There is some evidence that racial biases exist in early educators' appraisals of Black children's behaviors likely leading to the racial disparities found in teachers' office discipline referrals (ODRs) and student suspensions in elementary school. This study extends this work by examining teachers' emotional responses to children's classroom behaviors, focusing on two issues: (1) whether their responses are affected by the race of the child and (2) whether approaches to support teachers in regulating their emotions might reduce the association between teachers' emotions and punitive or negative discipline practices. The study is guided by four research questions: 1) How does student race predict teachers' discipline practices?, 2) How do teachers' emotions associate with student race and teachers' discipline practices?, 3) How do teachers regulate their emotions in the classroom?, and 4) What are the associations among student race, teachers' emotion regulation practices and discipline strategies?
Teachers' Racialized Behavioral Appraisals: Exploring Emotion Regulation as a Mechanism to Reduce Racial Disparities in Discipline
Foundation for Child Development
04/01/2021 to 06/30/2021
$15,000
Cathi Propper, Mentor