Background/Context: Lesson planning is one of the most common activities required of teachers; ho... more Background/Context: Lesson planning is one of the most common activities required of teachers; however, since the late 1970s and early 1980s, it has not been a major focus of study, either conceptually or empirically. Although there are recent articles on the topic, much of the current work is specific to examining a particular teaching method or subject area. This essay not only examines the lesson planning process, a neglected area of study, but also puts forward a perceptual or arts-based approach to lesson planning that has not EHHQDWWHQGHGWRVLQFH(OOLRW(LVQHUnVHVVD\VRQREMHFWLYHV Purpose/Objective/Research Question/Focus of Study: The purposes of this conceptual paper are is to provide theoretical grounding for perceptual lesson planning; to analytically examine the two current, dominant approaches to creating lesson plans; and to put forward ideas that undergird a fresh approach to creating and analyzing lesson planning. Research Design: This study consists of a major literature...
With increased attention to measurable, common student achievement outcomes, the experience of bo... more With increased attention to measurable, common student achievement outcomes, the experience of both students and teachers has been overlooked. While measurable outcomes may possess value, they have served to shift the focus of schools, administrators, and teachers to writing curriculum that centers on assessable content learning rather than meaningful educational experiences for teachers and students alike. This study of a recent teacher workshop examines a lesson planning approach that is based on John Deweys notion of the aesthetic experience and places such experiences at the heart of the educational enterprise. Findings include the notion of curriculum disruption, which refers to an alteration of the improvement trajectory of standardized curricula, offering innovation in lesson planning.
Teachers College Record: The Voice of Scholarship in Education, 2013
Background/ContextLesson planning is one of the most common activities required of teachers; howe... more Background/ContextLesson planning is one of the most common activities required of teachers; however, since the late 1970s and early 1980s, it has not been a major focus of study, either conceptually or empirically. Although there are recent articles on the topic, much of the current work is specific to examining a particular teaching method or subject area. This essay not only examines the lesson planning process, a neglected area of study, but also puts forward a perceptual or arts-based approach to lesson planning that has not been attended to since Elliot Eisner's essays on objectives.Purpose/Objective/Research Question/Focus of StudyThe purposes of this conceptual paper are is to provide theoretical grounding for perceptual lesson planning; to analytically examine the two current, dominant approaches to creating lesson plans; and to put forward ideas that undergird a fresh approach to creating and analyzing lesson planning.Research DesignThis study consists of a major liter...
The purpose of this paper is to cross-examine Dewey's ideas on religious and aesthetic experience... more The purpose of this paper is to cross-examine Dewey's ideas on religious and aesthetic experiences, and Csikszentmihalyi's theory of flow experience. To achieve this end, we offer an analytic framework for evaluating experiences: triggers, characterizations, and import. In using this framework, we not only more deeply examine these ideas of experience, but we also discuss what educators may learn from the intersection of these three important theories of experience.
Currently there is an increasing focus on teacher quality in educational reform, a lack of empiri... more Currently there is an increasing focus on teacher quality in educational reform, a lack of empirical research on exactly what culturally responsive teaching looks like, and a great deal of confusion on how teacher dispositions may be important in education. This study seeks to examine what great teachers believe, intend, and do while examining their dispositions in the process. Three research questions guided this study: 1) What are the intentions and beliefs of culturally responsive teachers? 2) How does culturally responsive teaching operationalize? 3) What are the dispositions of culturally responsive teachers? To respond to these questions, I use Educational Criticism and Connoisseurship, a qualitative research method developed by Eliot Eisner (1998). Educational criticism is comprised of four dimensions: description, interpretation, evaluation, and thematics. The findings suggest that there are similarities in the intentions, beliefs, operations, and dispositions of culturally responsive teachers. However, it was readily apparent that culturally responsive teaching operationalized differently for different teachers, leaving us to recognize that we cannot simply give teachers a checklist to ensure that great teaching manifests. Further, the study revealed that while the participants sought to reach the aims of what many culturally responsive scholars seek, they are iii confused by the label resulting in unintended consequences. This leads to the suggestion of evolving the label culturally responsive pedagogy to personalized pedagogy. Finally, the study recognizes the controllable and uncontrollable contexts of education. This has broad sweeping ramifications for policymakers and administrators, as they must recognize in their hunt for identifying what quality teachers do, there are a number of elements outside of teachers' control that affect students' educations. iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS There are a myriad of people I would like to sincerely thank for their direction and support in this journey to a dissertation. First and foremost I would like to thank my advisor, mentor, and colleague Dr. Bruce Uhrmacher, who has pushed me on my ideas, provided invaluable feedback, and supported me throughout not only this process, but throughout my time at the University of Denver. I will never be able to repay him for his wisdom, humility, and kindness. I would also like to thank my co-advisor, Dr. Maria Salazar, who helped guide me on this examination of culturally responsive teaching. I would also like to thank Dr. Paul Michalec, who has served as my teacher, my therapist, and my colleague throughout my career at DU. Finally, I am also grateful for the support of others at DU, including Dr.
