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Dissertation Information for Tyrone Howard

NAME:
- Tyrone Howard
- (Alias) Tyrone Caldwell Howard

DEGREE:
- Ph.D.

DISCIPLINE:
- Education

SCHOOL:
- University of Washington, Seattle (USA) (1998)

ADVISORS:
- Jame A. Banks

COMMITTEE MEMBERS:
- None

MPACT Status: Incomplete - Inspected

Title: Pedagogical practices and ideological constructions of effective teachers of African American students

Abstract: The purposes of this study were to (1) provide a clear picture of what elementary school teachers do to improve the academic and social achievement of African American students, (2) understand the ideological constructions that influences their practices, and (3) explore students' perceptions and interpretations of their teachers' pedagogical practices. A qualitative approach was used to conduct this study, borrowing from several qualitative traditions including the ethnographic research tradition; the case study tradition which is frequently used to study teaching practices and teacher-student interaction; and the grounded theory approach which is used to generalize findings of particular situations to existing general theories.

Four elementary teachers who have outstanding reputations among their colleagues, supervisors, students, parents, and community members for improving the achievement of African American students were interviewed three times each, and observations were conducted in their classrooms over a three-month period. Seventeen students were interviewed once during the study to assess their interpretations of the teaching practices that were used by their teachers. The four teachers worked at different school sites.

Five pedagogical themes were identified as practices the teachers used to improve the schooling experience for African American students: (1) holistic instructional strategies; (2) culturally consistent communicative competencies; (3) introduction to skill building strategies to promote academic success; (4) culturally congruent value orientation; and (5) professional pedagogy. All of the strategies were anchored in the teachers' desire, determination, and dedication to improve the schooling experiences of African American students.

This research begins to describe and analyze some of the variables affecting the teacher's perspective in the complex task of educating African American students. The descriptive findings are intended to provide an introspective look into teachers' pedagogical ideologies and the practices they use to create supportive and stimulating learning environments for African American students. This research also includes the unheard voice of students. Little research to date has examined African American elementary school students' interpretations of their teachers' pedagogical practices.

This study was motivated by a desire to discover the exemplary teachers and techniques in successfully educating African American students. It was guided by the assumption that teachers can provide African American students with a positive schooling experience by incorporating features of their cultural and ethnic backgrounds into the regular routines of teaching and learning processes.

MPACT Scores for Tyrone Howard

A = 0
C = 1
A+C = 1
T = 0
G = 0
W = 0
TD = 0
TA = 0
calculated 2010-11-14 15:52:48

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