2007;
Villegas & Lucas, 2004). The findings from this research question support the participants'
accounts and the notion that Latino students benefit from having Latino teachers, indicating the
positive implications of Latino male elementary school teachers in schools.
Further, studies dating back to the late 20th century have demonstrated that students of
color, including Latinos, admire and are inspired by teachers who share their racial or ethnic
backgrounds (Cole, 1986; King, 1993; Waters, 1989). The presence of teachers of color as role
models can motivate students to set ambitious goals, provide positive representation, and
contribute to a strong sense of identity and belonging (Ochoa, 2007). Moreover, as it relates to
Latino teachers as role models, the research indicates that Latino teachers establish stronger
connections with their Latino students and families and exhibit a genuine desire to serve as
cultural and linguistic role models for their Latino students (Weisman & Hansen, 2008). And
similar to what the participants noted in this study, the literature demonstrates that Latino
teachers feel determined to show their students the “possibilities life has to offer by highlighting
their own success. Whether Latino teachers were immigrants or not, many felt their success
could be used by students as a guidepost to their own success.” (Griffin, 2018, p.6) Overall, the
findings suggest that having Latino Male Elementary School Teachers has several implications
for the classroom environment and students' experiences.
Recommendations for Practice
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The findings from this study have implications for school leaders, school districts, and
teacher preparation programs wanting to recruit Latino males into education, specifically into
elementary school teaching, and retaining current Latino Male Elementary School Teachers at
their school sites. In addition, findings contribute to the emerging literature on the lived
experiences of Latino Male Elementary School Teachers. These recommendations for practice
are targeted toward school leaders, school districts, and teacher preparation programs. Three
recommendations are identified below to address key findings from this research.
Recommendation 1: Addressing Teacher Compensation
To improve working conditions for Latino Male Elementary School Teachers and
increase their representation in the teaching profession, it is recommended that school leaders
and school districts advocate for competitive salary structures that align with the cost of living in
the area. This recommendation is built on the study’s findings, the experiences and perspectives
shared by participants and connected to literature.
These study’s findings indicate that most participants shared that salary compensation for
teachers, particularly in Los Angeles, was inadequate considering the cost of living and the
demands associated with their role as educators. In addition, the participants raised concerns
about the feasibility of maintaining a decent standard of living solely on a teacher's salary,
particularly when burdened with student loans and the slow salary growth rate over years of
service. This is concerning, knowing that in California, the midrange average teacher salary for
an elementary school teacher is $79,600, but the cost of living for a two-parent, two-child family
in Los Angeles County is $102,200 (California Department of Education, 2022; Gould &
Mokhiber, 2022). Further, as noted by recent US census data reports, Latinos in the US do not
hold the same wealth as non-Latino households. In 2020, the median net worth for a Latino
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household was $52,190, significantly lower than the median household net worth of non-
Hispanic individuals, which stood at $195,600 (Scherer & Mayol-García, 2022).
The inadequate compensation for the efforts involved in teaching was identified as a
potential contributor to burnout and a factor in leaving the field. Rey and Jordan both mentioned
that the salaries in their role as classroom teachers impacted their decision to leave the classroom
later in their careers. They expressed that when they began to have children, they had concerns
about being unable to provide adequately for their family and cited examples of other
professions, such as trade workers, where they have the potential to earn more income. This
would suggest that current Latino Male Elementary School Teachers in Los Angeles can reach a
point where they may leave the profession if they are to start a family to increase their income or
avoid the teaching profession entirely because of the inadequate compensation relative to the
cost of living.
School districts and educational policymakers should prioritize increasing teacher
salaries, particularly for Latino male elementary school teachers. Recognizing the value and
impact of their work, adequate compensation can help attract and retain talented educators.
Additionally, creating clear pathways for career advancement, such as performance-based salary
increments or opportunities for leadership roles, can provide motivation and incentives for
Latino male teachers to remain in the profession. Furthermore, school districts and educational
policymakers should establish financial support programs tailored to Latino male elementary
school teachers to help alleviate their economic strain. Scholarships, grants, or loan forgiveness
programs targeted at individuals from underrepresented backgrounds can make teaching a more
financially viable and sustainable career option. These programs should be publicized widely to
ensure that aspiring Latino male teachers know the opportunities available to them.
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By offering attractive salaries and benefits packages, schools can attract and retain
qualified Latino Male Elementary School Teachers who might otherwise consider alternative
professions with higher earning potential. School districts should review and adjust teacher
salaries to better reflect the cost of living, particularly in areas with high living expenses like Los
Angeles. Competitive salaries are essential to attract and retain Latino Male Elementary School
Teachers. Increasing salary growth over experience can also contribute to a higher commitment
to the profession and reduce attrition rates. By addressing teacher compensation issues, such as
advocating for higher starting salaries, salary growth over years of experience, and equitable pay
scales, schools and districts can attract and retain talented Latino Male Elementary School
Teachers, promoting a more diverse and inclusive teaching workforce.
Recommendation 2: Redesigning Teacher Preparation Programs with Latino Male
Elementary School Teachers in Mind
To address the major challenges Latino males encounter in the journey to become
elementary school classroom teachers, teacher preparation programs should establish
comprehensive support programs that specifically target the unique needs of this population.
This recommendation is built on the study’s findings, the experiences and perspectives shared by
participants and connected to literature.
The study findings clearly demonstrate a major challenge Latino male elementary school
teachers face in acquiring teaching credentials and navigating teacher preparation programs.
Most participants faced hurdles such as the demanding workload, certification exams,
impracticality of taught material, and financial burden. Some participants expressed a desire for
better exam preparation within the credentialing programs. The difficulty translating theoretical
knowledge into practical classroom application was another concern, with participants noting a
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disconnect between what they learned in teacher preparation programs and the skills required for
effective teaching. Financial challenges, including the expectation to work for free during
residency programs or student teaching, were noted to be deterrents for potential Latino males
pursuing teaching as a career.
The literature currently demonstrates that teachers of color, and specifically Latino
teachers, in teacher preparation programs often feel disconnected from their lived experiences as
people of color and feel the need to take on the dominant cultural norms in their programs
(Gomez et al., 2008; Irizarry, 2011; Meacham, 2000; Nguyen, 2008; Pailliotet, 1997; Sheets &
Chew, 2002). According to Gomez et al. (2008) and Irizarry (2011), students of color in teacher
preparation programs expressed entering the profession because of a strong desire to positively
impact communities similar to their upbringing. However, the curriculum and field placements
did not adequately prepare them to become effective teachers in those communities. This is in
alignment with the findings of this qualitative study.
By employing the concept of interest convergence within the CRT framework (Bell,
1987) and connecting this with literature, the current conditions of teacher preparation programs
show that teacher preparation programs will continue to design their programs with the interests
of White students and faculty at the forefront (Agee, 2004, as cited by Milner et al., 2013;
Sleeter, 2017). Yet under these circumstances, research findings indicate that to enhance Latino
students' experiences in teacher preparation programs, institutions need to give greater
consideration to the intersection of language, culture, class, and race (Bell & Busey, 2021;
Gomez et al., 2008; Irizarry, 2011; Knight, 2002) Thus, it is highly recommended that teacher
preparation programs implement comprehensive support programs that will alleviate the
challenges found by the Latino Male Elementary School Teachers in this study.
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Teacher preparation programs must develop support structures within teacher preparation
programs that provide guidance and resources to Latino male students pursuing teaching
credentials. This can include dedicated mentoring programs, workshops, and tutoring services
tailored to address the specific challenges they face in credentialing. Offering exam preparation
courses within the credentialing program can help alleviate the stress and burden of passing
certification exams. Furthermore, teacher preparation programs must enhance their preparation
programs to provide practical and culturally responsive training that prepares Latino male
teachers for the realities of the classroom. This can involve integrating real-world teaching
experiences and collaborative learning opportunities bridging the theory and practice gap.
Additionally, incorporating diverse perspectives and culturally relevant pedagogies in
coursework can better equip Latino male teachers to engage with their students and create
inclusive learning environments.
In addition, teacher preparation programs must provide targeted training and professional
development opportunities focused on effective behavior management strategies for Latino Male
Elementary School Teachers. These programs should emphasize restorative practices, positive
behavior interventions, and culturally responsive discipline techniques. By equipping teachers
with diverse tools and strategies, they can better navigate behavior challenges in the classroom
and foster a positive and supportive learning environment. And lastly, teacher preparation
programs must develop initiatives that promote self-care and work-life balance among Latino
Male Elementary School Teachers. This can include creating supportive networks, providing
resources for stress management and mental health support, and advocating for reasonable work
hours and workload expectations. Emphasizing the importance of self-care can help prevent
burnout and improve overall teacher well-being.
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By implementing comprehensive support programs that address the challenges identified,
educational institutions and policymakers can foster an inclusive and supportive environment for
Latino Male Elementary School Teachers. These initiatives should be developed in collaboration
with the teachers, considering their unique experiences, needs, and aspirations. This study can
serve as a resource for teacher preparation programs.
Recommendation 3: Implementing Culturally Responsive Pedagogy and Supportive School
Culture
To increase the number of Latino Males as elementary school teachers and improve the
working conditions of Latino Male Elementary School Teachers, it is recommended that school
leaders and school districts prioritize the implementation of culturally responsive pedagogy and a
supportive school climate. These recommendations align with the study's findings, which
underscore the significant impact of culturally responsive educators and a positive overall school
and classroom culture on the aspirations of prospective Latino male elementary school teachers
and existing research on teacher satisfaction.
The study findings indicate that the participants’ positive experiences with teachers who
embraced a culturally responsive pedagogy inspired them to pursue teaching careers. As noted
by Ladson-Billings (1995), to foster culturally relevant pedagogy, teachers must have the ability
to acknowledge and honor students' ethnic identities, have the belief in the potential of all
students to learn and contribute as knowledgeable individuals, and have the skill to cultivate a
classroom environment that supports these principles. Further, extensive research indicates that
culture, socio-political-cultural attitudes, and perceptions are fundamental to achieving effective
teaching practices for Latino students. When educating Latino students, effective teachers adopt
a culturally responsive pedagogy deeply rooted in humanizing approaches (Huerta & Brittain,
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2009). Providing professional development and resources to current educators on embracing
culturally responsive pedagogy can enhance the overall learning environment for Latino students
and create the conditions necessary to inspire future Latino male teachers.
In addition, supportive school environments are crucial for the success of Latino Male
Elementary School Teachers. School leaders and district administrators must assess the school
culture's impact on Latino students. The literature indicates that Latino students in public schools
often face suspicion, racial microaggressions, and lower educational expectations from teachers
and administrators (Benner & Graham, 2011; Perez-Huber et al., 2015; Ponjuan et al., 2012;
Torres & Fergus, 2013). To address this issue, school leaders and administrators must establish
and maintain a positive school culture that motivates and engages Latino students.
The literature shows that “a positive school culture reinforces the sense of community
and social trust necessary for school improvement.” (Simon & Johnson, 2015, p.22), and
educational leadership can influence and transform a school's climate, creating conditions that
enable teachers to grow and perform at their best (Kraft, 2020). In addition, as reviewed by
Carver-Thomas & Darling-Hammond (2017), positive school leadership, collegial relationships,
and school culture are particularly important to teacher retention. Hence, a positive school
culture can impact Latino Male teacher retention. Educational leaders can achieve a positive
school climate through professional development, training on cultural competence, equity, and
inclusive practices.
School leaders and districts can create positive, impactful experiences for future Latino
Male Elementary School Teachers by implementing culturally responsive pedagogy and
supportive school environments. Teachers should be encouraged to develop socio-political and
cultural attitudes that engage and empower Latino students. This approach benefits Latino male
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teachers and promotes equitable and inclusive education for all students, contributing to the
overall improvement of elementary schools.
Limitations and Delimitations
This research was subject to several limitations beyond the control of the researcher. Four
limitations were present in this study that could be addressed in future research. The first
limitation is the time constraint of the Ed.D program and the researcher. The Ed.D. program
dissertation schedule allowed for data collection to be conducted for a span of four months.
Additionally, the researcher was working full-time throughout the course of this study. A study
of this nature would benefit from a longitudinal study to better understand the lived experiences
of Latino Male Elementary School Teachers throughout an entire school year.
The second and third limitation of this study is the sample size and the setting of the
participants being researched. This study had eight Latino Male Elementary School Teachers
from Los Angeles that participated in semi-structured interviews. The sample size is limited due
to the research time constraints and the researcher's physical setting. It would benefit future
researchers to expand the sample size and seek participants across the state of California and the
country to produce more generalizable results (Johnson & Christensen, 2017).
The final limitation of this study revolves around researcher bias. In a qualitative study,
the researcher acts as the key instrument (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016). As such, researcher biases
may have impacted the collection and interpretation of data. Checking data against literature and
utilizing Braune & Clarke's (2006) six phases of thematic analysis ensured that personal biases
were consistently analyzed and used to benefit rather than inhibit the research process (Merriam
& Tisdell, 2016).
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The delimitations of this study are factors the researcher controlled to understand the
phenomenon being researched. The researcher predetermined the following boundaries as
necessary for producing relevant results based on the research questions. Latino Male
Elementary School teachers were chosen as the targeted population for questioning. Specifically,
Latino Male Elementary School teachers from Los Angeles were chosen as participants for the
study. As stated throughout, this study seeks to understand and describe strategies and practices
that schools, districts, and teacher preparation programs can use to improve working conditions
for Latino Male Elementary School Teachers; explore how Latino Male Elementary School
Teachers approach their decision to become classroom teachers and identify challenges they
encounter in the process of becoming a teacher and investigates the impact that Latino Male
Elementary School Teachers can have on their students in the classroom. Thus, Latino Male
Teachers that worked in elementary schools were only selected for this study. And as noted from
the limitations, only participants from Los Angeles were included in this study. These
delimitations may produce findings that are not generalizable to other settings.
Recommendations for Future Research
This study illustrated Latino males' lived experiences and challenges in their pursuit of
becoming elementary school teachers. Additionally, the study delved into the viewpoints of
Latino Male Elementary School Teachers regarding potential avenues for enhancing their overall
experiences. Moreover, the chapter examined the implications and perceived influence that
Latino Male Elementary School teachers can exert on their students. The study has contributed to
the understanding and analysis of the lived experiences of Latino Male Elementary School
Teachers, the challenges they face as they become classroom teachers, suggestions they made
regarding their work conditions, and perceived implications they have in the classroom.
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Although this study provided a comprehensive analysis, it has raised additional questions beyond
the scope of the research inquiries. This section presents two suggestions for future studies that
have emerged from the findings.
Future research around Latino Male Elementary School Teachers should consider
implementing a longitudinal Study. Conducting a longitudinal study would provide a more
comprehensive understanding of the lived experiences of Latino Male Elementary School
Teachers throughout an entire school year. By extending the data collection period beyond the
four-month timeframe of this study, researchers can capture a broader range of experiences and
gain insights into the long-term dynamics and challenges these teachers face.
Second, to enhance the generalizability of the findings, future research should strive to
include a larger and more diverse sample of participants. Seeking participants from various
regions across California and even other parts of the country would offer a broader perspective
on the experiences of Latino Male Elementary School Teachers, considering the potential
influence of different educational systems, cultural contexts, and demographics. This broader
perspective will contribute to developing more inclusive and effective strategies for schools,
districts, and teacher preparation programs to support and empower these educators.
Lastly, future researcher on the lived experiences of Latino Male Elementary School
Teachers should explore the work-life balance phenomenon that appeared in the study. The
findings of this study suggest that the participants engaged in a variety of self-care practices, but
that these practices may not be sufficient to prevent burnout. In particular, the participants in this
study reported using unhealthy coping mechanisms such as drinking and consuming cannabis to
decompress from the stress of teaching. Additionally, some participants reported that they were
unable to engage in self-care due to workload or financial constraints. Based on these findings,
139

