COMMITTEE CHAIR: Dr. Fred Bonner

TITLE: EXPLORING THE EXPERIENCES OF AFRICAN AMERICAN MIDDLE SCHOOL STEM TEACHERS: A MULTISITE CASE STUDY ON TEACHER IDENTITY AND THE EXPERIENCES THAT CONTRIBUTE TO TEACHER’S SUCCESS

ABSTRACT: As we are continuously in a space of changing politics and social structure, our educational landscape continues to be plagued by several inconvenient truths for African American educators. One truth is the lack of representation of African American teachers in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) areas. In a 2016 USDE report titled The State of Racial Diversity in the Educator, it was indicated that in the 2011-2012 school year, White educators made up 82% of the teachers in the nation. Given this data, there is no surprise that the over representation of White educators is creating a major gap among STEM teachers. Teacher Diversity and Student Success (Hansen & Lindsay, 2021), A Little Guide for Teachers: Diversity in School (Kara, 2020), and Teaching to Diversity: The Three-Block Model of Universal Design for Learning (Katz, 2012) is included as part of the extensive literature focusing on teacher diversity. In addition, a study completed by Carver-Thomas (2018) found that African American teachers represented a declining share of the teacher force. Black teachers decreased by 8% as members of the teaching workforce in 1997 to a total representation of 6.7% in 2015. For this research, the terms Black and African American will be interchangeable. STEM education places an emphasis on innovation, problem-solving, and critical thinking, which are key skills necessary to thrive in a fast-growing industry. Being a STEM teacher is important. As these educators can help develop skills in students that make them employable and ready to meet the strict demands of the current labor. STEM teachers expound on each component of the term by teaching students to enhance problem solving skills, analyzing information, making conscious decisions, and preparing students to work in a high-tech environment. Thus, STEM teachers are highly effective and appreciated in society and the world of education. However, research shines light on the importance of a diverse teacher workforce.

Keywords: Identity, Critical Race Theory, Ecological Systems, STEM, Intersectionality

Room Location: DELCO Building 169.