0.8 Mirci, p., loomis, c., & Hensley, p. (september 2011). social  (Page 9/19)

Transcribed data were analyzed using the five categories of the self-system for purposes of coding for descriptive statements.

Theoretical orientation

According to symbolic interactionism, symbolic meanings are attached to social constructs regarding people, concepts, and norms and these meanings are transmitted through interactions (Howard, 2000). Through interacting with others, people construct a “self” (Bogdan&Biklen, 2007). Symbolic interactionists view the self as arising from social relationships:

According to interactionists, the self refers to a reflexive process that includes a person’s subjective stream of consciousness (perceptions, thoughts, feelings, plans, and choices) as well as his or her concept of self as a physical, social, and moral being. Interactions also emphasize that this reflexive self is shaped by an individual’s relationships with others. (Sandstrom, Martin,&Fine, 2003, p. 97)

Reality as a social construct means terms can be contested and redefined rather than being static notions (Charmaz, 2005). Symbolic interaction can be used to study “such terms as dropouts and at-risk youth because language matters” in human interaction (Patton, 2002, p. 112). Terms such as “achievement,” “at-risk students,” “grades,” “tracking students,” “achievement gap,” “standardized tests,” and “accountability” are examples of social constructs arising from an ideology related to beliefs about how schools should function given the creation of assigning a numerical value to learning.

Results and discussion

The results revealed that each participant possessed interrelated beliefs reflecting each of the categories based on their experiences of being in differing school situations. These situations included classroom environments and school cultures. These beliefs seemed to arise within the context of relationships, primarily with teachers and other students. In contexts where teachers and administrators conveyed positive expectations for the student and his or her life, students tended to reflect self-systems based on such relationships. The opposite occurred when students perceived administrators and teachers conveying low expectations of their potential to succeed academically.

Responses of students were included for each of the five categories to respect the complexity of the self-system and reinforce the importance of understanding the influences of educators on the self-beliefs of students regarding learning.

Self-attributes

Marzano (1998) found that self-attributes constituted beliefs regarding the self in terms of personal characteristics ranging from beliefs about one’s physical appearance to personal characteristics such as ability. One may perceive self as being stronger in some areas than others. When students were with educators they perceived to be negative, their experiences influenced their self- beliefs negatively regarding the self-attribute of being a learner.

All participants did not perceive that they possessed the attribute of being a successful learner while within the context of negative teachers and a negative school culture. The participants discussed in their own words their feelings of oppression. Maria reported on the magnitude of hurt that accompanied a negative self-attribute as a leaner when she stated, “I lost my interest in school, sank into depression, felt hopeless to change my situation, and felt all alone.” Peter expressed his feelings of being labeled: “I had no faith in myself because I was labeled by the teachers as at risk. I felt that it was a hopeless situation.”