This document summarizes a research study examining the relationship between early childhood teachers' cultural orientation and their attitudes toward culturally responsive teaching practices. The study will survey teachers using validated scales measuring cultural orientation (individualist vs. collectivist) and attitudes toward culturally responsive teaching. It aims to understand how teachers' cultural backgrounds relate to their willingness to incorporate practices that value students' home cultures. The study seeks IRB approval and plans to quantitatively analyze survey data from two samples of early childhood teachers to address whether culturally responsive attitudes increase with more collectivistic orientations. Limitations include non-representative samples and potential response bias.

1. The connection between teachers’ culturally
responsive teaching attitudes and cultural
orientation
Andrea Colyer
Mentor: Dr. Cara Djonko-Moore
Department of Child and Family Studies
College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences

2. Culturally Responsive Practices
• Including bilingual and
multicultural children’s
books
• Playing various types of
cultural music
• Displaying images of all
genders in non-stereotypical
roles
• Providing access to
materials needed for
children to accurately
represent themselves
• Differentiating instruction to
reach children with differing
learning styles

3. Culturally Responsive Teaching
• Places value on children’s home culture
• encourages and validates cultural identity
• Fosters communication between children,
parents/guardians, and teachers
• Utilizes children’s experiences and perspectives to teach
academic concepts (Gay, 2002, p.10)
Photo: Chicago Public Schools

4. Cultural Orientation
• How far an individual falls on an
individualism/collectivism scale
• Individualist Culture (Gorodnichenko & Roland, 2012)
• Values freedom as it is needed for self-achievement
• Relationships viewed as reciprocal exchanges
• Does not consider others when making choices
• Collectivist Culture (Gorodnichenko & Roland, 2012)
• Strive for conformity
• Obligations to fixed relational network
• When making decisions, focuses on goals of the
group

5. Purpose
• What is the relationship between early childhood teachers cultural
orientation and culturally responsive teaching attitudes?
Research Question
• Examine the relationship between early childhood teachers' cultural
orientation, their attitudes toward culturally responsive teaching, and
their culturally responsive teaching practices.
• Attempt to understand different characteristics of teachers that may
promote or hinder culturally responsive ideals.

6. Additional Questions
• Will Culturally Responsive Attitudes increase as
collectivism increases? or vice versa?
• What do teachers identify with?
• Does being in a helping profession equate to
higher levels of collectivistic ideals?
• Camaraderie among teachers anecdote

7. Methods
Population
A) Teaching Staff at the
Early Learning Center
• 2 Male; 14 Female
• All of Caucasian/White decent
• Possess or working toward
master degree
B) Early Childhood
Educators (Birth to Eight)
• Public and private settings in
the United States
Measures
Online survey consisting
of:
• Two validated scales utilizing
Likert-type questions
• One teacher survey focusing
on classroom practices
• One demographic
questionnaire

8. Methods
Procedures for Sample A
• Administered through Qualtrics
• An email with details about the survey will be sent to the
work email accounts of each teaching staff member
• Each individual will receive a unique identifying code to
ensure confidentiality
• The link will be live for 4 weeks
• There is no incentive for completing the survey

9. Methods
Procedures for Sample B
• Administered through Qualtrics
• Anonymous
• Direct link posted on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram
• Using the hashtags #teacherlife
#teachersofinstagram #earlychildhood
#earlychildhoodeducation on Instagram and
#teachers #teach #education #ECE on Twitter
• within teacher social groups on Facebook such as
“Simply Kinder” and “The PreK Spot”
• The link will be live for 4 weeks
• There is no incentive for completing the survey

10. Limitations
Sample A
• Highly Trained Staff
• Master Degrees or
working towards
them
• Atypical philosophy
• Not representative of
typical day care or public
PreK experience
• Cannot generalize
Sample B
• Convenience Sample
• Response Bias
• Cannot generalize
findings based on the
data collected

11. Analysis
• Currently awaiting IRB approval
• Data will be quantitatively analyzed using Pearson’s
Correlations and Linear Regressions in SpSS
• Sample A and Sample B will be analyzed separately

12. Acknowledgements
• Dr. Cara Djonko-Moore, Assistant Professor
in the Department of Child and Family Studies
• The Educational Advancement Program at the
University of Tennessee, Knoxville
• The Summer Research Institute 2016 Cohort

13. References
Gay, G. (2002). Preparing for culturally responsive teaching. 2001
AACTE Outstanding Writing Award, 53(2), 106-116.
doi:10.1177/0022487102053002003
Gorodnichenko, Y., & Roland, G. (2012). Understanding the
Individualism-Collectivism Cleavage and its Effects: Lessons from
Cultural Psychology. Institutions and Comparative Economic
Development, 150, 213-225.

14. Questions?