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The Power of Inclusivity: Black and Brown Youth Creatng Vibrant Communites Through Class Discussions (Poster 18)

Fri, April 12, 3:05 to 4:35pm, Pennsylvania Convention Center, Floor: Level 200, Exhibit Hall A

Abstract

We, student-researchers, a Global History teacher, and a Special Education teacher, engaged in a year-long participatory action research ethnographic study. Believing that classroom practices not only shape those who belong to them but are also shaped by its members, our study examined the process of creating discussions that revised, resisted, and reversed normative classroom practices. Namely, along with 22 other classmates/students, we created inclusive, student-led, academically rigorous class discussions. These discussions took place during the 2021-22 school year in two co-taught 9th grade Global I History classes located in a multicultural working-class community in the South Bronx. To analyze our class discussions, our data included 49 audio-recorded class discussions (totaling 36-hours), twelve class discussion reflections, and end-of-year interviews.
Our findings showed transformations in classroom hierarchy and discourse. The structure of student-led discussions which gave us freedom, roles, and responsibilities significantly increased our engagement and interest in learning. Vibrant global history class discussions were created that repositioned us (students) as (a) experts in classroom action and talk (facilitating, delegating tasks, pacing lessons, managing participation, materials, behavior, scaffolding, and notetaking); and (b) knowledge contributors who built on each other’s ideas to uncover textual evidence, connect enduring issues, and think critically about our worlds. Second, including everyone proved critical to such transformations. We are culturally, linguistically, and abilities diverse. Some of us are at the top of our class, some have individualized education programs and/or are English language learners. Though, it was not these institutional distinctions that mattered during discussions. What was important was that by including everyone, our diversity of learning styles, personalities, and academic strengths transformed learning and created opportunities that went beyond what any of us could have done on our own.

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