Cara Djonko-Moore

Cara Djonko-Moore is an Associate Professor and Chair of Educational Studies at Rhodes College, affiliated with the Africana Studies program. She holds a Ph.D. in Urban Education from Temple University (2011), an M.A. in Elementary Education from the University of Pennsylvania, and a B.A. in Psychology from Northwestern University. Her research focuses on culturally responsive teaching in early childhood education, teacher retention in diverse and high-poverty schools, and quantitative methods in educational research.

Current projects include analyzing early childhood teachers' cultural orientations and beliefs, and examining her own teaching practices through self-study methodologies. She teaches courses such as Diversity Among Children and Families and Action Research in Early Childhood Education, emphasizing culturally responsive pedagogy and experiential learning.

Her publications address critical race theory in education, STEM integration in early childhood, and the impact of school environments on teacher attrition. She actively contributes to educational equity initiatives, linking theory to practice through field-based research and teacher preparation programs.