the researcher recommends the following future directions for research: 1) studies that
investigate the effectiveness of different self-care practices for Latino Male Elementary School
Teachers. It is important to identify self-care practices that are effective for this population and
that can be easily incorporated into their busy lives. 2) studies that examine the impact of
workload and financial constraints on self-care among Latino Male Elementary School Teachers.
These factors may make it difficult for teachers to engage in self-care, and it is important to
develop strategies to address these challenges. 3) Studies that explore the role of school culture
in supporting self-care among Latino male elementary school teachers. A supportive school
culture can help teachers to prioritize self-care and to make it easier for them to access resources
and supports. This research would be valuable in helping to improve the well-being of Latino
male elementary school teachers and to prevent burnout.
Conclusion
In conclusion, this study sheds light on the experiences, challenges, and aspirations of
Latino Male Elementary School Teachers. The findings emphasize the influential role of positive
school and classroom environments in shaping the career aspirations of potential future Latino
Male Elementary School Teachers. The participants were inspired by their own teachers who
created engaging and inclusive classrooms, utilized culturally relevant pedagogy, and
emphasized student engagement and active learning. These positive experiences motivated them
to pursue careers in teaching and replicate such conditions for future generations. Additionally,
the participants demonstrated critical consciousness regarding the educational disparities in their
communities, which further motivated them to address these issues through teaching. However,
the study also revealed challenges Latino Male Elementary School Teachers face, including
140

difficulties with the credentialing process, inadequate compensation, and the pressure to conform
to societal expectations of masculinity.
To improve the experiences of Latino Male Elementary School Teachers, three
recommendations were made. First, addressing teacher compensation is crucial. School leaders
and districts should advocate for competitive salary structures that align with the cost of living,
particularly in areas with high living expenses. Inadequate compensation can contribute to
burnout and attrition, making it essential to prioritize increasing teacher salaries for Latino male
elementary school teachers. Additionally, establishing financial support programs, such as
scholarships or loan forgiveness initiatives, can alleviate economic strain and make teaching a
viable career option.
Secondly, teacher preparation programs should be redesigned with Latino Male
Elementary School Teachers in mind. Comprehensive support programs tailored to the unique
needs of this population should be established, addressing challenges related to workload,
certification exams, and the disconnect between theory and practice. These programs should
provide mentoring, exam preparation courses, practical training, and professional development
opportunities focused on effective behavior management strategies and self-care.
Lastly, implementing culturally responsive pedagogy and fostering a supportive school
culture is essential. Teachers should be equipped with the skills to embrace culturally responsive
pedagogy, acknowledging and honoring students' ethnic identities. School leaders and
administrators must create positive school environments that motivate and engage Latino
students. By prioritizing culturally responsive education and cultivating a supportive climate,
schools can inspire future Latino male teachers and improve the overall learning experience for
all students.
141

By implementing these recommendations, educational institutions and policymakers can
create a more inclusive and supportive environment for Latino Male Elementary School
Teachers. These actions will attract and retain talented educators, contribute to the overall
improvement of elementary schools, and promote equitable and inclusive education for all
students. It is crucial that stakeholders collaborate and prioritize implementing these
recommendations to ensure a diverse and thriving teaching workforce that reflects the
communities they serve. These findings highlight the need for comprehensive support systems
and systemic changes to create a more inclusive and equitable teaching profession, ultimately
benefiting educators and students.

