Improving academic achievement for black male students: Portraits of successful teachers' instructional approach and pedagogy

Research and media reports have been clear in highlighting the problem of the achievement gap for black males. The achievement gap is an enduring problem teachers have difficulty addressing. Teachers' ability to intersect race and culture into their instructional approach is extremely important. This dissertation examines the pedagogical beliefs and instructional practices of four successful teachers working with black males in Chicago, Illinois Social science portraiture is the method of inquiry and representation for this project. Data collection includes interviews, participant observation and a review of published and unpublished school documents. The four portraits in this study explicate the beliefs that guide effective educational experiences for black males. This dissertation challenges the overrepresentation of pathological viewpoints related to the racial and gender achievement gap. Through the voices of teachers, themes that define and describe culturally relevant teaching approaches are discussed. In addition, stories and examples that focus on resiliency allow other educators opportunities to reflect upon their own beliefs about instructional practice in ways that best serve diverse student populations.