Researcher as witness : pedagogical and curricular decision making in race-centered professional learning

Urban School districts search for professional learning endeavors that will assist staff as they adapt to change at a rapid pace and build capacity to become in tune to the needs of the students and families. The facilitator of race-centered professional learning in urban school districts has to be pedagogically, mentally, socially and emotionally prepared for what the learner brings into the space. This research study used semi-structured interviews, observations and a researcher reflective journal to explore the definitions of effectiveness and the pedagogical and curricular decision making of ten participants who design and deliver race-centered professional learning in urban school districts across the U.S. This study employed Critical Race Theory to frame the study and analyze participant definitions of effectiveness and pedagogical and curricular decision making for race-centered professional learning. Black Feminist Thought is used to extend critical race theory centering analysis on the perspective of the researcher as participant observer. While experience of participants varied, each participant was consistent in defining effectiveness as negotiating the emotional nature of race for learners and facilitators and understanding application of learning as a long term process. Findings showed participants made pedagogical decisions to account for the complex ways race operates in a learning endeavor to establish an affirming, affective learning environment. Participants made curricular decisions drawing from counter storytelling, they chose to study or adopt existing race curricular models, and grounded learning opportunities in sociohistorical content knowledge