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How did my literacies and disciplinary literacies develop over time?

How did my identities and disciplinary identities develop over time?

How are these answers connected to history, politics, social, and cultural factors?

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My disciplinary literacy started by being split between households in different counties. I lived and went to school primarily in North Fulton County. The school system was predominately white but had other demographics such as Asian, Latino, and African American. While living in North Fulton my disciplinary identity began to shape into a scholar with ties to the performing arts community. Piaget identified reflective abstraction as a key mechanism in this stage – where individuals become aware of and reflect on their own thought processes, a skill known as metacognition (McLeod, 2025). I was aware of my surroundings and how I fit into that world. I was no stranger of moving, but this area became home longer than others and helped develop my thought process.

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I was a quiet student but found my voice through the arts. I had a passion for dance and aspired to one day become a choreographer. Movement is where I found a talent that resonated with me the most. Identity is a key foundation for children's holistic development and well-being with personal, emotional and social domains in particular (Tang, Fengling, 2025, p.13).

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While at Roswell High School I joined the dance team and relished in having a community of people I could bond with. I was involved in not only dance but also was a part of the school's newspaper and film production class. At this point, other subjects were generally easy for me to master but I never received any mentions of taking honor classes.

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Broadcast and production film class was introduced to me in 9th grade. It was a class I wasn't sure why I had been placed in, but instantly fell in love with it. I was able to work on my writing skills while creating projects. I found the love behind the camera versus when I danced being front and center in front of everyone. Research supports the importance of the visual arts/performing arts, stating that these programs develop students’ social-emotional and interpersonal skills, enrich their experiences in school, allow them to better handle constructive criticism, and improve academic achievement and overall mental focus (Young, 2023). The classes and extracurricular activities I was involved in helped me to develop my creativity, self-expression, and academic achievement.

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While being on the dance team it was important to keep my grades up so it encouraged me more in the classroom. It helped me to gain more confidence. That confidence allowed me to speak up more in class to answer questions and to ask for help if I was struggling with something. Dance competitions showed me the importance of team work and dedication. Being at my first competition helped make thinking of college after high school more of a reality. According to Jean Piaget's theory, interactions with peers and adults provide crucial learning opportunities (McLeod, 2025).

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In the middle of sophomore year my family moved from north Fulton to south Fulton. I started to go to Westlake high school which was predominately black. It was a different experience that helped shape my disciplinary identity. The transition to a new peer group is viewed as a potential “fresh start” in terms of peer relationships, especially for students with more negative peer experiences in primary school (Kinney, 1993). Although my experience in primary school wasn't negative, it was quite and I dealt with a significant loss. Transitioning into a new area helped me to come out of my shell more. At Westlake I became more focused on my studies and was placed in honor and AP courses.

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Dance was still a passion for me even though I wasn't with my original team. I had developed myself with the new team at Westlake. Within this time I've become more focused on my grades and GPA. Changing schools after going to school with people I grew up with affected my social life. In this way it benefited me because it made me more driven. That drive helped me to receive my invitation to the National Honors Society. That in itself felt like a big achievement that capitulated me in maintaining a great GPA.

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I graduated in the top 10% of my class. I thought about the move that essentially changed my life. I never was a student that performed poorly in class or needed extra help. It was something about changing schools within the same county that elevated my educational and personal goals. I would become the first and only of my siblings to go to college.

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Kinney, D. A. (1993). From nerds to normals: The recovery of identity among adolescents from middle school to high school. Sociology of Education, 21–40.

McLeod, S., on, U., & 4, J. (2025, June 4). Piaget’s theory and stages of cognitive development. Simply Psychology. https://www.simplypsychology.org/piaget.html

Tang, F., Guimarães, S., & Rubiano, C. (2025). Young Children’s Identities : A Multi-Disciplinary Perspective. (1st ed.). Taylor & Francis Group.

Young, D. (n.d.). Visual Arts/Performing Arts critical to student success. https://www.nfhs.org/articles/visual-artsperforming-arts-critical-to-student-success/