Teachers’ Navigating Emotions and Communication Exchanges in Teacher-Student Conflicts at a Black Urban All-Girls Middle School

Author

Damia C. Thomas, Nova Southeastern University

Date of Award

2021

Document Type

Dissertation - NSU Access Only

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (EdD)

Department

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education and School of Criminal Justice

Advisor

Charlene Désir

Committee Member

Anne Joslin

Committee Member

Kimberly Durham

Keywords

conflict, Black girl literacies, restorative practices, self-awareness

Abstract

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.

NSUWorks Citation

Damia C. Thomas. 2021. Teachers’ Navigating Emotions and Communication Exchanges in Teacher-Student Conflicts at a Black Urban All-Girls Middle School. Doctoral dissertation. Nova Southeastern University. Retrieved from NSUWorks, Abraham S. Fischler College of Education and School of Criminal Justice. (775)
https://nsuworks.nova.edu/fse_etd/775.