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Applieddissertation.pdf
Teachers’ Navigating Emotions and Communication Exchanges in Teacher-Student
Conflicts at a Black Urban All-Girls Middle School
by
Damia C. Thomas
An Applied Dissertation Submitted to the
Abraham S. Fischler College of Education
and School of Criminal Justice in Partial
Fulfillment of the Requirements for the
Degree of Doctor of Education
Nova Southeastern University
2021
ii
Approval Page
This applied dissertation was submitted by Damia C. Thomas under the direction of the
persons listed below. It was submitted to the Abraham S. Fischler College of Education
and School of Criminal Justice and approved in partial fulfillment of the requirements for
the degree of Doctor of Education at Nova Southeastern University.
Charlene Désir, EdD
Committee Chair
Anne Joslin, PhD
Committee Member
Kimberly Durham, PsyD
Dean
iii
Statement of Original Work
I declare the following:
I have read the Code of Student Conduct and Academic Responsibility as described in the
Student Handbook of Nova Southeastern University. This applied dissertation represents
my original work, except where I have acknowledged the ideas, words, or material of
other authors.
Where another author’s ideas have been presented in this applied dissertation, I have
acknowledged the author’s ideas by citing them in the required style.
Where another author’s words have been presented in this applied dissertation, I have
acknowledged the author’s words by using appropriate quotation devices and citations in
the required style.
I have obtained permission from the author or publisher—in accordance with the required
guidelines—to include any copyrighted material (e.g., tables, figures, survey instruments,
large portions of text) in this applied dissertation manuscript.
Damia C. Thomas
Name
December 3, 2021
Date
iv
Acknowledgments
The journey for my terminal degree would not have been possible without faith,
determination, and encouragement. For seven years this work has guided my thoughts
and actions through trials and tribulations and even illness that required me to stop the
process. The universe put my family, friends, partner and dissertation chair in a position
to encourage me through this journey. They each played a played a critical role in
ensuring I did not fail, and I am so grateful and appreciative for them. My daughter,
Alana Thomas, and mother, Verna Thomas, kept me on track by reminding me what I
need to accomplish and always believing I had the ability to meet this goal. The phone
calls and text messages gave me the push I needed to refocus on my goal. I thank them
for their undying love and support throughout this process.
My partner, Sterling Jones’, consistent encouragement gave me the courage to
continue when I felt like giving up. He protected my time and space from distractions so I
stayed focused. He was always willing to offer help in any way he could which helped
alleviate the stress associated with pursuing a terminal degree. He knew what to say to
make me laugh and smile when I needed it. He knew when I needed a break and should
walk away to regain the drive to keep pushing. His support and love were constant and
immeasurable, and I cannot thank him enough for helping me accomplish this goal.
My dissertation chair, Dr. Charlene Desir, pushed me to think critically about the
work and I honestly could not have completed this without her honest feedback and
encouragement. I appreciate all the brainstorming and thought partnering to guide me
through this process. Thank you so much for your insight. Dr. Anne Joslin, thank you for
your kind words to get me started on this journey.
v
Abstract
Teachers Navigating Emotions and Communication Exchanges in Teacher-Student
Conflicts at a Black Urban All-Girls Middle School. Damia C. Thomas, 2021: Applied
Dissertation, Nova Southeastern University, Abraham S. Fischler College of Education
and School of Criminal Justice. Keywords: conflict, Black girl literacies, restorative
practices, self-awareness.
This qualitative phenomenological study aimed to examine how teachers engage with
Black female middle school students to understand how Black girls’ literacies contribute
to conflict. This study examined teacher-student communication exchanges, how teachers
experience conflict, and the way teachers address Black middle school girls’ behavior.
Teachers’ awareness of their own emotions and how those emotions lead to conflict with
Black girl students enhances understanding of how teachers must be intentional when
developing positive relationships with Black female middle school students.
The researcher employed a phenomenological approach that delineated the lived
experiences of six teachers at a predominately Black, all-girls urban middle school. The
findings presented a broader understanding of teachers’ experiences with integrating EL
strategies as they resolve conflict, their strategies for regulating their emotions while
communicating during a conflict, and their experiences with processing and
acknowledging Black girls’ communication literacies during conflict. Among the
understandings provided are teacher-student communication exchanges, they ways in
which teachers experience conflict, and the methods teachers use to address Black middle
school girls’ behavior.
Data for this phenomenological study were collected through individual comprehensive
interviews with teachers at an all-girls middle school in the northeast. Information
provided by and collected from participants during in-depth interviews and conversations
produced a significant contextual understanding of experience and frustration, resulting
in four major themes: (a) conflict interacts with values and nonverbal cues, (b)
relationships with students directly impact restorative strategies, (c) self-awareness
deescalates conflict, and (d) acknowledgement of Black girl culture and literacies is
critical.
vi
Table of Contents
Page
Chapter 1: Introduction ........................................................................................................1
Statement of the Problem .........................................................................................1
Definition of Terms................................................................................................11
Purpose of Study ....................................................................................................12
Chapter 2: Literature Review .............................................................................................13
Theoretical Framework ..........................................................................................13
Urban Education Development ..............................................................................15
Urban Education Challenges ..................................................................................17
Urban Education-Charter School ...........................................................................18
EL Education Urban Charter .................................................................................20
Urban Charter All-Girls School .............................................................................21
Urban Education Black Girls and Discipline .........................................................28
Social Emotional Needs of Black Girls .................................................................30
Black Girl Literacies ..............................................................................................33
Teacher-Student Conflict .......................................................................................38
Teacher Emotional Regulation ..............................................................................41
Research Questions ................................................................................................45
Chapter 3: Methodology ....................................................................................................46
Aim of Study ..........................................................................................................46
Research Design Approach ....................................................................................46
Participants .............................................................................................................48
Data Collection Tools ............................................................................................49
Procedures ..............................................................................................................51
Data Analysis .........................................................................................................54
Ethical Considerations ...........................................................................................57
Trustworthiness ......................................................................................................58
Potential Research Bias..........................................................................................59
Limitations .............................................................................................................60
Chapter 4: Findings ............................................................................................................62
Contextual Significance .........................................................................................64
Themes ...................................................................................................................70
Conclusion ............................................................................................................ 89
Chapter 5: Discussion ........................................................................................................90
Interpreting Context and Themes...........................................................................90
Interpretation of Themes ........................................................................................93
Recommendations ................................................................................................104
Consideration for Future Studies .........................................................................105
Conclusion ...........................................................................................................106
vii
References ........................................................................................................................109
Appendices
A Interview Protocol ........................................................................................126
B Email Invitation ...........................................................................................130
1
Chapter 1: Introduction
Statement of the Problem
A teacher’s personality directly impacts the quality of their relationships with
middle school students. Masko (2018) stated that student-teacher relationships are
multilayered and complex, and students connect with teachers with a mixture of distinct
personalities and teaching styles. As such, teachers must consistently navigate several
aspects of the profession that are never included in any teacher contract. In addition to the
time required to plan and deliver curriculum, teachers must explicitly teach and model a
set of soft skills for students to grow developmentally and academically (Woodfin, 2009).
The ability to teach these skills requires teachers to be attuned to their emotional
intelligence and interpersonal skills. Teaching does not exclusively entail instilling
academic skills; rather, the profession has evolved to include a myriad of soft skills that
include character building and empathy (Ladson-Billings, 2014). The needs of middle
school girls, especially those in urban communities, will consistently change. For urban
schools to be successful, teachers cannot take a one-size-fits-all approach (Robinson and
Lewis, 2017).
Learning to traverse conflict is a necessity in the teaching profession and requires
a certain skill set (Robinson & Lewis, 2017). Teaching in an urban school necessitates a
different kind of planning and intentional interaction to mitigate teacher-student conflict.
Teaching in an urban, all-girls middle school requires an additional kind of intentionality
to reduce conflict. This work requires teachers to have strong constitutions and nurturing
practices that are both supportive and firm (Schellenberg & Grothaus, 2011). Among the
challenges is navigating conflict with students. The social and emotional needs of
2
students in low-income, urban school districts surpass those of students in more affluent,
urban school districts (Masko, 2018). Teachers must consistently hone and depend on
both interpersonal and intrapersonal skills to positively navigate conflict in a way that
acknowledges fault and vulnerability (Ladson-Billings, 2014). The ability to use these
skills include navigating how well teachers understand and know the students they teach.
Furthermore, the intentional use of these skills enables teachers to connect with students
culturally, allowing them to effectively address and reduce teacher-student conflict. The
ability to understand and relate to the individual inner workings of children is critical
(Robinson & Lewis, 2017). The cultural lens through which teachers operate shapes their
experiences and their perceptions of conflict with students.
Göksoy and Argon (2016) characterized conflicts in schools as occurrences that
hinder the accomplishment of school goals and harm teachers and students, thereby
negatively impacting schools. If schools are unable to address conflict effectively, both
students and teachers lose. Teachers who experience repeated conflict and feel there is no
resolution begin to feel uneasy, frustrated, sorrowful, insensitive, tense, and disappointed,
which can lead to indifference (Zimmermann, 2018). This indifference breeds conflict as
teachers begin to feel routinely disconnected from students. The cyclical relationship of
conflict between teacher and student poses barrier to learning, which negatively impacts
students of all ages and grades. As Ozgan (2016) stated:
The fact that teachers do not have enough information about their students and the
insufficient communications between teachers and students are contributing to
conflicts between teachers and students. The teachers negatively affect their
3
students’ psychology as well as their academic achievement and social
relationships. (p. 151)
The delicate balance between the teacher-student relationship is compounded by the ever-
present challenges of adolescence. Middle school tends to be a tumultuous time for
adolescents as they are learning to navigate their own identities and relationships.
The development of middle school students is constantly guiding how adolescents
react to their environments and people. Typically, the greatest set of challenges and
growth for early adolescents involves social development, which includes forming and
maintaining healthy relationships with peers and developing a unique personality apart
from family (Frydman & Mayor, 2017). Among the many inevitable challenges
adolescents experience, learning to navigate a convoluted social world while adjusting to
changes adds another layer of growing pains that guides adolescent decision-making
about the intentions of the outside world (van Duijvenvoorde & Crone, 2013). These
difficulties reveal a need for teachers and students to have clear and meaningful
interactions rooted in honesty, vulnerability, and willingness to listen and learn.
For Black adolescent girls, meaningful interactions with teachers require the
teacher to not only understand their physiological changes but also to understand how
Black girls communicate. Murphy et al. (2013) posited that Black girls receive clear
messages that communicating loudly is bad and that gender norms contribute to
controlling the Black female voice. Learning how to positively manage socialized
environments is a continuous task requiring a skill that develops over time. The
additional burden of low-income stressors contributes to the way Black girls
communicate and has been negatively viewed by teachers; however, if teachers want to
4
develop caring relationships with students as Masko (2018) suggested, they must
understand how Black girls communicate. Teachers’ inability to understand how and why
Black girls respond in their own unique ways leads to conflict.
Phenomenon of Interest
Several factors have been shown to contribute to how teachers and Black girls in
middle school engage in and develop relationships in a school setting (Murphy et al.,
2013). In urban settings, external factors contribute to how students function in school.
Family and community dynamics influence how Black girls behave and engage with the
world around them, including with teachers at school. This combination of influences can
manifest through the robust voices of the Black girl, which is problematic for teachers
and creates conflict. Within the last decade, understanding the interactions between Black
female students and teachers has been given greater attention (The NAACP Legal
Defense and Educational Fund and The National Women’s Law Center, 2014).
There is a significant disparity in the amount and type of discipline Black girls
endure compared to their White counterparts (Koonce, 2012). Black girl students,
especially in urban school districts, tend to be treated with harsher consequences for
minor infractions. Policymakers have begun to establish guidelines that limit teachers’
use of exclusionary discipline in response to minor offenses in middle school (Freedberg
& Frey, 2012). These policies require teachers to rethink how they interact with and
discipline students, eliminating their ability to remove students from class. The evidence
of this teacher-student dynamic leads to questions about the quality of those relationships
and how teachers experience and resolve conflict with Black girls in middle school.
While there is evidence of inequity in how Black girls are penalized and criminalized for
5
their behavior (Annamma et al., 2019; Morris, 2016; Musu-Gillette et al., 2016) as well
as conflict between teachers and students (Ozgan, 2016; Rovenpor et al., 2017), there is
little research on how Black girls’ literacies are perceived as aggression and create
conflict in the classroom.
Background and Justification
Conflict is a complex function of communication that requires several crucial
understandings. Conflict can arise from frustration when a need is unmet, and teachers
must be aware of the social constructs in which they operate to communicate effectively
with colleagues and students when frustration occurs (Rovenpor et al., 2017). Conflict in
an urban school environment looks different when teachers and students possess different
cultural backgrounds and values (Gaikhorst et al., 2017). Teachers’ ability to address
conflict through a cultural lens is complex and requires vulnerability, honest reflection,
and a commitment to adjusting the lens used to engage with Black middle school girls
(Irvine, 2010). This social phenomenon can occur for several reasons and can evoke
confusion and negative feelings. However, the ability to resolve conflict within the school
context is critical for the success of both teacher and student.
The plight of Black girls and discipline in urban middle schools has gained
traction in the past decade and has forced educators to begin acknowledging that this
disparity exists. Conflict between Black middle school girls and teachers has been on the
rise, and data has indicated that Black girls receive referrals and suspensions for simply
“talking with an attitude” (Koonce, 2012, p. 30). While authoritative figures tend to react
punitively when Black female students use their voices, Koonce (2012) noted that the
6
way in which adolescent females speak is their way of exercising their autonomy in a
restrictive setting. Conflict between teachers and students arises, then, when
Teachers are not necessarily remarking on the volume of the girls’ speech
instead, they are incensed at the girls’ attitudes of defiance. Teachers are
frustrated because they feel that their authority is undermined by skillful speakers
who know how to speak their mind and rebel against what they perceive as an unfair
use of the teachers’ authority. Again, the use of talking with an attitude is positive,
in that the girls used it to maintain their cultural integrity. (p. 32)
The conflict between teachers and Black adolescent female students exists over the
expectation that these girls behave in a “ladylike” manner and avoid being loud or
speaking with an attitude (Walker, 2020).
For Black middle school girls in urban communities, navigating the constraints of
society means feeling the effects of the triple identity: Black, female, and American
(Koonce, 2012). This conflict is so prevalent that many Black females tend to internalize
it and question cultural practices at the risk of losing them in formalized settings. Black
adolescent girls’ development of their identities can be supported when teachers respect
their ways of knowing and when they are able to educate teachers about their literacies
(Ives, 2012). Muhammad and Haddix (2016) examined several didactic approaches that
center Black girls’ literacies and discovered six characteristic components thereof: (a)
multiple, (b) tied to identities, (c) historical, (d) collaborative, (e) intellectual, and (f)
political/critical. Black girls’ literacies embody levels of reading, writing, discussion, and
performance. Furthermore, they involve developing their individual and cultural
identities through relationships (Muhammad & Haddix, 2016). Critical awareness and
7
social action are Black girls’ literacies. Addressing conflict means that teachers must
learn these cultural differences in order to validate Black girls in middle school’s cultural
expressions (Sleeter, 2011).
At the proposed research site, the all-girls urban middle school, halls are
brimming with Black girls who are learning their identities and vocalizing their thoughts
and feelings in vibrant ways. Each girl expresses herself in a unique way, and teachers
must learn how to understand each unique need. In addition to being one of two all-girls
schools in this urban district, this middle school is considered a part of the Expeditionary
(EL) Education network. An EL Education school, formerly known as Expeditionary
Learning Schools, has a framework that places character and culture building as one of its
five core practices and one of three dimensions of student achievement
(https://eleducation.org). The EL network describes claims to promote self-discovery,
collaboration and competition, service and compassion, and ownership of learning
(Ikpeze, 2013). Expeditionary learning education takes an experiential approach to
teaching and learning with a considerable focus on character building. Since each EL
school is unique, the staff at each institution develops a unique character-building
curriculum to address their specific needs. The urban, all-girls middle school, which
opened in 2015, used six character traits, both relational and moral, that they believed
embodied what each student should possess, dubbing them the habits of mind
expectations (H.O.M.E.). In addition to the H.O.M.E. targets, teachers developed a set of
consequences for specific infractions at the school. Even with a character curriculum and
the consequences in place, teachers still met with what they defined as defiance and
disrespect from students, who are predominantly Black. The purpose of this study is to
8
examine how teachers engage with Black female middle school students to gain an
understanding of how Black girls’ literacies contribute to conflict. This study examines
teacher-student communication exchanges, how teachers experience conflict, and the way
teachers address Black middle school girls’ behavior.
Deficiencies in the Evidence
There is a dearth of teacher-student conflict research that focuses on the
perspectives and experiences of Black female students at urban schools (Koonce, 2012;
Waldron, 2011; Walker, 2019). Much of the literature cites examples of conflict with
Black female students, such as instances where the teacher does not take the time to listen
to a student, does not allow a student to use the bathroom, or instance where the student
“gets smart” (Murphy et al., 2013). Research on how and why teachers experience
conflict is limited. Most of the literature has highlighted teachers’ perceptions of conflict
through the lens of conflict management (Gaikhorst et al., 2017; Göksoy & Argon, 2016;
Issacson, 2016; Koomen & Lellesma, 2015; Masko, 2018; Ozgan, 2016). There are
limited findings addressing how teachers navigate and resolve conflict with Black girls in
middle school, specifically as it relates to Black girls’ literacies.
Black girls in middle school who have experienced conflict with teachers have
their own rationales for how and why conflict exists between themselves and their
teachers. In a phenomenological study, Koonce (2012) revealed that, in addition to
navigating triple identities, the challenges adolescent Black girls face are not being heard
by teachers and navigating the teacher perception that Black girls “talk with an attitude.”
In this study, participants shared that their teachers tended to “get smart” with or ignore
them, which led to conflict. Koonce (2012) found four themes in participants’
9
experiences. The first revealed that participants felt constant exposure to a hostile school
environment. Teachers either yelled at, ignored, or removed students from class, which
made them feel unsafe and uncomfortable. These hostile environments led to feelings of
confusion and disrespect, which in turn led the students to use “talking with an attitude”
as a defense mechanism (Koonce, 2012). Findings also indicated that teachers were the
aggressors in the eyes of Black female students; as a result of that aggression, students’
initial reaction was confusion because they did not expect teachers to behave is such a
negative and aggressive way. The feeling of disrespect consumed the students, causing
them to react negatively and defensively. The conflict arose because the teachers initiated
negative responses to Black female students. Koonce (2012) concluded that teachers
would misunderstand Black girls’ communication responses as “talking with an attitude,”
which led to conflict. The proposed dissertation study adds to these findings by
investigating teachers’ experiences with Black middle school girls’ communication style
that they interpret as discord.
McGrath and van Bergen (2019) qualitatively examined why some teachers have
close relationships with disruptive students and others do not. Teachers were recorded
speaking about students, and those recording were analyzed for emotional and relational
tone to help identify disruptive students. The analysis revealed that 8 out of 51 students
were considered disruptive. To gain a deeper understanding of “complicated” students,
researchers conducted a qualitative content analysis (McGarth & van Bergen, 2019).
Results indicated a variation of closeness among students and different teachers, along
with two themes that included teachers’ perception of what caused disruptive behavior
10
and teachers’ close relationships with disruptive students exhibiting evidence of
emotional competence.
