Cultural responsiveness and teacher-student relationships are important to establishing a healthy, positive school climate. Few studies have examined the relationship between teacher-student relationships and cultural responsiveness. Also, little is known about the moderating effect the number of ethnic minority school teachers has on culturally responsive practices and teacher-student relationships in schools with predominantly low-income Black student populations. Limited research studies have examined how the number of years teaching influences teacher-student relationships and culturally responsive practices. The participants included 174 classroom teachers and 1,365 students from Grades 3 to 5 in charter schools in a southern urban city. Results revealed that teacher cultural responsiveness can predict the quality of teacher-student relationships. Further, findings suggested there were no moderating effects of the number of ethnic minority school staff on culturally responsive practices and teacher-student relationships. Also, the results suggested no differences between cultural responsiveness and teacher-student relationships between less experienced and more experienced teachers.
AbaciogluC. S.VolmanM.FischerA. H. (2020). Teachers’ multicultural attitudes and perspective taking abilities as factors in culturally responsive teaching. British Journal of Educational Psychology, 90(3), 736–752. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjep.12328
2.
AlexanderJ. (2019). Building trauma-sensitive schools: Your guide to creating safe, supportive learning environments for all students. Paul H. Brookes.
3.
AllenK.-A.Gallo CordobaB.RyanT.ArslanG.SlatenC. D.FergusonJ. K.BozoglanB.AbdollahiA.Vella-BrodrickD. (2023). Examining predictors of school belonging using a socio-ecological perspective. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 32(9), 2804–2819. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10826-022-02305-1
4.
BaysuG.HillekensJ.PhaletK.DeauxK. (2021). How diversity approaches affect ethnic minority and majority adolescents: Teacher-student relationship trajectories and school outcomes. Child Development, 92(1), 367–387. https://doi.org/10.1111/cdev.13417
5.
BearG. G.GaskinsC.BlankJ.ChenF. F. (2011). Delaware school climate survey-student: Its factor structure, concurrent validity, and reliability. Journal of School Psychology, 49(2), 157–174. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsp.2011.01.001
6.
BloomS. (2007). The sanctuary model of trauma-informed organizational change. National Abandoned Infants Assistance Resource Center.
7.
BradshawC. P.PasE. T.BottianiJ. H.DebnamK. J.ReinkeW. M.HermanK. C.RosenbergM. S. (2018). Promoting cultural responsivity and student engagement through double check coaching of classroom teachers: An efficacy study. School Psychology Review, 47(2), 118–134. https://doi.org/10.17105/SPR-2017-0119.V47-2
8.
Cherry-McDanielM. (2019). Skinfolk ain’t always kinfolk: The dangers of assuming and assigning inherent cultural responsiveness to teachers of color. Educational Studies, 55(2), 241–251. https://doi.org/10.1080/00131946.2018.1500912
9.
ChoiJ. Y.Dobbs-OatesJ. (2016). Teacher-child relationships: Contribution of teacher and child characteristics. Journal of Research in Childhood Education, 30(1), 15–28. https://doi.org/10.1080/02568543.2015.1105331
10.
CivitilloS.GöbelK.PreuscheZ.JugertP. (2021). Disentangling the effects of perceived personal and group ethnic discrimination among secondary school students: The protective role of teacher–student relationship quality and school climate. New Directions for Child and Adolescent Development, 2021(177), 77–99. https://doi.org/10.1002/cad.20415
11.
ClaessensL.van TartwijkJ.PenningsH.van der WantA.VerloopN.Den BrokP.WubbelsT. (2016). Beginning and experienced secondary school teachers’ self- and student schema in positive and problematic teacher–student relationships. Teaching and Teacher Education, 55, 88–99. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2015.12.006
DarvinJ. (2018). Becoming a more culturally responsive teacher by identifying and reducing microaggressions in classrooms and school communities. Journal for Multicultural Education, 12(1), 2–9. https://doi.org/10.1108/jme-03-2017-0020
14.
de JongE. M.KoomenH. M. Y.JellesmaF. C.RoordaD. L. (2018). Teacher and child perceptions of relationship quality and ethnic minority children’s behavioral adjustment in upper elementary school: A cross-lagged approach. Journal of School Psychology, 70, 27–43. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsp.2018.06.003
15.
DelpitL. (2006). Other people’s children: Cultural conflict in the classroom. The New Press.
16.
DicksonG. L.ChunH.FernandezI. T. (2016). The development and initial validation of the student measure of culturally responsive teaching. Assessment for Effective Intervention, 41(3), 141–154. https://doi.org/10.1177/1534508415604879
17.
FedewaA. L.AhnS. (2011). The effects of bullying and peer victimization on sexual-minority and heterosexual youths: A quantitative meta-analysis of the literature. Journal of GLBT Family Studies, 7(4), 398–418. https://doi.org/10.1080/1550428x.2011.592968
18.
