Date Approved
9-17-2024
Embargo Period
9-17-2026
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)
Department
Educational Leadership, Administration, and Research
College
College of Education
Advisor
Ane Johnson, Ph.D.
Committee Member 1
Hajime Mitani, Ph.D.
Committee Member 2
Carmello Callueng, Ph.D.
Keywords
CASEL; Middle Eastern Students; Social Emotional Learning
Subject(s)
Culturally relevant pedagogy; Muslim students
Disciplines
Bilingual, Multilingual, and Multicultural Education | Education | Education Policy | Social and Behavioral Sciences
Abstract
Culturally responsive practices are imperative in American classrooms due to the increasing diversity of the student population. These practices prioritize contextualizing materials, building relationships with students, and leveraging students’ cultural experiences and capital to improve their overall experience in the educational process. However, there is little understanding of the intersection between culturally responsive practices and social-emotional learning frameworks, particularly in contexts beyond the traditional public school environment. This qualitative study employs grounded theory to explore how Islamic school teachers adapt the social-emotional learning curricula to accommodate better Middle Eastern American (MMEA) students' cultural values. Focus groups were conducted to augment the interview data, leveraging graphic elicitation techniques to triangulate and strengthen findings. The research indicates that an integrative approach enhances student engagement and profoundly resonates with the cultural and religious backgrounds of MMEA students. The study underscores the significance of culturally responsive SEL programs in nurturing individual and communal identity among students from diverse backgrounds. Based on these insights, we offer targeted recommendations for SEL curricular adaptations to foster inclusivity and build intercultural competence within diverse educational settings.
Recommended Citation
Eldreny, Zenab, "EXPLORING ISLAMIC SCHOOL TEACHER ADAPTATIONS TO REDUCE CULTURAL MISMATCH FOR MUSLIM MIDDLE EASTERN AMERICAN STUDENTS: A GROUNDED THEORY STUDY" (2024). Theses and Dissertations. 3288.
https://rdw.rowan.edu/etd/3288