According to McGarth and van Bergen (2019), complicated relationships are
characterized by statements that demonstrate explicit reflection on the causes of the
students’ behavior. In their study, teachers often used external factors to explain
disruptive behavior such as living in a single parent home, hyperactivity, and personality.
Teachers’ perceptions of disruptive behavior informed their emotional experience. The
second theme distinctively illustrated evidence of teachers’ emotional competencies;
complicated relationships more often than not indicated that the teachers were able to
emotionally perceive the students’ feelings to better understand them. As noted in the
study, more research is needed on the interventions intended to improve student-teacher
relationships, address other aspects of teachers’ emotional competence such as emotional
regulation, and address teachers’ acknowledgment of student disruptive behavior.
Audience
Teachers, administrators, school social workers, and family members who engage
with adolescent girls in urban middle schools are the target audience. Teachers are asked
to reflect on how to better communicate with adolescent Black girls with a specific focus
on listening to prevent conflict. Teachers must acknowledge that Black girls’ literacies
influence how they engage with the world and develop practices that accept how Black
girls communicate. This researcher could offer administrators better insight into how to
devise and implement character curriculums that consider the sociocultural needs of
adolescent Black girls. In addition to using this research to become better communicators
with adolescent Black girls, school social workers can also use it to support teachers and
11
family strengthen relationships by developing an understanding of the Black girl’s social-
emotional needs. Family members can benefit by realizing their need to be more aware of
their bias and to begin thinking about adjusting their interactions with Black adolescent
girls. The goal is for teachers, administrators, and school social workers to be intentional
about acknowledging, hearing, and promoting the voices of female students in urban
middle schools to reduce conflict.
Definition of Terms
The terms below are defined in terms of their use in this study.
EL Education
Formerly called Expeditionary Learning, EL Education is a school design that
incorporates curriculum with experiential learning. This design focuses strongly on
developing character and creating a sense of environmental awareness. EL schools’
literature states that they are “interested in creating good schools of a certain kind—more
humane, adventurous and rigorous than the norm” (Woodfin, 2009, p. 196).
Conflict
Ozgan (2016) defined conflict as a concept that naturally occurs and can range
from personal differences to anger or violence. It marks the ways in which people
interact. While it can be positive or negative, conflict has psychological underpinnings of
overt confrontation. It is the perceived divergence of interest in cases where the involved
parties express an incompatibility of interest.
Black Girl Literacies
“Black girls’ literacies encompass layers of reading, writing, discussing, and
performing. Black girls develop their individual and cultural identities through
12
collaboration. Black girls’ literacies also involve critical awareness and social action”
(Gordon et al., 2019, p.5).
Purpose of Study
The purpose of this phenomenology study is to examine the experiences of
teacher-student communication exchanges while navigating conflict with Black middle
school students at a majority Black, urban, all-girls school in the Northeast. It examines
how teachers engage with Black, female middle school students to gain an understanding
of how Black girls’ literacies contribute to conflict. The intersectionality of Black girls,
how they navigate the lines of their identities in school, and how teachers perceive those
behaviors are discussed. The way teachers acknowledge and address Black middle-school
girls can enhance understanding of how teachers can be intentional in developing
relationships with Black girl students as well as be aware of and acknowledge their own
emotions and how they lead to conflict with Black girl students.
13
Chapter 2: Literature Review
Teacher practices impact the success of the relationships between teachers and
adolescent Black girl students in urban classrooms. The adults must be able to connect
with the Black girls at points where their identities intersect. To effectively teach Black
girls, teachers must engage in courageous conversations about race, sex, values and belief
systems (Singleton, 2015). Without this important lens, teacher-student conflict will
prevail (Göksoy & Argon, 2016). This study examines the experiences of teachers as they
engage in these dialogues in a predominantly Black, all-girls school in the Northeast.
Research on theoretical approaches to teaching Black adolescent female students
in low-income, urban public schools must integrate the socio-political positionality of the
oppressed in public education (Freire, 1970). Present research provides lenses that now
include the teacher, the student, and education reform advocates. Black adolescent girl
students continue to be perceived through a lens that prohibits their expression and voice,
which creates conflict between Black girls and their teachers (Collie & Perry, 2019).
Teachers’ perceptions of Black girls’ behavior derives from a lack of understanding of
how to engage and support Black female students (Albright et al., 2017; Bond, 2016;
Collie & Perry, 2019; Göksoy & Argon, 2016).
Theoretical Framework
Harrison (2017) defined intersectionality theory as the social identities that
intersect so distinctively that each identity can only be defined through the intersection of
other identities. Originally coined by Crenshaw (1989), the theory of intersectionality
was developed as a result of a misperception of how the law views discrimination of
Black women. Crenshaw (1989) expounded on the theory of intersectionality by
14
describing three cases that overlooked the impact of being both Black and female. In one
case, the court decided that discrimination can be claimed under the guise of race or sex,
but not both (Crenshaw, 1989). The plaintiff, a Black female, had to choose between her
race or her sex to move forward with the discrimination case. Another case Crenshaw
(1989) described detailed how a Black female was denied the ability to represent all
women in a discrimination case because being Black disqualified her from representing
White women. The third case (Crenshaw, 1989) was a racial discrimination lawsuit in
which the court did not allow Black women to represent Black men because of gender
difference and the idea that, as women, there would be additional cause for
discrimination that men may or may not have experienced. In the sum of these cases,
Crenshaw (1989) noted the contradiction of Black women’s experiences as either too
distinct or not distinct enough:
It seems that I have to say that Black women are the same and harmed by
being treated differently, or that they are different and harmed by being
treated the same. But I cannot say both. This apparent contradiction is but
another manifestation of the conceptual limitations of the single-issue
analyses that intersectionality challenges. The point is that Black women
can experience discrimination in any number of ways and that the
contradiction arises from our assumptions that their claims of exclusion
must be unidirectional. (p. 148)
This study applies the theoretical framework of intersectionality.
Black adolescent girls’ experiences involve a complex set of unspoken behavioral
expectations that are specific to Black adolescent girls. The very nature of the Black girl
15
experience involves interweaving facets that include race, sex, and class—all of which
marginalize Black girls individually and collectively (Crenshaw, 1991). Societal
expectations do not consider the multifaceted experience of the Black girl, and the lack of
acknowledgement silences the Black girl’s voice and can manifest in schools as defiance.
As stated by Lindsay-Dennis (2015),
the experiences of Black girls are clearly intersectional and cannot be adequately
explained with an isolated emphasis on either race or gender. Black feminism and
Womanism provide a dual lens for researchers to authentically investigate the
nuances of Black girlhood. Also, Black feminism and Womanism provide a
means for examining African American girls through a strength-oriented
perspective by placing them at the center of analysis. This dual lens forces one to
examine the intersection of race, gender, class, sexuality, and socially defined
markers of identity that impact Black girls’ lives. (p. 511)
This study uses intersectionality theory to understand how Black girls communicate with
teachers and how teachers’ experiences with the behavior of Black girls influence how
they react to and treat Black girls in school.
Urban Education Development
The development of urban education has a long and rich history encompassing
several social constructs, including both demographic and economic factors (Rury, 2016).
The early structure of urban schools evolved post-Civil War to meet the need of families
who could not afford private school. Families unable to afford organized religious
schools resulted in more children in the streets, which became a public concern. The
responsibility of educating children was then owned by the public. As cities grew and
16
became more diverse, education grew to include the increasing population to train
children to become productive citizens. Population growth increased enrollment, and a
more organized structure for training children became necessary (Massey et al., 2014).
By the 19th century, educators began creating professional networks to support a growing
school system where ideas and information were shared. This sharing of information led
to a foundation for normalizing public urban education (Rury, 2016). As the
industrialized age emerged in the late 1800s, urban communities grew, and so did urban
schools. As the student population increased, one-room schoolhouses became too small
to accommodate it. Subsequently, urban middle- and upper-class families migrated to
suburban areas, which left urban areas with the poorest populations inhabiting those
schools (Massey et al., 2014).
Over decades, through World War II and The Great Depression, people continued
to move to urban cities in search of opportunities. This migration continued well into the
mid-20th century. By the 1950s and 1960s, Black people began to migrate north to urban
communities, adding to the “White flight” of middle- and upper-class families to
suburban communities (Rury, 2016). Children in these communities attended urban
schools, though local government prioritized industrialization. This resulted in an absence
of economic support for urban schools (Hanushek & Yilmaz, 2011). With inadequate
funding, urban schools became segregated, which led to blatant inequities of educational
resources and attainment (Hanushek & Yilmaz, 2011). As industrial employment began
to wane, Black families became unemployed, and an eventual crisis developed. The size
and number of poor communities spiked, which heavily impacted urban schooling.
Teachers faced not only the instructional needs of students in poor communities, but also
17
the ripple effect of such grave depravity. Attending to students’ basic human needs
became a part of a teachers’ everyday regimens to address low achievement, high student
mobility and dropout, and school failure (Sadovnik & Davidson, 2011).
Urban Education Challenges
The complexities of urban education are vast and have endured a long history of
change that has impacted both teachers and students in negative and positive ways. The
constructs under which urban public education operates has created division and inequity
(Massey et al., 2014). Schools are frequently described as urban because of the
characteristics related to the schools and the people in them (Massey et al., 2014). There
are significant differences between teachers’ and students’ experiences in urban schools.
The diversity of urban schools makes it challenging for teachers (Gaikhort et al., 2017)
for different reasons. The teaching profession requires intense planning and preparation,
which can create stressful conditions for educators. Collie and Perry (2019) referred to
this as workplace buoyancy, which is the ability to bounce back from the stressful
challenges of everyday events. The added stressors of teaching at an urban school include
a myriad of factors, such as lack of adequate funding, lack of effective teacher
preparation programs, and differences in cultural background (Gaikhort et al., 2017).
Possessing the capacity to serve students who require more time and attention is a skill
teachers require to be successful, and low-income, high-poverty, urban, public schools
tend to serve such communities.
In addition to the challenges of public, urban schools, low socioeconomic
minority communities face more challenges in public schools that significantly impact
students. From primary to high school, urban schools undergo consistent changes, and the
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social-emotional development of students unfolds throughout these changes and shapes
school climates. According to a 2013 report by Musu-Gillette et al. (2016) for the
National Center for Education Statistics, the Black-White gap in reading ranges from 26
to 32 points in grades 4, 8, and—the largest gap—12. The mathematics gap between
Black and White students ranges from 26 to 36 in grades 4, 8, and 12. In 2013, the
official poverty level for Black students was 39% compared to 10% for White students.
Poverty, race, and schooling highly correlate to location institution (Massey et al., 2014).
Individual economic conditions linked to the established formation of public ruling in the
United States leads to a very close association to location, housing, and education. These
historical factors enormously impact students’ academic ability and are overwhelmingly
present in urban school settings today.
Urban Education-Charter School
For decades, the expanding disparities between poor Black communities’ urban
schooling and their suburban counterparts continued its polarized growth, and,
eventually, the era of school reform emerged (Sadovnik & Davidson, 2011). To address
the disparities in public school, school-based education reforms introduced several foci to
improve areas such as teacher and school quality, school choice, vouchers, and charter
schools (Sadovnik & Davidson, 2011). Teacher quality required that all teachers in urban
schools had to be highly qualified. School choice reforms allowed families to select a
school outside of the addressed zone. Vouchers, which were only viable in select states,
provided public funds to low-income families as an option to attend private schools.
Charter schools also used public funds and had sovereignty over academic structure, but
they were governed by the state’s education department. The first state legislated charter
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law was passed in Minnesota in 1991 (Sadovnik & Davidson, 2011), and many have
followed since, spanning across the United States. According to the National Center for
Educational Statistics (2021),
A public charter school is a publicly funded school that is typically
governed by a group or organization under a legislative contract—a
charter—with the state, the district, or another entity. The charter exempts
the school from certain state or local rules and regulations. In return for
flexibility and autonomy, the charter school must meet the accountability
standards outlined in its charter. A school’s charter is reviewed
periodically by the entity that granted it, and can be revoked if guidelines
on curriculum and management are not followed or if the accountability
standards are not met.
Between 2001 and 2018, the percentage of public schools in the United States that were
charter schools increased from 2 to 7%, and the total number of charter schools increased
from approximately 2,000 to 7,200 (https://nces.ed.gov/programs/coe/indicator_cgb.asp).
The growth in charter schools is a direct response to the need to improve outcomes for
students who attend urban schools, which are mostly minority and low-income.
Charter schools are public schools characterized by choice. They have gained
traction in the last 10 years. Deneen and Catanese (2011) cited a study that found gains in
academic achievement for students in low-income communities. Similarly, the National
Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance conducted a randomized trial
of charter school effectiveness in multiple states and different kinds of communities. All
institutions examined in this study were middle schools that had been open for at least 2
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or more years. Statewide testing data was used to measure growth. The schools that
elected to participate in the study were not the typical charter middle schools in
disadvantaged communities. The Black student population in this study was 16%, and the
free and reduced lunch rate was only 44%. Even accounting for the difference in
demographic data, the outcome revealed that, on average, there was no statistically
significant difference in achievement outcomes for students except for low-income and
low-achieving students (National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional
Assistance, 2010). This data revealed a need to approach low-income students in a
different, systemic way that addresses specific needs, particularly discipline and social-
emotional needs.
EL Education Urban Charter
The EL Education approach is based on Outward Bound, an educational approach
created by Kurt Hahn in the 1930s (Outward Bound International, n.d.). The premise of
Outward Bound was to provide students with outdoor experiences that build tenacity,
physical fitness, and compassion. The outdoor experiences were created to enhance both
technical and soft skills such as self-worth and perseverance through difficult tasks and
challenges. Outward Bound was a completely hands-on approach to experiential learning
that was widely accepted in the 1980s in the United States and abroad (Kalisch et al.,
2011; Outward Bound, n.d.-b). In 1991, Outward Bound joined with the Harvard
Graduate School of Education to create Expeditionary Learning, a new framework for
schooling (EL Education, n.d.). Through continued funding and planning, 10
Expeditionary Learning schools opened in 1993 (Weinbaum et al., 1996). In 2015, the
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name Expeditionary Learning legally changed to EL Education. Currently, 150 schools
across the nation adhere to the EL Education principles.
At an EL Education school, character and culture is one of three mandatory
dimensions of learning (https://eleducation.org). The practice requires developing a set of
tenets to fit the student population, which means that the staff and students at each EL
Education school uphold different tenets; no two EL Education schools are the same.
Beesely et al. (2010) noted that, in an EL Education school, character and education are
interconnected: students’ social outlooks and conduct can encourage or prohibit learning,
academic performance, and social relationships. These schools also intentionally
introduce and practice social skills to support developmental needs. The history and
results of EL Education captured the attention of a group of private, all-girls school
administrators in an urban city in the Northeast region of the United States. These
administrators spent 5 years creating and writing a charter that specifically included the
EL Education framework. Their intent was to help bridge the gap between teachers and
the urban middle school’s student population, which is predominantly comprised of
Black girls
Urban Charter All-Girls School
This EL Education institution is an urban, all-girls charter middle school in the
Northeast region of the United States that serves a low-income and predominately
African-American population. The school charter was written to positively impact the
educational climate of the city by creating an all-girls option for students who could not
afford private school. The school plan gradually admits students each year until it meets
the charter capacity of 350 middle school girls. The principal and executive director spent
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a year planning the school’s 2015 opening. They established all aspects of the school’s
operations, including the schedule, discipline plan, character and culture practices,
curriculum mapping, uniform color and style, class size, hiring practices, and family
engagement plan. The charter middle school has a lottery process that serves adolescent
girls from 23 different zip codes in grades 5 through 8. Located in an urban district, this
all-girls EL Education middle school is deemed a Title I school, which means it receives
additional federal funds to meet the needs of students in low-income communities. Many
of the students have additional needs and circumstances that severely impact both
academic and social emotional growth. For example, students at these institutions rarely
have productive social outlets after school hours. In a study of Colombian students in
grades 5 and 9, Hincapie (2016) found that those who attended school for longer days
showed a measurable increase in student achievement compared to those students who
did not have extended school hours. Keeping in line with such findings, this EL
Education school has a mandatory academic schedule of 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and a
voluntary schedule of 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
As an EL Education institution, this all-girls middle school has adopted the EL
Education curriculum for English language arts. The EL Education website states that the
curriculum was
created by teachers for teachers, and based on college and career readiness
standards, the EL Education Language Arts curriculum is a comprehensive,
research-informed, core language arts programs that engages teachers and
students through compelling, real world content. (EL Education, n.d.)
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To effectively impact teaching and learning in the associated curriculum, EL Education
recommends purchasing the professional development and support in the form of a
position called the school developer. The school developer for this all-girls middle school
has been affiliated with EL Education and the intricacies of the framework’s evolution
for more than 10 years. The school developer worked closely with the school principal
and executive director to intensively plan professional development goals for the year and
create an accountability document with benchmark goals at the middle of the school year.
The planning also included work around academic and character development
curriculums, which was essential for addressing behavior and developing a positive
school climate and culture. The school developer also supported teachers with the
instructional implementation of both curriculums. The school developer worked for EL
Education, and the partnership between the all-girls middle school and EL Education
used a significant amount of the school’s budget.
This middle school has 35 staff, which includes lead content teachers, teacher’s
aides, office staff, and staff assigned to developing and supporting a positive climate and
culture. Lead content teachers are responsible for implementing EL Education grade-
level standards-based curriculum with the goal of closing skill gaps. Among the lead
content teachers is a special education team and resources teachers who teach content
such as physical education, technology, art, Spanish, drama, and leadership. Teacher’s
aides, known as instructional teaching fellows (ITFs), are responsible for supporting the
lead teacher in a variety of ways. The duties of ITFs include teaching small groups,
substituting for classes, and providing coverage for lunch and recess. They are expected
to be prepared by reviewing lead teacher lesson plans and understanding the content to
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support with instruction. The staff assigned to support climate and culture, known as the
climate team, are responsible for monitoring transitions, investigating reports that can
potentially disrupt a safe school environment, supporting staff with schoolwide practices,
providing coverage for lunch and recess, and, as a last resort, substituting for classes.
Climate staff are trained in de-escalation techniques and provide direct support to
teachers in their classrooms. They may remove a student to provide time for her to cool
down and reflect on her behavior before returning to class. The climate and culture staff
essentially maintain order in the school and provide a safe space for reflection on and
restoration of the harm that was caused.
Staff demographics were 60% African American, 37% Caucasian, .02% Islamic,
and .05% Hispanic. The school served 280 girls between 5th and 8th grade with 15% of
the population receiving special education services. Demographically, students were 98%
African American, .5% Caucasian, and 1.5% Hispanic. To create and maintain a school
climate and culture of safety and positive character development, the school only accepts
incoming 5th and 6th graders. As a result, recruitment focuses on younger students in
grades 5 and 6. The goal is to support the development of both hard skills (academic) and
soft skills (character) over time. Each year, the number of 5th through 8th graders changes
based on enrollment.
