Black Elementary-Aged Children's Identity Development and Engagement With Civil Rights Literature at Freedom Schools

• In Event: 56.030 - Education Opportunity and the Possibilities of Freedom Schools for Teaching and Learning

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to explore how the use of interactive read-alouds of MO-CRiTLit influenced the racial identity development of seven Black elementary aged children in the context of Freedom Schools- a six-week summer literacy program. This study also focused on how these children interacted with their peers, and/or the characters in the texts, and how these interactions influenced the development of their Black identity.

The conceptual framework for this study drew from four areas of research; Black Identity Development (Jackson, 1976), Critical Race Theory, Critical Pedagogy, and Critical Literacy. For the purpose of this study I used a more specific definition of multicultural literature to describe any text used as literature that focuses on historically underrepresented people of color and their experiences during the Civil Rights Movement in American history (Menkart, Murray, & View, 2004). I call this body of multicultural literature “movement oriented Civil Rights-themed multicultural literature” (abbreviated, “MO-CRiTLit”). All of these dimensions were blended together relative to education to create a unique analytical lens through which furthering understanding of literary interactions of Black youth with MO-CRiTLit could be pursued through the study.

I chose to employ multiple case study design in undertaking the study because it allowed me to engage each participant through the development of their case to examine her/him as an individual and her/his case independently, and then to cross-examine all the individuals/cases in order to identify common and divergent themes.

Data sources included student interviews with 7 participants, interviews with the child participants’ parents, teacher interview, classroom observations, and video/audio recordings of the interactive read-aloud stories during delivery of the program curriculum.

Key findings from the seven cases include: (1) The parents’ role had an influence on the participants’ Black identity due to their own consciousness of their own Black identity and their parenting practices; (2) The Integrated Reading Curriculum combined with the dialogue during the facilitation influenced the participants’ motivation to read. Through the use of MO-CRiTLit the participants were engaged with literature that they could connect to through the physical characteristics of the characters and the topics that were relevant to their history or life today. Given this strong motivation to read and interact with the books from the Freedom Schools program the participants’ Black identity was influenced through the interaction with MO-CRiTLit; (3) The participants reported their experiences in their traditional schooling as being highly integrated with a scripted standardized curriculum. With an emphasis on Eurocentric values, the standardized curriculum may have hindered their Black identity development. Additionally, the participants described having few interactions with MO-CRiTLit in their traditional schooling; (4) Learning through extracurricular activities influenced the participants Black identity through the social interaction with peers, the interaction with their Freedom School teacher, and teamwork during field trips; (5) The historical teaching of the Civil Rights Movement positively influenced the participants’ Black identity.

Broadly, this study has the potential to improve the quality of educational materials used in schools such that the development of positive racial identity among children becomes routine.

Author

• Rebekah Piper, Texas A&M University - San Antonio