Scattered identities in secondary school students: Reflexive writing and theatre to help them cope.

Abstract

Young adolescents are tempted to drop out of school. At the same time, their discourse reveals signs of identity problems, which is normal during this challenging period of their life, but that could well be emphasized by the school system (Gendron, Mélançon, Hébert, Frénette, & Simard, 2015). These problems could also be linked to the multiple activities that are proposed to them and by their learner identity.
Learner identities, defined as the way a learner sees his position towards the subject-matter that he has to learn, are depended on the field of study but also on his global identity (Norton & Toohey, 2011). We consider that studying a peculiar subject matter is an activity in which the learner has to take part. In our conception, each activity, and thus each field of study, has its own epistemology and offers a balance of psychological tools that allow for the elaboration of knowledge (van der Veer, 1998). Learners thus develop peculiar ways to treat the information, reason, take into account information and emotions, that are compatible with each activity. Each activity is also presented in a peculiar context and by different teachers who often promote contradictory values (Buysse, 2012).
The students develop corresponding learner identities that try to be coherent with the required learner’s activity in a specific field of study, and that reflects their subject position. In a systemic view, we consider that global identity consists of the harmonic (or not) balance of divergent or convergent sub-systems of identity. In that respect, each learner identity is linked to and in interaction with other learner identities and the systems of activity to which they are related. Therefore, we can consider that any system tends to influence the others in order to keep a global balance or identity. A new activity can therefore create an additional unbalance, especially in regard to their core identity and values. This is even more complex in an environment where classes are composed of students of different cultures, each anchored in the students’ core identity. On top of it, students face a multiplicity of activities during their studies (Rahm, 2008). This leads to tensions that can unfortunately develop into a situation of crisis, contribute to sometimes unresolvable tensions, sometimes even potentially leading to mental health disorders or disinvestment from school activity (Charlot, 1997).
Secondary school (ages 12-17) in Quebec is characterized by the presence of one teacher by subject matter and also by the presence of subject matters that are chosen by the student. In this context we wanted to understand how these chosen activities influence their identity and therefore our research provided students with reflexive workshops enabling them to reflect on their different activities and their identities. We were also more specifically in the effect of theatre on their subject position and learner identity, even on their identity (Beauchamp, 1992; Blatner, 1995).
During the workshops, the researchers interacted with the students to simulate their writing and deepen their reflection (Buysse, 2010; Vanhulle, 2009; Zaretskii, 2016). The texts are then analyzed on the basis of a structural discourse analysis (Vanhulle, Balslev, & Buysse, 2012). We present tour workshops and some preliminary results of the analysis of their written productions. They reveal an evolution in the way they consider their identity in learning and some softening in the perceived tensions about their identity and their subject position. We conclude with different suggestions to minimize identity problems during school.