The character curriculum at the all-girls middle school was designed to highlight
the social skills that emulated those of a historical, local NAACP chapter president after
whom the school was named. As a result, active citizenship was selected as an
overarching tenet for students. The goal is for each student to develop a set of critical
skills that fosters a passion for paying attention to the surrounding world and decisively
25
taking steps to address the ills of the community. To engage in active citizenship,
students must learn, practice, develop, and exhibit the remaining five tenets in no
particular order: integrity, responsibility, perseverance, collaboration, and inquiry. These
character traits are referred to as habits of mind expectations (H.O.M.E). Each H.O.M.E.
target has an overarching target known as the long-term target, which in turn has sub-
targets known as short-term targets. Each target is intended to be met by every student
and modeled by every adult in the building. The short-term targets create a path for
meeting the long-term targets, so exposure to and practice of soft skills were scaffolded
for students. The H.O.M.E targets are addressed every morning and afternoon with
teacher-created lesson plans for small groups of 8-12 girls called crew. In EL Education
schools, “We are crew, not passengers” (https://eleducation.org), meaning each person in
the crew, adults and students, are not only responsible for their individual selves, but for
each other. Adults are called crew leaders, and the entire crew, including their crew
leader, remains together for the duration of their time at the school, which is be 3 or 4
years depending on the grade the student entered. This process was established to ensure
that a bond is developed between adults and students and their families. Seider et al.
(2013) found that students who feel a strong personal connection to teachers and peers
are likely to expend more energy into schoolwork. Crew allows for students to build
stronger relationships, with the crew leader supporting all crew members. When there is
an issue with a student, staff consult with the crew leader before speaking to the parent;
in this way, the crew leader acts as a student’s “school parent.”
In addition to employing H.O.M.E. lessons during small crew, the entire school
conducts community crew Monday mornings and Friday afternoons. The goal is to begin
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the week with a specific character target and be intentional and mindful of exhibiting the
behaviors associated with that target during the week. Schonert-Reichl and Lawlor (2010)
determined that mindfulness lessons and intentional practices provide both pre-adolescent
and adolescent students an awareness of self and others, and schools are the setting where
these actions should occur to boost student competence. During Community Crew at the
conclusion of each week, the character target is reviewed, and each crew leader selects a
“Scholar of Week” who exhibited that character target. Crews are responsible for
planning community crew with the guidance and supervision of crew leaders. School
administration creates a community crew schedule for the school year so staff have time
to plan. Administration also selects a staff member of the week during community crew.
The celebratory end of the week reinforces the tenets of collaboration, responsibility,
inquiry, and perseverance as crews engage is preparation. Wiggan and Watson (2016)
found that both Black students and staff responded positively to weekly celebratory
character development events such as pep rallies. These weekly gatherings allow the
school community to encourage students to use positive social and performance skills.
In 2015–2016, the administration began to identify significant behavior
challenges. As a result, the school began to employ a conflict resolution strategy called
V.O.M.P. This provides the involved adult and student or student and student an
opportunity to vent and express how they feel; own the part they played in contributing to
the conflict; moccasins, meaning put oneself in the other person’s shoes to see how she
might feel; and, finally, to plan how and what the parties involved can do to prevent the
same conflict from repeating (Thomas & Tilden, 2015). The process allows the time and
safe space for involved parties to practice vulnerability and to develop their social-
27
emotional growth. This program was initially met with reluctance by students; however,
in time, students willingly and often asked for a V.O.M.P. to settle conflict. Crew leaders
facilitated V.O.M.P.s and recorded the outcomes in the school’s internal record system,
which is accessible to all staff. Even with this process, behavior challenges continued,
and conflict was constant between some teachers and some students.
In the 2016–2017 school year, the principal hired a director of climate and culture
whose responsibilities include leading staff and students into a formal restorative practice
culture. The Director of Climate and Culture was required to train climate team
specialists to de-escalate student behaviors and support teachers conducting V.O.M.P.s.
Once per month, staff engage in professional development that focuses on the emotional
needs of students and how staff should attend to students’ needs while monitoring their
own emotional status. As the all-girls middle school grew, their behavior challenges
grew. The 2016–2017 school year yielded 38 suspensions with a population of 170
students (22%). With ongoing trainings from both the director of climate and culture and
the EL Education school developer, staff began to use improved behavior data as a
school-wide growth target. Planning around culture and school norms became more
intentional, and the school hired more staff to support the cultural shift required to set the
new tone. As Bond (2016) noted, character building and norm setting takes time to
develop and requires the tenacity of a dedicated group of adults. The staff tenacity
yielded positive suspension rates in the 2017–2018 school year, with 29 suspensions in a
student population of 196 (15%). While the data seemed to be improving with
suspensions, office referrals data were consistently high. The ability to build relationships
with Black girls in middle school required a specific skill that staff had to learn, but staff
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must have the will to do so. It was imperative that the school improve its behavior data,
especially for Black girls in middle school, to break the cycle of punitive discipline.
Urban Education, Black Girls and Discipline
The history of racism and oppression has had a negative impact on Black
students, both male and female, which manifests in a variety of ways. The discipline of
Black girls in schools has been overlooked, with more attention focused on Black males
and the school to prison pipeline. Recently, though, Black girls and discipline in schools
has received greater attention, with the body of research growing to reveal disparities in
discipline practices for Black girls in schools. Annamma et al. (2016) conducted a mixed-
method empirical study of discipline disparities in Denver public schools and found that
Black girls were more likely to experience isolated discipline consequences for subjective
reasons such as disobedience/defiance, which depended on the judgment of school staff.
Results indicated that even when referred to the office for the same behaviors as other
girls, Black girls were punished more harshly. Black girls received harsher discipline
outcomes based on staff judgement. Deeper analysis would require staff to unpack the
foundational racism that exists within the school system and how it in turn influences
staff perceptions. More qualitative studies should build on the research of Annamma et
al. (2016) to further understand the experiences of Black girls and school behavioral
systems and examine intervention and prevention measures that could address the
discipline disparity.
Similarly, Crenshaw et al. (2015) posited that more research should investigate
the interventions of discipline with Black girls specifically. Excluding Black girls from
the academic environment is problematic in because it reduces learning time and sets the
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tone for future exclusionary practices that extend beyond school, such as the school to
prison pipeline. Comparably, a qualitative study by Wun (2014) examined the
disciplinary practices of school staff with Black high school girls. The Black students
comprised only 9% of the total school population, but females accounted for 22% of the
discipline data. Centered on discussions with the Black female students possessing
behavior infractions and a year of observations, this study concluded that, “at the hands
of school staff and their peers – consciously or unconsciously – black girls are rendered
vulnerable to racialized and gendered forms of discipline and punishment” (Wun, 2014,
p. 2). School staff members who are oblivious to historical racism and how it manifests in
the lives of Black girls will consistently view their behavior as confrontational and
disruptive (Wun, 2014).
Black girls’ ways of being are regarded as confrontational. The ways in which
Black girls communicate dissatisfaction are regarded as combative, which teaches Black
girls to navigate a line of authenticity and adapt to societal norms; where these lines
intersect help teachers understand Black girls’ voices (Crenshaw, 1989). Early school
experiences expose Black girls to this dichotomy. The quest to navigate this line is an
ongoing process that requires transitioning between the authentic self and the societal
self. Koonce (2012) described this constant transitioning as the multiple identities of
Black girls and posited the need for further research on how Black girl vernacular
intersects with this balance in school settings. The preconceived notion that Black girls
are characterized by loudness, promiscuity, aggressiveness, and attitude often guide
school staff’s interaction and engagement with them (Walker, 2020). These biases lead to
punitive outcomes for Black girls and perpetuate the educational divide. Morris (2016)
30
collected responses about Black girls’ attitudes from college students, which described
the mannerisms Black girls use to speak, such as eye rolling, talking with the neck, finger
snapping, and talking at a louder pitch. These traits constituted the angry Black girl,
which contrasted White femininity. The sample of responses gathered by Morris (2016)
represented a small sample of society’s general perception of Black girls. The literature,
then, shows that Black girls are treated punitively in mainstream social settings.
Social Emotional Needs of Black Girls
Adolescent Black girls navigate the complexities of adolescence just as any other
girl, but with the added pressure that solidifying their identity contributes to their social
emotional health. Black girls experience discrimination in many forms, which has
detrimental effects on their self-image and helps to shape their views and behaviors both
in and out of school. In a longitudinal study consisting of 491 adolescent students,
Richardson et al. (2015) found that adolescents who experienced discrimination were less
likely to feel positively about their racial identities. In particular, the study found that
Black girls specifically fell under a “buffering/defensive” cluster because of the
discrimination they faced. Research has shown (Muhammed & Haddix, 2016; Murphy et
al., 2013; Price-Dennis et al., 2017; Troutman, 2016;) that Black girls develop verbal and
nonverbal survival skills in response to discriminatory practices. As Black girls respond
to social experiences, defense mechanisms manifest in the classroom as behavioral
disruption. Feeling less connected to and positive about her racial identity places the
Black girl in a position of defense, which creates emotional and social methods of
engaging with people (Richardson et al., 2015).
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The education and emotional needs of Black girls are unique. The
intersectionality of the Black girl experience is lived without regard to socio-economic
status or academic aptitude and impacts their mental health and social interactions.
Anderson and Martin (2018) explored how gifted and talented Black girls experience the
duality of race and gender with the demands of an academically challenging
environment. Anderson and Martin (2018) used the social emotional units of the FFAME
model (social sacrifice, introvert, independent and self-sufficient) to examine how Black
girls in the K–12 school setting strive for perfectionism and the impact that has on their
emotional well-being. Black girls who strive for academic success become highly self-
critical, which can have a negative emotional impact that results in purposeful defeat or a
sense of indifference toward school. The pressure to continually perform well is pitted
against the negative labels of Black people and culture. This proposed dissertation
focuses on teachers’ experiences of Black girls in middle school who tend to experience
this weight and have negative emotional responses from it. Conflict arises when these
behaviors lead teachers to give them labels like “angry” or having an “attitude” (Murphy
et al., 2013). The middle school arena tends to spotlight this dissention between teachers
and Black girls. It is also magnified in urban public school settings. Teachers, regardless
of race or ethnicity, will encounter conflict with Black adolescent girls if their emotional
well-being is overlooked.
McArthur and Lane (2019) reviewed two qualitative studies that examined the
impact Black female teachers have on Black girls and how, as an intervention, they can
enable social empowerment through the intricacies of social identities. Regardless of the
shared intersectionality, cultural differences can still exist. Teachers must understand to
32
view, experience, and learn that cultural differences between themselves and Black girl
students are valuable opportunities for growth. Fostering the education and emotional
well-being of Black girls requires teachers to carefully and intentionally develop and
navigate relationships as the young girls grapple with their identities. McArthur (2019)
stated that Black girls need “both physical spaces and psychological places” to best make
meaning of their everyday lives. They must decode “the messages they receive from the
world around them, contextualize and decontextualize their lived experiences, and
understand society and how and where they ft in it.” Similar findings from McArthur and
Lane (2019) and Watson (2018) documented and analyzed the experiences of Black
female teachers in an urban setting in a critical case study. The purpose was to discover
how these teachers presented politicized and spiritual care through the sociopolitical
context of Black students’ experiences. It revealed that these teachers held high
expectations for themselves and for the Black students they served because of the
multiple shared identities. The results documented a four-part approach to engaging with
Black students: “Four key components to building relationships found in this study
include vulnerability, encouragement, communication, and recognition” (Watson, 2018,
p. 374).
Creating a space and place for Black girls to communicate their realities and
lived experiences helps counteract the destructive circumstances lived in school, at home,
and in the community. Black girls receive substantially less attention to their socio-
emotional needs than others, and this lack has harmed their identities (McArthur & Lane,
2019). Black girls need to heal. Research has documented this need as a necessary step
for the Black girl to thrive by giving Black girls the authority to establish a place that
33
supports the complexities of their identities (Gordon et al., 2019; Lane, 2017; Price-
Dennis et al., 2017). Lane’s (2017) critical race feminist auto-ethnography study posited
that Black girls need to intentionally delve into examining their identity, emotions, and
the role they play in society. Qualitative data gathered over two years from a girls’
empowerment program called Black Girls United resulted in positive outcomes for
participants. Given a safe space in which to engage in critical discourse on a daily basis
for two years, Black adolescent girls increased positive feelings about school and
expressed a sense of privilege about their identities and voice.
Black Girl Literacies
The multidimensional way of life that intersectionality affords Black girls has
historical underpinnings that impact socialization and education. More specifically, the
duality of Black girls’ language and behavior has historical influences and a constant
ripple effect that causes Black girls to question their identity and place in society
(Muhammed & Haddix, 2016). Black women have been able to endure and survive
mistreatment by redesigning the mistreatment to create practices and skills with which
only Black people are familiar (Muhammad & Haddix, 2016). They use the term Black
girls’ literacies to signify particular actions Black girls take as they read, write, speak,
move, and create in order to assert themselves, their world, and the complexities of young
Black girls.
Troutman (2010) qualitatively examined the perception and use of language in 15
African American women ages 17–74. They found distinct differences in how Black
women talk and noted that there are varied meanings associated with the ways in which
they speak. This research was rooted in the theory of language politeness, which was
34
used to compare how African American women engage in conversation both among
themselves and with other people. Women and speech have a historical intertwining that
continues to regulate their linguistic behaviors. Until recently, societal expectations for
how and even when women communicated was regulated by the male perspective.
Women were expected to speak in “womanly” tones such as speaking softly and
submissively. Troutman (2010) expounded on the theory of language politeness as a
product of historical practice that women and society still regard as indicators of
femininity. In a survey of different communities of color, this research found that Black
women have a set of rules in the speech community with a distinct delivery of verbal
discourse that carries different meanings in different contexts. People who are not a part
of this Black community are not privy to the connotations, which leads them to regard
Black female speech as negative.
Specifically focusing on talking with an attitude, Troutman (2010) found that
participants regarded talking with an attitude a Black female practice that has been passed
down through generations. Depending on the context, talking with an attitude can have
multiple meanings that can be positive, neutral, or negative. Both verbal and non-verbal,
talking with an attitude was viewed as a strength because it means the woman is
advocating for herself. This appearance and sounds of this form of advocacy differ from
what societal norms regard as advocacy. Participants described advocating to include
different non-verbal cues such as head movement, finger snapping, eye rolling, etc.
Participants who viewed talking with an attitude as neutral expressed a need for context
to appropriately determine if the practice was negative or positive. More importantly,
though, the sentiment was, “it is just how we express ourselves.” Participants who
35
regarded this talking with an attitude as positive felt it conveys a Black woman’s ability
to assert herself when needed. Regarded as showing confidence, Troutman (2010)
concluded that “Some Black women think talking with an attitude (TWA) should be
more accepted in mainstream – It is an expression of Black women – Voicing our
opinions – The norm – A form of communication” (p. 107). Some spectators viewed
talking with an attitude negatively, interpreting the form of expression as aggressive,
unsuitable, and haughty (Troutman, 2010). Negative perceptions described talking with
an attitude as having a correct time and place; when timed inappropriately, it can be
negative. However, even with this stance, participants felt that context was important in
making that determination.
Muhammed and Haddix (2016) conducted a literature review of historical,
theoretical, and empirical research on Black girl literacies. They found that Black girl
literacies are connected to how Black girls identify who they are and how they exist in
society. In the literature, the authors found that biases against Black girls required
teachers to recognize the intersection of Black girls’ stories, identities, and ways of
communicating. Among the multiliteracies that Muhammed and Haddix (2016) found to
support Black girls, language practice was cited as an integral to bridging the gap in
communication, teaching, and learning. Called African American literacies, it identified
Black girls’ speech as a way of recognizing Black girl individuality. Similar to Troutman
(2010), Muhammed and Haddix (2016) found that the language included both verbal and
non-verbal communication, such as hand gesturing and talking loudly. The research of
Muhammed and Haddix (2016) concluded by developing a Black girl literacy
framework: “In this framework, we conclude that Black girls’ literacies: Multiple 2. Tied
36
to identities 5. Historical 4. Collaborative 5. Intellectual 6. Political/Critical”
(Muhammed & Haddix, p. 325).
The intersectionality of these elements consistently coexists and presents in
different ways based on context and individual participants. Black girls’ numerous
literacies consist of the ways in which reading, writing, and speaking is learned and used
both in and out of the school setting. In a school setting, the work of engaging with Black
girls is complex and requires patience, a willingness to understand and learn, an ability to
accept mistakes, and intentional planning. Price-Dennis et al. (2017) reviewed five
programs that focused on Black girls’ literacies to determine the elements of
programming that allow Black girls to safely and effectively reappropriate language.
They found that, to create deliberate and recurring opportunities for Black girls to
develop identifies that represent them culturally, the spaces must adhere to certain
criteria. For instance, they must respect the creative force of Black girls, develop an
understanding of significant learning habits and advocacy in Black girls, and nurture
comprehensive time for Black girls to develop and embrace identity as well as heal from
the negative narrative bestowed upon them.
Ives (2012) examined the importance of creating spaces in which Black girls’
voices are acknowledged and nurtured. They found that teachers’ marginalization of
student interest led to resistance, which can also be viewed as disruptive behavior. This
six-month study focused on the literacies of a middle school Black girl in a
predominantly Black school in a low-income community. Exhibiting a clear interest in
literacy, a Black girl wrote a play titled “ghetto family” that described the struggles of a
family. Mirroring her own experiences, the student used vernacular that observers would
37
describe as aggressive. The White teacher who allowed her and her female friends to
practice used it as a tool for control, and eventually they were unable to practice the play.
This created some resistance from the Black girl, who was furthered threatened with
disciplinary action. The middle school Black girl was aware of the dichotomy of talking
with an attitude. This was clear from the verbiage in her play, her use of “ghetto” in her
discourse with her mother at home, and her understanding of her mom’s need to speak
differently at work because she worked with White people. The girl’s awareness marks
the point at which intersectionality becomes a conscious construct for Black girls and
further develops why they talk with an attitude. In an effort to assert herself, she began to
protest the oppressive structures, in this case those imposed by her White teacher
(Muhammad & Haddix, 2016).
Applying the findings and suggestions in the Price-Dennis et al. (2017) study,
Gordon et al. (2019) described the establishment of an event for Black girls that would
act as a safe space for identity development and for nurturing Black girl discourse
without restrictions. Using the six components of the Black girl literacy framework
(Muhammed & Haddix, 2016) and data from 100 participants, the researcher found that
the experience was positive overall. The event ensured that activities were tied to Black
girls’ identities—that they were collaborative, historical, and intellectual. This required
intentional planning, which yielded positive responses from participants. The challenge
for teachers is to build intentionality into pedagogy so that it becomes a natural habit.
When teachers are not intentional about engaging with students and viewing interactions
from the students’ perspectives, conflict arises.
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Teacher-Student Conflict
As long as there are teachers and students, there will always be teacher-student
conflict; it is a natural part of relationships. Conflict is the perceived divergence of
interest where there is an incompatibility of interest with the parties involved (Ozgan,
2016). Adding race, gender, and class makes conflict inevitable. Studying the
relationships between teachers and students can uncover how and when conflict arises.
Murray and Zvoch (2011) studied 193 students in grades 5 through 8 and 19 African
American female teachers from three high-poverty public schools in Chicago. The school
populations consisted of over 95% low-income and 98% African American students. The
study gathered data from five child report measures that included the teacher-student
relationship, students’ self-perceptions of emotional adjustment, students’ satisfaction
with school, and a general personality characteristic measure (Murray & Zvoch, 2011).