INTRODUCTION Criticism of public schools and more specifically, the quality of its teachers is no... more INTRODUCTION Criticism of public schools and more specifically, the quality of its teachers is not a new phenomenon in the United States. Despite continual reform over the past 2 centuries, the perception that teachers and teacher education is ineffectual and in need of change has continued to pervade American society (Warren, 1985). While this negative perception is nearly as old as the establishment of the common school, what is somewhat novel is the intensified search for identification of characteristics found in quality teaching. More specifically, there is an intensified interest by educational researchers, policymakers, and school districts in identifying aspects of quality teachers in public schools (Goe & Stickler, 2008; Hirsch, Koppich, & Knapp, 2001), as research has found a significant relationship between quality teachers and student learning (Byrne, 1983; Darling Hammond, 1999). This focus on improving teacher quality has manifested as the "third wave" of educational reform (Hirsch, Koppich, & Knapp, 1998, p. 2), as effective teaching has been continually linked to student achievement and successful, rich classrooms (Kaplan & Owings, 2001; Lasley, Siedentop, & Yinger, 2006). In seeking to better understand teacher quality, a number of events have taken place over the past several years including the development of state performance-based standards for teachers, teaching standards created by governing bodies such as the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) and the Interstate New Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium (INTASC), along with a spate of research from scholars across the United States. A layer of complexity added to this search for not only identifying qualities of effective teachers but also in improving schools has been the increased diversification of students in American schools (National Center for Education Statistics, 2006). Along with a more diverse American student body, the need to be responsive to the needs of individual cultures, ethnicities, languages, etc. has become paramount. This reality has led to the evolution of culturally responsive pedagogy (CRP), also known as "culturally appropriate" (Au & Jordan, 1981), "culturally congruent" (Mohatt & Erickson, 1981), "culturally compatible" (Jordan, 1985), or "culturally relevant" (Ladson-Billings, 1994), which is a form of education that is responsive to individual students' cultures (Ladson-Billings, 1995a). Scholars have produced a spate of theoretical knowledge around what comprises CRP along with a spattering of empirical evidence of its effectiveness in student achievement, but have been somewhat limited in identifying shared intentions and beliefs of culturally responsive teachers, leaving educators somewhat befuddled by how to become culturally responsive in their practice (Cochran-Smith, 2004; Gay, 1995; Young, 2010). More specifically, the information on the intentions and beliefs of culturally responsive teachers is fragmented, leaving one the task of exploring a large body of literature to fully understand the elements of CRP. This paper offers such a synthesis in hopes of providing clarity to all interested parties. By seeking a shared understanding of CRP and providing more lucidity around the intentions and beliefs of culturally responsive educators, teachers may provide richer educational experiences for all students, particularly those traditionally underserved. In an attempt to meet this end, this article aims to first draw upon the literature to offer some clarity around CRP. Next this article seeks to justify the importance of studying teacher intentions and beliefs. While much work has been done around the intentions and beliefs of teachers, there is a tremendous gap in work justifying why understanding teacher beliefs and intentions is important. Finally, this article offers a conceptual framework of the intentions and beliefs of culturally responsive teachers identified in the literature with hopes of it laying the foundation for future research. …
Background/Context: Lesson planning is one of the most common activities required of teachers; ho... more Background/Context: Lesson planning is one of the most common activities required of teachers; however, since the late 1970s and early 1980s, it has not been a major focus of study, either conceptually or empirically. Although there are recent articles on the topic, much of the current work is specific to examining a particular teaching method or subject area. This essay not only examines the lesson planning process, a neglected area of study, but also puts forward a perceptual or arts-based approach to lesson planning that has not EHHQDWWHQGHGWRVLQFH(OOLRW(LVQHUnVHVVD\VRQREMHFWLYHV Purpose/Objective/Research Question/Focus of Study: The purposes of this conceptual paper are is to provide theoretical grounding for perceptual lesson planning; to analytically examine the two current, dominant approaches to creating lesson plans; and to put forward ideas that undergird a fresh approach to creating and analyzing lesson planning. Research Design: This study consists of a major literature...
