The Developmental Challenges and Affordances for Nurturing Middle School Students’ Critical Consciousness in Advisory

• In Event: Thursday Roundtable Session 9:00 am
  In Roundtable Session: Meeting the Needs of Young Adolescents: An Exploration of Perceptions and Practices (Table 7)

Abstract

Critical consciousness refers to the ability to analyze and challenge oppressive forces. One promising space for middle schoolers to develop the will and skill to challenge oppression and build a better world is in advisory periods. This qualitative study of a teacher professional learning community across five US schools explores how middle school teachers and students describe and understand the challenges and opportunities associated with advisory as a space for developing critical consciousness Preliminary results speak to finding developmentally appropriate activities for middle school students, how school demographic may impact the development of students’ empathy, and middle school as a prime moment for student integration of critical thinking with empathy.

Authors

• Daren Graves, Simmons University

• Sarah E. Fogelman, Boston College

• Babatunde Alford, Boston College

• Sarah Norris, University of North Carolina - Charlotte

• Brianna C. Diaz, Boston College

• Trang U. Le, Boston College

• Yuwen Shen, Boston College

• Hannah Choi, Boston College

• Scott Clifford Seider, Boston College