Got Skillz? Recasting and Negotiating Racial Tension in Teacher–Student Relationships Amidst Shifting Demographics

This paper reports on a curriculum designed for Black students whose school teachers and administrators sought to address concerns about students’ academic underachievement behavioral challenges. In order design the curriculum, we examined reactions race- academic-related stress as result of their interactions with mostly White peers in an increasingly diversifying predominantly White, middle-class community. Grounded principles Racial Encounter Coping Appraisal Socialization Theory (RECAST), paradigm understanding racial coping strategies utilized by individuals contend well-being, study elucidate tensions found schooling relationships that foster disparities classrooms. Specifically, our team conducted focus group sessions parents which were guided use Cultural Experiences Survey (CARES), ethnic socialization measure elicits responses from kinds messages receive race ethnicity people teachers. Data subsequently informed Let’s Talk? (LT), conflict resolution adolescents. this paper, share what learned experiences mechanism through participation LT.