Boarding School for Second-Grade Black Boys: A Case for Social-Emotional Growth and Identity Development

• In Event: 16.056 - Examining the Role of Social and Emotional Learning in Young Children's Racial Development

Abstract

Black boys and men are experiencing minimal social mobility, social-emotional, and academic success compared to other groups (Children’s Defense Fund, 2014). They lead the U.S. in homicides, suicides, and incarceration (National Urban League, 2007; U.S. Dept. of Justice, 2010), overrepresentation in suspension/expulsion rates, and underrepresented in advanced-placement/honors courses (Oakes, 1985; Skiba, et. al., 2008). Black boys are more likely to be designated as learning disabled, placed in special education (Skiba, et. al., 2008) and dropout of high school (Schott Foundation, 2010).

The creation of single-sex learning spaces for boys of color has been embraced by some as a strategy to ameliorate distressing trends for Black males (Fergus, et al., 2014). With social-emotional development and identity posited as a profound contributing factor, (O’Connor, 1999; Smalls, et. al., 2007; Noguera, 2003), these schools commit to educating Black boys, and addressing these factors (http://www.coseboc.org). This paper examines Black boys’ social-emotional growth and identity development, in the context of a single-sex boarding school program for boys of color.

Over two-years, 30-45 minute focus groups (n=4) and interviews (n=20), and over 200 hours of school observations, and student projects exploring identity were used to theorize how 10, 2nd-grade Black boys navigated the structure/culture, relationships, and construct identity within a single-sex boarding school program for boys of color. Sampled boys (n=10) self-identified as African-American (n=6), Afro-Caribbean (n=2), African-Immigrant (n=1) and Biracial (n=1). All participants were low-income and resided in single-parent homes. Interviews required boys to retrospectively, self-report “memorable” experiences related to distinct boarding school processes/practices, peer/teacher relationships, a student identity project, and their identity construction. Student identity projects entailed a family tree, “ancestor” interview, and a “story-telling” reflection, which addressed how the boarding program shaped their social-emotional, identity, and academic development. Observations were conducted three days per week for 20 months (i.e. two academic school years), and throughout core features of the program. Focus groups, interviews, and observation fieldnotes were transcribed verbatim. Data sources were analyzed using a method comprised of open-coding (Strauss & Corbin, 1990) and cross-case analysis (Yin, 1984).

Boys’ narratives revealed three preliminary themes of social-emotional and identity experiences that tap their self-concept and efficacy, social awareness, and relationships:

(1) Conflicted intellectualism; “I have smart things to say about books we read before bed, but other boys in the program are ‘phonies.’” Black boys identified as “smart,” but were less willing to acknowledge in peers’ intellect.
(2) Transcending negative stereotypes; “The media says I’m suppose to be dumb and in jail like my dad… I will be successful.” Boys held positive self-concepts despite media portrayals, which overwhelmingly suggested otherwise.
(3) Transformative brotherhood; “I’ve learned so much about myself through friendships with boys in this school program.” Self-knowledge was acquired through boys’ social relationships in the single-sex environment for boys of color.

These excerpts highlight the potential of a single-sex school to support positive social-emotional growth and identity among Black boys, and constitute emerging theory of how these boarding school environments may be one approach to supporting Black boys’ future social-emotional, and academic successes.

Authors

• Joseph D. Nelson, Swarthmore College

• Sangeeta Subedi, Swarthmore College