The Lived Experiences of Gifted Black Males In Gifted/Talented and Advanced Academic Courses: A Study of the Intersectionality of Race, Gender, and Academic Programming Through Narrative Inquiry
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Education (Ed.D)
Department
Educational Administration
Date of Award
Fall 2024
Abstract
Ensuring equity of access and impartial opportunities that appropriately meet the needs of all high-ability learners remains an elusive goal and a pervasive problem—a problem which specifically affects the education of Black children today, especially Black males (Anderson, 2020; J. Davis et al., 2019; Ford et al., 2023; Grissom & Redding, 2016; Siegle et al., 2016). Black males are the least represented population in gifted and talented (G/T) and advanced academic education programs, and research on their lived experiences is limited (Ford et al., 2023). The purpose of this narrative inquiry qualitative study was to explore the perceptions and lived experiences of academically gifted Black males who have recently participated in gifted and talented and advanced academic courses such as Advanced Placement (AP), dual credit, and International Baccalaureate as part of their G/T services. Special emphasis was placed on the intersection of being Black, male, and academically gifted in an attempt to grasp the unique perspectives of this special population and how they made sense of their personal and social worlds as participants in gifted and advanced academic programs, which are often predominantly White and largely taught by White teachers. The researcher collected interview data from five academically gifted Black males who had participated in G/T and advanced academic programming as part of their G/T services within the last seven years. Major themes regarding the participants’ overall experiences that emerged from the data included developing a scholar identity and having pride in their academic accomplishments as well as a lack of representation in the class demographics and the school curriculum. Two subthemes that emerged from the lack of representation were feeling pressured to speak on behalf of their race and experiencing a limited sense of belonging. In addition, a lack of psychological safety, experiencing double-consciousness and code-switching, and managing stereotype threat were three significant themes that surfaced as challenges faced by the participants. Lastly, the data revealed that having familial support, perseverance and resilience, and effective teachers all contributed to the participants’ success in predominantly White gifted and talented and advanced academic programs.
Advisor
Julia Ballenger
Subject Categories
Education | Gifted Education
Recommended Citation
Beard, Cheryl L., "The Lived Experiences of Gifted Black Males In Gifted/Talented and Advanced Academic Courses: A Study of the Intersectionality of Race, Gender, and Academic Programming Through Narrative Inquiry" (2024). Electronic Theses & Dissertations. 1240.
https://digitalcommons.tamuc.edu/etd/1240