Building teachers' capacity to engage with families experiencing race-based traumatic stress

WCU Author/Contributor (non-WCU co-authors, if there are any, appear on document)
Carla Marlin Smith (Creator)
Institution
Western Carolina University (WCU )
Web Site: http://library.wcu.edu/
Advisor
Darrius Stanley

Abstract: Research shows when families and communities are engaged in their schools, students have improved basic skills, higher rates of homework completion, improved attendance, and fewer discipline problems. (Deslandes et al., 2015; Brock & Edmunds, 2010; Barnyak & McNelly, 2009). In response, the educational system expects and often implements policies that require schools to partner with families in an effort to improve the academic and social-emotional development of students. While given the mandate, educators are not given the tools to develop relationships with families, especially families of color. This improvement initiative focused on providing formalized, research-informed, professional development to teachers which challenged their beliefs in their ability to effectively partner with Black families experiencing race-based traumatic stress, thus improving the academic and social-emotional development of students living under these conditions. Qualitative and quantitative data were collected utilizing exit tickets, reflective journal entries, and pre-and post-survey results. The qualitative data were coded for themes, and the quantitative data were analyzed using a paired sample t-test. The overall results indicated significant growth in the educators’ belief in their capacity to engage with Black families after participating in the professional development.

Additional Information

Publication
Dissertation
Language: English
Date: 2022
Keywords
Family Engagement, Race-Based Traumatic Stress
Subjects
Psychic trauma
Racial justice in education
Teachers -- Training of

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