Teacher data was gathered from four measures that included teacher perceptions of the
following areas: school adjustment, students’ level of engagement, student behavior, and
qualities of teacher-student relationships. The findings, consisting of both teacher and
student perceptions of relationships, provided further understanding of the social and
relational environment in schools. Murray and Zvoch (2011) linked adverse forms of
relationships to emotional and behavioral adjustments. Similar to the findings in
compatible research (Evans et al., 2019; McGrath & van Bergen, 2019), students and
teachers’ relationships encompass how each navigates emotions. It is important to note
that alienation was observed to be a predictor of behavior problems. Teachers’ ability and
willingness to connect with students, particularly Black students, helps determine student
39
success both developmentally and academically. How teachers view the relationships
they have with students is indicative of the conflict within that relationship.
Similar to the findings of Murray and Zvoch (2011), Evans et al. (2019) examined
how teacher relationships impact student behavior and conflict. A total of 230 teachers
from 128 British primary and secondary schools participated in this study. The
researchers measured teachers’ perceptions of challenging student behavior and teacher-
student interpersonal statements. Using multiple tools and checklists to gather data,
teachers’ perceptions were captured to reveal whether conflict existed and the role
teachers’ emotions played in the conflict (Evans et al., 2019). Results found that teachers’
negative affective responses to challenging behavior were initiated by teachers’
interpretations or perceptions of conflict. As a result of the perceived challenging
behavior, teachers negatively influenced conflict with students. This conflict was a
condition of a lack of closeness in the teacher-student relationship (Evans et al., 2019),
which is a common thread in similar studies (McGrath & van Bergen, 2019). This study
denoted the importance of having teachers be self-aware of their own emotions; beyond
this, they must intentionally work toward regulating their emotions when engaging with
students who exhibit challenging behaviors. According to Isaacson (2016), teachers at
every level should be consistent in what they ask from students and model the behavior
they want to see from them. This requires knowing how to regulate emotions in a positive
way.
The need for teachers to connect to students, especially Black students, means
closing the inequity gap. When teachers are not connected with students, students are at a
disadvantage (Zimmerman, 2018). Conflict between a teacher and student can begin a
40
negative trajectory in school experiences. Split and Hughes (2015) conducted a follow-up
study on African American children and increased conflict in teacher-student
relationships in elementary school. A total of 350 boys and 307 girls across 35 schools
and 3 school districts were selected. Researchers collected data over six variables, which
included ratings of aggression cognitive ability, socioeconomic status, ethnicity, and
inhibitory control (Split & Hughes, 2015). Relationship inventories were used to measure
teacher-student conflict and the way it is resolved based on the six variables. Results
indicated that African American students who met each variable were at increased risk
for conflict with teachers. Results also found that African American students with below
average literacy skills had increased conflict with teachers (Split & Hughes, 2015). This
is important to note because negative or challenging student behaviors are exhibited
because students are expressing a need. As students engage in challenging behaviors,
teachers must take the time to stop and think about what students need to understand why
they engage in challenging behaviors. When teaching African American students, it is
also necessary for teachers to consider whether racial bias plays a role in how they
engage with students.
Subsequently, Zimmerman’s (2018) study found that teacher-student conflict
increased based on teachers’ perceptions of black girls. Using a sample of nationally
represented students across 968 schools from kindergarten through 5th grade, over 14,000
students were examined. Two sets of data were collected in two years using only two
variables: teacher-student conflict and challenging behaviors (Zimmerman, 2018).
Results indicated that teacher perceptions of teacher-student conflict was higher in Black
boys and Black girls. This indicates that racial bias plays a significant role in teachers’
41
tendencies to view Black students’ behavior as challenging and the disparity of punitive
actions. Zimmerman suggested that teachers must be aware of the ways their perceptions
of Black girls are created. Zimmerman concurred with Morris (2016) and Wun (2015),
who recommended that schools pay attention to why Black girls are “defiant.” Often,
they are responding to different forms of overt and covert violence against them, such as
hostile school environments and other forms of intersectional trauma (Morris, 2016;
Wun, 2015). Schools have historically been a site of suffering for Black children in
general and Black girls in particular (Morris, 2016). Rather than punishing Black girls for
speaking or acting out on their suffering, K–12 schools need to make concrete changes to
become a more hospitable place for them (Dumas, 2014, p. 165). This work is relegated
to teachers, but it must be done with an awareness of racial bias and teacher emotional
competence.
Teacher Emotional Regulation
Acknowledging the social-emotional needs of students is not new to educators.
Scarborough (1977) reported that students, specifically middle school students, have
psychological, emotional, social, and mental needs that must be met to create the most
efficient classroom environment. The concept of social-emotional learning has altered
under different labels and approaches, including social-emotional competence,
mindfulness, responsive classroom, and restorative practice (Reppy & Larwin, 2020). In
some instances, social-emotional learning and competence have been embodied as
character curriculum because they combine the knowledge of social-emotional learning
through intentional planning for adult implementation. Fidelity of implementation is
critical to positive teacher-student relationships. Beesely et al. (2010) stated that positive
42
and secure social relationships within school settings are associated with character/social
curriculum. To reduce conflict, positive social-emotion regulation is necessary for both
teachers and Black girls. Teachers’ ability to utilize emotional regulation to develop close
relationships with Black girl students is paramount to those students’ academic success
and emotional growth. The challenge of engaging with what teachers perceive as
disruptive Black girl students has led to negative teacher emotions, causing teacher
burnout and resentment for their profession (McGrath & van Bergen, 2019). This
indicates a lack of emotional competence for teaching in urban schools.
An expanding number of studies has extended the work of the collaborative for
Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL) and has categorized social-
emotional competence in five aptitudes (Collaborative for Academic, Social, and
Emotional Learning [CASEL], 2013; Weissberg et al., 2015):
Self-awareness refers to the capacity to recognize and understand one’s emotions,
thoughts, and behaviors, and know one’s strengths and weaknesses. Self-
regulation refers to the capacity to regulate thoughts, emotions, and behaviors.
Social awareness, refers to the ability to consider others’ perspectives, understand
and follow social norms regarding behavior, and empathize and feel compassion
for others. Relationship skills, involves the capacity to initiate and maintain
positive relationships by listening effectively, communicating clearly, cooperating
well with others, and negotiating conflict in respectful ways. Finally, responsible
decision-making involves the capacity to make respectful and constructive
choices concerning one’s behavior and social interactions in different settings and
situations. (Weissberg et al., 2015, p. 702)
43
Applicable to both teachers and students, these attributes require intentional and repeated
practice, as these practices do not come naturally. Schonert et al. (2010) posited that
social-emotional competence can be nurtured and behavioral challenges daunted in
students through classroom and school-based interventions. Schools have evolved to add
specific social-emotional aspects of the school day that allow both teachers and students
to engage in daily and repeated activities and processes to develop prosocial behaviors.
The idea of social awareness as defined by CASEL (2013) is not a new
understanding but rather a recycled concept. Similar to CASEL’s definition, Shen and
Zhang (2011) speculated that teachers’ emotional empathy has the power to convey
concern and take the viewpoint of the adolescent student. Furthermore, they posited that
this ability is critical to students’ emotional regulation development. Though these terms
have existed in several forms, teachers in urban schools have thus far lacked theoretical
and, more importantly, practical exposure to their ability to be intentional about social-
emotional strategies. Beltman and Poulton (2019) reported that, after 73 teachers were
exposed to a social-emotional training module and given time to implement strategies,
they were able to select strategies they found most beneficial to addressing teacher-
student conflict. These strategies included waiting, which involves being mindful of
breathing and clearing head space; reappraising the situation, which occurs when a
person attempts to understand another perspective; and, lastly, being proactive as a
preventative measure. There are clear alignments among social-emotional research
(Beesely, et al 2010; CASEL, 2013; Mc Grathe & van Bergen 2019; Reppy & Larwin,
2020; Shen & Zhang, 2011; Weissberg, et al, 2015;).
44
Collie and Perry (2019) noted that a teacher’s ability to employ the
aforementioned aptitudes can create a relationship that is symbiotic with student
motivation. This raises an important point about the ways in which teachers develop
relationships with Black girl students. Specifically, it can determine whether they are
willing to deliberately engage with them, especially the perceived most challenging
students, in a way that creates meaningful, trustful relationships. It is paramount to Black
girls’ success that teachers have the will as well as the skill to transcend barriers and
develop positive relationships. A small study in Australia of McGrath and van Bergen
(2019) found that teachers’ perceptions of teacher-student conflict were amplified by
negative reflections on interactions. Teachers who did not develop strong relationships
with perceived challenging students placed blame on external factors such as poverty,
and teachers who perceived a close relationship with a disruptive student placed blame on
internal factors. Reppy and Larwin (2020) alluded to a direct correlation between
negative teacher-student relationships and student motivation: teachers intentionally
disconnecting from challenging Black girl students is detrimental and only fosters
disparity. The intentional avoidance of engagement with Black girl students is the
building block to conflict and widens the miscommunication between teacher and
student. The intent of this study is to examine the experiences of teacher-student
communication exchanges while navigating conflict with Black middle school students.
This study examines how teachers engage with Black middle school girl students to gain
an understanding of how Black girls’ literacies contribute to conflict. The way teachers
acknowledge and address Black middle school girls could enhance understanding of how
teachers’ intentionality toward developing relationships with Black girl students as well
45
as their awareness and acknowledgement of their own emotions can lead to conflict with
Black girl students.
Research Questions
1. What are teachers’ experiences with integrating EL strategies as they resolve
conflict with Black middle school girls in a charter school in the Northeast?
2. What strategies do teachers integrate to regulate their emotions while
communicating with Black middle school charter school students during a
conflict?
3. What are teachers’ experiences with processing and acknowledging Black girls’
literacies of communication during conflicts?
4. What new meaning and resolution concepts do teachers integrate after resolving
conflicts with Black middle school students?
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Chapter 3: Methodology
Aim of Study
The aim of this study is to examine how teachers engage with Black female
middle school students to gain an understanding of how Black girl literacies contribute to
conflict. This study investigates teacher-student communication exchanges, how teachers
experience conflict, and the way in which teachers address Black female middle school
students’ behavior. Teachers’ awareness of their own emotions and how those emotions
lead to conflict with Black girl students can enhance understanding of the importance of
teacher intentionality in developing relationships with Black female middle school
students.
Research Design Approach
Developed by Edmund Husserl, phenomenology is a qualitative methodology
rooted in psychology along with other major methodological approaches such as the
grounded theory, discourse analysis, narrative psychology, and participatory action
research (Pietkiewicz & Smith, 2014). Phenomenological research is conducted to
understand a person or individuals’ lived experience of a particular phenomenon
(Creswell, 2013). According to Cooper (2014), phenomenology is suitable for bringing
awareness and understanding of specific conflict experiences that are missing from
current literature. Phenomenology can extensively describe those experiences from the
perspectives of participants. Correspondingly, this research uses a qualitative
phenomenological research approach to gather how teachers experience emotional
regulation and teacher-student communication exchanges while navigating conflict with
47
Black female middle school students—paying particular attention to Black girl literacies
and how teachers experience conflict through them.
The ultimate objective of phenomenological research is to attain a thorough
understanding of the lived experience of participants. Interviewing participants allows the
researcher to gather information about a phenomenon and make meaning of the lived
experience. Discovering meanings in data requires an open and discerning approach that
allows for unexpected meanings to emerge (Giorgi, 2011). The order and delivery of
interview questions affects how participants share their experiences (Chan et al., 2013).
Interview questions in this study concentrate on the lived experiences of teachers’
emotional regulation and teacher-student communication exchanges while navigating
conflict with Black female middle school students. Consequently, this investigation takes
a phenomenological approach.
Interpretive phenomenology analysis (IPA) is a methodological framework with
for investigating how individuals make sense of their experiences (Pietkiewicz & Smith,
2014). The IPA framework musters the underlying principles of phenomenology,
hermeneutics, and idiography. It involves focusing on the ways things happen to
individuals in an experience (Pietkiewicz & Smith, 2014). Namely, it aims to discover the
crucial elements of phenomena or experiences that distinguish them from others. The
concept is that a comprehensive, iterative analysis of data collected by the researcher
outlined in IPA may interpret participants’ experiences in ways that they may not on their
own. The process of IPA analysis diverges from other forms of phenomenology;
however, the overarching focus on lived experience and meaning is consistent with the
48
phenomenology methodology (Cooper, 2014). Using the IPA approach allows the
researcher to gather data on a shared experience of a phenomenon.
Participants
The researcher interviewed 12 teachers who currently teach at the all-girls middle
school in Maryland. Participants had a minimum of 2 years teaching experience at the
research site, and their age, race, ethnicity, teaching certification, and teaching experience
varied. All participants had experiences with middle school Black girls that include
addressing behaviors, redirecting girls, engaging in social-emotional practices that
develop the girls’ soft skill of recognizing and acknowledging how emotions and actions
are linked, communicating with female middle school students and their families, and
communicating with colleagues around best practices to address behaviors.
A purposive sampling strategy was used to recruit participants to examine their
lived experiences of teacher-student conflict. Purposeful sampling was used to select
teachers that only teach academic content. Resource teachers are outsourced and do not
possess state certifications. As a result, resource teachers were excluded from this study.
Content teachers, who have been formally trained, have theory and practical experience
addressing student behaviors.
Prior to approval from the Institutional Review Boards (IRB) of Nova
Southeastern University, the researcher contacted the executive director and principal of
the all-girls middle school to request access to the school’s internal behavior referral
system and permission to recruit participants by obtaining a list of teachers who met the
criteria. With permission from the executive director and principal, the researcher
gathered internal behavior referral data and sent participant invitations to teachers via
49
email explaining the study and its intended purpose. Having established an
understanding, the researcher sent an email confirming the conversation with a link to a
consent form to participate in this research study. This interview allowed the researcher
to gather lived experiences of teachers’ interactions with Black girls in middle school,
particularly around conflict and how their experiences with Black girls’ communicative
style.
Data Collection Tools
The data source was collected from one-on-one interviews in which participants
responded to 15 open-ended questions that included some responses to scenarios. Created
by this researcher, the questionnaire was informed by another study, which indicated the
need to further understand how Black girl literacies intersect with conflict (Gordon et al.,
2019; Muhammed & Haddix, 2016; Price-Dennis et al., 2017; Troutman, 2010).
Interviews lasted approximately 60 minutes and were conducted via virtual video
conferencing using Zoom. Participants were presented open-ended questions and
scenarios to elicit responses describing conflict experiences with Black female middle
school students.
The Referral Collection
As Black girls respond to social experiences, defense mechanisms manifest in the
classroom as behavioral disruption. Feeling less connected to and positive about racial
identity research (Muhammed & Haddix, 2016; Price-Dennis et al., 2017; Murphy,
Acosta & Kennedy-Lewis, 2013; Richardson et al., 2015; Troutman, 2016) places the
Black girl in a position of defense, which creates emotional and social ways of engaging
with others. Using the literature, words, terms, and phrases were extrapolated to identify
50
behaviors in Black female students that are considered confrontational, aggressive,
defiant, non-compliant, and oppositional. The researcher reviewed anecdotal and
numerical data from the school’s internal behavior referral system to identify terms
outlined in the literature. These data from school years 2015–2020 were gathered from
internal reports. The researcher sorted and filtered them to identify the following words,
terms, and phrases as Black girl literacies: eye rolling, yelling, being loud, being
disruptive, being disrespectful, being aggressive. Once these terms were identified, the
researcher read each teachers’ anecdotes to better understand the described scenario. The
researcher created interview questions and scenarios based on the data from the internal
behavior referral system.
The Interview Protocol
The research site uses an internal behavior referral system to document students’
behavior. The referral system is a way for staff to communicate for the sole purpose of
providing support and intervention. The researcher created the interview protocol
questions based on data from the internal behavior referral system and research. Fifteen
interview questions were used to gather information about participants’ specific
experiences with teacher-student conflict, teacher emotional regulation, and teacher-
student communication—with a specific focus on Black girl literacies. Muhammad and
Haddix (2016) used the term Black girls’ literacies to signify the particular ways Black
girls read, write, speak, move, and create to assert themselves, their world, and the
complexities of young Black girls. Troutman (2010) found that talking with an attitude is
a Black female practice that has been passed down through generations. Verbal and non-
verbal speech uttered with an attitude were both viewed as strengths because they meant
51
the female was advocating for herself. Advocating can include different non-verbal cues
such as head movement, finger snapping, and eye rolling. The interview protocol (see
Appendix A) was used for this study. Prior to each interview, the researcher reshared the
study overview and reminded participants of their rights. Using an online platform that
allows recording, participants were again asked for permission to record the interview.
The researcher saved all recordings on a personal laptop, and they can only be retrieved
with a password.
Following the process of validation and trustworthiness, the researcher solicited
the assistance of an expert to review the questionnaire to identify alignment in the
purpose statement and the research and interview questions. The researcher revised the
interview protocol following the expert’s suggestions.
Procedures
The researcher began the study after receiving approval from the Institutional
Review Board (IRB) of Nova Southeastern University. With permission to obtain internal
behavior records and contact teachers, the researcher began recruiting prospective
participants. An invitation letter was emailed to volunteers who decided to participate in
the interview phase (see Appendix B). Once volunteers agreed to participate, the
researcher described the study in detail and presented the confidentiality agreement and
consent form granting permission to the researcher to use virtual video conferencing to
record interviews. The consent form also included the option for volunteers to withdraw
at any time throughout the process.
After consent forms were signed, the researcher scheduled individual time with
participants to conduct 60-minute interviews using virtual video conferencing. The
52
interview protocol questions solicited teachers’ experiences with conflict, specifically
with Black female middle school students and Black girl literacies. Participants explained
how they engage with Black female middle school students, how they experience conflict
with them, and how they address Black female middle school students’ behavior. The
interview protocol was intended to enable communication with the participants and
obtain detailed and descriptive data about their experiences. The researcher emailed the
interview protocol instrument to the participants prior to the interview to familiarize them
with the questions and scenarios. During the interview, participants described their lived
experiences related to teacher-student conflict, communication, and the addressing of
behaviors. The interviews were recorded using a computer application, transcribed, and
sent to the participants for review and verification.
First, introductory emails were sent to staff describing the purpose of the study,
and then the researcher received email confirmation of volunteer interest. Following these
steps, the researcher emailed a letter with additional information about the study that
included a link to a consent form. The researcher emailed a consent form asking
permission to record the interview using a virtual video-conferencing platform. Once
interviews were concluded, the researcher engaged in member checking by sharing the
literal transcriptions of the interviews to ensure that the researcher captured each
participant’s experience to fidelity. Participants were asked to review the transcriptions
for accuracy and provide the researcher any corrections within 2 weeks.
Interview Protocol
An interview protocol (see Appendix A) was employed for uniformity in data
collection. The researcher explained the study to participants, including their rights, prior
53
to commencing the interview. The interview protocol included fifteen questions intended
to gain knowledge of participants’ specific lived experiences with teacher-student
conflict, specifically regarding communication and how they address behaviors.
Interviews were conducted through a virtual video conferencing platform that permits
recording. All recordings were saved on the researcher’s personal computer, which can
only be accessed with a password. The researcher interviewed teachers at a Black, all-
girls middle school to explore the mutuality of lived experiences in the way they engage
with students and in their awareness of their own emotions and how those emotions lead
to conflict with Black girl students.
The following is the timeline of this study’s implementation following IRB
approval:
1) Month 1 – The researcher contacted the principal to obtain teacher contact
information. The researcher emailed teachers at the research site to determine interest in
sharing experiences. Invitation letters were distributed via email. The first 10 qualified
participants for interviews based on inclusion criteria were chosen.
