African Nova Scotian Dream Keepers: Culturally Responsive Teaching and Promising Practices
| dc.contributor.author | Morrison, Martin A. | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2025-07-04T17:36:03Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2025-07-04T17:36:03Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2025 | |
| dc.description.abstract | The systemic educational inequities experienced by African Nova Scotian learners have been well documented over the years. The Nova Scotia government’s acknowledgment and institutional responses to these inequities, have so far failed to address the persistence of the disproportionate representation of African Nova Scotian learners scoring low on provincial student performance assessments, and high in school suspensions. This study explored two research questions: (1) How are teachers of students of African ancestry culturally responsive? and (2) What are the fundamental characteristics and approaches to culturally responsive pedagogy in the context of the history and experiences of people of African ancestry in Nova Scotia? It relied on a qualitative methodology informed by principles embedded in critical ethnographic studies. My methods included consultation with the African Nova Scotian community to identify teachers who are culturally relevant and responsive to the needs of African Nova Scotian learners, and who have championed promising practices and approaches. I conducted one-on-one, semi-structured interviews with four African Nova Scotian and six white teachers using anti-racist, Africentric and culturally relevant and responsive lenses to analyze the data. Decolonialism and critical race theory were applied in the literature review to help analyze and better understand the Nova Scotian context. My study relied on the expertise of African Nova Scotian community members through community consultations to indicate which teachers they understand to be culturally relevant and responsive to the needs of African Nova Scotian learners. My findings reveal that research participants generally prioritized: (1) the value of growth and learning to academic success, (2) the necessity of creating safer learning environments so students can bring their full selves into the classroom, while practicing the ability to communicate across their differences effectively, and (3) the importance of teaching students to critically reflect on the ways systems preserve the human rights and dignity of every individual, and to take appropriate actions when they do not. In terms of characteristics, the participants demonstrated an ability to empathize with students, which inspired an internalized commitment to their students’ social, emotional, cultural, and academic needs. The research participants were able to develop meaningful and authentic relationships with their students and community. They were able to focus on students’ well-being based on the needs identified through the relationship and improve their ability to become better equipped to respond to their students’ academic, social, emotional, and cultural needs through an ongoing commitment to teaching and learning. The interaction and overlapping of these findings model the type of allyship required to respond to the inequities experienced by racialized learners. This dissertation concludes with recommendations for Bachelor of Education programs, in-service teachers, and the education system in general. | |
| dc.identifier.uri | https://ec.msvu.ca/handle/10587/2336 | |
| dc.language.iso | en | |
| dc.publisher | Mount Saint Vincent University | |
| dc.title | African Nova Scotian Dream Keepers: Culturally Responsive Teaching and Promising Practices | |
| dc.type | Thesis |