Examining a school–university partnerships’ influence on elementary school pre-service teachers’ development of culturally responsive teaching

This study examines how an intentionally designed, school–university partnership (SUP) influenced elementary school pre-service teachers’ (PSTs) development of culturally responsive teaching (CRT) practices. Each of the three cohorts of PSTs showed growth on the Culturally Responsive Teaching Self-Efficacy (CRTSE) instrument. Despite modifications in the course timing of CRT content across semesters, there were no statistically significant differences in the final CRTSE scores, meaning that all three cohorts ended with generally similar levels of self-efficacy related to culturally responsive teaching. Additionally, through inductive coding of focus group and online survey data, PSTs reported building relationships with students as well as planning and teaching lessons associated with CRT. Future implications include intentionally designing practicum experiences for PSTs that focus on planning, teaching, and reflecting on the use of CRT with children alongside explicit coursework on the theory and applications of CRT.