I Too, Have a Race: The Autoethnographic Journey of a Teacher Confronting Herself and Social Justice in the College Composition Classroom

Abstract

This study addresses the research question "How might an autoethnographic exploration of my own perceived Whiteness inform how I approach the phenomenon of racism in my teaching of university composition students?" It grew from the trends I noticed in the classroom into exercises and essays I assigned to students, and finally, their and my responses to those exercises. I found it necessary to first confront my own identity and where my attitudes came from. What I realized is that I held undiscovered biases. Uncovering and acknowledging those biases and discussing them with others helped me grow as a teacher interested in social justice issues. I believe that if other teachers look at their own lives and classrooms in terms of hegemony, power and emancipatory education that a greater understanding can occur. A large part of my function in the classroom is to raise awareness of social justice issues and help structure vocabulary. Implications of the study include a hope that this experience has made me a better teacher, that my composition students will benefit from my new perspective and that other people I interact with professionally may find a resource to aid in their own journey towards a more just society.