An autoethnography of working-class education

Abstract

This thesis tells the story of the author's elementary and secondary education in public school in southwestern Pennsylvania, through anecdotes and first-person narration. In analytical chapters, the author examines the events through the lens of critical literacy education theories, including those of Paolo Freire, Valerie Walkerdine, Timothy Lensmire, and others. With a particular emphasis on the ways in which social class influenced her education, she also examines the effect of the label "gifted" on her educational outcomes, including her participation in the Pennsylvania Governor's School program for intellectually gifted students. She concludes by considering the importance of education in the lives of working-class students who will not pursue intellectual career paths and offers advice to teachers for reaching these students.