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Abstract
Today's students are more ethnically diverse than ever, but are taught by teachers who are a majority white. In response to this cultural mismatch, teachers are adopting innovative practices such as culturally responsive teaching. This qualitative research study utilized participatory action research to examine the perceived culturally responsive attitudes, behaviors, and skills of teachers. Next, this research study examined how teachers operationalized culturally responsive teaching and how the culturally responsive teaching professional development guide informed teachers of their culturally responsive practice. Specifically, through three observations of each participant using the theoretical culturally responsive teaching professional development guide individual participant interviews, culturally responsive attitudes, behaviors, and skills were observed and discussed. The theoretical culturally responsive teaching professional development guide was developed from a synthesis of scholarly culturally responsive literature and research. During two focus group meetings the participants revised the theoretical culturally responsive teaching professional development guide into a teacher-friendly culturally responsive teaching tool. Then a semantic analysis was conducted to ensure the participants' revisions maintained the integrity of the theoretical culturally responsive teaching professional development guide. Resulting from this research study are findings that teachers' voices should be utilized to create culturally responsive teaching tools, and there is a need for culturally responsive professional development for teachers and administrators.