Pedagogy of the Personal and Professional: Toward a Framework for Culturally Relevant Leadership

The social and cultural contexts of today's schools are diverse in ways that require greater attention to the educational philosophies, epistemologies, and perspectives of school leaders. In those environments where educators are not aptly prepared or willing to meet the sometimes unique needs of students who represent underserved racial, ethnic, and cultural groups, these matters move beyond the personal and become professional, as they are further complicated by high-stakes accountability standards and the prioritization of "closing the achievement gap" in schools and districts. As such, the purpose of this article is to explore more fully the research literature on culturally relevant and antiracist pedagogy in ways that can inform the practice of school leadership and explore the yet-untapped possibilities of speaking across areas of theory, research, and practice within the field of education. Specifically, we offer a framework for culturally relevant leadership that includes the following four dimensions: the political context, a pedagogical approach, a personal journey, and professional duty. Finally, we conclude with implications for research and practice. (Contains 1 figure.)