Solving The Problem Of Black Male Achievement – Less Talk, More Action

Solving The Problem Of Black Male Achievement – Less Talk, More Action

Today, we’ve reached a critical point in the Black Male achievement conversation – which means it’s time to stop having a conversation and start taking action. So far, there is no “perfect solution” that can guarantee the success of Black males in the US – the problems of pernicious institutionalized racism, poverty, and a system that’s built to victimize Black males are enormous.

But there is no longer any time to waste. The problems are worse than they’ve ever been before – as of 2014 only about 54% of Black students graduate from high school – and Black males in the twelfth grade have lower average reading test scores than any other ethnic or racial group.

The numbers don’t lie – even as colleges and high schools around the US boast about their exceptional achievements and the bright futures of their students, it is evident we are leaving our Black males behind.

It’s time to stop talking about how we can promote Black male achievement – and time to start taking action. Let’s discuss some novel strategies that could help promote Black male achievement, and have a serious impact on the issue of the “Black Male Achievement Gap.”

Force Schools And Administrators To Recognize The Problem – And Take Action

One of the biggest issues facing Black male achievement is that many schools – especially public schools – fail to acknowledge that Black males are uniquely discriminated against within the system.

Too often, we hear about Black males who are rejected by administrators. They’re written off as “bad seeds,” and sent directly to the “school-to-prison” pipeline. This is not a myth – it’s a fact and needs to be acknowledged as such.

Black males are 4x more likely than white students to be suspended, and over 70% of in-school arrests involve Black or Latino students. Not only that, Black males are 2x as likely to not complete high school – and 68% of all inmates in our federal prison system doesn't have a high school diploma.

We must break down this system of apathy, hate, and institutionalized prejudice. We must recognize that Black males are now more naturally prone to violence or misbehavior than any other group of students – they are products of their circumstances. Poverty, broken families, abuse – these stresses take their psychological toll on our Black youth.

We must force administrators and schools to acknowledge the problem of institutionalized racism – and set aside money for programs and initiatives that are specifically designed to increase the achievement of Black males.

Black male mentorship programs, Rite of Passage programming, and other after-school programs may not be the newest solution around, but they’re proven to work. Males that have participated in such programs have also experienced an increase in academic performance.  These programs are tailored directly to Black youth – and can have a dramatic effect on Black male student outcomes, and help us narrow the achievement gap.

Bring Black Male Students Together, And Present A United Front

Our young Black men in high school often feel targeted, victimized, or alone – and it’s critical that we take steps to solve this issue.

Black males must be taught the skills to navigate and advocate for themselves within the system.  They must take a united stand and say, “no more shall we be pushed to the side and made to feel invisible.”  A radical approach is needed, meaning getting down and understanding the root cause of the problems facing our young men.  Then force change within a system that appears partly invested in solving or improving the educational experience of these youth.  Often, lack of funding, time and capacity are excuses to continue the status quo.  But I ask, where are the education dollars going?  -- Not too many schools in our most economically depressed neighborhoods, not to recruit highly qualified teachers to teach our nations most disenfranchise youth and surely not to create pathways of opportunity for Black males who are facing a high probability of school failure.

We must create an environment that Black males feel welcomed, care for, loved and nurtured.  We must remove the mindset that all Black males are destined for failure.  We must empower our males to be an active participant in their education and make curriculum reflective of their culture and experiences.  I know this is difficult to do in most traditional school settings -- but here’s a thought experiment for you. Why can’t we have more schools that are specifically targeted to [I almost said “at-risk,” but “at-risk” makes it seem like it’s the student's fault] Black males or males of color for that matter?

After-school programs and community organizations can only do so much for our Black males. By implementing a specialized schooling system that focuses on educating and preparing Black males – and not on punishing them – we can arm them with the tools they need to narrow the achievement gap and succeed in life.

There are many of those who believe in the myth of “self-segregation” – and may not approve of this idea. However, the fact of the matter is that the inherent prejudice of the public and private school systems is the primary cause of much of the Black male achievement gap.

Yes, though no education system can be entirely free from failure, a school tailored specifically to youth of color could implement culturally responsive programs and classes that would provide a more engaging learning environment – and provide students with the tools they need to succeed in their life after school.

There Is No “Perfect Solution” – But That Doesn’t Mean We Can’t Act Now!

If we wait around discussing the issue of the Black male achievement gap until we find a perfect solution, we’re leaving our Black students behind. It’s just that simple.

So don’t wait for a perfect solution. If you’re an educator, administrator, or a member of the community, it’s time for action. Even if you can only help one Black male at a time, that’s enough.