142

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Appendix A
Interview Protocol:
The Lived Experiences of Latino Male Elementary School Teachers
Research Questions addressed in this interview:
RQ1: What are the lived experiences of Latino Male Elementary School Teachers? (RQ1 -
LivedExperiences)
RQ2: What are the challenges of having Latino Male Elementary School Teachers? (RQ2 -
Challenges)
RQ3: How can the lived experience of Latino Male Elementary School Teachers be improved?
(RQ3 - Improvements)
RQ4: What are the implications of having Latino Male Elementary School Teachers? (RQ4 -
Implications)
Introduction
Hi! How are you? Thank you for agreeing to participate in this study and taking time
from your day to answer questions for this research. This interview will take approximately 60
minutes. Does this still work for you?
Before we begin, I would like to provide an overview of the study and answer any
questions you may have about participating in the study. I am a doctoral student at USC and am
conducting interviews with Latino Male Elementary School Teachers who teach in public
schools. I am interviewing multiple Latino Male Elementary School teachers in this school
district. In this interview, I am entering the conversation as a researcher. I seek to understand
your experience, views, and practices in-depth through our conversation on questions related to
this study. Do you have any questions about this study or anything else before we begin?
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Great. I have brought my recorder so I can reference our conversation. The recording will
not be shared with anyone and will be promptly erased at the end of the study. May I have your
permission to record our conversation?
II. Setting the Stage:
Let us begin. I would like to start by asking you some background questions about yourself.
First, tell me a bit about yourself. (Demographics question)
1. When were you born?
2. How many years have you been teaching as a classroom teacher?
3. How would you identify your nationality as it pertains to being Latino?
III. Heart of the Interview:
I would like to ask about your experiences as a Latino Male Elementary School teacher. These
questions will ask you about what made you interested in being a teacher and your current
experiences in being a teacher.
1. How did you become interested in becoming a classroom teacher? (RQ1 -
LivedExperiences; knowledge feeling questions)
a. What was your earliest memory of becoming a teacher?
b. Was there a specific moment you can recall when you became interested in being
a teacher?
2. Tell me about your typical day as a classroom teacher. (RQ1 - LivedExperiences;
experience and behavior question)
a. What happens throughout the day?
b. What does your role consist of?
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3. Tell me about someone who has been, or is, a role model for you as it relates to being
a classroom teacher? (RQ1 - LivedExperiences; experience and behavior question)
a. What did they do?
4. Teaching is considered to be one of the most stressful professions. What are you
doing to look after yourself? (RQ1 - LivedExperiences; experience and behavior
question)
a. Can you provide an example?
Thank you for sharing your experience of becoming a teacher, the community you work in,
and your typical day. I would like to switch gears and start talking about the challenges
you faced in becoming a teacher and currently as a classroom teacher.
5. In your opinion, what were some challenges you faced in becoming a classroom
teacher? (RQ2 - Challenges; opinion and values question)
a. Can you provide examples?
i. Did this happen in your teacher preparation program? University?
Alternative credentialing program?
6. What are some stressors (or challenges) in your role as a classroom teacher, if any?
(RQ2 - Challenges, experience, and behavior question)
a. Can you provide an example?
i. With students?
ii. With families?
iii. With colleagues?
iv. With administration?
b. Did anyone provide support?
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i. Was the support beneficial?
7. Can you provide an example of a difficult situation you had as a classroom teacher
in the past years? (RQ2 - Challenges, experience, and behavior question)
a. What made it difficult for you?
8. In your opinion, what factors would play a role in your decision if you were to leave
the role of a classroom teacher, if any? (RQ2 - Challenges; opinion and values
question)
a. How long have you been thinking about that?
Great. Now for this section, I would like to ask you about what you think can be done to
improve the lived experiences of Latino Male elementary school teachers
9. Can you describe what your ideal day would look like as a classroom teacher? (RQ3
- Improvements; ideal position question)
a. What would it look like? What would it feel like? What would it sound like?
b. What needs to change, if anything, to make this a reality?
10. Suppose you had a magic wand and could change one thing to improve your overall
role as a classroom teacher. What would it be? (RQ3 - Improvements; hypothetical
question)
a. Can you tell me more about your choice?
11. Can you describe what can be done by your school site to improve your overall
experience as a classroom teacher? (RQ3 - Improvements; ideal position question)
a. Can you tell me more about your choice?
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12. Latino teachers, in general, are less than 10% of the teacher population, but Latino
students make up more than a quarter of the student population in K-12 schools. What
suggestions or recommendations would you offer to improve the number of Latino
teachers in public schools? (RQ3 - Improvements; ideal position question)
a. Can you tell me more about _____ ?
Now for this final section, I will ask you about your perceived impact as it relates to being a
Latino Male classroom teacher working in an elementary school.
13. Tell me about your daily interactions with your students in your classroom? (RQ4 -
Implications, experience, and behavior question)
a. How do you go about establishing a connection with your students?
b. How do they go about establishing a connection with you, the classroom teacher?
14. Can you describe positive interactions with your students that contributed to your
overall satisfaction as a classroom teacher, if any? (RQ4 - Implications, sensory
question)
a. What did you do to allow that to occur?
b. What did the students do so this could happen?
15. Some people would say that a classroom teacher can greatly impact student
learning. What would you say to that? (RQ4 - Implications; Devil’s Advocate
question)
a. Why do you think that?
b. Do you think your identity as a Latino male teacher impacts this?
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16. Regarding your daily interaction with students, what would you describe your
impact in the classroom as a Latino Male elementary school teacher? (RQ4 -
Implications, experience, and behavior question)
a. Do you think your racial identity has an impact on this? How so?
b. Do you think your gender identity has an impact on this? How so?
IV. Closing Question:
● If you could advise a Latino male interested in becoming an elementary school
teacher, what would you say?
V. Closing Comments:
Thank you for sharing your experience as a Latino Male Elementary School Teacher with me. I
appreciate your time and willingness to share your experience in the classroom. If I find myself
with a follow-up question, may I contact you? Thank you again for your time and for helping me
with this study! I will share the compensation gift card via email within 48 hours.

