Keywords
Black male teachers recruitment retention mathematics
Abstract
There is a shortage of Black male teachers in the United States and an even smaller proportion of Black male mathematics teachers. With the population of students in the United States becoming increasingly more diverse, we would greatly benefit from a teaching workforce that aligns with the rich diversity of the student population they serve. This narrative inquiry explored the lived experiences that attracted Black men to the mathematics teaching career and what may have inspired them to continue teaching. The goal was for the data collected through the narratives of four Black male teachers, two former teachers, and two who remained in the classroom to reveal strategies to inform and bolster recruitment and retention efforts to increase the number of mathematics teachers of color.
Data were gathered through interviews, and an artifact was collected from each participant to support their narratives. A thematic analysis was used to identify three common themes among all four participants: relationships, motivations, and defining moments. The data supports altruistic and intrinsic motivational factors for Black males choosing to become mathematics teachers. Each participant mentioned impacting students as a motivational factor that led them to teaching. Three of the four participants had an informal education experience, which they enjoyed and credited as a reason they became mathematics teachers. The two former teachers left the classroom in part due to a lack of curriculum autonomy. This study recommends supporting teacher preparation programs and school districts on strategies to improve the recruitment and retention of Black male mathematics teachers.
Completion Date
2024
Semester
Summer
Committee Chair
Bush, Sarah B.
Degree
Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)
College
College of Community Innovation and Education
Department
School of Teacher Education
Degree Program
Curriculum and Instruction
Format
application/pdf
Identifier
DP0028632
URL
https://purls.library.ucf.edu/go/DP0028632
Language
English
Rights
In copyright
Release Date
August 2024
Length of Campus-only Access
None
Access Status
Doctoral Dissertation (Open Access)
Campus Location
Orlando (Main) Campus
STARS Citation
Wiggan, Shane, "A Narrative Inquiry on Lived Experiences That Support Recruitment and Retention of Black Male Mathematics Teachers" (2024). Graduate Thesis and Dissertation 2023-2024. 429.
https://stars.library.ucf.edu/etd2023/429
Accessibility Status
Meets minimum standards for ETDs/HUTs