So who is this Ms. Schwartz anyway?

[Molly Schwartz]

According to Erik Erikson’s Stages of Psychological Development, the 9th and 10th grade students I tutor should be in the Identity versus Role Confusion stage. While Erikson classifies this stage as affecting adolescents, the characteristics challenges of this stage are often ones people grapple with for the rest of their lives. Erikson explains that teenagers must achieve their identities in occupation, gender roles, politics, and religion. This opportunity for expression, choice, and acceptance leads to the development of a sense of who one is rather than to confusion over identity. The resolution of this stage is fidelity, or faithfulness to ones self.

High school is often a place where identity achievement can both be made possible as well as more challenging. Peer pressure and growing independence from parents often results in adolescent students struggling to stay true to themselves when their environments constantly present them with opportunities to get caught up in someone else’s identity.

In the classroom I have observed ways in which the environment can both foster and deter healthy identity achievement. The rigidness of the physical layout of the classroom feels very constraining to me and doesn’t feel like a space for outside the box thinking. In addition to that Mr. DuBe often talks about quizzes and assignments that need to be turned in. This emphasis on graded assignments feels stifling at times rather than a chance for students to show what they’ve learned it’s just a long list of things to complete. I really felt for a student who I worked one on one with who had been absent for a few days and had a long list of assignments to complete. Rather than giving her time to free read she had to go and work on the assignments that felt more like busy work than a chance to read a story of her choosing.

All that being said I do feel like Mr. DuBe gives lots of opportunities for students to develop healthy identities. Almost everyday at the start of class Mr. DuBe checks in and asks for some good news. Students will then raise their hands and say something that is going on in their lives either at school or at home that their excited about or looking forward to. Mr. DuBe is always really enthusiastic to hear what the kids have to say. This positive reinforcement of students activities and interests is one way healthy identity achievement can be achieved. Mr. DuBe also gives at least 25 minutes out of their 45 minute class period on Fridays for free reading. This activity both provides structured reading time as well as the freedom to read and become invested in a story of their choosing.

Looking through Marcia’s Identity Statuses moratorium seems like the best fit for me. Moratorium is a status that describes someone who has experienced a crisis but has not yet made a commitment. Given the fact that I attend a liberal arts school and I chose American Studies as my major. Honestly the biggest lesson I’ve learned in American Studies is to not take information or other perspectives for granted or as absolutes. As much as I can continue to feel more assured of who I am, the more I feel drawn to explore, listen, and learn to new perspectives. I have no idea what I want to do when I “grow up” but I also feel a sense of contentedness about that.

In terms of crisis faced I feel like covid is probably the biggest one as well as the overarching cause of crisis experienced in between. A year ago my mental health really was suffering and it put a lot of things into disequilibrium. My relationship with my partner, with my parents, and with my political beliefs. In a year my mental health has improved significantly and so have my relationships but I wouldn’t say I have reached a point of total commitment. While I wouldn’t go as far as to say I’m afraid of commitment, at a certain level I don’t think I’m emotionally or psychologically ready to be tied down to classify as identity achieved. While I may be identity achieved in some aspects of my life I definitely am not in others… but it’s all good moratorium’s not so bad.

 

[Chisom Oguh]

Molly, I agree with you about how the environment can limit chances for students to express themselves. I don’t understand how schools (admins? school boards?) expect teachers to properly teach their students the materials they need in only 45 minutes. Adding on, they are expected to complete assignment after assignment after assignment along with quizzes and tests. How can they properly develop their identities when they are pressured to continuously move from class to class and complete all their classwork?

Mr. DuBe sounds like such a cool teacher. The fact that 25 out of the 45 minutes (over half!) of the class on Friday is dedicated to free reading gives students a chance to cool down and rest from their usually hectic schedule. Ms. Hebs (the teacher whose class I’m tutoring) also asks her students to share about themselves (e.g. their weekend plans). Not only does she ask, but also she shares parts of her weekend and talks to them about theirs as the class gets situated. I personally think that through moments like these, both teachers are relaying to the students that what they do outside of class is important to them; they don’t just care about their academics.

[Alec Kotler]

Molly, thank you for your very insightful response. Mr. DuBe’s class sounds fascinating and has a lot to take away from in terms of how his class structure affects the students’ identity development. One thought I had reading your blog is that I presume (based on what I’ve seen in my own class observation) that there is a syllabus (and maybe also state testing requirements) that the teacher must abide by. This raises the issue of attention to moral development and identity development versus a teacher’s flexibility or room to veer from a syllabus and that is something that is very interesting to me. It’s possible that the syllabus which Mr. DuBe teaches off of leaves little room and that he must follow (basically agreeing that a big portion of the class is teaching towards a test–why he is so strict on finishing all these assignments). Maybe this contrasts with his own belief or preference that the students should participate in more free learning. More free learning may make students more self-motivated to study things they are themselves interested in–a type of learning that facilitates identity development and counters teaching toward the test. I wonder if Mr. DuBe is torn or frustrated. This is a moral development and identity development versus specific skill requirements at the hands of the teacher and is something that may require a cost benefit analysis in its resolution.

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