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Appendix I
CONSENT TO TAKE PART IN A RESEARCH STUDY
TITLE: The Lived Experiences of Latino Male Elementary School Teachers
INVESTIGATOR: Victor Manuel Flores-Osorio
USC Rossier School of Education
3470 Trousdale Pkwy
Los Angeles, CA 90089
This consent form contains important information to help you decide whether to
participate in a research study. The study staff will explain this study to you. Ask
questions about anything that is not clear at any time. You may take home an unsigned
copy of this consent form to think about and discuss with family or friends. Please keep in
mind:
❖ Being in a study is voluntary – your choice.
❖ If you join this study, you can still stop anytime.
❖ Do not join this study unless all of your questions are answered.
After reading and discussing the information in this consent form, you should know:
● Why this research study is being done;
● What will happen during the study;
● Any risks that may happen in this study;
● Any possible benefits to you;
● The possible risks to you;
● Confidentiality Norms;
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● What to do if you have problems during the study or questions about this study? Please
read this consent form carefully.
Please read this consent form carefully.
WHAT IS INFORMED CONSENT? You are being asked to participate in a research study
that will study the lived experiences of Latino Male Elementary School Teachers. The research is
being done as part of a doctoral dissertation project through the University of Southern
California, Rossier School of Education. The person running this study is a doctoral student,
Victor Manuel Flores-Osorio. Before deciding whether to participate in the research, you should
be told about this study's possible risks and benefits. This process is known as informed
consent. This consent form will give you information about this study and your rights as a
research subject. Being in this study is voluntary.
WHY IS THIS RESEARCH BEING DONE?
The purpose of this research is to:
● Understand and describe strategies and practices that schools, districts, and teacher
preparation programs can use to improve working conditions for Latino Male Elementary
School Teachers
● Explore how Latino Male Elementary School Teachers approach their decision to
become classroom teachers, identify challenges they encounter in becoming a teacher,
and how they navigate these challenges as they remain teachers.
● Investigates Latino Male Elementary School Teachers' impact on their students in the
classroom.
There will be eight subjects taking part, all locally from Southern California. The length of time
you can expect to be in this research is 70 minutes, 60 minutes in the interview, and 10 minutes
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or less to complete a demographic survey. We may contact you in the months after to ensure we
have an accurate response from the interview.
WHAT WILL HAPPEN IN THIS RESEARCH STUDY?
If you decide to participate, you will be asked to respond to a demographic survey via Google
Forms. You will be asked about the Latin American country you identify with, your age, and the
number of years of experience you have as a teacher. Additionally, there will be a 60-minute
interview via Zoom where you will be asked to answer questions regarding your experience as a
Latino Male Elementary School teacher. Your responses are for study purposes only.
WHAT ARE THE RISKS OF BEING IN THIS RESEARCH STUDY?
The risks of this study are minimal. Your identity and school site will be concealed with
pseudonyms.
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF BEING IN THIS RESEARCH STUDY?
The findings discovered in this study will be able to help schools, districts, and teacher
preparation programs to understand and describe strategies that they can use to improve working
conditions for Latino Male Elementary School Teachers; explore how Latino Male Elementary
School Teachers approach their decision to become classroom teachers and identify challenges
they encounter in the process of becoming a teacher and investigates the impact that Latino Male
Elementary School Teachers can have on their students in the classroom. Although you will not
personally benefit from participating in this study, the knowledge gained may benefit others.
ARE THERE ANY OPTIONS FOR BEING IN THIS RESEARCH STUDY?
Your option is not to participate in the study.
WHAT ABOUT CONFIDENTIALITY?
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The demographic survey will be completed via a secure Google Form Survey and can be done in
your preferred private location. The interview protocol will be recorded via Zoom to ensure an
accurate account of the participant's answers to the questions. The interview recording will only
be available to the researcher and promptly deleted after the study. The researcher will digitally
transcribe all interviews in a Microsoft Word document and promptly erase them after the study.
The demographic survey, Zoom recording, and Microsoft Word document will be stored in a
secured location within the researcher’s USC-secured email and will not be shared with anyone.
Electronically collected data and research records will be kept private on protected USC Google
Drives. All research data will be coded with a unique number. Your name and school site will be
linked to pseudonyms, and your identity will not be used in any published report.
WHAT WILL TAKING PART IN THIS RESEARCH STUDY COST OR PAY?
It does not cost anything to take part in this research study. A $20 gift card to Starbucks or
Target will be provided to participants after the completion of the study (participating in a
demographic survey and interview protocol).
WHAT IF I WANT TO STOP BEING IN THE STUDY BEFORE IT IS FINISHED?
Being in this research is voluntary. You may refuse to take part, or you may withdraw at any
time. The researchers may take you out of the research study for any reason without your
consent. The reason for any exclusion will be explained to you.
ARE RESEARCHERS BEING PAID TO DO THIS STUDY?
This study is part of a doctoral dissertation, and none of the researchers are paid for this study.
WHO ARE THE CONTACT PERSONS?
If you have any questions about the study, you may call or text the researcher, Victor Flores,
during the day at (213)509-4078 or email him at vmflores@usc.edu.
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CONSENT SIGNATURES:
● Research Subject Box must be completed.
● Person Obtaining Consent Box must always be completed.
RESEARCH SUBJECT:
The research study described in this consent form, including the risks and benefits, has been
explained to me, and all of my questions have been answered. I consent to take part in this
research study. My consent is given willingly and voluntarily. I may withdraw my consent at
any time. I will receive a signed copy of this consent form.
Printed Name of Research Subject:______________________________________________
Subject’s Signature:__________________________________________________________
Date:_____________________

PERSON OBTAINING CONSENT:
I certify I was present for the informed consent discussion. The subject or legally authorized
representative had an opportunity to ask questions about and understand the information
presented. The subject or legally authorized representative agreed to participate voluntarily in
the research, and I obtained his/her signature.
Printed Name of Person Obtaining Consent:______________________________________
Person Obtaining Consent:____________________________________________________
Date:_____________________

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Appendix R
Recruitment Email/Letter
Dear Future Participant:
My name is Victor Flores, and I am a **** employee and doctoral student at USC. I am
conducting a research case study to examine the lived experiences of Latino Male Elementary
School Teachers, and I am seeking participants.
Purpose of the Study:
● Understand and describe strategies and practices that schools, districts, and teacher
preparation programs can use to improve working conditions for Latino Male Elementary
School Teachers
● Explore how Latino Male Elementary School Teachers approach their decision to
become classroom teachers, identify challenges they encounter in becoming a teacher,
and how they navigate these challenges as they remain teachers.
● Investigates Latino Male Elementary School Teachers' impact on their students in the
classroom.
Criteria for Participation:
● Identity as Latino
● Identity as Male
● Elementary School Teacher (e.g., classroom teacher, electives teacher, instructional
assistant, in-house sub, etc.)
Study Requirements
● Participation will take 60-70 minutes of your time.
○ Fill out our short Demographic Survey
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○ Participant in a 60-minute interview via Zoom
Compensation
● $50 gift card to Starbucks or Target after the completion of the study.
If you are interested, please email me at vmflores@usc.edu or vflores@kippsocal.org, or
call/text me at (213) 509-4078. Further instructions will follow in a separate email.
If you have any questions, please let me know.
--
Victor M. Flores-Osorio, MAT
Doctorate in Educational Leadership, 2023
University of Southern California (USC), Rossier School of Education

