ERIC Number: ED638258
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 2023
Pages: 132
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: 979-8-3804-1059-5
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
"Should I Stay, or Should I Go?" Narratives of Black Women Special Educators: An Intersectional Analysis
Candice Michelle Cardwell
ProQuest LLC, Ed.D. Dissertation, Howard University
The study aimed to assess how intersectional factors such as race, gender identity, occupation, or other markers of one's identity may contribute to the attrition of Black women special education teachers. More specifically, this study sought to reveal the unique challenges that Black women in special education experience as opposed to the experiences of Black women teachers, general educators, or educators in general. The intersectional analysis also examined the conditions that contribute to the attrition of Black women teachers in special education by operationalizing intersectionality as a tool for analysis to consider the impact of racism, sexism, and ableism in the field of education (Burmicky, 2022; Garcia & Duran, 2021). The study also intended to ascertain how leadership and policymakers can improve the retention of this narrow population of educators. By centering these stories, this study hoped to help ameliorate detrimental spaces for Black women in the special education profession, enhance their experiences, and either elongate or develop their careers. In addition, the study aimed to highlight experiences among Black women special educators and how they navigate privilege and oppression as marginalized individuals based on race via racism, gender via sexism, and occupation via ableism. According to Freire (2001), "I cannot be a teacher without exposing who I am. Without revealing, either reluctantly or with simplicity, the way I relate to the world, how I think politically" (p. 87). Through intersectional analysis, the study sought to explore these multifaceted identities using a critical lens to understand how identity shapes experience by challenging dominant discourse and ideology (Singh, 2021). The narratives of current and former Black women special educators were collected through open-ended interviews that took place virtually via Zoom. Through semi-structured questions (Creswell, 2020), the intersectional narrative inquiry gathered data from Black women special educators on their experiences in the field that led them to remain in or consider leaving the classroom. Data analysis involved coding interview transcripts in a tiered, strategic process involving inductive and deductive coding to effectively determine the most prominent themes and subcategories regarding each research question. The key findings revealed that special educators' positive experiences primarily related to the relationships they foster with students and families as they witness their growth. In contrast, negative classroom experiences were attributed to a lack of support, overwhelming workloads, and neglectful educational policies that do not ensure equitable practices. [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: Special Education Teachers, Blacks, African American Teachers, Experience, Intersectionality, Faculty Mobility, Barriers, Leadership, Policy Formation, Power Structure, Disadvantaged, Race, Racism, Gender Bias, Work Attitudes, Influences, Racial Attitudes
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Publication Type: Dissertations/Theses - Doctoral Dissertations
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A