From Anxiety to Agency: Reimagining Composition Pedagogy Through Black Feminist Praxis

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Friday 7:45 am - Gold 3
  In Roundtable Session: Holistic and Community-Based Learning Approaches

Abstract

In this study, I explore the transformative impact of Black Feminist Pedagogy on the holistic development of first-year composition students at North Dakota State University. Using a qualitative survey methodology and action research, I examine how this pedagogy is rooted in historical resistance and care that amplifies marginalized voices, incorporates lived experience, and fosters critical thinking. A central focus is writing anxiety, shaped by fear, perfectionism, and low confidence. I collect data through focus groups, interviews, journaling, and classroom observations. This research offers a justice-oriented framework that honors past struggles while preparing students for ethical, empowered engagement in future academic and civic spaces. By addressing writing anxiety and cultivating belonging, this study contributes to reimagining inclusive, liberatory futures in composition classrooms.

Author

• Elizabeth Labanna Harney, North Dakota State University