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Appendix T
Quotes from Interviews
Quotes from the semi-structured interviews that correlate to the findings discovered from
the study are presented below. The quotes are presented in the following order and repeated for
all four research questions:
1. Research Question
2. Themes
3. Participants
The questions are verbatim from the transcripts and may not be grammatically correct or capture
the exact spelling of the participant responses. The quotes in this research study were corrected
to capture the essence of the participant's responses and grammatically match the dissertation's
format. In addition, some of the quotes were not utilized in the research. However, the researcher
compiled a curated number of quotes that highlight the lived experience of Latino Male
Elementary School Teachers.
Research Question 1: What are the lived experiences of Latino Male Elementary School
Teachers?
Teachers Inspire Future Teachers
Name Quotes
Andres For being a teacher, it was in middle school. I had an 8th-grade history, U.S.
history teacher, and this guy was he was actually from he was Japanese. So
he had a lot of, I want to say, like morals and family, like type of
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background, you know? A lot of respect. So he would teach us. He was
very strict with us, but it was to a point where we all understood why he was
doing those things. He would teach us, as males, like you know, how to
behave. Even when it came to the simplest things of what we're going inside
the classroom, you always say, ladies first, and then we will go after. So
even teaching us manners. Yeah. So he was very, I want to say not only was
he a great teacher, but he also implemented.
Rey In my first year as a founding teacher and also as a new teacher, I was
fortunate to have like I was in a group of three teachers with those three of
us. And our enrollment was low because we were finding schools and so we
had a chance to like. Part of it was like we were trying to recruit students,
but because we had such low enrollment at the very beginning, I had an
opportunity to observe other teachers. The two teachers were actually 2
white women, but they were experienced. They had five years and then ten
years of experience respectively. And like it was just really nice to see like,
OK, I had opportunities as a TA, but I never really saw, I would say like
quality teaching. Up until I saw them teach and so they were, I would say
my first mentor is just kind of like seeing the way they talk to kids and
getting feedback from them. Because I was, I was a first-year teacher, and
they had their veteran teachers and so they kind of it wasn't a formalized
thing. It wasn't like oh you're their coach or you're his mentor. It was more
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like me watching them and then me asking and building a good relationship
with them I think was really helpful.
Jordan Yeah. So very it was Jeff Duncan Andrade whom I saw speak, you know,
my first year. And I was just awestruck by his passion for critical pedagogy
and being a practitioner, Being a thoughtful practitioner, I would say that
would be one of the key people. But honestly, there weren't a whole lot of
models or mentors for elementary like he was still a high school, you know,
high school person, so there, I mean, I wish there were more, but there
wasn't, you know, I didn't have a whole lot of models for elementary. You
know, there were a couple of videos of things happening in the KIPP
schools, and you would see videos of, you know, Mike Feinberg and Dave
Levin, and you know, those were fine, but they were inspiring. In the sense
that you saw what was possible, that's not necessarily what you wanted to
imitate, right?
Roberto Earliest would probably be an elementary school. Yeah, I think what I don't
remember. But I definitely know that in middle school. And the reason why
I wanted to be a history teacher was my middle school. Forgot his name, but
he was. He was just so fascinating when it came to history. A lot of history
teachers make history boring, but where are are are those that will actually
make it very interesting and engaging and will keep you hooked for a long
time?
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Edgar Mr. Rodriguez in 3rd grade. It's not necessarily something that he did in the
classroom. It's more of like the fact that I felt like I had fun in school I
remember very vividly that not vividly but I remember clearly that we had a
multiplication competition and he and that was and then if you won the
multiplication competition you will get like this pets and it was a pet rooster
and it just motivated me he's like oh I want that pet rooster and I studied my
butt off and I got that pet rooster. I was the top kid and I and since and from
then forward at least in my class setting. I was always the best in math. I
was really good at math. It's a kind of spark that like little, like triggering
me to be like always wanted to be #1. That's more like when it comes to
someone I think of as someone I want to imitate, someone who I want to
give, the same vibes, and inspire kids so they could want to be the best.
They're the best versions of themselves.
Hector I feel like somebody that really inspired me, that was a role model for me to
become a teacher, was my third-grade teacher. And the reason she inspired
me to be a teacher was because she made education fun. Like she tried to
make learning fun and this teacher, she would always be applying for grants
because she would be taking us on field trips all the time. And that was like
her philosophy. She would try to go on as many field trips, educational field
trips as she could. And she likes to go out of her way to apply for grants. So
she could like, sponsor these field trips and stuff like that. And you know,
that's when I realized, you know, that learning should be fun.
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Critical Awareness of the Educational Landscape of Urban Education
Name Quotes
Hector I decided to become a classroom teacher because when I was in college, I
realized that students like myself were outliers in higher education. I didn't
see people that looked like me. I didn't see people that were from the same
communities. I realized that I was, like, alone. I didn't really have a
community in higher education when I went to UC Berkeley.
Rey Yeah, so I always liked kids my mom often liked her, she was a babysitter,
or like as I wouldn't call it daycare because it was mostly family, but she
would like to babysit kids for my cousins for like up until they went to
preschool. So I was always around like little kids, helping her care for them,
especially in the summers. And so I enjoyed being around kids. I actually
initially wanted to be a journalist, so I had an internship at a newspaper at
Golden Super here in East LA. It was a bilingual newspaper, so I got a lot of
opportunities to, like, speak to people in English and Spanish. And I was
realizing that I was really passionate about educational justice and trying to
write stories about that, but I was kind of inserting myself in like I was.
Suffering a protest for like, high schools, a new high school being built, and
you say like, but I was also in the protest. So it just kind of looks like I
realized my passion is not journalism; it's just education. So I told myself I'd
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try it out as an instructional assistant, and I loved it. And so that's kind of
like where it started.
Jordan I had never thought that I would be an elementary school teacher. The
mantras of teaching were stereotypical for me. You know, those who can do
it and those who can't teach. Like I just, I think I had a very negative
perception of what teaching was because I only had mostly, you know, older
white women as my own teachers. So I didn't see a lot of like young,
vibrant, you know, Latino male educators. Or any educators of color really
growing up. But when my wife and I went and lived in Nicaragua, we
started to see many young, very well-educated folks who were radically
preaching education as a means of critical consciousness to raise the levels
of. Social awareness of the issues that were happening in Nicaragua at the
time, Like, I started to make the connection between education and teaching
and how important it was for educated folks to go back and be a critical
voice for younger folks. And that's why I like Teach for America. And I
thought I was going to be a high school educator. In all honesty, I was
supposed to be a high school educator, but I was placed in a fourth-grade
classroom. So I was not prepared and I was like, what am I doing in this 4th
grade classroom? And I loved it. Like absolutely loved it. And I wish people
knew the intellectual rigor that goes into, like, I, you know. Considering
myself an educated, an educated Latino and going into higher education, I
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would have never thought I would have used my own intellect as much
being an elementary school educator as I did.
(the lack of) Self-Care of Latino Male Elementary School Teachers
Name Quotes
Andres Yeah. So me it's I need to be able to communicate with others of those
throughout the day. So that's why, you know, you always see me
somewhere in the classroom or walking around, even during breaks, just to
mingle with other teachers. I like to, you know, carry like a positive attitude
around, even if it's a long day. You know, crack jokes with other teachers as
well, and it just helps me keep my day going even through those stressful
days. You know, it's very helpful for me to be able to socialize with other
people and know when to leave work at work and not take it home.
Hector Yeah, to take care of myself, honestly. I try to do exercise. I try to exercise.
I try to stay active. I try to stay busy. I try to stay busy. I'd go, like, probably
buy some food, go eat, go get some takeout, watch a movie, listen to music,
smoke weed, you know?
Rey So I think my experience is a little different than a lot of people, just
because my wife is also a teacher. And so a lot of the times, it was more
like. Us being understanding of the situation. Like, we both know we were
dedicated, and we were kind of like, but a lot of the times it's just kind of
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like making time. I think for me, I felt like I took care of myself by making
sure that I had done a good job. So, if I was internalized and I got better at
it, and I got faster at it, and I knew, and I knew what kids. I knew and didn't
know how I can support them. I felt like it didn't. It didn't matter that I
worked so much but felt worth it. But I think as my like later the last five
years in the classroom, I became a dad and felt like I had to reprioritize a
little bit and like kind of. I don't know. I felt like I was the teacher that I was
never absent because I didn't want to like the plan for a sub, and I didn't
want to trust anyone else. And then I became like, I'm like, I took a leave of
absence to be with my daughter. And it did help to be here because it was
something that it was normal like you you take time off, and you use, you
use your paternity leave, and that was like a nice kind of like thing. And it
taught me to be like, it's OK to be absent. And so that's like how I deal with
the stress now. It's like when I need a day, I take a day. And that's OK.
Jordan Honestly, drink…In the evenings, you know, because you were mentally
and emotionally exhausted. And physically exhausted, you know, in the
end, like that was the way to calm down as quick as you could. There wasn't
a whole lot. There was no self-care. Honestly, there was no self-care in the
first probably, I don't know, eight years of teaching. And then I had kids,
my children, and there was still no self-care. But I had to. It was for a
different reason, right…That's that. That wasn't what was being talked about
when we were first teachers. It was about what are you doing to serve these
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kids, right? It's all about the educator in front of these kids. It was, you
know, the, the language of reform was about what are you going to do to
solve this problem, right? And not what are we going to do collectively to
solve this problem or what are the institutional barriers to solving this
problem are like, you were responsible for doing this, and you can make a
difference. And so anytime that you're not working or putting in is when the
students aren't getting the best from you, and they're not learning as much.
There was a strong correlation between the like, you know, just teacher
burnout and the mantras that were being placed upon us about our
responsibility.
Roberto Yeah, I used to work out. And not so much just because I no longer have
that much time. But you know, I do like to go for a book. I have been
reading books a little bit more. I've never had the time to like read novels,
and now I'm starting to get into reading novels. I'd like to take some
vacation, go and destress a little bit here and there whenever I can.
Bonifacio I like to go out as much as possible. I am very family oriented, but also like
to have my nights where I just stay home and put on Netflix, drink a glass of
wine, and then just relax. On Thursdays and Fridays my mom watches my
niece as my cousins go to school or go to go to work, so. When my niece is
there, I always like to spend time with her, and she's one, so she's learning
how to talk…another thing I like to do is try to go out as much as possible
with friends or family. Like I mentioned, I am family oriented, so if I'm
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going out with my sisters or brothers or my brother and we just go out like
Santa Monica or Venice, and we just hang out as well.
Edgar OK to look after myself. OK, When I was a teacher, It's different now. My
first two years, I wasn't looking after myself. I felt like I was just partying.
So I guess that was about looking after myself. I would go out at least twice
during the weekdays, go, you know, go out with friends and drink.
Eventually became a gym. And then it became like marijuana like it's just
just cool off to chill out. As I've gotten older and more mature and it then
became exercising became running; it's become praying. It's become like
venting, and it's become accepted that things are not going to go your way
all the time, and it's OK.
Research Question 2: What are the challenges of having Latino Male Elementary School
Teachers?
Teaching Credentials and Teacher Preparation Programs
Name Quotes
Roberto I think the system is and by the system I talking about like the credentialing
program. I found it very stressful. Very hard to do because as you know I
kind of mentioned you know having two jobs. I was a teaching assistant at
this job four years prior to you know four years prior to becoming an actual
teacher and still working both jobs for the last you know 15 years. I had the
other job for 15 years now I had to put up a huge pause on my life, you
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know, not being able to work both jobs and being stressed out about life and
and just money-wise and how I actually would get through this program.
Like it was a very difficult time where I had to take out a lot of you know,
student loans but also put a lot of debt on my credit card. I think that's.
That's the biggest part that the program itself is not a, you know, viable
program. There was no financial support for me to get through the program.
Bonifacio There are many challenges with this program. Certain deadlines and certain
Certain deadlines and certain assignments are very challenging. Creating
lessons to do two full weeks of teaching on top of at TPA Rica other
assignments that are due for the classes and to make sure that our lesson
plan is very challenging. Consider the fact that it is a fast-paced program. I
didn't know how rigorous it was going to be. I just came from my undergrad
in June of last year. So coming into this program I was able to get all these
different, these different like obstacles that I had to overcome to finish this
program. Also, sometimes lack of support from the professors was another
challenge that I faced. Because there were so many assignments that they
had us do without them providing exemplars or giving us other ways to
complete the assignments. And that was very challenging because they
wanted certain criteria, but that was basically what wasn't described in what
they were asking. And then another thing is all the hard work that we have
got into our assignments. And the professors didn't really grade it ohh. Or
they did. They didn't read it, but they gave us full points for it. So it was just
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like the amount of hard work that goes into these lessons. And yet they're
getting a score. I recently turned in a capstone presentation, which is like
20-something pages, and I turned it in and then within 30 minutes, I got full
points. So it's like, did you even read the work that I put in? Make any
comments or anything like that, so it's just like little things like that that
need to be addressed within the program.
Edgar All right, so I said shared. I did TFA. When it comes to becoming a
classroom teacher, I think I have a very different experience. I didn't
struggle in becoming a classroom teacher. Like, there were some, like,
hiccups, like I remember. Like the hiccups. The typical hiccups were like,
oh, I could have done this better. I could have done that better, but nothing
to the point. It was like a reoccurring theme. Or like I didn't struggle to pass
the certification exams. I didn't struggle in my master's program. Well,
actually, I did. Look, take that back. During my first years in my master's
program, I was just behind on deadlines. I gotta put on academic probation
for my master's program. Wow. Now I think about it. Wow. But however,
like, I that kind of like just, you know, got me going so I could refocus
again. But once I got back on track, I did well.
Jordan So the first thing I would say is the connection between new teaching and
writing your own curriculum and the amount of time that took and how not
knowing how to do that was really problematic to make sure that the
students were getting the things they needed. And just like overall
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exhaustion, I talked about 80-hour work weeks like you were using on your
whole Saturday and Sunday and then every evening after school to create
materials. And I think I even think back to Teach for America's Summer
Institute and how everyone was creating materials. You know until you
know 3:00 o'clock in the morning and then teaching you know at 7:00
o'clock or 8:00 o'clock in the next, you know in just a few hours. And how
easily that could have been mitigated by giving people, you know, high-
quality instructional materials to actually practice the craft instead of
practice the content. Because I think so much of what new teachers need is
not necessarily content knowledge, although that is important. But you
really need a lot of teaching strategies, and I did not have those things.
Hector Yeah. So I think a lot of the teacher residency programs, you know, expect
teachers to work for free….And that is big, that is a big problem. For
example, you know, I have bills to pay. I can't just, you know, work for free.
And many teacher credentialing programs require like a residency, you
know, where teachers have to pretty much work for free. And yeah, we
don't live in a free society, so that doesn't correlate.
Navigating Behavior Management Systems as Latino Males
Name Quotes
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Edgar I think if anything was being, I struggled and like accepting that the kids
will be kids. And I took a really authoritarian approach to behavior
management. It was what was common or what was like. It clapped or
applauded. Teachers and administrators used to rave about my class and
how I rave about behavior management. But little did they see behind-the-
scenes things of all the things, all the crazy things I would do so I could
keep the kids in check.
Jordan [challenge] Being so green, right to the profession. Like, you know, you
know, knowing what I know now about unconscious bias and needing to
think about your own triggers and identity. Not knowing how to handle, you
know, when students were disrespectful and came at you, you know, and.
And, you know, a lot of trauma responses that we look back at now and say,
oh, that was a clear trauma response. And back then, it was like, oh, you're
just being defiant, right? And not having the skills to be able to differentiate
between those things.
Emilio I'm going backtrack and going in the back because this is something
elephant in the room, just sometimes. Being a male teacher is like,
especially in a school setting or, you know, any school is an anomaly. It's
the perception of Oh, he's a male. This was very, very visible when I
worked at a preschool…I sort of see it sometimes here, but not to the same
level. I do think it's probably because you know I'm in another teacher's
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classroom, so it's not that you know. I'm not always perceived as the
teacher.
Hector Honestly, I feel like I had difficulty with the whole philosophy of the school
district…Yeah. So pretty much the school district believes in restorative
practices. They don't believe in punitive measures, and I agree to some
extent with them. But I do believe that there need to be logical
consequences, which was lacking in the school district. I feel that they were
trying to prevent kids, you know, from spiraling from, you know, entering
the school-to-prison pipeline, which happens when students get, you know,
suspended or expelled. And the school district that I am with is against all of
that. So there is like a lack of discipline in the school.
Andres Yeah, I will say sometimes the classroom expectations. As for myself, I
hold myself to a whole certain standard of how I want to deliver. I love
structure, so if I don't have structure and I have chaos, then that creates a
stress for me like I need my classroom to be in order. If it's chaotic and it's
every the kids are not listening, then that definitely creates stress, or for it
creates a stress factor… So I just think it's about knowing when to pick your
battles with certain students would that have like you know behavior issues
or whatever it is that day. But I would definitely consider those to be like
the most when it comes to stress factors it's just that.
Inadequate Compensation
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Name Quotes
Andres I think, I wanna say, I think just in the educational field, I mean even when
I'm going through right now the strike right that somebody is going to. So
the pay, pay, the pay is one I wanna say
Rey Yeah, I don't feel like, I think generally, I think everybody agrees that
teachers are not paid well and the part that's challenging for me, and I think
for, and I don't want to speak for everybody, but I think for a lot of us in the
Latino community, it's like you're seen as the quote, un-quote, breadwinner.
Like you should be making a lot of money. You should be making more
money.
So I think those things are like in the back of my mind, sometimes I'm like
trying, not trying to be not sure, but like sometimes I'm like, no, I do want to
make more money and I want to be able to take care of my family. There's
not a lot of opportunity for that as a teacher where you're making enough
money for like in a scenario where if my wife wanted to, she can stay at
home. Like that could have never happened. There was never a way that we
can afford that. And that's because of my choice of career, right?
I was like my brothers, I have, I'm one of five brothers, My brothers are in
construction and they make so much more money than me. And so like, you
know a lot of times people are like, oh, construction. I bet it's like, no, I
mean really good money and trade jobs are great. Like they're a great
200

