“Mirrors and windows:” a case study of educators’ culturally responsive teaching aspirations and syllabi transformation in the arts

Abstract

This qualitative case study explored educators’ aspirations to transform arts pedagogy into a culturally sustaining praxis. Twenty-four educators engaged in a 20-h online training, including engaging with prints in the Artura.org print collection, reading culturally sustaining scholarship, dialoguing, and decolonizing lesson plans. Twenty educators participated in dyadic interviews, revealing a deeper understanding of cultural identities and pedagogical changes to shape positive cultural identities for students. Findings highlight how art contributes to social justice teaching goals emphasizing intentional educator self-reflection to anticipate challenges and avoid cultural exploitation. Recommendations include utilizing online art databases with diverse artists in teacher professional development.