This study examines the cultural competence of educators in an urban school. The researcher aims to describe current levels of cultural competence and identify ways to improve it. A literature review found that cultural competence involves self-awareness, understanding students' cultures, valuing diversity, and using culturally responsive teaching practices. The study will survey educators on these skill areas and observe their classrooms. It seeks to understand cultural competence and identify professional development needs to better serve diverse students.

1. WHERE WE ARE:
EXAMINING THE COLLECTIVE
CONDITION OF URBAN EDUCATOR
CULTURAL COMPETENCE
Rachel Driver | Illinois State University | 2020

2. INTRODUCTION
I. Study Overview
II. Relevance and Impact
III. Potential for Change

3. STUDY
OVERVIEW
This study will attempt to describe the condition
of educator cultural competence within a low
performing, high-needs urban school.
Moule (2011) describes cultural competence
(within the context of teaching and learning) as
an educator’s ability to effectively teach
students from cultural backgrounds which vary
from their own.

4. RELEVANCE
AND
IMPACT
Cultural differences between educators and
students is an evident reality in urban schools
throughout America. Cultural differences should
be celebrated and addressed in a respectful
manner. Unfortunately, systemic injustices and
implicit biases frequently cause cultural
differences to be an area of variance.
By the year 2023, the projected student
population of American public schools will be
comprised of 55% children of color (Gollnick &
Chinn, 2017). However, the most recent national
examination of teacher demographics found
that roughly 80% of teachers identified as White
(National Center for Education Statistics, 2015).
In order to best serve everyone, cultural
competence must be a priority within our
institutions.

5. POTENTIAL
FOR
CHANGE
I became an educator so I could be a
participating advocate for a more
compassionate, equitable, and just society. Ideally,
this study will be a tool to promote compassion,
equity, and justice by bringing to light the
importance of educator cultural competence.
We need teachers that both practice and teach
tolerance. We need teachers that have cultivated
cultural competence so they can meet the
academic, social-emotional, and basic needs of
students.
By studying the collective condition of urban
educator cultural competence, we can potentially
gather insight into the collective mental state of
these educators. Teacher attrition and teacher
shortages are widespread issues - we need to
consider the social-emotional development and
mental state of teachers to help rectify these
issues.
By advocating for educator cultural competence,
we can improve teacher efficacy and overall well-
being. Hypothetically, this would create a trickle-
down effect and improve our service to students.

6. LITERATURE REVIEW
I. What Do We Know?
II. Missing Pieces
III. Research Questions

7. WHAT DO
WE KNOW?
Through reviewing the literature surrounding
educator cultural competence, two central
contributions were discovered:
1. The fundamentals of cultural competency.
Specifically:
v Systemic components
v Challenges and solutions
2. Strategies to develop cultural competency.
Specifically:
v The development of professional
practices
v Integration of cross-cultural
experiences

8. MISSING
PIECES
Analysis of the literature revealed voids within
research regarding educator cultural
competence. Primarily, the literature was
unsuccessful in providing clear standards and
expectations of cultural competency
development practices in higher education.
Findings also lacked in demonstrating
connections between in-service educator
cultural competency and pedagogical
practices.

9. RESEARCH
QUESTIONS
The central research question is:
v What is the condition of urban educator
cultural competence?
The five sub-questions include:
v How do teachers exhibit their own cultural
self-awareness?
v How do teachers perceive their students’
cultures?
v How do teachers exhibit their value of
diversity?
v What evidence of culturally responsive
practices are evident in a teacher’s
classroom?
v What evidence of culturally responsive
practices do teachers exhibit through lesson
planning, classroom management techniques,
and interactions with students?
Sub-questions were inspired by the cultural
competence skill areas outlined by Moule
(2011).

10. METHODOLOGY
I. Participants
II. Instruments
III. Plan for Analysis

11. PARTICIPANTS
This study will involve certified teachers within a
Title 1 school located in South Peoria, Illinois.
The estimated sample will encompass 35
general education, special education, and
fine-arts teachers employed through Peoria
Public Schools District 150. These teachers were
selected based on convenience sampling as
well as their placement at a high-needs urban
school. Based on projected participation, there
will be approximately three male and 32 female
teachers. Participants will range in teaching
experience from one-half of a year to 28 years.
The racial demographics of the sample will be
2.8% Hispanic and Latino, 8.6% Black, and
88.6% White.

12. INSTRUMENTS
Two instruments will be used in an attempt to
measure a participant’s cultural competence.
The first instrument that will be used is a
questionnaire titled the Skill Areas Survey. The
Skill Areas Survey aligns with the research sub-
questions and is designed to elicit evidence of
a participant’s cultural competence skill areas
The second instrument that will be used is the
Cultural Competence Observation Form. The
Cultural Competence Observation Form
assesses a participant’s use of culturally
responsive practices and utilization of culturally
relevant classroom design.

13. APPENDIX A
SKILL AREAS SURVEY

14. APPENDIX B
CULTURAL
COMPETENCE
OBSERVATION FORM

15. PLAN
FOR
ANALYSIS
Projected analysis of the data will illustrate
a measurement of educator cultural
competence. Responses to the Skill Areas
Survey will possibly be categorized using a
scoring rubric. The scores gathered from the
Cultural Competence Observation Form will
be classified and likely represented in a
graph.

16. REFERENCES
Boutte, G. S. (2012). Urban schools: Challenges and possibilities for early
childhood and elementary education. Urban Education, 47(2), 515.
Casciola, V. (2014). Examining the impact of place on the cultural
competence of preservice teachers. Journal of Research in Education, 24(2),
79–89.
Cooper, J. E., He, Y., & Levin, B. B. (2011). Developing critical cultural
competence: A guide for 21st-century educators. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin
Press.
Duncan, T. A. (2015). Looking inward: Reflecting on my cultural competence as
an educator. English Journal, 105(1), 81–86.
Gollnick, D. M., Chinn, P. C. (2017). Multicultural education in a pluralistic
society (10th ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson.
He, Y., & Cooper, J. E. (2009). The ABCs for pre-service teacher cultural
competency development. Teaching Education, 20(3), 305–322.
Hunter-Quartz, K. (2003). “Too angry to leave”: Supporting new teachers’
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Illinois Report Card. (2019). School snapshot. Available from
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Lee, J. O. (2003). Implementing high standards in urban schools: Problems and
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71.
Moule, J. (2011). Cultural competence: A primer for educators. Belmont, CA:
Cengage Learning.
National Center for Education Statistics. (2015). The condition of education.
Retrieved from https://nces.ed.gov/pubs2012/2012045.pdf.
Pearrow, M. M., Zoino-Jeannetti, J., & Minami, T. (2016). Social capital:
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Title slide background [Online image]. Getty Images.
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Various background illustrations [Online image]. Getty Images.
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