A Mixed-Methods Study of Teacher Dispositions and Culturally Relevant Teaching

The study tests the proposition that pedagogical orientations foster domain-specific teacher dispositions. Nineteen preservice teachers in an urban teacher certification program emphasizing culturally relevant teaching (CRT) were interviewed at the completion of all coursework and teaching experiences in diverse, urban classrooms. Dispositional statements (n = 405) were used in a comparative analysis that included cross-tabs chi-square statistics and contingency tables. The study found that teaching dispositions associated with two CRT domains, academic success and cultural competence, were prevalent, whereas dispositions associated with the critical consciousness domain were minimal. Interrelatedness was found for teacher dispositions associated with respect for diversity, authenticity, and generalizability.