Exploring identity through responses to literature

Abstract

This dissertation is a teacher research study that focuses on reflection and literature response as a way to explore the identity development of children in my own fourth and fifth grade multiage classroom. I looked at drama, literature discussion, written responses, and visual images to explore how students construct their own identities within a school context. Data sources included audio and video tapes and transcripts, journals, field notes, photographs and student artifacts. The data was analyzed in three ways. The first part of the analysis is a discussion of the categories of students' issues. The second analysis section explores the spaces in the curriculum that allowed these issues to emerge or to be thought about more deeply. The third section of analysis is three case studies presented as photo documentaries. Each case study is an example of one of the three categories of identity construction: integrated, conceptual, and situational. The study speaks for learning experiences that are open-ended and which allow for collaboration, reflection, dialogue and personal response. The power of literature to support such learning experiences as relate to identity construction is evident. Creating space to consider issues of identity construction is to truly value diversity in the classroom.