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My First Project: Using Dedoose to Explore Cultural Sensitivity in Montessori Education
When I visited a Montessori classroom a few years ago, I noticed a young African American boy using sandpaper cards to trace letters while sitting quietly on a work rug. He was intelligent, curious, and eager to learn. However, his teacher admitted that she often struggled to connect with him when I spoke with her afterward. Although she wanted to support him fully, she wasn't always sure how to genuinely include his cultural identity in the classroom.
That moment stayed with me. Having worked with families for over 25 years, I knew this child's story wasn't rare. In early childhood education, African American boys are often misunderstood or overlooked. This memory shaped my research focus when I began my doctoral studies.
My project centered on Montessori guides' culturally responsive teaching methods in Children's House classrooms (ages 3–6). I aimed to discover which strategies worked, what challenges teachers faced, and what adjustments could better promote inclusive classrooms.
Collecting and analyzing this data could have been overwhelming. I was dealing with layers of researcher notes, semi-structured interview transcripts, and pages of reflections. Yet, I managed to clarify this complexity with Dedoose. The platform became my partner in transforming raw stories into meaningful insights and, ultimately, into hope for more equitable classrooms.
Three main questions guided my investigation:
1. What culturally sensitive approaches do Montessori teachers use to support African American boys in Children's House classrooms?
2. What obstacles and challenges do teachers encounter when implementing these practices?
3. What institutional changes or professional development opportunities do educators recommend to enhance cultural responsiveness?
Years of listening to family stories inspired these questions. In early childhood education, African American boys are too often misjudged, labeled, or ignored. I wanted to highlight effective strategies, identify hurdles faced by educators, and suggest structural changes so these children feel seen, valued, and supported.
I used two complementary methods to gather data:
· Written responses: Teachers initially replied via email to open-ended questions, which allowed them to reflect and share at their own pace.
· Semi-structured interviews: Later, I held one-on-one Zoom interviews to explore their answers more deeply and record their stories in their own words.
I worked with five Montessori teachers, each bringing a unique perspective shaped by their education, environment, and personal identity. Their responses revealed creative strategies and challenges in integrating cultural sensitivity into Montessori teaching. One teacher described intentionally including books featuring African American characters so children could see themselves reflected. Another spoke about dealing with unconscious bias among colleagues, emphasizing systemic obstacles that can sometimes undermine individual efforts.
Together, these interviews and reflections formed a powerful mosaic of lived experience.
While qualitative research offers rich insights, it’s also complex. When I finished collecting data, I had researcher notes, long email responses, and dozens of pages of transcripts. The challenge was organizing this information and ensuring my coding process was rigorous, transparent, and consistent across stages.
Dedoose became essential at this point.
Although I had used Dedoose before, I needed to get reacquainted. The platform’s webinars were incredibly helpful. They boosted my confidence to begin my project and helped me quickly refresh my skills.
Key features that became vital to my workflow included:
1. Code Tree View
I could see how themes evolved and related to each other through the code tree. For example, I could immediately see how "Classroom Strategies" connected with "Representation in Materials," or how "Institutional Barriers" intersected with "Professional Development Needs."
2. Memoing
My backup was writing memos. I would outline my thoughts before coding, which kept me organized and provided a clear record. When I revisited the data weeks later, I could easily understand why I coded something a certain way.
3. Code Frequency Charts
These charts let me easily identify how often different codes appeared across data. For instance, "Representation" was mentioned in nearly every interview, while "Institutional Barriers"appeared only twice, despite its significance.
4. Exporting Summaries
Dedoose made reporting straightforward. I could export summaries grouped by code, simplifying the synthesis of findings for my capstone paper and training program development.
Analysis uncovered three key themes:
1) Deliberate Representation Matters: Diversifying materials, including culturally relevant literature, and respecting children’s lived experiences fostered greater inclusion of African American boys.
2) Obstacles Exist: Systemic barriers, from rigid policies to unconscious bias among staff, were openly discussed, showing that without broader organizational change, even well-intentioned efforts might fall short.
3) Professional Growth Is Essential: Participants emphasized ongoing professional development to help teachers recognize bias, deepen cultural understanding, and adapt Montessori methods to honor each child's identity.
These findings confirmed my long-standing belief: while many educators strive to be culturally sensitive, meaningful change depends on institutional support and training.
Looking back, I’ve learned several lessons that future researchers using Dedoose should consider:
This project was more than my doctoral project; it was my passion. It focused on educational justice. For African American boys, representation and culturally sensitive teaching can be life-changing. Every child deserves to feel seen and valued.
Dedoose helped me analyze data and honor educators’ voices, transforming their narratives into actionable recommendations. Ultimately, I aim to develop a training curriculum that promotes equity and cultural responsiveness in Montessori early childhood education.
1. My top tip if you’re new to Dedoose: take your time setting up. A solid codebook and organized structure make analysis much smoother.
2. Embrace memoing—it's worth it in the long run.
3. Stay curious: let themes emerge naturally instead of forcing them.
4. Take advantage of training resources early. Learning the platform’s features in advance saves time later because it’s a powerful tool.
As I finished, I often thought of that young boy with the sandpaper letters. While my research couldn’t erase all challenges he and others face, it highlighted the educators working daily to create more inclusive environments.
Dedoose helped me identify patterns in their stories—moments of difficulty, creativity, resilience, and hope. The memos and charts proved more than data; they reminded me that small classroom decisions can affect a child's sense of identity.
That young child deserves to grow in a world that celebrates his uniqueness and recognizes his brilliance. With Dedoose’s help, I moved closer to making that a reality. Though more work remains, we can ensure every child’s story is respected by providing educators with the right resources and training.
Dr. Wanda Walker
Thank you to Dr. Walker for sharing your research experience and work with the Dedoose community! If you are interested in sharing your experience for the "My First Project" blog series, submit this brief form to hear from our team.