alternative for upward mobility, right? And and the example I have of my
oldest brother, like his wife, I mean they chose for her not to work but she
never did work And so she was a stay-at-home mom which was.
Fantastic for that's what they wanted, right? And it's not like my wife
wanted that, but she also didn't have the option. And so that's something in
the back of my mind sometimes like being in a teaching job like you don't
have that ability to be like the sole breadwinner, at least not in the first
couple of years. And that goes for either way, a female or male, right? Like
you can't do it on 111 salary.
Jordan The reason why I left, I would, I don't think I would have left teaching it. It
hadn't been for salary. Salary. I couldn't. Yeah, I couldn't. I couldn't support
my family with the money that I was making as a teacher, you know,
couldn't have, you know, a house or couldn't have, you know, I couldn't do
any of those things. I mean, living in LA is like.
It's just really challenging, you know, even if you have two incomes, but
like you know, being on a teacher income and trying to support a family is
like damn near impossible.
Roberto I think the lack of money you know, I know that’s something that we
always talk about it as educators. You know we don't get into the profession
because of the money. I think we get into the profession.For the love of of
what we do and being able to shape minds and also just support people and
support kids so that we can have you know, the new generation that's
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coming up. Understand that there are people out there that do care about
them. But I think as an educator, as someone you know living in Los
Angeles in 2022-2023 that it is very difficult. Very difficult to live here and
not make a livable wage. I think the starting wage for a public school is like
56,000 which is very you know, which is nothing especially when you have
a master's degree.
I know that they [LAUSD] just got a raise or are about to get a raise but it is
still you know one of the things that it would really come down to me like,
you know, can I make more money here or can I make more money doing
something else? And of course, you know, as a person with a master's
degree, you know, I can go and do something else. But I know that me
maybe five years ago could not do the exact same thing that me now can do.
So also putting that into perspective and saying you know where do I feel I
can make the biggest impact?
Bonifacio And to quit my position. Another thing is the money. I know that being a
teacher, you get underpaid for the amount of work that you put into the the
thing, into the lesson planning and scaffolding, differentiating, and also
figuring out how to support the students. With the lack of pay and burnout,
that is other factors as well for me to drop.
Edgar Money. Well, when I was in the classroom, no longer a classroom teacher
because of this money. They don't pay enough for the amount of hours we
work. If we were to just work 40 hours a week, I don't think it's a bad job.
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40 hours a week would be like an 8-hour day. An 8-hour day would be for
like, yeah, from 8:00 to 4:00. However, our days, they were like from 7:00
to 5:00 and then for like keeping here, keep so crowds like from like 7:20 to
4:20 to to to do so like 10 and 9 hours respected and and and all reality. It's
way longer than that because you have to prepare, you have to grade,
etcetera.
Research Question 3: How can the lived experience of Latino Male Elementary School
Teachers be improved?
Reimagining the School Day
Name Quotes
Rey Now as a parent, I would appreciate a shorter day because, like my, my girls
come here, and like, by the time we get home, it's like 5, right? Sometimes
5:15. And it's like, OK, now it's just like dinner, homework and, you know,
get ready for bed basically.But I think as a teacher myself like I don't know
where we fit all the things we want to do in the cloud. I would want to
continue to have these specials. We want to continue to have like
intervention time built in the day we teach time so that I can feel like I can
do my job correctly. Right. So that's the battle that I have in my own head.
Jordan So I thought a lot about this, and I think you know, an ideal day is probably
4 hours of teaching and about 3 hours of preparation. And in that
preparation is time to work with colleagues, time to look at student work,
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and time to plan lessons. So you're still at school the same, I don't know, 7
hours a day. But you're only teaching four of those hours, three to four of
those hours, So it's there and then there's adequate time for recuperation,
you know, between classes and there's really strong coaching and
professional development embedded within.
Emilio OK, a shorter day for sure. It would be a day that starts off around 8:00. It
ends no more, no later than three. It would include two hours, at least a
prep. Preps equal to REST preps, you could get your materials in order prep,
so you could like plan prep, so you could like be intellectually engaged. It
would include way more like perhaps some type of college courses that are
tied to your school setting. Because then from there like you're constantly
getting that professional development. Because the thing about these
schools is that they call it professional development and they're just boring
meetings and I know it because I'm part of it now as an administrator like
this. So yeah I would improve that shorter days, the quality of professional
development connected with educational programs in college prep in
college universities and smaller classrooms. I'm not saying small, small, but
I'm saying like 24 kids.
Hector If I had a magic wand, I just wish that teachers would have all the time in
the world to, like, prepare for their lessons…lesson planning can be kind of
hectic, can pile up, and you know, besides lesson planning, there are other
responsibilities that teachers have. So teachers need to know how to like
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balance all of those rules so you don't necessarily get to focus as much as
you want on instruction.
Andres I think the first thing that will say my biggest knock is time, time so that I
feel like the days are really long and if we feel like they're long, I can only
imagine how the kids feel that the days are really long. So shorter days for
sure I think would increase morale in the school and not only just for us but
for the kids as well. Yeah, I think that would be the biggest thing, you
know, just letting the kids out early.
Us ourselves. We'll have more energy. We'll have, you know, I just, oh, just
be, I think a better positive experience for everybody. And I get home at
5:30 every day, but maybe earlier. You know, I think about those folks that
have kids, You know, you get home at, you know, you have a family. You
get home at 5:30 and you still gotta cook. You still gotta clean.
Targeted Recruitment
Name Quotes
Andres I think just sharing that information [the number of Latino Male Elementary
School Teachers] to start out with. I think just sharing that information,
those statistics, those numbers too…To our community, sharing it with, to
the Latino community, you know, seeing so you know, other people can
become interested, you know. But then they see like look like there's only
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2% of Latino males, Latino males are are are teachers but yet out of the
whole US is 25 almost 25% or Latino students. Yeah, so that's a big that's
that's a big ratio…Whether it's through social media, through the news,
through presentations, whatever it may be, you know, I know there's a lot of
Latino-based organizations, right? You know, Yeah, definitely. Showing,
you know, our youth that I think it could be very impactful for sure.
Hector Let me see. Honestly, I think something that I would do to increase that
number would be to like to expand recruitment and retention strategies as
you know, maybe going to like specific Latino dominant colleges and you
know, tabling there or you know, going undergraduate schools and like
having workshops just like. Being very intentional, being very specific, like,
you know, find a way to target these populations so you can inform them
and offer them an opportunity. You know, offer them an option.
Rey I think we need to do more outreach for high school students. Honestly,
because I think once, like, once you're in college, if you're in college, like.
A lot of my friends that were in college that were male Latinos were like in
business or, you know, like economics type of career or majors. They were
very, very little. And even in my teaching credential program, any males
were white. I was one of the only Latinos. And I went to Cal State LA like,
this is a school in East LA, right? Yeah. So I would say outreach. Like
maybe like getting, you know, volunteer hours or things like that so that
kids can see, hey, this is actually cool, this is fun. Like, I think one of the
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biggest more rewarding things like the relationships you build with kids,
And so like, if kids were able to like, high school kids were able to see that
early on they would be like, oh, I do want to do this and definitely outreach
in within colleges to just getting them getting people in the door to like see
and be a part of it.
Emilio I know they do some. Some schools sometimes go and do recruitments or
like, hey, you should work here. Maybe they should do the same either at
the high school or college level and specifically target schools where there's
a lot like Latinos… you know, local sponsor, like tutoring services that we
offer. I'm sure there's probably a lot of like male, you know, high schoolers
who are probably doing it for, like, you know, their credits or whatever they
need to. Like, that will probably be a great way to do it because they're
probably not just for credits, but because they enjoy working with kids.
Because I do. I've met a lot of other male teachers, and a lot of them started
because, yeah, they had siblings or, you know, family, family, friends. They
would take care, you know like they would take on that role. That is kind of
like like a teacher, essentially, you know, where they are in charge of these
students or these kids, and it is just natural to them. But obviously, they do
not pursue it because they do not because of the money, you think, and it's
still perceived as a woman's job, but it is sadly a lot of people perceived it as
a woman's job.
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Edgar If I could change one more thing, it would include something new like this
program in New York City. I forgot the name. It's kind of like Teach for
America, but it was aimed at males of color. I think there's there has to be
here in SoCal. SoCal has a Latino population of over 50%. But yet as you
shared, there are really low numbers of Latino males when it comes to
elementary schools or just teaching force. So like a Teach for America
program that recruits Latinos with some of the incentives: like sign-up
bonuses. Some of these incentives can be like finding ways to like to get
your credential. Perhaps even waving certain like requirements because of
the need.
Financial Viability
Name Quotes
Rey But additionally, just like the pay scale, really, really considering what other
smaller districts are paying so that we can be truly competitive. Because I
think we think of salary as one number, but we also have to consider the
hourly like if you divide that by hours worked. My wife was a charter
school teacher for a long time, and she ended up being at a traditional public
school, like once we started having kids because she would make more
money that way. So like me as an administrator getting paid about the same
as she is as a teacher, and I work significantly more hours and more days.
So it is kind of like I feel like I am doing this because of a passion and not
208

