‘Minds Were Forced Wide Open’: Black adolescents’ identity exploration in a transformative social justice class

Abstract

Theories imply that transformative teaching influences positive identity development, but empirical studies of this relationship are sparse. It is clear that good teaching can positively influence youth; however, it is less clear how good teachers influence positive identity outcomes in youth, and in particular Black youth. We examined the identity exploration of 13 former Black students of a high school transformative social justice class. Drawing from a larger qualitative study that addressed transformative social justice and adolescent development, the current analysis focused on the subset of factors that contributed to identity exploration and beliefs about civic responsibility in one's career and personal life. Results revealed an emphasis on civic and career identity exploration, feeling agentic and self-assured, and reconsidering privilege. Findings are discussed in terms of transformative social justice enhancing Black youths' investment in their development.

Student perceptions of support for civic identity development and identity exploration in a discussion-based U.S. government course

“…Research in transformative pedagogies advocates for teachers to play an active role in supporting adolescent identity exploration by challenging students to ask questions and reconsider their personal beliefs in order to engage with curricular content (Harrell-Levy & Kerpelman, 2010). In the social studies, transformative pedagogies specifically aim to teach for transformative social justice, in which courses are designed with the explicit purposes of pushing students to engage in discussions with other students from diverse perspectives, engage in the consideration and re-consideration of positions of social advantage, and entertain notions of cultural relativity and reductions in social judgments (Harrell-Levy, Kerpelman, & Henry, 2016). Similarly, Flum and Kaplan (2006) suggest an exploratory orientation that triggers thoughtful analysis by students should be a goal for educators in the design of curriculum and instruction, and a process embraced by students as they engage in their schoolwork.…”

Witnesses to inhumanity on shifting terrain: Embracing an ethic of discomfort for optimal learning in an international field course

“…Since a major purpose of social justice education (both at home and abroad) is to unsettle cherished beliefs about the world, education specialists argue that experiencing some discomfort is not only unavoidable, but may be necessary and ethical (Berlak, 2004;Harrell-Levy et al, 2016;Zembylas, 2012Zembylas, , 2015Zembylas, , 2017. An ethic of discomfort, therefore, invites faculty and students to critique their deeply held assumptions about themselves and others by positioning themselves as witnesses (as opposed to spectators) to social injustices (Boler and Zembylas, 2003).…”