Culturally intelligent (CQ) teaching capabilities: CQ capabilities of Neighborhood Bridges teaching artists in urban classrooms

Abstract

In 2016, Minnesota Public Radio reported that Minnesota has one of the highest public school achievement gaps in the country. Based on the aggregate results of the state-wide standardized testing scores in reading, math, and science, the state’s academic achievement gap between white students and students of color remained high and virtually unchanged from past years. For example, in one the largest urban school districts in the state where the research of this study is located, 75% of white students passed the test compared to less than 25% of black students. The causes of this substantial achievement gap are likely numerous. One cause may be related to a gap in relationships. Effective teaching is grounded in a strong student-teacher relationship, and developing these strong relationships in classrooms with significant cultural differences between teachers and students, families, and their communities can be challenging and requires a special set of capabilities. Using the cultural intelligence (CQ) framework as a way of conceptualizing the capabilities needed for developing relationships across cultural difference, this dissertation examines the teaching capabilities of a small group of teaching artists who, based on their average cultural intelligence scores, can be considered cultural intelligence exemplars. The core capabilities of teaching artists are discussed in relationship to their theoretical intersection of CQ capabilities in order to provide practical illustrations of CQ capabilities in the urban elementary-school classroom. While more research is needed, the cultural intelligence framework may prove to be a compelling way of identifying and cultivating capabilities in teachers that may contribute to a reduction in the achievement gap.