Academic Resilience: Narratives of High-Achieving Black Female Middle School Adolescents

• In Event: Roundtable Session 20
  In Roundtable Session: Race, Ethnicity, Class, and Gender in Schools

Abstract

The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine the academic experiences of four grade 6, high-achieving Black females in an urban middle school. Using the interpretive lenses of Feminism, Critical Race Theory, Critical Race Feminism, Intersectionality and Identity Formation, roles and identities were explored with word choice and language analysis. Habits and factors contributing to the participants’ success revealed their beliefs about academic achievement.
Through the use of narrative inquiry, data were collected from semi-structured in-depth individual interviews, observations and researcher field notes, personal autobiographical narratives, archival document reviews and artifacts.
Findings of this study revealed that participants exhibited critical roles in their academic success and demonstrated strong academic identities.

Author

• Courtne Joell Thomas