With increased attention to measurable, common student achievement outcomes, the experience of bo... more With increased attention to measurable, common student achievement outcomes, the experience of both students and teachers has been overlooked. While measurable outcomes may possess value, they have served to shift the focus of schools, administrators, and teachers to writing curriculum that centers on assessable content learning rather than meaningful educational experiences for teachers and students alike. This study of a recent teacher workshop examines a lesson planning approach that is based on John Deweys notion of the aesthetic experience and places such experiences at the heart of the educational enterprise. Findings include the notion of curriculum disruption, which refers to an alteration of the improvement trajectory of standardized curricula, offering innovation in lesson planning.
Teachers College Record: The Voice of Scholarship in Education, 2013
Background/ContextLesson planning is one of the most common activities required of teachers; howe... more Background/ContextLesson planning is one of the most common activities required of teachers; however, since the late 1970s and early 1980s, it has not been a major focus of study, either conceptually or empirically. Although there are recent articles on the topic, much of the current work is specific to examining a particular teaching method or subject area. This essay not only examines the lesson planning process, a neglected area of study, but also puts forward a perceptual or arts-based approach to lesson planning that has not been attended to since Elliot Eisner's essays on objectives.Purpose/Objective/Research Question/Focus of StudyThe purposes of this conceptual paper are is to provide theoretical grounding for perceptual lesson planning; to analytically examine the two current, dominant approaches to creating lesson plans; and to put forward ideas that undergird a fresh approach to creating and analyzing lesson planning.Research DesignThis study consists of a major liter...
The purpose of this paper is to cross-examine Dewey's ideas on religious and aesthetic experience... more The purpose of this paper is to cross-examine Dewey's ideas on religious and aesthetic experiences, and Csikszentmihalyi's theory of flow experience. To achieve this end, we offer an analytic framework for evaluating experiences: triggers, characterizations, and import. In using this framework, we not only more deeply examine these ideas of experience, but we also discuss what educators may learn from the intersection of these three important theories of experience.
Currently there is an increasing focus on teacher quality in educational reform, a lack of empiri... more Currently there is an increasing focus on teacher quality in educational reform, a lack of empirical research on exactly what culturally responsive teaching looks like, and a great deal of confusion on how teacher dispositions may be important in education. This study seeks to examine what great teachers believe, intend, and do while examining their dispositions in the process. Three research questions guided this study: 1) What are the intentions and beliefs of culturally responsive teachers? 2) How does culturally responsive teaching operationalize? 3) What are the dispositions of culturally responsive teachers? To respond to these questions, I use Educational Criticism and Connoisseurship, a qualitative research method developed by Eliot Eisner (1998). Educational criticism is comprised of four dimensions: description, interpretation, evaluation, and thematics. The findings suggest that there are similarities in the intentions, beliefs, operations, and dispositions of culturally responsive teachers. However, it was readily apparent that culturally responsive teaching operationalized differently for different teachers, leaving us to recognize that we cannot simply give teachers a checklist to ensure that great teaching manifests. Further, the study revealed that while the participants sought to reach the aims of what many culturally responsive scholars seek, they are iii confused by the label resulting in unintended consequences. This leads to the suggestion of evolving the label culturally responsive pedagogy to personalized pedagogy. Finally, the study recognizes the controllable and uncontrollable contexts of education. This has broad sweeping ramifications for policymakers and administrators, as they must recognize in their hunt for identifying what quality teachers do, there are a number of elements outside of teachers' control that affect students' educations. iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS There are a myriad of people I would like to sincerely thank for their direction and support in this journey to a dissertation. First and foremost I would like to thank my advisor, mentor, and colleague Dr. Bruce Uhrmacher, who has pushed me on my ideas, provided invaluable feedback, and supported me throughout not only this process, but throughout my time at the University of Denver. I will never be able to repay him for his wisdom, humility, and kindness. I would also like to thank my co-advisor, Dr. Maria Salazar, who helped guide me on this examination of culturally responsive teaching. I would also like to thank Dr. Paul Michalec, who has served as my teacher, my therapist, and my colleague throughout my career at DU. Finally, I am also grateful for the support of others at DU, including Dr.
