Goal Setting for Teacher Development: Enhancing Culturally Responsive, Inclusive, and Social Justice Pedagogy

This interpretive phenomenological study explores the perspectives of in-service, K-12 teachers in a graduate teacher education program on using goal setting to promote culturally responsive practices. The participants set two goals, documented their growth, and rated course instructional strategies that contributed to their learning. Data were collected through written reflections and responses to an anonymous midterm questionnaire in an online forum. Additional data came from the participants’ final reflections, the principal researcher’s reflective teaching notes, and end-of-semester reflections gathered by an unaffiliated critical friend after grades were posted. Coded data revealed that: 1. In-service teachers created goals that were relevant to specific areas of growth in professional learning and development in culturally responsive teaching practices and understanding diverse learners, 2. Goal setting, as a self-regulated learning strategy, serves to empower teachers toward teaching for promoting culturally responsive teaching practices, 3. Instructional supports and activities enhance personal development in becoming culturally responsive teachers, 4. Teacher educators’ reflection-on-action supports professional development.