Theses and Dissertations from DePaul University

Date of Award

Spring 2026

Degree Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

College

College of Education

First Advisor

Amira Proweller

Abstract

This qualitative study explores how White secondary English teachers perceive and enact antiracist approaches when teaching a prescribed, canon-based curriculum to students of color. Drawing on in-depth, semi-structured interviews with four teachers in a large Midwestern urban district, the study finds that the participants, aligned with their district’s stated philosophies and experiencing significant instructional autonomy, leveraged professional and contextual knowledge to adapt and supplement mandated curriculum. Guided by critical pedagogy and critical literacy frameworks, the analysis reveals how teachers’ values, beliefs, and dispositions grounded an assemblage of embodied antiracist, critical, and humanizing pedagogies. The participants’ curricular and instructional choices reflected efforts to validate students’ knowledge, cultures, languages, and experiences; reject racist and deficit-based approaches to teaching and learning; and develop students’ agency and efficacy in their classrooms and beyond. Implications suggest the need for embodied antiracist pedagogies and aligned antiracist practices to improve students’ academic engagement and schooling experiences. Future research should examine the role of teacher preparation and school districts in cultivating teachers’ antiracist commitments and agency amid increasing educational oversight and standardization.   Keywords: antiracist pedagogy; canon-based curriculum; critical literacy; culturally responsive teaching; secondary English education; teacher agency; White teachers

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