Student-Led Discussions as an Equity Practice in a White Space

• In Event: Teacher Research as a Tool for Equity

Abstract

This study used teacher research to understand my Black/Brown elementary students’ engagement in academic discourse. My research questions included: (1) How do I scaffold my minority students to increase participation in academic discourse?, (2) How might these scaffolds support development of metacognition, reading comprehension, and critical thinking?, (3) How do these scaffolds contribute to student feelings about their voice in my primarily white classroom? Data collection included academic performance, surveys, student check-ins, social capital data, field notes, metacognition journals, and student evaluation. The inquiry identified a teacher-student power and a compliance-agency continua existing in my classroom which led to shifts in my practice leading to increased participation opportunities and student leadership. The study elaborates on both continua.

Author

• Caran Mullins, Duval County Public Schools