Kelley A. Peatross

Doctoral Dissertation Announcement

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Candidate: Kelley A. Peatross

Degree of: Doctor of Philosophy

Department: Educational Leadership, Research, and Technology

Title: African American Male Teachers in K-12 Education: A Limited Quantity

Committee:
Dr. Walter Burt, Chair
Dr. Sue Poppink
Dr. Ronald Gillum

Date: Friday, February 25, 2011 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Lansing Campus, Room 160

Abstract:
This study examined the under-representation of African American male teachers in three Midwestern school districts. The study sought to determine: 1) the perception of A/A teachers concerning their K-12 teaching experiences when disaggregated by the number of years of teaching, 2) their perception of why they went into teaching when disaggregated by the number of years of teaching, 3) their perception of the need for A/A male teachers, and 4) their perception of value and accomplishments as A/A male teachers in the classroom.
This study utilized a qualitative phenomenological design and was based upon Maslow’s (1970) hierarchy of needs and Herzberg’s (1959) motivation-hygiene theory. The conceptual framework was supported through the research literature of Moran el al. (2001), Kimbrough & Salomone, (1993), Leong, (1995) and Milner & Howard, (2004), which focus on the “motivational factors” leading to A/A males selecting teaching as a career.
Utilizing a qualitative interview design, individual interviews, along with a focus group session, fourteen participants were identified with seven agreeing to participate in this study. The researcher utilized the NVivo 8 program to categorize the data and identify recurring themes as well as to assist in analyzing, shaping, and managing the data generated from this research study.
Findings in this study revealed that all participants agreed, regardless of their years of teaching, that there were not enough A/A males in K-12 education, that there was value in having A/A males as K-12 teachers, that they enjoyed sharing their experiences with their students and that the level of pay served as a deterrent to A/A males going into the teaching field.
This study adds to the current body of literature by exposing additional motivational factors that influence A/A males to select teacher education as a career. Findings in this study may prove to be invaluable to teacher education programs and educational leaders as they re-design, promote, and seek ways to sustain A/A males in the teaching profession.