INTRODUCTION Criticism of public schools and more specifically, the quality of its teachers is no... more INTRODUCTION Criticism of public schools and more specifically, the quality of its teachers is not a new phenomenon in the United States. Despite continual reform over the past 2 centuries, the perception that teachers and teacher education is ineffectual and in need of change has continued to pervade American society (Warren, 1985). While this negative perception is nearly as old as the establishment of the common school, what is somewhat novel is the intensified search for identification of characteristics found in quality teaching. More specifically, there is an intensified interest by educational researchers, policymakers, and school districts in identifying aspects of quality teachers in public schools (Goe & Stickler, 2008; Hirsch, Koppich, & Knapp, 2001), as research has found a significant relationship between quality teachers and student learning (Byrne, 1983; Darling Hammond, 1999). This focus on improving teacher quality has manifested as the "third wave" of educational reform (Hirsch, Koppich, & Knapp, 1998, p. 2), as effective teaching has been continually linked to student achievement and successful, rich classrooms (Kaplan & Owings, 2001; Lasley, Siedentop, & Yinger, 2006). In seeking to better understand teacher quality, a number of events have taken place over the past several years including the development of state performance-based standards for teachers, teaching standards created by governing bodies such as the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) and the Interstate New Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium (INTASC), along with a spate of research from scholars across the United States. A layer of complexity added to this search for not only identifying qualities of effective teachers but also in improving schools has been the increased diversification of students in American schools (National Center for Education Statistics, 2006). Along with a more diverse American student body, the need to be responsive to the needs of individual cultures, ethnicities, languages, etc. has become paramount. This reality has led to the evolution of culturally responsive pedagogy (CRP), also known as "culturally appropriate" (Au & Jordan, 1981), "culturally congruent" (Mohatt & Erickson, 1981), "culturally compatible" (Jordan, 1985), or "culturally relevant" (Ladson-Billings, 1994), which is a form of education that is responsive to individual students' cultures (Ladson-Billings, 1995a). Scholars have produced a spate of theoretical knowledge around what comprises CRP along with a spattering of empirical evidence of its effectiveness in student achievement, but have been somewhat limited in identifying shared intentions and beliefs of culturally responsive teachers, leaving educators somewhat befuddled by how to become culturally responsive in their practice (Cochran-Smith, 2004; Gay, 1995; Young, 2010). More specifically, the information on the intentions and beliefs of culturally responsive teachers is fragmented, leaving one the task of exploring a large body of literature to fully understand the elements of CRP. This paper offers such a synthesis in hopes of providing clarity to all interested parties. By seeking a shared understanding of CRP and providing more lucidity around the intentions and beliefs of culturally responsive educators, teachers may provide richer educational experiences for all students, particularly those traditionally underserved. In an attempt to meet this end, this article aims to first draw upon the literature to offer some clarity around CRP. Next this article seeks to justify the importance of studying teacher intentions and beliefs. While much work has been done around the intentions and beliefs of teachers, there is a tremendous gap in work justifying why understanding teacher beliefs and intentions is important. Finally, this article offers a conceptual framework of the intentions and beliefs of culturally responsive teachers identified in the literature with hopes of it laying the foundation for future research. …
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