ERIC Number: ED637068
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 2023
Pages: 137
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: 979-8-3798-9692-8
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Sources of Belonging for 7th Grade Black Girls in the Math Classroom: A Phenomenological Study
Brooke Harris-Thomas
ProQuest LLC, Ph.D. Dissertation, Michigan State University
Belonging-centered academic environments have been positively associated with increased academic achievement, engagement, and persistence. Yet, belonging is a context-driven construct, indicating that there may be differences in what an individual construes as a belonging-supportive versus belonging-thwarting environment. Therefore, when considering what a belonging-supportive math classroom looks like for Black girls in middle school, it is important to create space for them to share how their perceptions and conceptualizations have been shaped by their learning context and personal experiences. Rooted in an Axiom of Black Brilliance and drawing on frameworks such as belonging, race-reimaging, intersectionality, and PVEST, this phenomenological study explores the lived experiences of ten 7th-grade Black girls as they share their conceptualizations and identified sources of belonging within the math classroom. Drawing from multiple data sources, including math autobiographies, semi-structured interviews, and classroom observations, the 7th-grade Black girls in this study added dimension to how belonging is understood by highlighting the construct's dynamic nature. Through a layered conceptualization, the participants named competence, teachers, peers, and academic support as sources of belonging within the math classroom. Yet, the identified role of the participants' ethnic-racial identity varied among the participants. This study takes a race-reimagined view of belonging and highlights where Black girls' views of belonging differ from the literature. Additionally, this study explores how the participants' experiences can lead educators to support their sense of belonging within the math classroom more effectively. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2222/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]
Descriptors: Middle School Students, Blacks, African American Students, Females, Grade 7, Mathematics Instruction, Group Membership, Interpersonal Relationship, Student Experience, Competence, Peer Relationship, Teacher Student Relationship, Academic Support Services
ProQuest LLC. 789 East Eisenhower Parkway, P.O. Box 1346, Ann Arbor, MI 48106. Tel: 800-521-0600; Web site: http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2222/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml
Publication Type: Dissertations/Theses - Doctoral Dissertations
Education Level: Junior High Schools; Middle Schools; Secondary Education; Elementary Education; Grade 7
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A