Unbound potential: identity as a process understood through creative writing

ABSTRACT

The identity transition from high school student to high school graduate holds particular uncertainties for students. The purpose of this narrative research study, co-constructed by a high school Creative Writing teacher and doctoral candidate, is to better understand how high school students engage creatively with their own identity and then communicate such engagement through creative writing. Considering the current climate of a global pandemic, national racial unrest and an election year (2020 presidential election), this research highlights the iterative, nuanced and complex narratives of adolescent identity in a time of deep uncertainty, particularly for soon-to-be high school graduates at an urban high school.

KEYWORDS:

• Creative writing
• identity
• adolescent/young adult literacies
• poetry

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Eleni Duret

Eleni Duret, (Ph.D., University of Rochester, Rochester, NY) is a multi-racial, cis-gendered womyn, educator, and artist. She is the inaugural Center for Urban Education Success (CUES) Postdoctoral Fellow at the Warner School of Education and Human Development. Prior to moving to Rochester from Los Angeles, CA, Eleni facilitated informal and formal learning experiences for k-12 youth and teachers with the national after school college preparation program, College Track, and at the J. Paul Getty Museum. Her research is grounded in Critical Aesthetic Pedagogy and Positive Youth Development as she seeks to understand how minoritized adolescents experience identity development and expression in public school settings.

Shana Pies

Shana Pies, a graduate from the Warner School of Education and Human Development of Rochester, NY, has been an active and invaluable member of the Rochester public education community for over 20 years. Her contributions to instructional design and teacher effectiveness have been most significant at East High School where she is currently an English Language Arts Teacher. Additionally, she has experience as a Student Services Specialist and Teacher Effectiveness Specialist. She is most interested in designing and implementing programs that support students in areas of highest need, with an emphasis on creative expression through the literary arts.