Donna Y. Ford, PhD Distinguished Professor of Education and Human Ecology College of Education and Human Ecology The Ohio State University ford.255@osu.edu Erik M. Hines Professor College of Education and Human Development George Mason University ehines@gmu.edu
For many valid reasons, there has been an increased focus on socio-emotional learning (SEL) among students, especially since COVID-19. Accompanying issues pertaining to the pandemic, students are contending with more bullying overall, and more racism when it comes to students of color. As scholars deeply devoted to DEI – diversity, equity, and inclusion – we urge educators to be intentional about considering culture and cultural differences in all aspects of teaching, evaluating, and counseling. While students of color share many issues affecting negative self-esteem and self-concept, they also have different challenges – racial discrimination that is traumatic and goes beyond SEL in isolation, in a ‘culture blind’ way.
Experiencing racial discrimination and injustice can take a heavy emotional toll and trigger chronic stress, anxiety, depression, and racial trauma. More explicitly, William A. Smith (Smith et al., 2007) refers to this as ‘racial battle fatigue’ – the cumulative result of a natural race-related stress response to distressing mental and emotional conditions. These conditions emerged from constantly facing racially dismissive, demeaning, insensitive and/or hostile racial environments and individuals.
Below, we share definitions, one theory, and then address how educators can merge SEL and culture, resulting in a positive racial identity, so that students of color can cope with challenges to their identity as racial beings.
Definitions:
Self-esteem. Per the Mind Website (https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/types-of-mental-health-problems/self-esteem/about-self-esteem/#:~:text=Self%2Desteem%20is%20how%20we,value%20yourself%20as%20a%20person), self-esteem is how we value and perceive ourselves. It is based on our opinions and beliefs about ourselves, which can feel difficult to change. Self-esteem can affect whether individuals: Like and value themselves as a person; Can make decisions and assert themselves; Recognize their strengths; Feel able to try new or difficult things; Show kindness towards themselves; Move past mistakes without blaming themselves unfairly and excessively; Take the time they need for themselves; Believe they matter and are good enough; Believe they deserve happiness.
Mind goes on to state that causes of low self-esteem include: Being bullied or abused; Experiencing prejudice, discrimination or stigma, including racism; Losing your job or difficulty finding employment; Problems at work or while studying; Physical health problems; Mental health problems; Relationship problems, separation or divorce; Problems with money or housing; Worries about appearance and body image; Feeling pressure to meet unrealistic expectations; Negative self-talk.
Self-concept. According to the APA Dictionary of Psychology (https://dictionary.apa.org/self-concept), one’s description and evaluation of oneself, including psychological and physical characteristics, qualities, skills, roles and so forth. Self-concepts contribute to the individual’s sense of identity over time. The conscious representation of self-concept is dependent in part on nonconscious schematization of the self. Self-concept can be defined as the totality of a complex, organized, and yet dynamic system of learned attitudes, beliefs, and evaluative judgments that people hold about themselves. It is formed through experiences, interactions, and reflections, and plays a pivotal role in influencing behavior, emotions, and interpersonal relationships. A healthy self-concept promotes well-being, while a negative one can lead to emotional and social challenges.
Who am I? This is the fundamental question that, throughout their lives and across diverse contexts, people strive to understand. We are concerned about who we are, who we can become, and how we fit into the environment to function effectively, attain a secured sense of self, and strive for personal goals and development; being confident in ourselves and our actions (Baumeister, 1998; Oyserman et al., 2012).
Racial Identity. According to the APA Dictionary of Psychology, racial identity is an individual’s sense of being defined, in part, by membership in a particular racial group. The strength of this sense depends on the extent to which an individual has processed and internalized the psychological, sociopolitical, cultural, and other contextual factors related to membership in the group. Given the socially constructed nature of racial categories, racial identifications can change over time and in different contexts (https://dictionary.apa.org/racial-identity).
When describing SEL for students of color, we use a Venn Diagram to depict the merger of SEL and culture that results in racial identity (Figure 1). Ford defines culture as “the beliefs, values, attitudes, habits, customs, and traditions shared by a group of people. Culture is learned, acquired. Culture serves as a frame of reference through which a group of people view and respond to events and situations”.
There are several theories of racial identity. In this piece, Cross’ Nigresence Theory is described regarding Black individuals. Ford and Whiting (2009) discussed racial identity and peer pressure among gifted Black students, reporting that the majority had faced negative peer pressures by being accused of ‘acting white’. Cross’ theory consists of three phases/stages: Pre-Encounter Phase (assimilation, miseducation, self-hatred attitudes); Immersion-Emersion Phase (anti-White, Afro-centricity attitudes); and Internalization Phase (Afro-centricity and multiculturalist inclusive attitudes). To move between phases, encounters such as microaggressions and other forms of racial discrimination are influential and can negatively affect racialized SEL.
Recommendations
To promote positive and healthy racial identity (internalization) among students of color, it is essential to understand racial identity for each group (e.g., Black, Hispanic, Asian, Native American, biracial and multiracial), attending to each phase for prevention and intervention. We recommend bibliotherapy (see www.drdonnayford.com for curated multicultural books and sample matrices). For young Black boys (P–3), Ford’s Bloom-Banks Matrix pairs Bloom’s Taxonomy with Banks’ multicultural infusion levels to promote positive racial identity. Teachers should collaborate with school counselors to address racial discrimination, isolation in gifted programs, and unequal access to advanced coursework. Students of color should have mentors from their racial background, and educators should pursue formal cultural competency training, professional development, immersion experiences, community engagement, and collaborations with families and educators of color.
A Final Word
When students literally love the skin they are in, it serves as a buffer to negative experiences. It behooves all educators to work intentionally to promote racial identity and pride in their students, just as is done with SEL, self-esteem, and self-concept.
References available in original post.
