Voices of Support: Community College Instructors of Color Reflections on Fostering Self-Efficacy in Corequisite Mathematics Students

This study explores the newly adopted corequisite model in a southern U.S. state, where placed students take their developmental and traditional mathematics courses concurrently. This qualitative study, rooted in a self-efficacy framework, explored the viewpoints of four mathematics instructors of color teaching at two Texas community colleges that have implemented the corequisite model. To achieve this, semi-structured interviews were employed during Fall 2022 to explore how instructors believed they could provide the best support for their students within this innovative educational model. Through interpretive phenomenology methodology, four major themes came to light: (1) <i>Student Challenges Perceived by the Instructor</i>; the instructors articulated various challenges in assisting their students, (2) <i>Instructor’s Overcoming Challenges via Encouragement and Vulnerability</i>; despite their mentioned challenges, most instructors demonstrated a commitment to addressing their students' social and emotional needs, often by displaying vulnerability and openness, (3) <i>Instructor’s Relatedness and Empathy to Help Students Succeed</i> and (4) <i>Becoming Mathematics Instructors</i>; instructors acknowledged that their personal experiences, including instances of oppression and shared social identities such as language, race, national origin, and mathematical backgrounds, significantly shaped their identity as educators. These experiences also influenced their teaching methods and their capacity to connect with students. Overall, this study highlights how educators in the corequisite model navigate challenges, extend emotional support, and leverage their shared experiences with their students to foster a more effective and empathetic teaching environment.