Assessing Teachers' Cultural Competency

Y

21

Teacher Evaluation; Cultural Awareness; Teacher Competencies; Preschool Education; Elementary Secondary Education; Culturally Relevant Education; Transformative Learning; Social Justice; Content Analysis; Evaluation Methods; Sense of Community; Multicultural Education

1047-8248

There is a tremendous need to enhance the cultural competency of teachers working in PK-12 schools. Research indicates that culturally competent teachers who utilize transformative and justice-oriented curriculum and pedagogy provide classroom spaces that are more welcoming and engaging, and that showcase diversity, inclusion, and democracy in societies at large. This article contributes to the scholarly and professional literature on cultural competency and education by examining two widely-used surveys used to assess teachers' cultural competency. Methodologically, it uses content analysis to delineate what factors these surveys are assessing. From this analysis, three main themes have emerged: recognizing culture; utilizing resources for teaching and learning; and creating a sense of community. The article then discusses the implications of these results and concludes with potential directions for future research.

As Provided

2022

EJ1358841