Counter-Storytelling: Portraits of Black Students’ Lived Experiences in a Rural Gifted Education Program
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Authors
Cartright, Robin L.
Issue Date
2023-08-08
Type
Dissertation
Language
en_US
Keywords
Multicultural education , Dissertations, Academic--United States , Critical race theory , Gifted children--Education , Portrait photography , Rural schools , Georgia
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Abstract
This qualitative study was conducted to gain an understanding of the lived experiences of gifted Black students in a rural Georgia school district. Gifted education programs are often touted as providing high-ability students access to challenging and engaging curriculum that builds on their curiosity, creativity, and persistence. However, Black students face obstacles, which prevent them from being identified for and retained in gifted education programs, making them the most underrepresented non-White group in gifted education. As a result of this educational inequity, gifted Black students are subordinated by race, underserved, overlooked, and denied access to the challenging education they deserve. Related existing research and theory included past studies on the recruitment and retention of Black students in gifted education programs. This study was designed to provide an original contribution to the research base by sharing first-person portraits of six gifted Black students who recently graduated from high school. A series of three interviews was completed with each participant, and these interviews were transcribed and then analyzed using in vivo coding. Once analysis was complete, counterstories were created for each participant, spotlighting the good in each story. Four main themes were determined: Relationships are important to the participants’ social and academic lives; Participants share the characteristics of a strong racial identity; Participants possess a love of learning and of academic challenge; and Participants have a strong need for achievement. Each theme was then broken into subcategories with supporting commentary from participants’ stories.
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This dissertation is protected by the Copyright Laws of the United States (Public Law 94-553, revised in 1976). Consistent with fair use as defined in the Copyright Laws, brief quotations from this material are allowed with proper acknowledgement. Use of the materials for financial gain with the author's expressed written permissions is not allowed.