Making Whiteness visible in the classroom: An interview-based qualitative study of three White educators

Barker-Fivelson, Shannon

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https://hdl.handle.net/2142/125594 Copy

Description

Title

Making Whiteness visible in the classroom: An interview-based qualitative study of three White educators

Author(s)

Barker-Fivelson, Shannon

Issue Date

2024-07-11

Director of Research (if dissertation) or Advisor (if thesis)

Hood, Denice

Doctoral Committee Chair(s)

Hood, Denice

Committee Member(s)

• Davila, Liv
• Kang, Hyun
• Lee, Sharon

Department of Study

Educ Policy, Orgzn & Leadrshp

Discipline

Educ Policy, Orgzn & Leadrshp

Degree Granting Institution

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Degree Name

Ed.D.

Degree Level

Dissertation

Keyword(s)

• White Educators
• Whiteness
• Racial Identity Development

Language

eng

Abstract

This is a basic qualitative study with a purposeful sample of three participants that examined the extent to which understanding of one’s Whiteness impacts one’s pedagogical decisions, as well as what White teachers who have examined their Whiteness do differently within their teaching. The majority of the teaching force in the United States is White, but the majority of that majority have not spent time extensively examining the meaning of their Whiteness. The purpose of this research is to determine ways to better support Black students, especially those within predominantly White institutions, through understanding how a White teacher’s awareness of themselves as racialized can help render the invisible White hegemony visible in order to decenter it in the classroom. Study included two semi-structured interviews, followed by three phases of inductive and deductive coding. Findings include that teachers who have examined their Whiteness think about Whiteness as a lens through which they teach, the power of their Whiteness, its impact on their Black students, and how their ego connects to their understanding of Whiteness’ impact on their pedagogy. Findings also include that those who have examined their Whiteness implement pedagogical decisions in four areas: transparency, intention, support for others, and reflection. Implications of this study are that examining one’s Whiteness in a White anti-racist affinity group can positively impact one’s teaching and better support students, and there are ways to make one’s Whiteness visible in the classroom in order to decenter it and challenge the normality of Whiteness, which can better support Black students in predominantly White institutions.

Graduation Semester

2024-08

Type of Resource

Thesis

Handle URL

https://hdl.handle.net/2142/125594

Copyright and License Information

Copyright 2024 Shannon Barker-Fivelson

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