This document explores how expanding educators’ cultural proficiency leads to increased learning opportunities for students of color who live in poverty. Through the development of culturally responsive curriculum and instruction, teachers might increase their abilities to meet the needs of previously disenfranchised students. A connection exists between differentiated instruction and culturally responsive instruction, as both require a heightened understanding of students’ schema, interests, and culture. This policy argues that increasing educators’ cultural proficiency should not be done simply to increase teacher effectiveness with instruction but rather because it is a moral obligation of schools.
","abstract_html":"<p>This document explores how expanding educators’ cultural proficiency leads to increased learning opportunities for students of color who live in poverty. Through the development of culturally responsive curriculum and instruction, teachers might increase their abilities to meet the needs of previously disenfranchised students. A connection exists between differentiated instruction and culturally responsive instruction, as both require a heightened understanding of students’ schema, interests, and culture. This policy argues that increasing educators’ cultural proficiency should not be done simply to increase teacher effectiveness with instruction but rather because it is a moral obligation of schools. </p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Finch, Perry A"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Ed.D. Doctor of Education","degree_level":"Dissertation - Public Access","degree_discipline":"Disability and Equity in Education","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Dr. Jack Denny","Dr. Norm Weston"],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2016,"date_issued":"2016-12-01T08:00:00Z","date_published":"2016-12-01T08:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T03:20:32Z","subjects":["cultural proficiency","culturally responsive instruction","differentiation","Educational Administration and Supervision","Educational Leadership"],"languages":[],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://digitalcommons.nl.edu/diss/221","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Dr. Jack Denny","Dr. Norm Weston"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Finch, Perry A"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2017-02-15T08:00:00Z"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Disability and Equity in Education"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Dissertation - Public Access"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Ed.D. Doctor of Education"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["cultural proficiency","culturally responsive instruction","differentiation","Educational Administration and Supervision","Educational Leadership"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://digitalcommons.nl.edu/diss/221"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["This document explores how expanding educators’ cultural proficiency leads to increased learning opportunities for students of color who live in poverty. Through the development of culturally responsive curriculum and instruction, teachers might increase their abilities to meet the needs of previously disenfranchised students. A connection exists between differentiated instruction and culturally responsive instruction, as both require a heightened understanding of students’ schema, interests, and culture. This policy argues that increasing educators’ cultural proficiency should not be done simply to increase teacher effectiveness with instruction but rather because it is a moral obligation of schools.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["The Case For Cultural Proficiency For Teachers Of Students Of Color Who Live In Poverty: A Policy Advocacy Document"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Dr. Jack Denny","Dr. Norm Weston"],"dc:creator":["Finch, Perry A"],"dc:date.available":["2017-02-15T08:00:00Z"],"dc:description.abstract":["This document explores how expanding educators’ cultural proficiency leads to increased learning opportunities for students of color who live in poverty. Through the development of culturally responsive curriculum and instruction, teachers might increase their abilities to meet the needs of previously disenfranchised students. A connection exists between differentiated instruction and culturally responsive instruction, as both require a heightened understanding of students’ schema, interests, and culture. This policy argues that increasing educators’ cultural proficiency should not be done simply to increase teacher effectiveness with instruction but rather because it is a moral obligation of schools.
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