Parentification and Infantilization: An Ethnographic Examination of Students’ Experiences at an Underserved School

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Thursday 3:35 pm Four Seasons Ballroom 1
  In Roundtable Session: Racial and Social Structures Within K-12 Institutions (Table 8)

Abstract

This multi-year ethnographic study examines the relationships between families and schools and how these relationships influence students' experiences at school and at home. Data consists of fieldnotes and in-depth interviews with students, parents, teachers, and school leaders at an urban public school in Philadelphia. Analysis points to three findings: the students at Baker School (1) take on roles typically considered to be those of parents, (2) experience a combination of being parentified and infantilized at school, and (3) experience a disconnect between school and family expectations. Implications are presented for teachers, schools, and educators more broadly.

Author

• Nicole Mittenfelner Carl, University of Pennsylvania