because of, like, my family and everything. So like, it is something that I
consider a lot. Can I stay here for the long term? Probably not. Do I want
to? Yes, right. But I also need to think about my family and like earning
potential that I have. As the, you know, person that has an admin credential,
I can work somewhere else and make $30,000 more than I am making now,
but I am choosing to stay.
Edgar There has to be more money because my, like, teaching is not a prestigious
career. It is not a prestigious career, and for my parents, it was, but it was a
safe career. If it was up to them, me being a doctor, lawyer, even better. But
it was a safe career. It's like the netting in the bottom
Jordan So the first thing you have to do is you have to make it financially viable.
And so there needs to be either some student loan forgiveness or there needs
to be a public service loan where Latino teachers know that it's not going to
be it's going to be financially viable for them to do this type of work,
especially for immigrant families who want to see their kids do well, as I
think for a lot of them, like becoming teachers is like, like why? Why we
came here to sacrifice so much? Like, why would you just become a
teacher, you know? And I think there has to be a financial incentive for for
Latino teachers to be able to do that, right? So if there's a financial
incentive, that means that they can get into teacher Ed programs without
having to take on a massive amount of debt or they can get into teacher Ed
209

programs and not have to work other jobs, right? So they can focus on their
schooling.
Hector Incentives…like incentivizing, you know, like teachers coming to school.
Like data reaching certain data points. Like making it meaningful not just
for like the students, but for, like, the teacher…I think it's also important to
have competition with your teachers. You don't want your teachers to be
complacent. I feel like if you put some type of incentive, teachers can
compete against each other, which can raise this. You know, the quality of
instruction.
Research Question 4: What are the implications of having Latino Male Elementary School
Teachers?
Positive Daily Interactions & Relationship Building.
Name Quotes
Andres

So I think for me it's on the daily is just being positive. It's saying the
morning to everybody, to all the kids. Getting them daps or fist bumps
asking them you know, how's their day going or small talk if I see someone
that that has like a cool anime shirt oh man I like your shirt you know so
building reporting that way, I tend to be a big goofball and be a jokester. So
I tend to do that with my students and that's actually how I build a certain
relationship with students who might be a little bit more reserved so like
messing with them a little bit. You know that'll get them smiling and
210

eventually they they warm up to you. So building interactions and
relationships like that and even for them to give them time for them to
figure out who you are.
Jordan Yeah. So I taught in schools that were predominantly Latino. So I taught in
East LA, on the east side of Los Angeles, and in East LA proper for all of
my years. And so having a cultural reference point and connectivity like it
really did help me build relationships with both students and families. And
they were able to see themselves especially for for Latino males, right. Like
young boys. I could challenge them to become better readers and to become
better thinkers. And I mean and they saw in me, you know a mentor and and
someone to look up to, I think you know and that was extremely valuable,
extremely, extremely valuable.
Built a lot of amazing relationships with kids over those years and it was
there's just a lot of empathy you know that I had when I needed to go and do
home visits and like you get to hear from family stories immigrant family
stories and you get to see how you know their family is connecting to your
own story and then using that as ways of cultural pride in the classroom and
making sure that that they feel confident and proud of where they came
from and and and who their parents are and who and who their their
caregivers are and their family lineages and especially you know and
connecting it with ELA and the the the brown blowouts and you know we
211