2) Month 1–2 – The researcher emailed the consent form to participants after they
expressed interest in the study. As soon as the signed consent forms were received, the
researcher scheduled interviews with each participant using Sign Up Genius. The
researcher collected data by performing the interviews, which were recorded.
3) Month 2–3 – The researcher transcribed recorded interviews and sent
transcriptions to participants for member checking and verification.
54
Data Analysis
Data analysis for this study focused on developing a deeper understanding of
teachers’ engagement with Black female middle school students and how Black girls’
literacies contribute to conflict. The data also examined teacher-student communication
exchanges, how teachers experience conflict, and the way teachers address Black middle
school girls’ behavior. The researcher employed the steps of IPA to analyze the data.
Smith and Osborne (2003) posited that the IPA approach allows researchers to deeply
explore how participants make sense of their personal and social worlds. The cyclical
process of participants making sense of their experience allows the researcher to in turn
make sense of the participants’ experience through iterative means; this process was
referred to as double hermeneutic by Noon and Hallam (2018). For this study, the
researcher collected data through individual structured interviews. Participants’ responses
were coded by the researcher and then analyzed for patterns, categories, or themes related
to the phenomenon under exploration.
The interview is a necessary component of the data collection process.
Interpretive phenomenological analysis requires a set of steps be taken to thoroughly
analyze and interpret participants’ responses. Phenomenological interview data
underwent detailed analysis consisting of the following six steps: 1) multiple readings, 2)
note making, 3) transformation of notes into emerging themes, 4) search for connections
between emerging themes, 5) a move to the next case, and 6) a clustering of themes by
search for patterns in all cases (Noon, 2018; Pietkiewicz & Smith, 2014). The researcher
used the IPA data analysis and interpretation process, beginning by describing the
analysis process for each of the cases presented in the investigation.
55
IPA Step One
To become completely familiar with the raw data, the researcher read the initial
transcript multiple times (Noon, 2018). The researcher began by conducting an initial
read to clean up and then continued by rereading notes while viewing video interviews a
minimum of two times. Each reading and viewing provided the researcher new insights
into the data (Pietkiewicz & Smith, 2014). Furthermore, they allowed the researcher to
organize and structure the data to allow for a more comprehensive analysis (Pietkiewicz
& Smith, 2014). Using the transcribed interviews, the researcher noted the interpretations
in a reflection journal to obtain a thorough awareness of each participant's experiences
(Smith & Osborn, 2003).
IPA Step Two
The researcher analyzed the interview transcription in detail to annotate what is
interesting or significant along the margin (Smith & Osborn, 2003). This entails
inspecting the content, language used, and delivery of content on a rudimentary level
(Smith & Osborn, 2003). This step allowed the investigator to become familiar with the
transcripts and increase their awareness of the participants’ views on the phenomenon
(Smith & Osborn, 2003) of teachers’ lived experiences of engaging with Black female
middle school students and how Black girls’ literacies contribute to conflict.
IPA Step Three
At this step, the researcher worked more closely with the annotated notes than the
transcript to develop emerging themes (Pietkiewicz & Smith, 2014). When exploring
themes, the researcher analyzed the data and extrapolated and documented valuable
information applicable to the study (Pietkiewicz & Smith, 2014). Using clear and concise
56
statements, the researcher then identified themes within the notes. These were conveyed
as broad and theoretical idioms that represented the participants’ authentic words and
thoughts and the researcher's elucidations (Pietkiewicz & Smith, 2014).
IPA Step Four
During this step, the researcher grouped the preliminary themes together
according to conceptual similarities (Pietkiewicz & Smith, 2014). These theme clusters
received descriptive labels and were analyzed to determine if they warranted subthemes
(Pietkiewicz & Smith, 2014). Clusters of themes were initially placed in sequential order.
Upon further analysis, the researcher placed the themes in theoretical order based on the
connections among themes (Pietkiewicz & Smith, 2014).
IPA Step Five
The researcher used the video recordings and notes gathered from the interview of
the next participant to repeat the process of steps 1 through 4 as described above (Smith
& Osborn, 2003). The researcher concurrently bracketed merging concepts that arose
from the next set of data and repeated this process for each participant, adding more
information to each set of themes (Noon, 2018). In this step, the researcher considered
that other factors, including the richness of certain information that underscored themes
and how the themes helped illuminate other aspects of the participant’s experience (Smith
& Osborn, 2003).
IPA Step Six
The final step required the researcher to code and identify patterns across cases
and then identify themes found in the data (Pietkiewicz & Smith, 2014). The researcher
examined how themes, quotes, and conclusions in each transcript related to determine the
57
best way to depict the data. The data was then described in a report highlighting all
uncovered themes, quotes, and conclusions (Pietkiewicz & Smith, 2014).
Ethical Considerations
It is the role and responsibility of the researcher to ensure intentional ethical
considerations throughout the research process to safeguard participants from discomfort
or unease. According to Creswell (2013), “Ethical issues in qualitative research can be
described as occurring prior to conducting the study, at the beginning of the study, during
the data collection, in data analysis, in reporting the data, and in publishing a study” (p
57).
At the beginning of the study, the researcher shared a statement with each
participant that expressed appreciation for their voluntary participation, reminded them
that they could stop at any time if they felt uncomfortable, and verbally described the
interview and post-interview data analysis processes. Participants were treated with
respect in each phase of the research. The study provided researcher an opportunity to
reflect on how communication with Black adolescent girls leads to conflict. Participants
became cognizant of how Black girls’ literacies influence their engagement with the
world and developed practices that accept how Black girls communicate.
During the data collection, participants’ names were changed to protect identities.
The interview process included open-ended questions with additional questions to
support responses. In phenomenological research, the research questions follow
participant cues (Chen et al., 2013). Along with using aliases to protect participants, the
researcher ensured that recordings were password-protected and reminded participants
that the researcher is the only person with access to the data. Accessible only to the
58
researcher, data was kept on a password-protected laptop. Furthermore, all data was
stored and protected in a locked cabinet also only accessible to the researcher. After three
years, all documentation will be discarded.
Trustworthiness
Qualitative studies require researchers to establish credibility of the data gathered;
this is referred to as trustworthiness (Cooper, 2014). Participants and study analysis are
the primary foci of qualitative studies (Korstjens & Moser, 2018). According to Stahl and
King (2020), Lincoln and Guba’s (1985) organizational scheme of trustworthiness
provided the foundation upon which researchers have since built. Trustworthiness of
research is one of those shared experiences, whereas readers and writers may find
commonality in their constructive process. Four factors contribute to the reliability of a
study: credibility, transferability, dependability, and confirmability (Stahl & King, 2020).
Establishing credibility and trustworthiness in this study involved member checking. The
researcher established trustworthiness through member checking by asking participants to
check the accuracy of the transcribed gathered data. Creswell (2013) explained several
validity strategies for assessing the accuracy of interpretations: the lens of the
researchers, the lens of the study participants, the lens of the readers, and report
reviewers. Credibility refers to the believability of the study through the eyes of the
participants (Korstjens & Moser, 2018). The researcher created trustworthiness through
the aforementioned process of member checking, which is a significant practice for
confirming study validity (Amankwaa, 2016). Member checking between the researcher
and the participants occurred after the initial interviews. The researcher sent transcribed
interviews to each participant and scheduled discussions with each to verify their content.
59
The researcher had one expert review the interview protocol to further ensure
trustworthiness.
Additionally, the original questionnaire was emailed to two experts to determine
the validity and integrity of the instrument; according to Creswell (2013) and Stahl and
King (2020), this step is essential in qualitative research. An expert review is an
examination process intended to determine a questionnaire’s validity (Muda et al., 2020).
The expert review process devotes attention to the questionnaire by identifying
challenges in and recommendations for improving it. During this process, experts also
assessed whether each question was clear and addressed the research topic. Experts
reported their suggestions to the researcher to improve the questionnaire and ensure
trustworthiness.
Study transferability is exhibited in the comprehensive descriptions of the
experiences of the participants interviewed (Creswell, 2013; Korstjens & Moser, 2018).
An investigation is considered sound when the study can be reproduced and has findings
that are consistent with previously validated studies on the same topic (Korstjens &
Moser, 2018). Validation is achieved by documenting how the researcher remained
impartial at each stage of the study (Korstjens & Moser, 2018). The purpose of researcher
reflection is to identify potential behavior that may affect a study’s the outcome.
Potential Research Bias
Chenail et al. (2010) stated that, in order to better identify bias, a researcher must
be able to share his or her experience and knowledge to avoid skewing data analysis. As a
Black female, the researcher experienced conflict with both adults and peers in
educational settings. Having attended, graduated, and taught in low-income, urban
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schools throughout her educational career, the researcher has first-hand experience with
the conditions that impact teacher-student conflict and interaction. At the all-girls
research site, conflict has increased each year, and the researcher believes it is due to a
discrepancy between how Black girls communicate and how teachers’ understanding the
way Black girls express themselves. As a former employee of the research site, the
researcher has herself experienced conflict with Black middle school girls. As such, the
researcher was able to experience teacher and student frustrations as they related to
conflict and student referrals for behavior. The increase of referrals prompted further
review of school reports. The review of referrals revealed that many students were being
reprimanded for speaking and behaving in a manner deemed oppositional to teachers but
that abided by cultural norms for Black girls. Given the extent to which the researcher has
engaged with staff and students, and in accordance with Copper (2014), the researcher
will use the bracketing process to set aside the biases and partisan ideas of the researcher
regarding the phenomenon under study through a reflective journaling process.
Limitations
This dissertation study focused on the experiences of teachers’ engagement with
Black female middle school students to understanding how Black girls’ literacies
contribute to conflict. The intersectionality of Black girls, how they navigate the lines of
their identities in school, and how teachers perceive those behaviors were discussed. The
way teachers acknowledge and address Black middle school girls enhance understanding
of how teachers must be intentional in developing relationships with Black girl students
as well as be aware of and acknowledge their own emotions and how those emotions lead
to conflict with Black girl students. The first limitation of the study is the small sample
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size. Furthermore, “the degree of similarity or variation that can be contained in the
analysis of the phenomenon” (Pietkiewicz & Smith, 2014, p 5) can serve as a limiting
factor, causing a teacher to relive their negative experience with student conflict. Another
limitation is that the data was collected from one school program, meaning it cannot be
representative of all Black middle school girls and their teachers’ experiences. A third
limitation is that due to COVID-19 safety precautions, all interviews will be conducted
virtually. The inability to meet with participants face-to-face eliminates the possibility of
more personable connections.
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Chapter 4: Findings
This chapter highlights the findings from the data analysis process described in
Chapter 3. The researcher employed a phenomenological approach that delineated the
lived experiences of six teachers at a predominately Black, all-girls urban middle school.
The findings presented a broader understanding of teachers’ experiences with integrating
EL strategies as they resolve conflict, of the strategies teachers integrate to regulate their
emotions when communicating during a conflict, and of teachers’ experiences with
processing and acknowledging Black girls’ communication literacies during conflicts.
Among the understandings were teacher-student communication exchanges, how teachers
experience conflict, and the way teachers address Black middle school girls’ behavior.
Data for this phenomenological study were collected through individual
comprehensive interviews with teachers at an all-girls middle school in the northeast
region of the United States. Information provided by and collected from the participants
during in-depth interviews and conversations produced a significant contextual
understanding of experience and frustration, resulting in four major themes: (a) conflict
interacts with values and nonverbal cues, (b) relationships with students directly impact
restorative strategies, (c) self-awareness deescalates conflict, and (d) it is critical to
acknowledge Black girl culture and literacies.
Participant Backgrounds
A phenomenological approach was chosen to investigate teachers’ lived
experiences of conflict with middle school students at an all-girls school in the Northeast.
The researcher conducted individual interviews using Zoom, a web-based conferencing
tool. Participants included six teachers who had been employed at a predominantly Black,
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all-girls urban middle school in the Northeast of the U.S. for at least two years. The
identity of participants was protected by applying pseudonyms.
Lilah. Lilah was born and raised in the Northeast. She attended public schools
from kindergarten through 12th grade and attended undergraduate and graduate school in
Northeast as well. She began her teaching career in 2007, taught in an urban school for 14
years, and classified herself as an African American. She is one of the founding teachers
at the all-girls middle school and began by teaching English Language Arts at the site in
2015. She has served in several roles in addition to teaching; they have helped shape
many of the systems and practices in the school. She knows all the staff and serves as a
mentor to new teachers.
Lisa. Lisa was born and raised in Northeast and attended both public and private
schools in Northeast. She received an undergraduate degree and then a graduate degree
through a teacher program in special education in the Northeast. Lisa racially classified
herself as Other but visibly looks like a Black woman. She has been teaching for 7 years,
always at urban schools. She began teaching at the all-girls middle school site in 2017
and currently works as a special education teacher.
Lelani. Lelani was born and raised in the Northeast and attended both public and
private schools from kindergarten through twelfth grades in that region. Lelani earned her
undergraduate degree from a Northeast university and is currently finishing her master’s
degree at a historically Black university in the Northeast. She classified herself as Black
with strong African roots. Lelani has been teaching for 9 years, all of which have been
spent in urban schools. She began teaching at the all-girls middle school in 2016 and
currently teaches life skills as well as other duties.
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Leslie. Leslie was born and raised in Northeast and attended public school from
kindergarten through twelfth grades in Northeast. Leslie recently earned an
undergraduate degree from a Northeast historically Black university and is pursuing a
masters in the near future and classified herself as an African American woman. Leslie
has been teaching for 5 years, always at urban schools. She began teaching at the all-girls
middle school site in 2016 as a science teacher.
Lillian. Lillian was born and raised in the Northeast and attended public schools
from kindergarten through 12th grade in the Northeast. Lillian has undergraduate and
graduate degrees from Northeast universities. She racially classified herself as Other and
looks like a White woman. She has been teaching for 14 years, with all 14 spent in urban
schools. She began teaching at the all-girls middle school site in 2017 as an English
Language Arts teacher.
Lily. Lily was born and raised in the Northeast. Though her mother taught in the
urban school district, she attended private schools from kindergarten through 12th grade.
Lily obtained both undergraduate and graduate degrees from Northeast universities and
classified herself as a White woman. She began teaching 13 years ago, 7 of which she has
spent in an urban school. Lily is a founding teacher at the all-girls middle school and
began teaching in 2015 as an English Language Arts teacher. She has served in several
roles in addition to teaching, which have helped shaped many of the systems and
practices in the school. She knows all the staff and serves as a mentor to alumnae in high
school.
Contextual Significance
This section addresses how teachers spoke about the process of implementing
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restorative practices and how it helps them build strategies for communicating with
students to de-escalate conflict. Administrators and the four founding teachers planned
how they would address inappropriate behaviors and developed a systematic process for
how teachers would engage with students during conflict. The school embraced the
partnered support of EL Education (formerly known as Expeditionary Learning),
choosing to use restorative practices to help develop students’ ability to own emotions
and responsibility during conflict. Teacher input identified frustration even with the
prescribed practices in place, which resulted in significant behavior challenges in year
one. Teacher frustrations led to conflict, which helped develop the restorative practices.
Two participants indicated that moments of frustration agitated conflict, explaining that it
served as an emotional trigger. This was depicted by Leslie in the following way: “I'm
thinking about the time that that has happened to me. I literally have to call for help, and
I'll call another teacher, like, I legit need to step out because this is not looking well.”
Lily tearfully expressed her frustration as
"One class in particular that I had, it was so hard to follow up on things because
there were like, seven firecrackers in there who were just like, pow-pow-pow-
pow-pow-pow-pow, and to even keep track of what had just happened to me, or to
all of us after that hour and then to follow up with them…”
By year two, teacher frustration led the school to employ a restorative strategy called
V.O.M.P. (vent, own moccasins, plan), in which the adult and student or student and
student had an opportunity to do the following: vent and express how their feelings; own
the part they played in the conflict; moccasins, meaning to put oneself in another person’s
shoes to see how they might feel; and, finally, to plan how and what the parties involved
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can do to prevent the same conflict. During the second year of V.O.M.P., staff realized an
important part of restorative practice was missing: how to address conflict when it
impacted the community.
All participants engaged in at least 2 to 3 years of professional development on
restorative processes with hands-on support from non-instructional staff. Participants
have been at the middle school location for between 4 and 6 years, with two participants
being founding teachers. After the data analysis, four general themes were identified;
however, two significant contextual learnings that surfaced must also be discussed
because they relate to restorative practices. The experiences of each participant led to
some common understandings around restorative practices and how their implementation
helped teachers create strategies for communicating during conflict with students. These
findings are essential, as they overlap some of the general themes and enhance
understanding of how participants employ strategies during conflict. It also provides
insight into how participants have been able to regulate emotions in heightened moments
of conflict.
Restorative Practices are Necessary to Reduce Conflict
Five of the six participants fully engaged in restorative practices to reduce conflict
and found the practice effective. Lilah expressed it as follows:
If some harm has been done…because we have to restore what's going on. So my
biggest thing is making sure that we are both able to say from our perspective
what we feel happen and try to figure out what we can do so that it doesn't happen
in this manner.” “But being in the restorative school, you're able to see how much
having conversations and, initially structured conversations, about harm and
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things like that, how it really plays the benefit. It teaches them how to interact
socially.
Lilah continued to express this sentiment about how restorative conversations have
prevented conflict from escalating:
Sometimes having that conversation with the two people in a closed space, it
allows them to really speak about what's happening and things like, kind of like a
mini VOMP that way. But if it's me, I don't believe in allowing a person to re-
enter the space until our conversation has had.
Lelani shared her experience as
The expectation for handling conflict in our location is that it's ultimately
restorative. Getting away from the days and times when the intent was to punish,
realizing that the root of discipline is to learn.
Leslie’s described using restorative conversations with students to prevent conflict or
even closing the loop to a prior confrontation with a student:
I always make sure because this actually happened, like last week. I always make
sure. When is that child’s time to come to my class before they enter the building.
We have that conversation before they come in, before they get settled, before
they put their books down.
Lisa expressed satisfaction with the restorative approach’s ability to reduce conflict,
saying,
“One of the things I think is really effective is not matching the student energy.
And I think that it's the natural thing.”
Here, she was alluding to how natural it is to yell at someone when being yelled at.
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However, she added,
“restorative practices force teachers to engage differently.”
Lily described the effectiveness of restorative practices as follows:
“So to have those conversations in crew or in class, or wherever else when
everybody is okay and everything is fine, could be helpful. I think it has to be hit
again and again and again and then to say when the conflict happens, ‘Okay, how
are you feeling?’”
One participant admitted that if restorative practices were not at the middle school, she
would not engage in the practice. She did, however, express that “Yes. I think that that
could work. It does. But for me, I'm using what I've learned prior, and that's why it's
working.”
Lillian shared that,
“However, at this particular school, if you're going to buy in, you got to buy in all
the way. So, you know, at other schools would I have done that? Probably not.”
In the absence of restorative practice, this participant would not engage in the necessary
restorative conversations that help strengthen relations between teachers and students.
Experience Helps Build a Teachers’ Toolbox to Deal with Conflict
In combination, teachers’ experiences with conflict and use of iterations of the
restorative process to reduce conflict mark an ongoing learning experience. More
experience as a teacher exposed participants to a variety of conflict scenarios. These
experiences taught participants how to engage with students during conflict and were
often referred to as a strategic process. This was best discussed by four out the six
participants. Lilah shared the following:
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So for me, it's kind of like, and I had to learn this, in the moment when something
happens, my first reaction, if it's something that's being said, sometimes you just
need to check them.” “I no longer do the toe-to-toe...like, I don't want to do a
show down. Like, I'm not in that stage anymore.