GershensonS.HartC. M. D.HymanJ.LindsayC. A.PapageorgeN. W. (2022). The long-run impacts of same-race teachers. American Economic Journal Economic Policy, 14(4), 300–342. https://doi.org/10.1257/pol.20190573
19.
GirvanE. J.GionC. M.McIntoshK.SmolkowskiK. (2017). The relative contribution of discretionary office referrals to racial disproportionality in school discipline. School Psychology Quarterly, 32(3), 392–404. https://doi.org/10.1037/spq0000178
20.
GoldbergM. J.IrukaI. U. (2023). The role of teacher–child relationship quality in Black and Latino boys’ positive development. Early Childhood Education Journal, 51(2), 301–315. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10643-021-01300-3
21.
JamilM. (2022). The healing power of teacher-student relationships in repairing childhood abuse: Commonalities and differences with clinical social work practice. International Journal of School Social Work, 6(2), 1–16. https://doi.org/10.4148/2161-4148.1075
KahnJ. H. (2011). Multilevel modeling: Overview and applications to research in counseling psychology. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 58(2), 257–271. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0022680
24.
KonishiC.WongT. K. Y.PersramR. J.Vargas-MadrizL. F.LiuX. (2022). Reconstructing the concept of school climate. Educational Researcher, 64(2), 159–175. https://doi.org/10.1080/00131881.2022.2056495
25.
KoslouskiJ. B.StarkK. (2021). Promoting learning for students experiencing adversity and trauma: The everyday, yet profound, actions of teachers. Elementary School Journal, 121(3), 430–453. https://doi.org/10.1086/712606
26.
Ladson-BillingsG. (Ed.). (2009). The dreamkeepers: Successful teachers of African American children (2 ed.). Jossey-Bass.
27.
Ladson-BillingsG. (1995). But that’s just good teaching! The case for culturally relevant pedagogy. Theory Into Practice, 34(3), 159–165. https://doi.org/10.1080/00405849509543675
28.
La SalleT. P.MeyersJ.VarjasK. (2015). A cultural-ecological model of school climate. International Journal of School & Educational Psychology, 3(3), 157–166. https://doi.org/10.1080/21683603.2015.1047550
29.
LindsayC. A.HartC. M. D. (2017). Exposure to same-race teachers and student disciplinary outcomes for Black students in North Carolina. Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, 39(3), 485–510. https://doi.org/10.3102/0162373717693109
30.
MartinezM. J. (2020). Does school racial composition matter to teachers: Examining racial differences in teachers’ perceptions of student problems. Urban Education, 55(7), 992–1020. https://doi.org/10.1177/0042085918770709
PickensI. (2020). A trauma-informed and culturally responsive approach in the classroom. In RossenE. (Ed.), Supporting and educating traumatized students: A guide for school-based professionals (2nd ed., pp. 45–58). Oxford University Press.
33.
QuinD. (2017). Longitudinal and contextual associations between teacher–student relationships and student engagement: A systemic review. Review of Educational Research, 87(2), 345–387. https://doi.org/10.3102/0034654316669434
34.
RasheedD. S.BrownJ. L.DoyleS. L.JenningsP. A. (2020). The effect of teacher–child race/ethnicity matching and classroom diversity on children’s socioemotional and academic skills. Child Development, 91(3), e597–e618. https://doi.org/10.1111/cdev.13275
SchneiderS. H.DuranL. (2010). School climate in middle schools: A cultural perspective. Journal of Research in Character Education, 8(2), 25–37.
37.
SkibaR. J.Poloni-StaudingerL.GalliniS.SimmonsA. B.Feggins-AzzizR. (2006). Disparate access: The disproportionality of African American students with disabilities across educational environments. Exceptional Children, 72(4), 411–424. https://doi.org/10.1177/001440290607200402
38.
SpiltJ. L.KoomenH. M. Y.ThijsJ. T. (2011). Teacher wellbeing: The importance of teacher–student relationships. Educational Psychology Review, 23(4), 457–477. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-011-9170-y
39.
SulkowskiM. L.SimmonsJ. (2018). The protective role of teacher–student relationships against peer victimization and psychosocial distress. Psychology in the Schools, 55(2), 137–150. https://doi.org/10.1002/pits.22086
40.
ThapaA.CohenJ.GuffeyS.Higgins-D’AlessandroA. (2013). A review of school climate research. Review of Educational Research, 83(3), 357–385. https://doi.org/10.3102/0034654313483907
41.
UttJ.TochlukS. (2020). White teacher, know thyself: Improving anti-racist praxis through racial identity development. Urban Education, 55(1), 125–152. https://doi.org/10.1177/0042085916648741
42.
Wilson-ChingM.BergerE. (2024). Relationship building strategies within trauma informed frameworks in educational settings: A systematic literature review. Current Psychology, 43, 3464–3485. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-023-04590-5
43.
ZeeM.KoomenH. M. Y. (2017). Similarities and dissimilarities between teachers’ and students’ relationship views in upper elementary school: The role of personal teacher and student attributes. Journal of School Psychology, 64, 43–60. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsp.2017.04.007
