Fostering Student Empowerment in Contexts of Structural Marginalization: A Case Study of a Homeroom Teacher

Although student empowerment is widely recognized as central to learning and socio-emotional development, it is increasingly viewed as a mechanism through which education contributes to broader processes of social and human development. However, existing research remains divided between individual psychological models and relational, structurally embedded perspectives, with limited attention to how empowerment is fostered through educational practices in contexts of marginalization. This study addresses this gap by examining how a homeroom teacher promotes student empowerment and the forms of empowerment enacted among students living under structural constraints, including the threat of home relocation and demolition. Using a qualitative “best-case” approach, the study focuses on one homeroom teacher who was particularly successful in fostering student agency among Palestinian Arab Bedouin students from unrecognized villages in the Negev, Israel. Data were collected over one academic year and include nine semi-structured interviews, 28 classroom observations, and document analysis. Thematic analysis identified six forms of empowerment: academic, intrapersonal, social and cultural identity, relational, emotional, and gender empowerment. Findings indicate that empowerment is not only an individual attribute but also a contextual necessity and a relational process shaped by structural conditions and educational practices. Through processes of internalization, students developed autonomy, resilience, and the capacity to navigate constraints, thereby supporting educational and social development. The study highlights the role of homeroom teachers in fostering empowerment, participation, and agency among students facing structural disadvantage and contributes to ongoing discussions of educational equity and inclusion in socially vulnerable contexts.