Navigating cultural borders in diverse contexts: building capacity through culturally responsive leadership and critical praxis

Abstract

Demographic shift and increasing diversity in the student population demand urgency and attention from educational leaders. Those who argue for greater attention to equity and diversity suggest that all students regardless of their gender, social class, ethnic or racial characteristics must have equal opportunities to learn and be engaged. These realities call for socially just and culturally responsive educational leaders to act and engage in ways that transform school environments into spaces where all students can succeed. This article explores the leadership practices of six school leaders in a large school board in the Greater Toronto Area, Ontario, Canada, their tensions and possibilities faced with the challenges of increasing diversity in their schools and school board. By examining the work of these school leaders (administrators and teacher leaders), we gain deeper insights into culturally responsive leadership. These school leaders could be described as critical, reflective, purposeful, and fearless.