ERIC Number: EJ1057884
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2015-Apr
Pages: 10
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0013-189X
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
Toxic Rain in Class: Classroom Interpersonal Microaggressions
Suárez-Orozco, Carola; Casanova, Saskias; Martin, Margary; Katsiaficas, Dalal; Cuellar, Veronica; Smith, Naila Antonia; Dias, Sandra Isabel
Educational Researcher, v44 n3 p151-160 Apr 2015
In this article we share exploratory findings from a study that captures microaggressions (MAs) in vivo to shed light on how they occur in classrooms. These brief and commonplace indignities communicate derogatory slights and insults toward individuals of underrepresented status contributing to invalidating and hostile learning experiences. Our aim is to expand the ways in which we research and think about MAs in educational settings. Our data are drawn from structured observations of 60 diverse classrooms on three community college campuses. Our findings provide evidence that classroom MAs occur frequently-in nearly 30% of the observed community college classrooms. Although cultural/racial as well as gendered MAs were observed, the most frequent types of MAs were those that undermined the intelligence and competence of students. MAs were more likely to be delivered on campuses with the highest concentration of minority students and were most frequently delivered by instructors. We conclude by reflecting on the implications of these events for classroom climate and make recommendations for both future research and practice.
Descriptors: Aggression, Interpersonal Relationship, Community Colleges, Two Year College Students, Cultural Influences, Racial Bias, Gender Bias, Competence, Student Characteristics, Observation, Minority Group Students, Teacher Behavior, College Faculty, Student Behavior, Intelligence, Racial Composition, Mixed Methods Research, Ethnography, Conflict, Immigrants, Educational Environment, Urban Schools, Racial Differences, Gender Differences, Coding, Remedial Programs, General Education, Vocational Education, Classroom Observation Techniques
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Two Year Colleges; Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: New York
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A