Educators’ experiences as K-12 students and efficacy for teaching in diverse schools

Abstract

Purpose

Significant differences exist in the racial composition of America’s student and teacher populations. This reality is compounded by the racial re-segregation patterns affecting many schools and systems in the USA. These trends make it increasingly less likely that educators encounter racial diversity during their experiences as K-12 students and more likely that they encounter racial diversity as educators. This paper aims to present the results of a study designed to explore the consequences of this reality on those educators’ abilities to successfully reach their students?

Design/methodology/approach

The present study used a quantitative exploratory design. Data were analyzed to determine if educators’ experiences as K-12 students affected their present self-efficacy for teaching in diverse classrooms, their self-efficacy for using culturally responsive techniques, and their confidence in the merits of deploying these approaches in classrooms.

Findings

Data from the present study suggest that educators whose school experiences included significant interactions in racially diverse settings are significantly more likely to possess a higher level of self-efficacy than those who do not.

Originality/value

This study illuminates an unexplored consequence of school resegregation and lends support for efforts to diversify the teaching force and resist school resegregation.

Citation

DeSantis, J. and Christopher, C. (2021), "Educators’ experiences as K-12 students and efficacy for teaching in diverse schools", Journal for Multicultural Education, Vol. 15 No. 2, pp. 138-151. https://doi.org/10.1108/JME-09-2020-0101