Navigating racialised identity as a Black female educator within the educational journey: an autoethnographic study.

Abstract

This autoethnographic research study aimed to explore the experiences of a Black female educator navigate racialised identity within the educational journey from pre-primary to high school, and university. This study is based on my experiences of attending predominantly white schools in Durban North during the early post-apartheid period. I am currently teaching in a township school in Ntuzuma, Durban. The study describes how my schooling experiences and historical background have influenced my teaching style. In this study, a gap is filled in the literature because few studies discuss post-apartheid experiences of Black females who attended primarily white schools. The Intersectionality theory underpin this study. The research questions were addressed using a qualitative approach and auto-ethnography, where the researcher is also a participant in the research. By using this methodology, the researcher was able to explore lived experiences through a variety of methods, such as memory work, photographs, artefacts, collages, critical friends, and reflective journals. This study found that parental involvement, sibling support, culture, and socioeconomic position were all factors that affected the ability to navigate predominantly White schools. The experiences shared showed that much of my Blackness was diluted, particularly issues with native tongue, which proved problematic during teaching practice. Unlike the literature, schooling experiences were challenging rather than traumatising. It was determined that due to attending predominantly white educational institutions, much needs to be unlearned about identity. This motivates the researcher to become an effective educator.