RESEARCH COLLOQUIUM (ACTIVITY NO.

4)

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READINGS ON QUALITATIVE
RESEARCH IN LANGAUGE
LITERATURE
 Submitted by:
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Maria Gina C. Albacite
– MAED ET
Research Article Title

z CulturallyResponsive School
Leadership in an Urban High
School: A Qualitative Case Study
of the Head of School
By: Fabrice Kabele Kandjanga
University of Massachusetts Lowell
May 2022
Research Gap

Practical Knowledge Gap – Knowledge is not

applied in actual practice
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A. Leadership style denotes the behavioral
pattern of a leader, which bears on the
employee's attitude, perception of
organization, manager, and job satisfaction.
The existence of different styles has presented
leadership from diverse perspectives related to
individuals’ personalities and behavior (Pavitra
Dhamija 2023).
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B. However, some leaders still fail to
frame strategies that actively construct
and negotiate images of leadership
style, effectiveness, and authenticity that
can be systematically explored.
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C. Therefore, there is a need for
further study to determine the
prime causes of the existing
scenario.
 Research Objectives

The researcher emphasized his study on the

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capacity of the Culturally Responsive Leaders
(CRSLers) to highlight diverse experiences that
culturally and linguistically students bring to the
classroom as they navigate their way between two
different worlds: from home to school that has
become a crucial role towards creating and
sustaining inclusive and responsive education.
 z
Thus, the researcher in his
study aimed to describe the role of
an urban school leader in
implementing culturally responsive
school practices (CRSP) that create a
safe, inclusive and welcoming
school learning environment.
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In general, the study highlights
the Head of School (HOS)’s
activities and actions related to
culturally responsive school
leadership practices (CRLSP).
 Literature Review

The overall purpose of the literature review of this

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study is to identify, describe and demonstrate the value of the
primary strands of behavior reported in CESL literature. The
literature review dives into essential elements of culture, the
foundational knowledge for culturally relevant pedagogy
(CRP), the work of school leaders in implementing culturally
relevant pedagogy (CRP), the impact of critical race theory
in education and the four components of Khalifa 2018) CRSL
framework, and what those look like in practice.
 Literature Review Key Concepts

According to Villa et al. (1993), culture can be identified as one’s

worldview which includes “experiences, expressions, symbols,
materials, customs, behaviors, morals, values, attitudes, and beliefs
created and communicated
z among individuals,” and passed down from
generation to generation as cultural traditions.
Research Methodology

The researcher chose qualitative design in

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conducting his study to describe the Head
of Schools’ actions and behaviors that
promote CRLSP and that create a safe,
and welcoming school environment for
students and teachers.
Data Gathering Methods

1. zIndividual and Focus group

Interviews
- The researcher conducted a pilot
study where he interviewed two
school administrators using an
interview protocol developed during a
methods course.
2. Observations
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The researcher provided the questions one-by-one and
allowed participants to talk openly and did not interrupt the
flow of conversation. Participants
had the opportunity to agree or to disagree with each other
or engage in group conversations. I was able to capture
participants' reactions to each other’s comments and
perspectives, and this
revealed similarities and differences in viewpoints related to
the actions of the HOS.
3. Documents
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Documents were used to support the interviews and
observations in this study and were gathered to draw deeper
meaning and further strengthen the internal reliability of the
data and help to triangulate the findings (Bowen, 2009;
Creswell, 2007;
McMillan & Schumacher, 2010). The choice and number of
documents that I chose to use in the study were guided by
the research question. Documents included:
 Data Analysis
When the new HOS arrived at the school in July 2020, it was his
second position as a building-level administrator in urban
districts. He is the first Hispanic HOS hired by CHS. The HOS
has made the implementation of CRSP one of his priorities. I
asked the HOS to describe his title and his role, and asked him
to describe his philosophy of education. During our initial
informal meeting, he rushed to explain to me that when it comes
to his title, he did not want to be called Headmaster because of
1.
the “plantation''
z connotation attached to it. As a result, he asked
the superintendent to refer to him as “Head of School” or “Head
of Campus.” Since then, his official title has been “Head of
School.” During our first meeting, he mentioned that he started
his education career in an urban school district first as an
elementary school teacher, transitioned
to middle school and finished in a high school position.
 Research Site
The site for this study is an urban high school
that the researcher referred to as Culturetown
1. School
High
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(CHS), which is a pseudonym. CHS
is housed in one of the most economically
disadvantaged cities in the state. The city is home
to a large Hispanic population that comes from
Latin American countries. The city historically has
been a hub for immigrants starting in the 19th
century and continuing onward into the present
day.
Research Participants

