Perceived Challenges of Pre-Kindergarten Through Fifth Grade Black Teachers

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dc.contributor.advisorWhite, Cameron S.
dc.contributor.committeeMemberHutchison, Laveria F.
dc.contributor.committeeMemberMcAlister-Shields, Leah
dc.contributor.committeeMemberBeaudry, Christine
dc.creatorMatthews, Krystle M.
dc.creator.orcid0000-0002-4436-4530
dc.date.accessioned2019-12-21T00:41:11Z
dc.date.available2019-12-21T00:41:11Z
dc.date.createdDecember 2019
dc.date.issued2019-12
dc.date.submittedDecember 2019
dc.date.updated2019-12-21T00:41:12Z
dc.description.abstractBackground: Nationally, Black teachers with less than five years of experience in pre-kindergarten through fifth grade classrooms tend to face daily challenges that teachers of other skin complexions do not. Recent studies focused on Black teacher experiences have listed challenges such as racism, discrimination, lack of support, and limited growth opportunities. Although there is not a shortage of certified Black teachers in Texas according to the latest Certified Teacher Demographics by Preparation Route report (2018), there is a lack of their presence in the classroom. Purpose: The purpose of this qualitative case study was to utilize a social constructivist theoretical perspective to explore the challenges Black teachers in pre-kindergarten through fifth grade face daily in their work environment. This study posed the following research question: 1) What are the perceived challenges of Black teachers in pre-kindergarten through fifth grade classrooms? The posed research question allowed for an exploration of valuable lived experiences and data that may potentially be used to improve the overall working and teaching experiences for novice Black pre-kindergarten through fifth grade teachers. Methods: The study was conducted using a qualitative case study methods approach to collect and analyze data. Data was collected through interviews via Zoom video conferences with three previous Black teachers in pre-kindergarten through fifth grade. Data was analyzed using the qualitative thematic analysis which included the following steps: 1) Organizing data, 2) Reading data, 3) Coding and organizing themes, 4) Reviewing of themes, and 5) Interpretation of data. Results: The study yielded five themes of perceived challenges of Black pre-kindergarten through fifth grade teachers. The identified themes indicated that teachers in pre-kindergarten through fifth grade felt that: 1) the lack of mentorship was a challenge for Black teachers with any level of experience; 2) the lack of professional support and guidance when entering the classroom was a challenge; 3) their daily experiences were different from their peers of other races; 4) they worked harder than their White counterparts; and 5) their professional progression was either slow or was going to be slow. Conclusion: The data collected from participants’ responses verified commonly perceived challenges of Black teachers in pre-kindergarten through fifth grade. While each participant taught in different schools and locations of Texas, they all shared common obstacles and challenges. Addressing those challenges could potentially increase job satisfaction and retention of Black teachers in pre-kindergarten through fifth grade.
dc.description.departmentCurriculum and Instruction, Department of
dc.format.digitalOriginborn digital
dc.format.mimetypeapplication/pdf
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/10657/5624
dc.language.isoeng
dc.rightsThe author of this work is the copyright owner. UH Libraries and the Texas Digital Library have their permission to store and provide access to this work. Further transmission, reproduction, or presentation of this work is prohibited except with permission of the author(s).
dc.subjectBlack
dc.subjectTeachers
dc.subjectChallenges
dc.subjectEducators
dc.subjectAfrican Americans
dc.subjectPre-kindergarten
dc.subjectFifth
dc.subjectClassroom
dc.subjectSupport
dc.subjectDiscrimination
dc.subjectRacism
dc.subjectExperiences
dc.titlePerceived Challenges of Pre-Kindergarten Through Fifth Grade Black Teachers
dc.type.dcmiText
dc.type.genreThesis
thesis.degree.collegeCollege of Education
thesis.degree.departmentCurriculum and Instruction, Department of
thesis.degree.disciplineProfessional Leadership, Education
thesis.degree.grantorUniversity of Houston
thesis.degree.levelDoctoral
thesis.degree.nameDoctor of Education

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