Lilah’s growth as a teacher was illuminated when she said, “Most of the time, I feel like
I try to conduct myself in a way where I'm not agitating the situation.” She indicated an
understanding of how time and experience altered how she engages with students.
Lelani expressed that
“I think that I'm learning. We're all learning. How I would react in year six is not
how I react year one.” “So I think…so what I would have said, like, you know,
you learn and grow over time. So things that would have said…” “It's a constant
practice and a constant process. It's still being wrong, but just committing to
growing and to learning more about the why behind it.”
Lillian noted that
“I mean, year 14 things don't get to me as much as they used to, you know.” How
this participant used experience as a strategy, “But year 14, I'm like, okay. Can
you please step into the hallway? I did that with a scholar this year. “
Lily added the following: “But it took me a while to get there because I think when I first
started teaching, it would be like…immediately yell at them, make an example. And now
it's more like, let me show you my humanity.” She also added, “That's another thing that
I've sort of grown to be okay with. Are you a stander? Fine. You stand, like we got other
stuff to do.” The participants echoed the idea that learning to “pick your battles” comes
with time and exposure to different types of conflict. Participants described how they
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have learned to overlook issues that they once would have addressed as long as the
student is on task. This is important to note as themes are discussed, as there is a line
between ignoring behavior and accepting behavior when addressing conflict.
Themes
The researcher identified four overall themes from data analysis: (a) conflict
interacts with values and nonverbal cues, (b) relationships with students directly impact
restorative strategies, (c) self-awareness deescalates conflict, and (d) acknowledging
Black girl culture and literacies. The subsequent section will discuss the themes
accompanied by direct quotes from the participants.
Theme 1 – Conflict Interacts with Values and Nonverbal Cues
Each participant felt they knew and accepted the fact that, because of the nature of
their work, conflict is inevitable. All participants expressed experiencing conflict with
students that resulted from direct opposition to a request. Participants noted that conflict
between a student and teacher can arise not only through non-verbal and verbal
interactions but through a struggle between power and understanding values. It is both a
visible and emotional difference of opinions and values. Further analysis of participants’
statements indicated that conflict arose when they felt student behaviors, including non-
verbal behaviors, marked a direct offense to their personal values. While some
participants shared certain values, others felt the violation of values slightly differently.
These participants’ values included emotions, beliefs, power, and relationships. Teachers
with more experience had clearer boundaries for conflict. The sentiment of a violation of
values was shared by Lelani. She expressed this sentiment in several statements,
revealing that feelings of insignificance are her trigger for conflict: “I felt disrespected
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when you, you know, when I say good morning and you stared me in my face, and they
kept walking.” Additionally, she stated,
Things like that feel disrespectful because it feels like it…it feels like…I'm
insignificant, I guess and all I want to do is help and so a lot of that was rooted in
my own, like I said the feelings of, like, significance and value.
Lelani also admitted that her idea of what a classroom should look like is important to
her; when those notions do not exist, conflict arises. She shared that "preconceived
notions that I might come into a classroom with about, like, how a lesson should be
taught, how students should behave.” She added that “And so coming into a classroom
with 25 different personalities and it not going the way that I planned is something that
would cause friction” and “I'm still divorcing myself from those ideas of like, you're
doing things, you're making unwise decisions, and I don't really see an effort to…to fix
it.”
Another of Lelani’s triggers is activated when there is a lack of appreciation for the effort
she expended when planning a lesson or activity:
I'm pouring my all into this lesson and I'm getting a very like flat affect in return,
or just nonchalant, or you're doing enough just to get it done, or just not paying
attention, maybe talking with each other or otherwise unfocused.
Lily shared the same sentiment:
I guess if someone told me that I wasn't helpful…if that were to happen…I'm
pretty helpful. That would really hurt me. If they got to the core of what…like I've
definitely been told like, you don't know how to explain things. Those things, I
think cut the deepest…like where whatever effort, like, this is my main effort. My
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main effort is for you to learn, for me to teach you. And if you cut at that and
make a comment about that, this thing that I'm trying to do, that I'm pouring all of
my heart into, that is the most disrespectful.
Lillian described a similar experience, saying, “I guess it's just the non-compliance kind
of behavior. But the non-compliance kind of behavior in terms of. Hey, you're here. I'm
trying to help you. And you're not accepting the help. And for me, I get agitated.” Some
participants felt that this value included students who are not being kind or nice in both
actions and words. It was clear that these behaviors triggered some teachers, as Lily
expressed “I guess in a very general way, being mean to other people, whether that's me
or one another. So verbally, usually calling someone a name or saying something about
someone. Yeah. Mean comments.” Lisa similarly noted that “I've had students talk about
my physical appearance. So, like, I find that disrespectful.”
Boundaries also emerged from participants’ statements in different ways. For
example, Lilah felt that conflict begins when physical boundaries are violated, which is
indicative of her value of personal space. She noted that
…other experience I've had with, like, personal space. Like, where students like,
if you're trying to ask them to do something, they would, like brush past you and
bump into you intentionally. That rattles me because you just don't do that type of
thing.
Leslie also values personal space, while the opposite is true for Lilah. Leslie described
feeling conflict when students oppose her nurturing approach. She expressed it when she
said,
When she touched her on the back and she yelled, don't touch me, that was one
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way, one area of conflict for me. This may be a personal thing because I'm a
nurturer. And so that would have been something that I would have done, and I
think that her responding in that way would have been rude to me or…because I
guess it's personal.
The role of power and how it manifests in the classroom determines how conflict
is created and addressed. Participants’ notion of setting boundaries for behavior and
students’ lack of adherence to those boundaries creates conflict. When the adult is no
longer able to control student behavior, language, or attitude, conflict arises. According to
the participants, this could be exhibited through non-compliance, verbal aggression, or
walking out of the room. Lillian expanded on this area, saying, “Some things I would
consider be disrespectful would be the eye rolling, the not coming in… after boundaries
have been set. Like, I set my boundaries” and “the back and forth talking, the rolling the
eyes, not following directions.” She also noted that “someone who isn't willing to work
with me or work within the parameters that we've set as a class, I think is disrespectful.”
Lilah expressed this lack of adherence to expectations as “…and they're still like, ‘I don't
give a damn. I’m gonna do whatever I want to do.’ That creates conflict for me.”
Lily defined conflict as nonverbal, noting that
…a student doing something that something really oppositional or defiant where a
request has been given or I gave a direction or a request and it's completely
reasonable and in her set of abilities, and she won't do it, walks out of the room
and
Because I just feel like there's something I must have done just based on the way
that you put your head down, you refuse to work, you won't pull up your mask.
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And just the way you talk to me or like, roll your eyes when I ask something.
Leslie expressed the same sentiment, stating, “The conflict actually begins when I am in
redirection mode, and so possibly trying to get them to do something different or react in
a different way or addressing the behavior, then the conflict arises.” Furthermore, she
observed that “Possibly using a disrespectful tone when talking to when students are
talking to me.” Lisa defined the power dynamic of conflict as an acknowledgement of
mutually agreed inappropriate behaviors that, once addressed, are ignored. She indicated
this in the following statement: “So I feel like disrespectful behavior is any behavior that
you're engaging in and when somebody has acknowledged the fact that your behavior is a
problem.”
All participants expressed feelings of frustration when conflict between teacher
and students occurred, citing specific student behaviors, including language, behavior,
and attitude. While some participants, four out of six, appeared to be unbothered by
nonverbal behaviors that equate to having attitude, such as rolling of the eyes. Two White
participants stated feeling agitated or finding it disrespectful when students roll their
eyes. It is important to note that one of the White participants indicated a potential
cultural misunderstanding. Lillian stated that, “The rolling of the eyes usually gets me. I
don't know. The older I get, the more I can't stand the rolling of the eyes.” The
contrasting statements by Black teachers noted that “…the rolling of the eyes because
people do that all the time. And I think that was something small…”. Another participant
shared that,
So for me, I think that, I mean, well, the rolling of the eyes…I think it would
depend on whether that was a typical or a typical behavior. So depending on how
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well, you know the student, because a lot of the students that I would tell the
teacher, a lot of the students are a reflection of the home environment that they
come from. So this is considered to be like, if the student receives this and sees
this and imitate this, I wouldn’t necessarily take it as like, they’re being purposely
trying to create conflict with you. They’re just expressing their emotion in the
way that they’ve been taught to express their emotion.
Another participant, who identified at Black, remarked that “I wouldn't say so much to,
like rolling of the eyes and stuff, because that's…that was just a reaction to the conflict,
not the conflict itself.” The data revealed that how teachers feel about behaviors can be
based on their cultural understanding and experience. Feelings of insignificance, feelings
of unappreciation, and displays of meanness resulting from both nonverbal and verbal
interactions with students were found to trigger teacher-student conflict.
Theme 2 – Relationships with Students Directly Impact Restorative Strategies
Successful restorative strategies are built on relationships between and among
students and teachers. The school site uses restorative practices to address conflict and
has undergone several revisions. However, one component that remained constant was
the teachers’ responsibility for establishing positive, trusting relationships with students.
This requires adults teaching and modeling to express emotions positively and exhibit
empathy for others to take ownership of the role they played in contributing to conflict.
The participants expressed varying levels of engagement with students. The stronger the
relationships between teacher and students, the better the outcome of applied school
strategies, which are all based on communication. The depth of the relationship also
showed to regulate when and how often teachers collaborated on a strategy
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implementation. Two of the Black participants used familial approaches to engage with
students, which resulted in strong relationships with them. These two teachers have the
lowest number of behavioral challenges on record. One Black participant wanted to use a
familial approach but expressed uncertainty. The fourth Black participant described using
the school’s system for addressing behaviors and not initiating relationships. The two
White participants noted using a more hands-off approach, tending to avoid direct
communication when conflict is present. Even with systemic processes for addressing
conflict, the presence of positive relationships with students sets the stage for how
effective those processes are at resolving conflict. Interview results indicated that the
restorative process allows teachers to engage in steps, but that time, empathy, and teacher
experience lead to connections with students. For example, Leslie described how she uses
self-awareness:
I may ask them; how would you feel if I use that tone with you when I'm talking
to you for asking you questions to you? Do you see that I'm being disrespectful to
you? Then why would you think that it's okay to be disrespectful to me?
All participants agreed that strategies to address conflict must be deliberate in nature
meaning all conflict must be addressed with conversations. Participants also stated that
strategies to address conflict must be restorative and process-oriented. For instance,
Leslie shared that “I always go back and follow up with a conversation to see to see what
happened or to have a restorative conversation on my own.” Lily explained that she uses
questioning to connect with students:
Maybe something happened last class and you don't even know that you upset her
and you might have, or she must be going through something else. Maybe
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something happened in the hallway, and it would probably go a long way for the
rest of your hour if you pulled her aside and asked what was happening because
you're concerned, she's not usually like this or whatever make it up.
However, when asked about following up with a scholar she had conflict with, Lily
shared, “I would say if it got better, probably not,” which is counter to restorative
practices. Lilah described using an empathetic approach and establishing respect in the
relationship to deepen connections with students:
I think it's just the rapport I had with the students. I feel like I try to consider
myself a warm demander or like, they know I have high expectations for them,
but they also know that I care and pay attention to them. So oftentimes when that
happens, the interaction exchange happens, I can roll them back like, is this how
we interact? Like, do you have this relationship with me and they're like, no. And
then you can break it down and get into it. I think a lot of these children really buy
into relationships.
She further expounded on this idea, saying, “I mean, you're just going to really
understand it. So really put the time in after you get to know and see and understand who
the child is before you label them to describe them in a certain way.” She additionally
mentioned, “But I think for me what has worked best is just the kids understanding that I
see them, I notice them. I care about them, and they know that there's a connection
outside.” Lillian found a way to connect that shows care to strengthen student
relationships, but it is important to note that this did not require a conversation:
I found out she didn't live that far away from me, so I would drop off things, send
her letters, things that we didn't have to be face to face to, but she could see that
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she's thinking about me. So I dropped off some books, I dropped off some letters,
dropped off a gift on her birthday. So using our love languages when we weren't
together, and this year, our relationship is so much better because we dealt with it
outside of school.
Lisa also discussed her understanding of the need to create relationship with students,
saying,
I mean, I think there are definitely scholars right that you have better relationships
with. And there's also scholars that like, you know…I like the difficult scholars. I
really do. I really like the difficult scholars. I mean, it's great to have a scholar that
just gonna love you because you're a teacher, and that's what it is. But it's nice to
sometimes forge that relationship with that difficult scholar.
Her process for addressing conflict appeared punitive. Lelani noted that
And so I talked to the girls like, I would talk to kids if I had them. And so, you
know, with the pet names. So good morning, baby. Good morning, honey. A
touch on their shoulder, a high five, a corny joke. So it's just making that effort to
know them. Finding out what they're interested in and working into conversation
or attending the things that they do outside of school. Like all that stuff. I think it
was a building, an emotional bank account that you can then draw from when
things are hard and get back to center quickly.
Participants shared how they process emotions in heightened situations of conflict to
explain their use us of empathy as a strategy with students. Empathy drives reflective
processing to remove the sense of being attacked during student conflict. Some
participants described building relationship with students using empathy:
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Only because I know that when I'm upset about something, I need a second. And
so I try to put myself in their shoes, like, maybe they need a second to kind of
regroup themselves so that the conversation can go smoothly, and it can be
restorative and not like a battle back and forth.
She also noted that “I mean, because I was one of those girls too, you know, it's like they
don't really think about that” and “So the ways in which I want to be talked to and
handled and treated are the same ways that they do, they just may be too young and
experienced to verbalize that.” All participants expressed the importance of deescalating
conflict with students maintain a peaceful environment that is conducive to learning. This
acts as a driver to implement restorative strategies that require participants and students
to engage in conversations fueled by empathy and reflective questions. Participants
indicated that they had improved in the area of regulating emotions when addressing
conflict and acknowledged it as a process with distinct steps to follow. One of these steps
is having a conversation. Teachers can effectively use conversations to address conflict;
in this study, participants described using conversations to model emotion self-regulation.
While the school has processes in place to address challenging behavior, there is a need
to garner support from colleagues to respond to conflict. As Lillian described,
There were people in place that were scaffolding each of these steps for you.
There were people that would teach you how to VOMP, not people who'd been
there a year now teaching other people how to VOMP. Right. So people taught
you. Or you had a crew partner, a human partner who would explain and show
you the way of how to model these steps, which made it easier for the scholars
also learning. Right. It's not just the teacher learning the way it's the scholar
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learning the way. I feel that if the school has a procedure in place, and not only
they're not doing it, showing it and they're modeling it for students. Yes. I think
that that could work. It does. But for me, I'm using what I've learned prior, and
that's why it's working.
Out of the six participants, the two White participants shared examples of strategies not
directed toward developing stronger relationships with students. Some of their
approaches involved direct avoidance of behavior with no follow-up conversation. Lillian
described her use of avoidance as a strategy as “There were definitely some scholars that
I did not know how to engage with,” adding that “I think conversations are really hard for
me.” For the questions about following up with students after a conflict, Lily stated, “I
would say if it got better, probably not.”
Theme 3 – Self-Awareness Deescalates Conflict
All participants shared that, over time and with exposure to more conflict
scenarios, they developed a personal preventative strategy to help them monitor their own
emotions before engaging with students. One strategy common for all participants was
breathing to calm or regulate emotion before engaging with students during conflict.
These strategies overlap with the next theme of self-awareness and how teachers monitor
their emotions when in heightened states. Participants’ statements indicated that, the
more teachers engage with conflict, the more they learn their triggers and understand how
they feel as they respond to conflict. This meta-awareness helps reduce conflict during
and after engagement. Participants expressed that they feel a physiological change that
can be a potential flag for conflict. Leslie described it as
Normally when I know that I'm about to react, there's something that happens
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with my voice that it becomes very shaky and I know in that moment that no
longer am I doing this the way that I probably need to remove myself.
Lily understands her triggers, which allows her to process conflict and understand the
cause of behaviors, which facilitates reflective processing. Knowledge of triggers also
allows her to remove herself when needed. Lily stated that
So those type of situations that are high stress, I sweat, I get super-hot, my face
feels hot, my body feels hot. And I just start walking around really fast and
talking really fast and trying to do anything. So just push whatever's happening
forward. But some of the actions that I'm doing are not even really helpful. It's
just that I need to keep moving.
Lilah shared a similar sentiment: “I get very warm when I'm upset. I feel my heart
beating, or sometimes, like, my face will read, like, like, what is happening?” Self-
awareness is critical to identifying emotions. The ability to identify emotions can
deescalate or agitate conflict. Lillian described the two extremes as “...but I think that
sometimes myself is the conflict if that makes sense. Sometimes it’s my inner feelings
that I have to check.” She added that
And so once I started to realize, my brain started to realize, okay, this is what it's
like when you're calm and then I can feel the difference between anxiety and then
being calm. I can now start to think okay, you're getting heightened right now.
You need to step out. And, of course, I will step out of the room.
Participants were aware of triggers, their physiological reactions, and what they needed to
do to calm their emotions. Awareness of power is crucial in emotional regulation. Lisa
described her own process as follows:
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So like knowing…being able to see the steps when I myself am becoming
emotionally just regulated so that I can break that cycle. So, like, a lot of times,
like, my stomach is feeling, like, tight or I'm feeling warm in my face for me,
that's beginning, right, the early signs of a panic attack or, like, losing my mind.
Lelani described hers as well:
I get really quiet, I think, because, like I said, if I say something, it's not going to
be the right something. I try my best or like, I try my best to remove myself. If
I’m in a situation where I can't, I'm like, you know, I feel like what comes out in
the moment is woefully insignificant because I'm trying not to overreact.
Knowing triggers allows teacher to pause before escalating conflict, allows them to
perform reflective processing, and provides time to readdress the student.
Theme 4 – It is Critical to Acknowledge Black Girl Culture and Literacies
Participants were aware of and acknowledged Black girl culture with varied
understandings and approaches to engaging with it. Participants’ responses indicated that,
over the years and through their careers, they learned that Black girls have a unique and
consistent manner of interacting with each other, through both language and nonverbal
expression. There is an understanding that Black girl communication as a literacy and
unique form of expression exists, and each participant described distinctive experiences
with it (Muhammad & Haddix, 2016). Participants expressed a range of sentiments—
from completely embracing and engaging with Black girl literacies to feeling that they
are inappropriate at school. Two Black teachers shared that they engaged with Black
students by actively employing this unique form of communication on a consistent basis.
One Black teacher acknowledged and was familiar with the use of Black girl literacies
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and that form of communication because she has engaged in it herself but did not do so at
school. This teacher described feeling a level of discomfort with communicating with
students in this way. The fourth Black participant acknowledged Black girl literacies as a
unique form of communication, realizing that, while it can appear as aggressive, it is not
violent; nonetheless, she does not engage in Black girl literacies. The two White teachers
both acknowledged Black girl literacy as a form of communication but expressed
apprehension with using it in school due to its aggressive nature. Neither of the two
White participants engaged in Black girl literacies.
Lilah explained how the way Black girls communicate can be misunderstood:
I think a lot of the times teachers get their feelings hurt when children say things
in a certain way, so that could initiate a conflict. I mean, to be honest, a lot of
them gossip or they play fight. They do things that if you don't know about the
culture, you assume that it's negative. Like you assume they're really fighting or
they're really arguing because they're calling each other the B word, but that's just
communicate. That's how they communicate.
