The purposes of this research were to analyze the influence of participants’ experiences on their culturally responsive pedagogical development and consider the policy implications for higher education, schools and school districts, and the state. Four substitute teachers from three urban school districts participated in a professional development experience—autodidactic cultural diversity development—to learn about culturally responsive pedagogy and implement it in their classrooms. Participants’ upbringing, collegiate experiences, substitute teaching experiences, and the professional development influenced their development as culturally responsive educators. This research may also be used to inform policy discussions regarding the value and applicability of the substitute teaching experience for preservice teachers and cultural diversity professional development for substitute teachers.
Autodidactic cultural diversity development is comprised of the culturally responsive pedagogical taxonomy (Feola’s taxonomy) and literature-integrated, autoethnographic reflection. The taxonomy includes nine facets for learning the attitudes and skills of culturally responsive pedagogy. Participants read nine excerpts from the culturally responsive teaching literature, which illustrated aspects of the taxonomy, over 15 weeks and used an autoethnographic reflection form to analyze eight substitute teaching experiences. The structured reflection promoted the integration of the literature and their teaching experiences. Case study and narrative inquiry methodologies informed data collection and analysis. Utilizing data from two focus groups, two individual interviews, and eight written reflections, participants’ culturally responsive pedagogical development was analyzed through a conceptual framework of the conceptual change model. NVIVO, a qualitative research analysis software, was used to facilitate data analysis.
Each participant’s case highlights her or his development and the aspects of this experience that promoted the learning and implementation of culturally responsive teaching. Lived-experiences heavily influenced participants’ learning, suggesting that efforts should be made to individualize learners’ experiences when attempting to teach culturally responsive pedagogy. Data analysis indicated that the professional development program increased three of the participants’ awareness of their students’ cultures and influenced their implementation of culturally responsive practices in the classroom. The policy implications suggest that teacher preparation programs and school districts consider the pedagogical potential of the substitute teaching experience when providing professional development.