Date of Graduation

8-2024

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts in Art Education (MA)

Degree Level

Graduate

Department

Art

Advisor/Mentor

Yoon-Ramirez, Injeong

Committee Member

Valencia, Paulina C.

Second Committee Member

Brown, Kathy J.

Keywords

Art education; Arts-based reflection; Assimilation; Identity formation; Screenplay

Abstract

“Good Enough” is a thesis written to unpack reflection on assimilatory forces during early life experiences in education. By documenting self-reflections, utilizing arts-based research methods, and examining theory relative to theories of identity formation, I use a screenplay in the format of a fictional talk show where three golden retrievers are interviewed from notable Disney films Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey (Dunham, 1993), Air Bud (Smith, 1997), and UP (Docter, 2009). I connect the golden retriever as a symbol representing aspects of the American dream, an influence shaping my identity and merit-focused alliance with dominant identities. The fictional plot of the screenplay focuses on moments of tension teased out through dialogue with the characters on ideas of “being good” and Spanglish. This use of screenwriting is meant to access an unraveling of perceived identification with identities of dominant ideology that seek to deny the self and be good (Muñoz, 1999). The oppressive ideologies and practices of assimilation are entrenched in US society and education. Therefore, it is vital first to understand the nuanced experiences of marginalized community members and their self-awareness and relationships to the colonial legacy of education to resist further complicity (Kraehe & Acuff, 2013; Love, 2019; Yosso, 2005). This project examines self-reflections and discusses several studies about assimilation and acculturation, followed by relating theoretical concepts that explore dynamics relative to queer, first-generation Latine learners in the US. The methodology examines the use of reflection, screenwriting as an arts-based reflection within an Arts-Based Research (ABR) framework, and the screenplay analysis of El Perro y La Chamaca. This inquiry asks what struggles a learner might experience when being perceived and gendered as a good immigrant girl. This inquiry continues by asking how arts-based reflections on internal dialogue can offer insight into the societal pressures and practices of assimilation in learning spaces. The outcomes of this project point to reflection as a means to explore greater self-awareness, offering an opportunity for re-compositioning of the self to adapt (being good) learning environments, resist (speaking Spanglish,) and challenge the status quo. Implications include the potential for other art educators to generate greater self-awareness through engaging learners and themselves through arts-based reflection, a basis to establish or renew accountability alongside building praxis.

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