A Participatory Action Research Project: Improving Teaching Practices Through Culturally Responsive Teaching

To practice culturally responsive teaching (Gay 2010, 2018) in their own classrooms, educators need the opportunity to learn from and with other educators. Using participatory action research methodology (McIntyre, 2008), the study gathered six Saskatchewan elementary educators (researcher included) over five sessions to learn about culturally responsive teaching practices. Each participant created personal goals for themselves and was able to enact the practices they were learning within their classrooms between each of the sessions together. 

Participants explored the following topics of culturally responsive teaching within each of the sessions: academic achievement, home and school connection, critical consciousness, and ethnic and culturally diverse curriculum which included learning from a local First Nations Elder. In Saskatchewan, the Ministry of Education suggests educators use culturally responsive practices within curriculum. 

The study provided a professional development opportunity for each participant to learn more about this topic, so they could actualize it in their classrooms. Culturally responsive teaching is a well-known approach in K-12 education and has the potential to improve educational systems for racialized students in Saskatchewan classrooms and schools.