have a cultural history of fighting for social justice and education and we
demand to have excellence be on our mantra.
Edgar I adapt my style to the kids. I make an effort to get to know them. I make an
effort to get to know their interests. Make an effort to like to make a
connection. I'm always think of this girl named Maybely, she was so quiet
and she would like kind of like do something like we call the “Maybelly
walk” where she can like just shuffle, and every time she would say she
wouldn't want to say hi me. For the first couple of days, I didn't take
offense. I used it to Maybely shuffle near her and it went to the point like
we turned that like awkwardness and we didn't say that a lot in the class but
we turned that awkwardness into like a running joke for the class. And like
everybody would love the Maybely Walk or the Maybely Shuffle. And like,
she felt like she was so part of the community. Like, so I found ways to like
just, like, just talk to the kids. I think that's what I was like, that's my
favorite part of the job. Talking to the kids, getting to share my experiences,
getting to share how I grew up, getting to know how they grow up.
Bonifacio The first thing we do in the morning is do a community circle. So I provide
a question on the board and it can either be a social studies question, an
ELA question, or a math question, for example, recently. And the first time
I taught this to my students, I asked them if you can design their house in
the future, and what would you have inside for the interior and the exterior,
this is a way for me to get getting to know my students, because students
212

said I would like to have a game room because I like to play soccer. I like to
have a swimming pool because I love swimming. I would have my room
painted pink and I would have a furry sofa, couch, and so on. That way I
was able to read one, to see where my students are in terms of writing and
two to get to know them better in a way where, OK, well so and so likes to
play soccer. OK, so now when I'm creating lessons, I can add soccer into
my Lesson plan to support my students to connect with them. Another thing
is for P/E, they didn't know that I was. They still think that I'm good at
soccer. So I told them that I play soccer and I was in high school and
elementary school. So every time we play soccer, they always try to pick me
on their team. And I told them that I don't like to go easy on them because I
don't like losing. And they're 5th graders. So they're at that point where I
could be rough with them and they'll still find it funny. And then try to
understand where my students are coming from. Getting to know their
parents, getting to know their family backgrounds was a way that I
connected to my students because they were able to be vulnerable with me
and share what was going on at home. How can I provide the best resources
to support my students as well?
Role Models as Latino Male Elementary School Teachers
Name Quotes
213

Andres That's a really good question. I would say be yourself. I think most
importantly, you have to know how to be yourself. I definitely want to say
your roots. Your roots are very important. Your culture. Don't forget where
you came from. So you know, specifically, you know Latino, you're a man,
you want to give these students what you didn't have growing up as far as a
male figure or male role model. And definitely don't, don't let your passion
burn out. You know, find ways to keep that fire alive for sure, even through
those hard days. You know, remind yourself and keep that fire alive that
maybe it's the end of the road with that school, but not as your teaching
career.
Hector Yeah, you know, I feel like students see me and they relate to me and they,
you know, they feel like identified in me. I feel like Latino students can
identify themselves in me and I feel like that kind of motivates them to do
the work. They see me and they see what I'm doing. They can relate to me
and they see me doing the work and when they see me doing the work they
know they can do the work.
Rey I mean, definitely, I think definitely a teacher can impact student learning.
But more importantly, like in our context, like working with Latinos, it is
really important for them to see someone being successful. I don't think I
had very many Latino teachers growing up. And I, like I said a group in
East LA, like 99% are Latinos, mostly Mexican students. And so I didn't
214

have a lot of Latino teachers. I did have some Latino teachers. But it does
feel like different kids kind of connect with you differently, boys especially.
Jordan 100% I know I am a role model. I mean especially for the population that I
taught, you know, and even when I was going to do when I was as a literacy
leader and I was going into more mixed race schools, like even the black
students were excited to see a person of color with the type of teaching
skills that I had, right. As you know, I think they're so used to, you know,
teachers coming in, it didn't matter their race or ethnicity. That was
relatively below average, right? Like a lot of substitute teachers, a lot of,
you know, teachers that just weren't really invested or just didn't have the
skill. And so for them to see me as a highly-skilled Latino teacher like it
was like whoa, you know. And like there was a lot of instant connection to
those things that I was saying and and and lots of student learning, you
know, happening. So my identity was definitely a huge piece of. My success
in the classroom and student success because they knew I had that I had
their best interest at heart and that when I was pushing for higher
expectations, it was because I cared about them and I wanted to see them
succeed so that they could have, you know, a choice filled life. And not
because a white person was telling them that, but because a person who
looked like them was wanting the best for them.
Nurturing Academic, Social, and Emotional Development: Leading to Career
Satisfaction
215

Name Quotes
Edgar I could tell you in general what it looks like. It feels like seeing kids making
years' worth of academic growth and reading in ELA and math. It looks like
kids entering my classroom hating school, and then coming out loving
school. It looks like kids developing their personalities. It looks like kids
feeling happy and having core memories that they will remember forever.
And I know that because when kids see me after years they will always they
still remember me.
Andres I remember a day as a substitute I had my mind set on we're going to do
math today, where we're going to, we're going to tackle math, we're going to
do as much as we can. So I did it with both classes and in just that small
amount of time going over these worksheets over and over and seeing the
kids who did not understand anything start to understand and start to do
problems even though they'll get maybe something along the lines, they'll
get something wrong. But just knowing that they were starting and they
were understanding and grasping the concept made me feel good because
I'm just like This is why I'm doing it because if I can make an impact in an
hour and a half and one day, like imagine what I can do as a full-time
teacher just dedicating myself to having these kids get down. Division and
multiplication, like the simple stuff and I really like it. It brought a smile to
216

my face. It was a lot of back and forth. I had groups, so we had us, we, laid
on the carpet and we were together in groups.
Jordan I was really big on Read Alouds and I think sharing stories with students
and getting them to listen to each other and their thoughts and having
dialogue in the classroom over something that's very intellectually rigorous.
That is probably the best example And you know we would be reading
books that were emotionally challenging and mentally challenging and then
coming back and having these incredible discussions. I mean like with 9 and
10-year-olds about everything from like post-traumatic stress to to racism.
But like these are the themes that were being picked up on. You know what
we're reading while we were reading books like Maniac McGee and those
were by far like, those were always the conversations and the times where I
felt like we were doing something special and like so I made sure to put that
in nearly every day of my teaching. So 30 to 45 minutes every day of a high
quality read aloud with lots of classroom discussion and and debate.

Abstract (if available)

Abstract This study applies Critical Race Theory (CRT) and LatCrit theoretical frameworks to examine the lived experiences of Latino Male Elementary School Teachers (LMEST) in Southern California. This study explores how LMEST approach their decision to become classroom teachers, identifies challenges they faced in becoming a teacher, and describes strategies and practices that schools, districts, and teacher preparation programs can use to improve working conditions for LMEST. The study targeted eight LMEST in a public school district in Southern California. The study employed a demographic survey and descriptive analysis to gain background information on the participants. The study implemented a semi-structured interview protocol and thematic content analysis to obtain specific information from the participants and identify significant patterns within the data acquired.
The findings show that the participants were motivated to pursue a teaching career due to positive interactions with their teachers during their formative years and a recognition of the importance of having teachers who share their backgrounds. The findings reveal that participants faced significant challenges during the teaching credentialing process and preparation programs. The findings uncover that the participants believed a reimagined school day, targeted recruitment efforts, and financial support could enhance the experience of LMEST. The findings of this study have significant implications for school leaders, school districts, and teacher preparation programs aiming to recruit and retain Latino males in the field of education, particularly in elementary school teaching. In conclusion, this study sheds light on the experiences, challenges, and aspirations of LMEST.

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Asset Metadata

Creator Flores-Osorio, Victor Manuel (author)

Core Title The lived experiences of Latino Male Elementary School Teachers

School Rossier School of Education

Degree Doctor of Education

Degree Program Education (Leadership)

Degree Conferral Date 2023-08

Publication Date 09/06/2023

Defense Date 07/25/2023

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

Tag challenges,elementary school teachers,Latino Male Elementary School Teacher,Latino males,Latino teachers,lived experiences,male teachers,OAI-PMH Harvest,recruitment and retention

Format theses (aat)

Language English

Contributor Electronically uploaded by the author (provenance)

Advisor Riggio, Marsha Boveja (committee chair), Hinga, Briana M. (committee member), Spann, Rufus Tony (committee member), Torres-Retana, Raquel (committee member)

Creator Email vflores213@gmail.com,vmflores@usc.edu

Permanent Link (DOI) https://doi.org/10.25549/usctheses-oUC113302954

Unique identifier UC113302954

Identifier etd-FloresOsor-12269.pdf (filename)

Legacy Identifier etd-FloresOsor-12269

Document Type Dissertation

Format theses (aat)

Rights Flores-Osorio, Victor Manuel

Internet Media Type application/pdf

Type texts

Source 20230906-usctheses-batch-1091 (batch), University of Southern California (contributing entity), University of Southern California Dissertations and Theses (collection)

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 author, as the original true and official version of the work, but does not grant the reader permission to use the work if the desired use is covered by copyright. It is the author, as rights holder, who must provide use permission if such use is covered by copyright.

Repository Name University of Southern California Digital Library

Repository Location USC Digital Library, University of Southern California, University Park Campus MC 2810, 3434 South Grand Avenue, 2nd Floor, Los Angeles, California 90089-2810, USA

Repository Email cisadmin@lib.usc.edu