An Exploration of the Educational Experiences of African American Female High School Students

This study is an exploration of the educational experiences of African American female high school students.Based upon the premise that education and schooling do not occur in a vacuum but are dependent on and situated within the broader context of society and daily life, the purpose of the study is to explore the overarching theme of how African American girls navigate their personal, social and educational worlds to construct their attitudes and perceptions about education, their lives, and their success as students.More specifically, as Berger and Luckmann (1966) contend, the primary socialization of children occurs in the home, and the secondary socialization occurs in societal institutions, namely schools.Forty-four years later, Sadker and Zittleman (2010) make the similar argument that children are socialized by interactions with their families, peer groups, schools and the media.This investigation aims to explore these four areas as they relate to the participants' educational experiences.According to psychology, sociology, health and educational research, African American girls have multiple experiences that are impacted by their race, class and gender.Issues such as self-esteem, physical and emotional health, risk behavior, family structure, and in-school discipline have been explored in the literature.The researcher has collected data by conducting classroom observations and individual and group interviews with seven African American female high school juniors and seniors.The participants have reflected upon the span of their experiences in grades K-12.For Shanta Dianne Elmore and Generations of Infinite Love v Acknowledgements When my doctoral work began, I was unable to fully conceptualize the professional and personal journey that lay before me.During my years of teaching, I learned that there was much to explore and understand about our educational system.This became highly personal as I grew to understand the most basic premise: that my students were above all, human, and deserved an educator who made it her mission to understand the world in which we are situated.My coursework and research have allowed me to explore this further and I have been adequately prepared to contribute to the field.My time at The Ohio State University has been marked by support, guidance and encouragement and I would like to acknowledge several people who have had a significant impact upon me during my time here.First, I would like to extend my most sincere gratitude to my advisor, Dr. Beverly Gordon.I am grateful for your guidance, support and inspiration.Your tireless commitment to my success is deeply appreciated.Your guidance and knowledge has proven invaluable and it has been an honor to work with you.I would also like to thank my committee members