1. Teachers
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2. School Heads
3. Students
A breakdown of the roles held by each selected participant within the
school were represented with six upper level school administrators, four
mid-level school administrators such as deans of students and deans of
curriculum along with 16 teachers, three counselors, and two school
culture specialists (SCS), and two paraprofessionals.
 Findings
The study showed that CRSLers manifest specific characteristics in
promoting change in schools’ approaches to become culturally
responsive. In addition, CRSLers not only exhibit specific characteristics
but also are cognizant of the length of time and the need for consistency
in building capacity required to enact change across all levels of the
school. CRSLers also demonstrate resilience in the face of change but
through clearly
z messaged visioning and intentional and strategic
planning, CRSLers systemically evolve schools into those that respond
to diversity and create inclusive environments. Given the contextual
factors that characterize urban schools and their impact on school
climate, ten major themes emerged from data collection as described in
table 5. These themes are enumerated but this does not imply that one is
more important or should be prioritized over another; in fact, it is the
skillful CRSLer that determines which and how each of these is visioned
and accomplished.
 Conclusion

Based on theme 1, raising awareness of personal and

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cultural bias, a CRSLer analyzes administration,
faculty and staff cultural perceptions to determine
professional development needs based on making
administrators, teachers and staff members more
cognizant of various cultural biases such as
dominant culture versus marginalized groups’
culture.
 Conclusion
Based on theme 2, rejecting dominant
narrative stereotypes, a CRSLer acknowledges
the dominant narrative is hidden in plain sight
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within the structures of the school and also
within the curriculum in the classrooms and
thus rejects this narrative. For example, the
Euro-centered History texts which are
frequently written by groups of white males
exclude or trivialize minority people’s culture
and perspective.
 Conclusion
Based on theme 3, creating awareness of
students’ cultural backgrounds, a CRSLer
encourages staff to be aware of different
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cultural backgrounds that the students bring to
school.
The leader does this through various
strategies. Such strategies include inviting
outside resources
and experts to lead professional development
groups with staff members.
 Conclusion
Based on theme 4, modeling and mentoring for culturally
responsive school practices, a school leader models his
expectations of culturally responsive practices for administrators,
who in turn model these for the staff and then the students. Ways
in whichz this modeling can be seen
is the school leader taking the time to greet students at the start of
the day and making sure to take time to talk to the students and
getting to know them on a more personal level. Furthermore, the
school leader implements restorative justice practices which are
progressive in its design and reflect an understanding of the
student’s cultural backgrounds.
 Conclusion
Based on theme 5, building capacity using data to inform
teaching and learning, a CRSLer requires the use of data as
a tool to promote equity and to narrow achievement gaps. As
such, the school leader operationalizes and systematizes
his/her approach to equity for all students. Providing training
to teachers and school administrators to use data to see
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gaps positions them in an inquiry phase to explore, engage,
and discuss the deeper trends and patterns of student
progress, outcomes, and achievement. School leaders build
capacity through modeling and mentoring on the use of data
inquiry cycles so that teachers and administrators become
adept at using processes of data analysis that become
embedded in the school systems.
 Conclusion
Based on theme 6, building teacher methodology as a means to engage
students in learning, a CRSLer creates an asset-based mindset by
promoting and sustaining a project-based curriculum that is culturally
responsive and differentiated as needed so that all students are
engaged in learning
z and making academic progress. Often at urban
schools, the large majority of students are newcomers, MLs, and SPED
students. As such, it is incumbent on a CRSL to 246 promote practices
that are conducive to these populations of students and parents, making
the school more accountable and culturally responsive to specific needs.
Thus, quality professional development is given to ensure that teachers
and administrators have the efficacy to meet these specific needs with
quality instructional practices.
 Conclusion
Based on theme 7, disseminating a vision of a culturally
responsive, equitable, and inclusive school, a CRSLer
treats all students equitably, and has high expectations
for them to become productive and responsible citizens.
A CRSLer promotes equity by ensuring a rigorous
curriculumz that does more than providing the basic
college preparation level, embedding advanced
placement curriculum and the foundation to participate in
higher education for all students. All students are
regarded from an assets-based mindset, allowing them
to partake in any offered courses in any subject area
regardless of socioeconomic class, race and gender.
 Conclusion
Based on theme 8, implementing Social-Emotional
Learning (SEL) and Restorative Justice Practices,
a CRSLer promotes SEL among all staff and
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students and ensures restorative justice practices
are implemented in an equitable manner. A
CRSLer commits to these practices because that
leader understands the conflict and trauma that
frequently underlie adverse student
behaviors and actions.
 Conclusion
Based on theme 9, encouraging families to
participate in all aspects of schooling, a CRSLer
embraces the students’ families and the
community
z at large so their voices and opinions
are empowered to give input into the direction
and decisions involving the school. CRSLers
gain feedback from the community through
multiple strategies to establish a process that
allows the community to invest in the school,
school policies and decisions and thus create
collaborative partnerships.
Thank you!
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