Professional Development for Culturally Responsive Teaching: A Case Study of an Indigenous Teacher in an Indigenous Space

Abstract

Our research explored an in-service professional development (PD) program that was iteratively co-designed with educators at a rural school on the Big Island of Hawaii. Many Hawaiian schools are highly ruralized and demonstrate a dire need for meaningful PD in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Due to geographic and community considerations, in-service PD is an essential tool for improving education in low-income, rural communities. This confluence of considerations demands focus on supportive and effective training for rural and highly ruralized teachers. We situate this work in Ginsberg and Wlodkowski’s (2012) motivational framework for culturally responsive teaching which considers the conditions of attitude, meaning, competence, and inclusion. This paper examines the experiences of an Indigenous teacher with over 30 years of experience as she engages in PD that centers her Hawaiian community.