Touch the Future - Teach!

Every seven years faculty members may apply to take a sabbatical that is either a semester or a year away from traditional responsibilities at the college to engage in research and other work related to their academic interests and development. During my sabbatical year of 2008-09, I conducted an interview study with a group of parents/caregivers of youth of color, mostly African American, about the experiences of their children and families with issues of race and racism in school. These parents/caregivers reflect a wide range of social classes and include both biological and adoptive parents of numerous races/ethnicities. The purpose of the study was to gather stories -- or what we call in this kind of research, “narratives” -- that illuminate experiences, issues, and perspectives important for teachers to understand and respect as they work to improve their teaching and interactions with students of color and their families.

I conducted thirteen interviews, each 1½  to 2 hours long, and an Ithaca College student who is helping me with the project transcribed them.  I’m currently in the early stages of analyzing the interviews, having installed them into a computer program that allows me to identify common issues, patterns, and themes.  This preliminary analysis has revealed a number of themes and observations that are very important for educators to understand and address in their work with students of color and their families.  Study participants reported that:

·         they and their children were sometimes the objects/victims of low level expectations/assumptions grounded in negative/racist stereotypes, especially as this related to the guidance and placement of their children

·         their children were, at times, racially harassed and/or disrespected by peers, educators, and/or staff

·         race/racism at times played a subtle role in interactions with educators (“racial micro-aggressions”) causing uncertainty, discomfort, and doubt on the part of both the parents/caregivers and their children

·         the perspectives and concerns of parents/caregivers of children of color were sometimes marginalized in meetings with educators and certain institutional practices

·         institutional procedures and practices sometimes took precedence over addressing the needs of the child

·         the curriculum sometimes failed to present and promote multiculturalism and a respect for diverse cultural identities, and this had negative consequences for children of color

·         disciplinary practices and punishments were sometimes unequal/unfair along racial/ethnic lines

·         experiences with racism in the community influenced how their children interpreted and experienced things that took place at school

·         skin tone sometimes seemed to influence school experience, with darker skinned children treated more negatively than lighter skinned children

·         their own race-related experiences with school influenced their concerns about and interpretations of their children’s school experiences

·         educators sometimes seemed unwilling to really listen to and/or partner with the parents/caregivers

·         many educators seemed unable or unwilling to acknowledge, discuss, and address issues of race and racism

·         the experiences described in the interviews were often distressing and emotionally draining to deal with and discuss

My next step is to “pull out” the stories that best illustrate these issues and themes and to prepare them for use in a workshop I will do with a group of Ithaca School District teachers in early December.  These teachers are “equity mentors” from each of the schools in the district, and in this role they attend workshops around issues of diversity then lead trainings, in each of their schools, based on what they’ve learned.  During spring semester, 2010, I’ll also be leading a series of workshops, with another group of Ithaca teachers who are interested in better addressing issues of race and racism in their teaching.  After that I’ll begin to write articles about my study for presentation at conferences and publication in journals in the field of education. 

Already, though, stories from this project have become an important part of my teaching, as these life experiences provide compelling illustration for some of the things we are reading about and discussing in my classes.  These stories powerfully convey the importance of being more sensitive and skilled in addressing issues of race and racism in schools.  I am deeply appreciative these parents/caregivers have been willing to give of their time and emotion to contribute their stories, and I am humbled and motivated by what they’ve told me.

Jeff Claus, Associate Professor, Education Department--October 21, 2009