The Other Teacher: Navigating Culturally Responsive Pedagogy in Teacher Education

Purpose of study: One of the most critical issues facing teacher education today is how to effectively prepare teachers for the increasingly racial, cultural and linguistic profiles of today\u27s students across the country (Cochran-Smith, Davis & Fries, 2004). Much discussion on culturally responsive teaching had centered on preparing mostly White middle class teachers to teach in highly diverse urban classrooms (Chicola, 2007; Cockran- Smith, Davis & Fries, 2004; Gay, 2000, 2001, 2010; Villegas & Lucas, 2002). However, what has not been addressed in the research literature is how foreign born teacher educators negotiate culturally responsive teaching, especially in predominantly White teaching colleges. Foreign born scholars of color may add the needed enrichment and learning opportunities necessary for novice and in-service teachers to adopt culturally responsive teaching because of their diverse life experiences and global knowledge perspective which might help bring to the fore salient issues pertaining to cultural education (Amobi, 2004; Florence, 2010; Skerrett, 2006). However, they also face challenges. Differences in educational backgrounds as well as cultural and linguistic disparities can create environments fraught with misunderstanding and conflict (Amobi, 2004; Florence, 2010, Gay, 2010; Obiakor and Gordon, 2003). This study documents how a foreign born professor of color negotiated culturally responsive teaching in a predominantly White teaching college. The study is guided by the following questions: How can I help my teacher candidates acquire cultural knowledge? How do I improve my teaching practice to make it responsive to the needs of the candidates? What roles if any, do my race, gender and prior experiences play in my pedagogy and students\u27 perception of my teaching effectiveness