Exploring urban students' constructions about school, work, race, and ethnicity

Area of Science:

• Sociology
• Educational Psychology
• Racial and Ethnic Studies

Background:

• Societal expectations significantly influence students' future outlook.
• Racial and ethnic backgrounds can shape perceptions of opportunity and success.
• Understanding adolescent perceptions is crucial for educational and career guidance.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore urban high school students' narratives on the links between school, work, and future success.
• To investigate how racial and ethnic backgrounds influence students' perceptions of societal expectations.
• To examine students' views on the role of their background in achieving future success.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative study involving 32 urban high school students.
• Consensual qualitative research methodology employed.
• Narrative analysis focusing on future orientation, societal expectations, and perceived role of race/ethnicity.

Main Results:

• Majority of students see a connection between education and future work.
• Students perceive society holds lower expectations based on their racial and ethnic background.
• Students find it difficult to predict future success based on their background.

Conclusions:

• Racial and ethnic background significantly impacts students' perceptions of societal expectations.
• Interventions may be needed to address perceived barriers to future success.
• Further research should explore strategies to empower students amidst societal biases.