Self Ownership In Baxte Baxter Magolda's Four Stages

Dontae is an African American student from a disadvantaged neighborhood where as a child he was told that he would either be dead or in jail by the time he was 18 years old. His mother pushed him to do well in school and to pursue his education. He wants to join one of the fraternities on campus but his mother told him that they are nothing but organized gangs and she doesn’t want him to join. He has researched the fraternity and feels that it would be a good networking decision that will benefit him in the future. Since his mother’s guidance helped him escape the stereotypes that many of the males in his neighborhood succumbed to by getting a full scholarship into a good university he hesitates to go against his mother’s advice despite his personal desires and beliefs. …show more content…
The four phases include following formulas, crossroads, becoming an author of one’s life, and internal foundation. The first phase involves following formulas which are determined by those of authority such as your parents, and trusted advisors. These authority figure determine what you believe, who you are, relationships in your life and the choices you should make. In this phase individuals want to please the person of authority even if is not what they desire. Dontae is struggling with this phase. His mother does not want him to join the fraternity but he wants to be a part of the organization. He has always listened to her advice and because it has helped him accomplish many of his goals he is afraid to depart from