Lilah explained that she uses a familial approach to communicate that follows Black
family culture, in which the matriarch uses specific phrases or nonverbal cues to
communicate as a redirection or correction. For example, she shared that “So it’s not like
I'm going to yell back at them. I just like, okay, usually the whole ‘Who are you talking
to?’ brings them back to…I’m not talking. Never mind.” The nonverbal communication
that is very familiar in Black culture is “the look,” which is a stare that communicates
correction. Lilah expressed it as, “I make eye contact with them. Sometimes that works.”
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Lilah also acknowledged embracing Black girl culture by seeing herself in her students.
She shared that
The first thing people see is they are black, they are girls. Oh, they must be mad
about something if they found out they are…you know, they talk too loud. They
get smart. And honestly, I mean, because I was one of those girls too, you know,
it's like they don't really think about that. These girls are not loud.
Lilah continued, saying,
They are passionate. They are just talking about whatever it is that they feel in a
way that maybe it is not socially acceptable for you. That's just because you didn't
come up in that culture. I think that a lot of it is just about judgment and privilege
and things that we bring into certain places.
Leslie felt that Black girl voices need to be heard and described how she honors her
students’ voices:
And this year I said in my class, I want them to know even if no one else thinks
so…your thoughts and your voice are very valid, whether we agree, whether we
disagree, they are valid and they deserve to be heard. And then we can work out
the kinks. We can work out whether it makes sense or doesn't make sense. And so
really having people really understand that just because black girls are loud, it
doesn't mean they're not smart, or they can't do, or they can't be…so just really
pushing that.
She further described a connection to Black girl culture:
And I tell them every day, I love your blackness. And so we're that big old bush. I
love it. Like embrace those things because I think so many times, we make them
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feel like they have to fit into this perfect piece when who made this perfect piece?
Like this perfect piece is perfect in your eyes, but they may not be perfect in
theirs. And just giving them a chance to be themselves is what I'm really pushing
for.
Another Black participant, Lelani, acknowledged Black girl literacies in a different way:
But just like, some things I feel like, are just very black girl like, things that work
their way to our speech. Or you might say someone's acting like someone's
mommy, mother, or auntie, because there's just those ways of being.
Expanding on this, she stated, “…the talking loud and I was thinking about how that may
be interpreted as the classroom being chaotic, or it’s just a bunch of black girls working
together and, you know, all sharing ideas.”
Lelani uses common terms of endearment in Black culture, such as “And so I talked to
the girls like, I would talk to kids if I had them. And so, you know, with the pet names.
So good morning, baby. Good morning, honey.” However, Lelani expressed a discomfort
with engaging with students in a familial way. She shared, “So like when she said that to
me, my immediate reaction was, ‘who do you think you're talking to?’ And was like wait,
I can't respond that way.”
She added that, “I know. I even said that. Like, I will say, “Y’all are sitting right next to
each other. Why are you yelling? Like, she's like, there’, but they're not angry.” When
Lisa, the fourth Black participant, was asked about Black girl literacies, she responded,
So this takes me to the statistics about suspension rates and how black girls are
suspended, often for subjective behaviors. You were being disrespectful and
subordinate. So for me, I honestly think it's the way that they express themselves,
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is it the way that I would like you to be expressing yourself? No, it's not the way
that I would like you to be expressing yourself. I spend time talking to students a
lot of times that it's not about what you say, it's about how you say it So if you say
something in a way that you don't put people on the defensive, right. That it's not
going to be received, even though what you're saying may be true and maybe
right. So me myself, no, I'm not easily offended by behavior. I just think that this
is them…they’re repeating things that they've seen and heard, or even playing
into, like what is expected or the stereotypes and what is expected of them.
Leslie acknowledged the cultural aspects of Black girl literacies and how Black girls
engage in communication. Leslie described ideas about student exposure in the home
environment and how it may contribute to how Black girls communicate: “And so really
having people really understand that just because black girls are loud, it doesn't mean
they're not smart, or they can't do, or they can't be…so just really pushing that.”
Expanding on this, she noted,
…because I think about some girls are not used to those types of interactions. And
even if they are young Black women because they don’t see it in their household,
they don’t see it in the neighborhood, they are not used to all that loud, fussing
kind of conversation. But then there are some girls that is their second language.
That is how they communicate at home. and so they used to so it could cause
some type of conflict, because if a girl is not used to being talked to in that way,
then that can cause a conflict between them two.
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One White participate acknowledged that there are cultural aspects to Black girls’
communication and admitted that she had unknowingly stifled Black girls’ language. Lily
explained that
I used to be such a grammar stickler and correct speech and correct every little
mistake in a paper because I couldn't even help it, which I'm not saying is an
excuse. But it's just like how I was set up with my Catholic school grammar,
psycho upbringing, and I thought I was being helpful. And I now understand that
really my job is to help our girls be better communicators. And you the general,
you and you the White woman you can stifle their communication by correcting
them.
Even with acknowledgement of Black girl literacies, Lily felt that Black girl language is
aggressive described it in one scenario as “…jumping down your throat.” She also
acknowledged her growth and the need to not engage in Black girl literacies as
I think I have gotten better, and I still have a long way to go, but I think I've
gotten better at…I don't want to say that I'm trying to talk like the girls because I
can't and I would just look like an idiot and it wouldn't work. And I'd be doing,
like, cultural appropriation or whatever. But, I'm accepting them where they are
and trying to understand our girls better, because sometimes the way they say
things might not make sense to me and vice versa.
Lillian, the other White teacher, expressed a need for Black students to feel comfortable
being authentic in how they communicate and engage with her and other students in her
classroom:
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And I think being your authentic self and then knowing that and not trying to play
a certain way so that you feel more comfortable in the situation, because I
shouldn't be the one that should feel comfortable all the time. They should.
She added that “Sometimes I do think they may have encountered a lot of white people
that that just didn't understand them or maybe didn't show them the respect that they felt
that they deserved.”
Even though Lillian classified herself as Other, she referred to herself as a White teacher
when she referred to how Black girls communicate:
I feel that as a White teacher, if a scholar feels comfortable enough to be their
Black, authentic self, then you're in the right space, like, they're comfortable
enough that they're not being told. Oh, you don't say that, or you don't…put your
hands down when you're talking those types of things. I don't really…I understand
them, and I don't correct it. I don't know. I want to say they bother me…that's not
what I mean to say. It's just it's a natural thing that happens in the classroom, and
it doesn't stop me from teaching. It doesn't stop them from learning. It doesn't
change my perspective of them and vice versa. So I don't know.
Lillian shared another example:
I hate to say that word. I don't mean it to sound like that. But, you know, as you
said, like, if another race saw them talking a certain way, they wouldn't know how
to take it or handle it. And I'm not…I'm not saying like, I'm accepting it because
it's not something to accept. It’s who they are…, again, it's just being comfortable
in the space. But then those are the spaces I feel comfortable in. I don't think if
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you were to interview another White woman, they've had the same experiences as
me.
Conclusion
This chapter outlined the experiences of teachers at a predominately Black, all-
girls middle school, showing how they use strategies to resolve conflict, regulate their
emotions when communicating during a conflict, and how they process and acknowledge
Black girls’ literacies during conflicts. Specifically, these participants shared their
experiences with the school’s conflict strategies and the skill set they developed to
resolve conflict—describing how Black girl literacies are recognized in the process. The
chapter began with a summary of the participants’ backgrounds. The findings illustrated
the participants’ unique experiences and revealed four general themes: (a) conflict
interacts with values and nonverbal cues, (b) relationships with students directly impact
restorative strategies, (c) self-awareness deescalates conflict, and (d) it is critical to
acknowledge black girl culture and literacies.
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Chapter 5: Discussion
This chapter introduces an interpretation of the results described in Chapter 4,
overviewing the study, the implications of emerged themes, the limitations of the
research, and recommendations to districts, school leaders, teachers, and other
educational institutions across the United States. The themes provided a better
understanding of the lived experiences of six teachers at an all-girls urban middle school
and how they resolve conflict. They also showcased the strategies teachers integrate to
regulate their emotions while communicating during a conflict and teachers’ experience
with processing and acknowledging Black girls’ communication literacies during
conflicts. Based on the findings of this study, the researcher determined several
recommendations for future research.
Interpreting Context and Themes
This phenomenological qualitative study aimed to address four research questions
focusing on teacher strategies for engaging with students, new meanings acquired based
on how conflict is resolved, teachers’ experiences of Black girl literacies during conflict,
and teachers’ regulation of emotions during conflict with students. Two contextual
findings and four overall themes were uncovered and are addressed in the next two
sections. These findings are essential because they provide insight into teacher-student
communication exchanges, how teachers experience conflict, and the ways in which
teachers address Black middle school girls’ behavior.
Restorative Practices are Necessary to Reduce Conflict
Schools are increasingly accepting restorative practices as an alternative and more
productive approach to responding to conflict and behavior challenges (Weber &
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Vereenooghe, 2020). The all-girls’ middle school employs restorative practices for
addressing conflict between and among students and teachers. One of the major goals of
restorative practices is not only to address conflict and heal those whom conflict has
harmed but also to prevent future conflict. The intent behind implementing restorative
practice for the all-girls middle school is to teach the girls how to have restorative
conversations independent of adults, which serves as a proactive measure for conflict.
The use of conversations in a scripted format allows adults to engage with students and
practice vulnerability, honesty, and empathy. Schumacher (2014) found that safety
existed among students when restorative practices were employed at an urban girls’ high
school. Students felt safe when structured practices similar to those employed through
V.O.M.P. were used to guide conversations. The long-term impact of those structured
processes helped students develop empathy for one another. Lilah described this as, “But
being in the restorative school, you're able to see how much having conversations and,
initially structured conversations, about harm and things like that, how it really plays the
benefit. It teaches them how to interact socially.” The social-emotional conversations that
occur in restorative practices develop empathy, and the very nature of empathy prevents
conflict, as students learn to think about and understand how others feel when in conflict.
Teachers understand the importance of connecting with students to prevent conflict
escalation and to prevent conflict from becoming an ongoing challenge to the learning
environment.
Data revealed an understanding for the need to remove punitive measures when
addressing conflict with girls, as stated by Lelani: “Getting away from the days and times
when the intent was to punish, realizing that the root of discipline is to learn.” Moreover,
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Lilah remarked that accepting the restorative practices improves the culture and climate
of the school:
If the buy-in is mutual between the student and the teacher, it can be effective.
And if it's done in the right way, and if it's done consistently and not just picking
and choosing when you want to follow this restorative approach, but always
following it, it can be effective, yes.
It is critical to maintain consistency in practice to proactively prevent conflict. According
to Hulvershorn and Mulholland, (2018) restorative practices require initial training,
preparation, and execution. All involve a time commitment, but the advantage they bring
is less time spent navigating conflict. The success of restorative practices at the school
are directly impacted by the stability of implementation and the strength of the
relationships between teachers and students. Research has concluded that the proactive
strategies of restorative practices act as preventative measures for conflict when
implemented to fidelity (Hulvershorn & Mulholland, 2018; Kervick et al., 2020; Lustick
et al., 2020; Silverman & Mee, 2018).
Experience Expands a Teachers’ Toolbox for Dealing with Conflict
Four out of six participants stated that their years of experience as a teacher had
aided their ability to engage with students during conflict. The data gathered indicated
that, even apart from employing restorative practices, teachers relied heavily on their past
experiences with student conflict. One skill participants developed over time was the
ability to become more self-aware of emotions. They used this awareness to react
appropriately during conflict. In response to the question about being aware of emotions
in the moment to avoid escalating conflict, Lilah responded, “I don't think I always have
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been. I think now more so, yes, because I think it just comes with time and experience.”
Some research has found that more experienced teachers have more positive interactions
with students than less experienced teachers. Elliott et al. (2011) surveyed both novice
and experienced teachers to ascertain strategies for instruction, including some questions
about behavioral approaches. They found that experienced teachers had more
interpersonal relations skills than novice teachers. One participant from this study, Lily,
exemplified the importance of teaching experience when she expressed her knowledge of
reducing conflict: “But it took me a while to get there because I think when I first started
teaching, it would be like…immediately yell at them, make an example. And now it's
more like, let me show you my humanity.” Similar to Elliott et al. (2011), Thurlings et
al.’s (2015) literature review of innovative teacher behaviors revealed that the most
experienced teachers have the capacity to accept a particular course of action with a high
level of interpersonal competence. They are also better able to regulate their behavior
according to the dynamic nature of a situation, including student behaviors.
Interpretation of Themes
Conflict Interacts with Values and Nonverbal Cues
While acknowledging that conflict with students is inevitable, participants also
understood that their own personal values and beliefs directly related to conflict.
Summers et al. (2017) researched teacher beliefs as a predictor of teacher-student
relationships, discovering that
Teachers' beliefs form a type of subjective reality in the classroom; what they
believe is experienced as real and true. Their beliefs guide their decision-making,
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behavior, and interactions with students and, in turn, create an objective reality in
the classroom, what students experience as real and true. (p. 18)
Teacher subjectivity in the classroom impacts how they experience conflict.
When students’ behavior was viewed as a violation of teacher beliefs, conflict emerged.
Some participants, specifically the White teachers, viewed students rolling their eyes as
confrontational, whereas the Black teachers viewed it as form of student expression. The
latter even stated that the act of rolling eyes is not the point of conflict but rather a
student’s reaction to conflict. There was a clear cultural difference in how eye rolling was
received and interpreted, as identified by the contrasting statements from Lillian—“The
rolling of the eyes usually gets me. I don't know. The older I get, the more I can't stand
the rolling of the eyes”—and Lisa—“They're just expressing their emotion in the way
that they've been taught to express their emotion.”
Bullough (2017) reviewed 10 articles on how teachers’ beliefs and values emerge
in classrooms and found that conflicts in values, norms, and beliefs permeate teaching.
Bullough also noted that the structure of teaching and power can create competing
interests for teachers and students. Time and experience can allow teachers to develop an
understanding and respond to students in non-confrontational ways (Thurlings et al.,
2015). Upon reflection, some participants shared that, over time, they learned to pick
their battles but that they still experience conflict when they feel students are being
unkind.
Lily, Lelani and Lisa were particularly expressive regarding what they considered
to be displays of unkindness from students. Unkindness manifested as both nonverbal and
verbal acts, such as damaging property or ignoring a greeting or redirection. Lily
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described it as “We are using computers in class, and you're popping off the keys one by
one. That's extremely disrespectful. And mostly because it's like, why?” Lisa expounded
on unkindness as well: “I've had students talk about my physical appearance. So, like, I
find that disrespectful.” Lelani used the idea of unkindness to describe a nonverbal act
that made her feel insignificant: “I felt disrespected when you, you know, when I say
good morning and you stared me in my face and they kept walking.” She added that
Things like that feel disrespectful because it feels like it…it feels like…I'm
insignificant, I guess and all I want to do is help and so a lot of that was rooted in
my own, like I said the feelings of, like, significance and value.
Unkindness also appeared as an unappreciation for the time and effort participants
expended into planning and preparing for teaching. Teachers felt conflict when students’
behavior conveyed a lack of desire to receive help from the teacher, when students did
not receive the lesson well and thus did not pay attention, or when a teacher spoke to a
student and the students ignored the greeting or redirection. It was clear that all
participants felt that feeling relevant, needed, and appreciated by students was important.
Okeke and Mtyuda (2017) found that people tend to be motivated by internalized
emotions such as anger, beliefs, and a need for acceptance and appreciation. Teachers
have an innate need to be helpful and supportive, so when students push against that,
conflict arises between teacher and student. Lillian shared her frustration with this, noting
that “I guess it's just the noncompliance kind of behavior. But the noncompliance kind of
behavior in terms of. Hey, you're here. I'm trying to help you. And you're not accepting
the help.” Lelani expressed the same sentiment, adding, “Don't you see I’m here to like,
help you grow?” The nonverbal acts of students conveyed a message of disinterest and an
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unappreciation for the teacher’s time and efforts, which created conflict. Lily felt that this
kind of behavior
could actually make me cry. Like I worked so hard and like, I killed myself doing
it. I would do it all day. It was my whole life. And I just tried so hard to make it
work and to make it good for them. And I always wanted to help them be better.
That's what you set out to do if you have a soul and you go into education.
Relationships with Students Directly Impact Restorative Strategies
Relationships are born through are a dynamic process informed by the values of
both students and teachers (Brady, 2011). There is no denying that teaching involves
developing relationships with students. The connection between teacher and student
determines how students react when conflict exists and is a condition of the lack of
closeness in the teacher-student relationship (Evans et al., 2019; Murray & Kvoch, 2011).
Previous research has noted that the climate of a school is dependent upon the
relationships between and among students and teachers and serves as a natural effect of
restorative practices. As a schoolwide process, restorative practices focus on relationships
as opposed to rules (Camacho et al., 2018; Erb & Erb, 2018). They work to provide a safe
space for students to share emotions and reflect on actions with the sole purpose of
eliciting feelings of empathy. Participants shared that their students’ experiences outside
of school force them to be in a fight or flight mode, so learning to trust is a challenging
concept. Lilah remarked that
Those are the ones that want the most because they probably had to be grown in
order to survive. They need to understand that they can be children. They don't
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have to survive in here. They can thrive like, they're just children. All that stuff,
they can leave outside.
Each participant clearly articulated a need to develop relationships with students
in order to establish trust. Gregory et al. (2016) found that 29 high school classrooms
performing restorative practices had improved relationships with teachers. They
explained this by noting that improved relationships and distrust may be reduced between
teachers and students with the implementation of restorative practices. Lillian expressed a
similar sentiment, saying, “Anything that I can kind of to make a safe space for them
after we've had those conflicts. Like, hey, I know we've had those conflicts, but we can
still move forward with the relationship.” Participants understood that, for restorative
practice to be effective, relationships must be established. However, all relationships with
students are not the same.
For example, Lily stated that “I think there are definitely scholars, right, that you
have better relationships with. And there's also scholars that like, you know.” Here, she
was alluding to the students she does not have a good relationship with. Lisa continued to
share that, even though she does not feel as close to some students, she will deliberately
try to bond with them as a proactive strategy to prevent conflict. “Then,” she added, “the
next time I see them, I try to compliment something about them.” Even with systemic
processes for addressing conflict, the presence of positive relationships with students
impacts how effective those processes are. The restorative process allows teachers to
engage in conflict resolution steps, but time, empathy, and teacher experience open the
path to connecting with students.
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Self-Awareness Deescalates Conflict
The ability to manage negative emotions is essential for emotion regulation,
emotional intelligence, coping, and mindfulness (Beltman & Poulton, 2019). Participants
observed that time and experience have helped them learn individual triggers and have
taught them how to ask for help from colleagues. Each participant conveyed this learning
differently. Lilah stated that, “And for me, when I feel that emotion, I know sometimes I
need a second. So I will, I think a lot of people think of it as ignoring something.” She
said this in reference to her choice not to respond to a scholar who was being
oppositional. Lilah further described what she feels physically when she is becoming
agitated: “I get very warm when I'm upset. I feel my heart beating, or sometimes, like,
my face will read, like, like, what is happening?” In these instances, she would say,
“You're not ready to have this conversation,” with the intent of returning to the student
when both she and the student are calmer. A teacher’s capacity to acknowledge and
verbalize emotions and to apologize when needed models the expectation for the school
and its students.
