Culture matters: professional development and the implementation of culturally responsive pedagogy

The purpose of this qualitative, ethnographic case study was to explore how teachers and teacher support personnel internalize and implement the tenets and strategies associated with professional development on culturally responsive pedagogy to gain a better understanding of the role professional development has in educational decision making. Data were collected data from a group of teachers and support staff who attended cultural competency training and who received subsequent mentoring. The study found, overall, that professional development is important to educators and was effective in shaping their understandings of cultural competency and how students learn in environments that are reflective of their experiences. The study revealed that not all professional development leads to shifts in pedagogy as intended as there are numerous factors that hinder sustainable professional growth of teachers in this district where PD ranges from ineffective and irrelevant, due to lack of input from all stakeholders, to unsustainable due to competing priorities that shift the district\u27s focus from year to year and limit follow-through and follow-up opportunities