According to CASEL (2013), if self-awareness involves the ability to recognize
and label emotions, then all participants had developed that skill. Additionally,
participants noted that they are able to regulate emotions by noticing their physiological
reactions and taking a deep breath to remain calm. Beltman and Poulton (2019) found
that breathing strategies are the most widely used tactic for immediate management of
heightened emotions. They also shared that the ability to engage in the strategy develops
over time, which coincides with the participants’ experience of reduced conflict through
the course of their teaching careers. Lillian described her awareness, observing that “I
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have to remind myself to breath, step back and remember that their children.” McGrath
and van Bergen (2019) “found evidence of teachers’ awareness of their own emotional
responses, their use of emotion regulation to foster positive classroom experiences and
their use of perspective taking to better understand student emotions” (p. 349). Lisa
described her own awareness as follows:
I try to counter that (emotion) with really calm, really intentional steps. Right. So
I just becoming more in tune with what I'm doing, thinking, like, listening to what
I'm saying. Concentrating on like, the physical environment around me, just
usually, like, being aware of my space, to kind of, like, focus on other things so
that I kind of disrupt that cycle.
It is Critical to Acknowledging Black Girl Culture and Literacies
The cultural form of communication between and among Black girls permeates
their lives both in and out of school. Participants were aware of the ways in which Black
girls communicate and shared varying levels of acceptance of this cultural norm. Lilah
expressed an awareness that she “was one of those little Black girls,” indicating an
understanding of why girls speak and engage with one another the way they do.
I think it depends for me specifically because I am raised African American, and
the girls are raised African American as well. If you are over-talking me or loud
talking, yelling and things like that, I feel like disrespectful but sometimes I do
understand that they do it out of frustration.
Murphy et al. (2013) found that this sense of understanding is due to the students’ need to
be heard and to empower themselves to advocate for what they believe is right.
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Lilah described often engaging with students in a familial way, such as by giving
students the “look” or by asking them, “Who are you talking to?”. In Black culture, this
means the someone is about to be sternly corrected. Case’s (1997) research on
‘othermothering’ found that Black female teachers employing cultural, maternal lessons
in the classroom helps them connect with students. Coupled with trust and care, this
practice can be effective at resolving conflict. As a Black woman and educator, I have
employed this familial approach when engaging with students and have found it to be
very effective. There is something to be said about the comfort of knowing that your
teacher can relate to you.
Lelani expressed some apprehension around using familial approaches when
engaging with students. While she used terms of endearment such as “honey,”
“sweetheart,” or “baby,” she struggled to communicate with students in the way she
communicates at home. For example, when asked how she reacted to a student she
thought was being disrespectful, Lelani stated that, “So like when she said that to me, my
immediate reaction was, ‘who do you think you're talking to?’ And [I] was like wait, I
can't respond that way.” There was clear and distinct difference between Lilah and
Lelani’s approaches, and it is clearly influenced by their level of comfort with expressing
authenticity in the school setting. This appeared to denote the depth of their relationships
with students. Research has consistently found that developing positive and sincere
relationships with students is a critical component of conflict resolution (Masko, 2018;
Reppy & Larwin, 2020; Seider et al., 2013; Spilt & Hughes, 2015).
Another Black participant acknowledged Black girl literacies but also observed
that she attempts to gently correct the language by providing students alternatives or
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examples of acceptable language. Lisa, who demographically considered herself as
Other, grew up in a predominately suburban community and was not exposed to authentic
Black girl literacies before she began working in urban schools. She felt the need to
address Black girls’ communicative style:
So for me, I honestly think it's the way that they express themselves, is it the way
that I would like you to be expressing yourself? No, it's not the way that I would
like you to be expressing yourself. I spend time talking to students a lot of times
that it's not about what you say, it's about how you say it. So if you say something
in a way that you don't leave…you put people on the defensive, right.
Walker (2020) found that teaching Black girls how to match language and
behaviors based on environment requires teachers to develop meaningful relationships
with students. Lisa clearly accepted Black girl literacies as a norm for students but used
restorative structures to model alternative approaches to language.
I do…sometimes funnily play it out for them. Right. Should you do it like this or
should you do it like that? Right. They can sometimes see the difference. Like,
model because honestly, I think a lot of times we expect girls to do better, but
we've never even taught them how to do better. So how do I actually do better if
I've never seen any model, but the one that I'm displaying before you?
Understanding the need to develop the skill of code-switching, which must be
consistently taught, must be balanced with care or else students can perceive it as
oppressive (Koonce, 2012).
One White participant, Lillian, acknowledged but seemed to struggle with the
question about how Black girl literacies live in her classroom:
102
I don't really…I understand them, and I don't correct it. I don't know. I want to
say they bother me. That's not what I mean to say. It's just it's a natural thing that
happens in the classroom, and it doesn't stop me from teaching.
Murphy et al. (2013) found that some teachers tend to think Black girls’ discourse is
aggressive and can create conflict. Indeed, Lillian admitted that she does not understand
the mannerisms of Black girl language, but she also viewed it as a natural phenomenon.
When asked to clarify what she meant by the word “bother,” she responded,
I don't know what I'm trying to say. I guess for me, it's just another classroom
teaching kids. Those things are normal to me. They don't stop them from learning.
You don't give a lower grade for…I don't know. I understand what you're asking.
I just don't know how to answer it, because for me, it's ...it's normal, right? I don't
know. I'm sorry. I can just think of, like, when you when I have the girls, and then
they go to another White teacher’s classroom and I say that they'll come back and
they're really frustrated and they're like, they just didn't understand me.
It was apparent that this participant grappled with racial identity as she
demographically described herself as Other but referred to herself as White throughout
the interview. Matais (2012) found that White people who avoid seeing how their
Whiteness radiates will select another identifier, which would explain Lillian’s
contradiction. During discussion around Black girl literacies, Lillian was unsure of her
words, which indicates a level of discomfort with discussing race.
The second White participant acknowledged and admitted to contributing to the
alienating behaviors of teachers to Black female students. When asked how Black girl
literacies live in her classroom, Lily stated that, in the past, she would correct the Black
103
students’ grammar all the time. Ives (2012) found that Black girls perceive stifling
corrections to their language as unacceptance. Over time, she learned that this created a
wedge:
Why would they want to talk to me if I'm going to correct what they're saying?
And then why would they want to talk to the next person who they don't know or
who is an English teacher who is a white woman? How does it show up? I think I
have gotten better, and I still have a long way to go, but I think I've gotten better
at…I don't want to say that I'm trying to talk like the girls because I can’t, and I
would just look like an idiot and it wouldn't work. And I'd be doing, like, cultural
appropriation or whatever. But I'm accepting them where they are and trying to
understand our girls better, because sometimes the way they say things might not
make sense to me and vice versa.
This statement illustrates a willingness to work with Black girl students in a way that
promotes their language (Troutman, 2010).
However, it is important to note that, given a scenario, Lily referred to a Black
female student as “jumping down her throat.” In this statement, “her” referred to the
teacher, which makes the remark a judgement based on the student’s form of
communication. Acknowledging and receiving Black girl literacies looks different from
acknowledging literacies from other groups. Lily clearly acknowledged that Black girl
literacies exist; however, admittingly, receiving and accepting Black girl literacies
without judgment remains an area of growth.
104
Recommendations
Based on the qualitative data, this section discusses two recommendations
following this study. Teachers of Black girls must take the initiative to learn what Black
girl literacies entail and how they manifest in the school environment. Knowledge of the
language, mannerisms, tones, and rhythms of Black girl literacies can enable teachers to
make better decisions when engaging with those students. Mahatmya et al. (2016) found
that teachers with a higher cultural awareness of students, particularly low-income
students, resulted in both students and teachers expressing a connectedness to school.
When all teachers, regardless of race or cultural identifier, understand how Black girl
literacies live in school, they must then identify if these manifestations offend their
personal values. Anderson (2020) found that it is critical for teachers to engage in
significant reflection of their perceptions of negative student behaviors and to further
reflect on the potential for those beliefs to be the result of perpetual mainstream
stereotypes of Black girls and women. Teachers experience conflict when personal values
are violated, and there appears to be no recourse for the violation; however, a practice of
deeper reflection could identify if the conflict is really about the violation of teacher
values rather than the advocacy of Black girls against oppressive acts.
Though cultivating positive, authentic relationships is critical for reducing
conflict, school-wide restorative practices must support teachers and students through a
system of consistency and elevation. Hulvershorn and Mulholland (2018) found that
effective practitioners of restorative practices engage in traits that include viewing
conflict as a practice that addresses a human need rather than one that breaks a rule. They
also observed that effective restorative practices provide students choices and that adults
105
must trust that they will make the one that is right for them. Restorative practices
additionally require adults to model accountability by admitting when wrong and that
they always make time for conversations with students.
Based on the teachers’ experiences, it is clear that this all-girls middle school has
these components in place; however, there is a need for teachers to receive continued
support through professional development. Kervick et al. (2020) found that supporting
teachers through effective implementation of restorative practices required building
community by creating opportunities for students to learn about one another in positive
ways and by moving teachers along a progression of retroactive practices based on tiers.
The consistency of these steps would help engage teachers and students in authentic
ways, which would in turn lead to understanding and guidance on how to repair harm.
The evolution of restorative practices requires natural consequences, which should be
established by students and teachers (Gregory et al., 2016). That said, to reduce conflict,
the systems for prevention, such as circles, must also be present.
Consideration for Future Studies
Participants’ lack of awareness regarding the term Black girl literacies speaks to
the need to unpack it on a micro level to foster a cultural awareness of the students they
teach. Ample research on Black girl literacies has defined the term, how it lives in
schools, and how teachers’ actions can stifle it and thus Black girl authenticity as well
(Gordon et al. 2019; Koonce, 2012; Morris, 2007; Muhammad & Haddix, 2016; Murphy
et al., 2013; Price-Dennis et al. 2017; Troutman 2010; Waldron 2010; Walker, 2020).
However, further research must examine how teachers employ cultural awareness to
connect with students. Carpenter Ford (2013) investigated how a White teacher
106
effectively used verbal call and response structures to engage and connect with Black
students. More research should explore how teachers are becoming culturally responsible
to provide exemplars for those who want to learn but do not know where to start. As a
form of communication, Black girl literacies need further investigation to ascertain the
points at which teachers feel they become a miscommunication.
Researchers must also examine urban schools that are implementing restorative
practices by collecting data about its effectiveness from students, staff, families, the
community at-large, and discipline data. While restorative practices are becoming more
popular (Silverman & Mee, 2018) as education moves into an age of social-emotional
and trauma-informed learning, research must endeavor to understand how full
implementation impacts teacher and student relationships and reduces conflict. Teachers
feel conflict when they lack an ability to resolve it and when they lack a personal locus of
control (Camacho et al., 2018). The implementation of restorative practices has the
potential to assist teachers by providing them structure for reflective conversations to
build emotional awareness. However, additional evidence from more robust research
models is needed to understand its use as an intervention for reducing conflict.
Conclusion
The researcher was particularly interested in learning about the lived experiences
of teachers at a predominately Black, all-girls urban middle school to understand how
they integrate restorative strategies as they resolve conflict. The data from this study
indicated that staff have learned to more readily accept behaviors using conversations and
structures for restorative practice. While there are structures for fostering positive
student-teacher relationships, the authenticity of those relationships, or the lack thereof,
107
were felt by both the student and the teacher. The teachers more connected to students
were deliberate in their confrontations with conflict and were able to address conflict
more effectively. Students are keenly aware of teachers’ sincerity, which makes it
imperative for teachers to unpack the negative feelings they bring to the classroom.
Teachers’ experiences with processing and acknowledging Black girls’ literacies
included an understanding of how teacher-student communication exchanges create
conflict. The cultural expressions of Black girls are unique and may be viewed as
aggressive to non-Blacks. One teacher described the way a Black student responded to a
teacher as “jump[ing] down her throat.” This response indicates that considerable work
must be done to unpacking the bias teachers bring to the classroom. Culturally, Black
behavior is conditioned to appease the comfort of White people in both academic and
non-academic settings. Teachers must be aware of the ways they address Black middle
school girls’ behavior and be intentional about expanding the language skills they
develop within their homes and communities. A student’s eyeroll when a teacher corrects
a behavior should not be viewed as disrespectful but as a display of self-expression.
Conflict arises when the teacher reacts in a confrontational manner.
As a Black woman, I understand the culture of the banter and the tendency to talk
loudly and use gestures with my body to convey messages. I also know that it makes non-
Black people uncomfortable; that is disconcerting because I grapple with the lack of
liberty that this discomfort presents. I understand the concept of not asking for help and
how that is ingrained in our thinking; however, I also understand that, as an educator, the
desire to feel needed gives teachers a sense of purpose. When that purpose is not being
108
fulfilled, teacher conflict brews. Intentional, honest reflection is necessary for teachers to
discern if teaching Black girls is causing more harm than good.
109
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Appendix A
Interview Questions
127
Interview Questions
Date________________________________________
Interviewee__________________________________
Interviewer: _________________________________
Role________________________________________
Grades Taught________________________________
Purpose of Study: The purpose of this study will be to examine how teachers engage
with Black middle school girl students to gain an understanding of how Black girls’
literacies contribute to conflict. The intersectionality of Black girls; how they navigate
the lines of their identities in school; and how teachers perceive those behaviors will be
discussed. The way teachers acknowledge and address Black middle school girls will
lead to an understanding of how teachers must be intentional in developing relationships
with Black, girl students as well as be aware of and acknowledge their own emotions and
how those emotions lead to conflict with Black girl students.
Demographic Questions:
The gender you most identify with:
o Female
o Male
o Choose not to say
o Different Gender Identity: ____________________
Are you of Hispanic, Latino, or of Spanish origin?
o Yes
o No
How would you describe yourself? (Check all that apply)
o American Indian or Alaska Native
o Asian
o Black or African American so
o Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander
o White
o Other (please specify):___________________________
How long have you been teaching?
o 0-5 years
o 5-10 years
o 10-15 years
o 20+ years
How long have you taught in an urban school environment?
o 0-5 years
o 5-10 years
o 10-15 years
o 20+ years
128
Please check each school year you taught at LMCJ.
o 2014-2015
o 2015-2016
o 2016-2017
o 2017-2018
o 2018-2019
o 2019-2020
What is/was your role at the site?
Is/Was your role:
o Full-time
o Part-time
Interview Script:
Thank you for taking the time to share your experiences with conflict and Black, middle
school girls in the educational setting. Since your participation in this interview is
voluntary, you are free to stop your participation at any time. Due to the nature of the
topic, if there is a question that makes you feel uneasy at any time, you do not need to
answer it. In order to gather accurate transcription of this interview, I will need to record
it. Please know that the recording will be used to accurately describe your experience for
analysis. Do I have permission to record this interview? Once the recording is
transcribed, I will send you a transcript of your responses for you to review. You may add
or delete to make corrections to the transcript at that time. Your identity will always be
protected.
1. What behaviors in the classroom do you think create conflict between you and a
student?
2. What do you consider disrespectful behavior? Why?
3. What is your initial reaction to conflict in your classroom? How do you address
behaviors that create conflict in your classroom?
4. Please describe how you might handle this scenario: Today Student A refused to
shake my hand as she entered class. She had to restart several times, rolling her
eyes and refusing to engage in the everyday handshake. She then was asked to get
out her homework. I told her she did not complete it all the way, and she got up
and tried to throw it into the wrong bin, announcing to the class that she was
going to throw it in the trash. She refused to sit down when I asked her to, so was
told to go to the Vacation Spot. She stood up at the Vacation Spot and refused to
sit down and complete a reflection form, so was sent to another teacher’s room.
She returned to my Vacation Spot after a few minutes and had a hard time then
transitioning back to class. By the end of class, however, she was able to complete
the assignment given.
a. What behaviors in this scenario present as conflict? Why do you consider
these behaviors as conflict?
129
b. What advice would you give this teacher?
5. What specific strategies do you use when conflict arises in your classroom?
6. How do you follow through or follow up with a student when you have
experienced conflict with that students?
7. Please describe how you might handle this scenario: Today during class, Student
A was coloring during instructions, causing me to stand by her as a "proximity
reminder" to put her tools away. When reviewing the directions, Student A
dramatically rolled her eyes and continued coloring on her paper. When she was
supposed to be paying attention to her partner in fishbowl, Student A continued
coloring, so I set my hand on her back and told her to stop and pay attention. She
loudly said, "Don't touch me, get away from me!" while the fishbowl was
happening. Three times I asked her to step out into the hall, and she refused until
Support Staff spoke to get her. in the hall. When she returned to class, she joined
a conversation I was having with Student B, telling me to leave her alone. I told
Student A not to speak, and she rebutted with something defiant. I told her once
again to step out so I could talk to her, and she refused. I told her she would have
Recess Academy to reflect on the choices she made if she wasn't going to speak to
me. When Student A was in the circle, she did not participate. She didn't have the
text with her, and even though Support Staff coached her beforehand on how she
could add to the discussion, she chose not to.
a. What behaviors in this scenario present as conflict? Why do you consider
these behaviors as conflict?
b. What advice would you give this teacher?
8. Describe the process or expectation for handling conflict with students? Is this
process effective? Why or why not? Role relationships play?
9. Are there similarities or differences in how you would deal with conflict and the
school’s expectation for dealing with conflict? Please explain.
10. What is your understanding of Black girl literacies?
11. How do you think Black girl literacies manifest in your classroom?
12. Explain how you regulate your emotions in heightened situations of conflict in
your classroom? How do you know when you are in a reactionary response
mode?
13. What role does communication play in conflict in classrooms?
14. Describe how you communicate with middle school girls to prevent conflict? Is
this form of communicating unique to girls? Black girls? Why, or why not?
15. Are there any extra steps you take to communicate with your students in addition
to the school’s expectation?
This concludes our interview. Thank you again for taking the time to talk with me. If you
are interested in learning more about results of the study, please let me know I will be
happy to provide a summary of the findings.
130
Appendix B
Email Invitation
131
Email Invitation
Greetings Amazing XXXXX Staff,
My name is Damia Thomas and I am conducting research on how teachers engage with
Black middle school girl students to gain an understanding of how Black girls’ literacies
contribute to conflict. This study will examine teacher-student communication
exchanges, how teachers experience conflict, and the way teachers address Black middle
school girls’ behavior. My dissertation title is, Teachers’ Navigating Emotions and
Communication Exchanges in Teacher-Student Conflicts at a Black Urban All-Girls
Middle School.
This email is to humbly request your volunteer participation in this study.
Participation includes reading and signing a consent form (link consent form here) to
participate; signing up for an interview; engaging in a recorded 60 minute virtual
conference interview; and reviewing literal notes for corrections after the interview. Each
step of this process is completely voluntary. For example, if you choose to interview and
decide not to review the literal notes, that is at your discretion. Your identity will be
protected with pseudonyms and all data collected from interviews is confidential.
Interview data will be secured in a password protected laptop which will be deleted after
3 years.
Your unique experience can provide valuable data in understanding how Black girl
literacies contribute to student-teacher conflict and provide suggestions on how teachers
can address conflict with Black, middle school girls.
Please reply to this email indicating an interest to participate. My intention is to begin
interviews in July 2021.
Please reach out with any questions or would like more information about this study. I
can be reached at XXX-XXX-XXXX or [email protected].
Looking forward to a favorable response.
Sincerely,