We can’t leave our future leaders. If we work together, we can improve conditions for Black youth – and help narrow the opportunity gap for young Black men. The journey will be hard, and the obstacles may seem insurmountable – but our men are worth the investment.

Why is it a Big Mistake to Label Kids?

By Anthony L. Hubbard

We have all been through high school. As a junior, we are sure you remember the fellow student in your class who was always glancing up at the clock. You might have caught yourself wondering – “Is he anxious to get to work?” “Does he want to go smoke a cigarette?” “Is he waiting to leave the classroom?” Would your perception change if you knew that the student was being assigned to an alternative school where students who were “at-risk” of not graduating were being sent? Would it change if you found out that he just got accepted into a prestigious college?

Look closely at the above example. Firstly, you are making an attribution about the student’s cause of behavior. Secondly, you are implicitly considering the characteristics of the person exhibiting the behavior. Thirdly, the descriptions that are provided about the student sets in motion a host of beliefs and stereotypes about the causes of the said behavior. This should give you a fair idea of the kind of negative impact that can be caused by labeling students as “at-risk”. 

Effects of an academic label on attributions

Attributions are made because they are convenient cues and the human brain is primed to follow the path of least cognitive stress. However, the subtle cascading effect of negative labeling is something that we should better acquaint ourselves with. Let us take an example. How many times have you found yourself in a situation where someone put you down unfairly and it just threw you off your rhythm for the rest of the day? We’d venture to guess that it has happened at least once in the last two months. Now imagine if that were to happen on a daily basis. Just think about what that would do to your morale? 

Behavioral psychologists have a term called the Pygmalion effect, which refers to a phenomenon where higher expectations lead to an increase in performance. The more we expect from our kids, the more motivated they are to live up to the expectation. SO, it is always for the better to call them out on their strengths instead of admonishing them for their weaknesses. Worse still, if we categorize children by their family’s income bracket, ethnicity or special education needs, then we are making the assumption that the child has a deficit. How would you feel if you were called an ‘at-risk’ educator because you failed to reach out to a kid?

Labeling faux pas educators should strive to avoid

• Never discuss children in front of other children or parents. They listen to and understand a lot more than we realize.

• Comment on their behavior, not on their character. For instance, it is always better to say “Lisa, you have put a lot of hard work into your art project” instead of saying “Lisa, you are a great artist”. 
• Never use labeling as a motivational or a behavioral tool. You cannot motivate an overweight kid to exercise by calling him fat. Similarly, you cannot get them to perform better by calling them stupid. 

• Encourage kids to explore all kinds of activities. They should never be limited in their opportunities just because it does not fit our ideas of what their weaknesses or strengths are. 

What are educators missing out on?

If we want our mental health and education systems, which should be operating in collaboration, to better serve our diverse and multicultural youth population, we must make sure that they are adapted to be culturally responsive, strength-based and youth-centered. 

A lot of the time, educators fail to take into account that most kids from underprivileged urban areas beat some really great odds to show up to school. From lack of parental support to growing up in tough neighborhoods without enough money, they go through a lot every single day of their lives. They must be encouraged for braving their daily ordeals instead of being put down for not living up to the standardized set of rules and behavior. Labeling them as delinquents, at-risk or hopeless is not doing anybody any good. It does not give us or the student a better understanding of the situation.

You need to put yourself in the shoes of those kids. For them, the microaggressions they face in the classroom is not very different from what they have to face in their daily interactions. It creates a hostile and invalidating climate in the school campus, perpetuates the stereotype threat, assails their mental health and affects the problem solving abilities and the academic productivity of the kids. 

How can we reduce instances of microaggressions in the classroom?

Racial ignoring and racial spotlighting are two of the most common instances of racial microaggressions. Racial ignoring is when students of color do not receive any recognition or acknowledgment by the white students or teachers. Racial spotlighting is when these same students frequently find themselves being the object of uninvited attention, like when they are asked to give their opinion on racial matters just because they are a part of that racial group. It happens more often than most teachers would like to let on. 

To make a difference, educators need to be more self-aware of their own conduct in the class. As long as the microaggressions remain invisible, hidden, unspoken and excused as an innocent slight, people will continue to demean, insult, alienate and oppress the marginalized groups. It is up on the educators to make sure that they take every step to recognize and address instances of microaggressions when they see them. 

Making a Difference to Underachievers

Making a Difference to Underachievers Using the Feuerstein Method

 

In today’s educational landscape, it is quite common to see students categorized as ‘intelligent’, ‘average’, ‘unintelligent’, ‘underperformers’ and so on. The view that students have a pre-determined, pre-set ‘level’ of intelligence and ability to learn is quite prevalent and this is a widely accepted view as well. Academicians and educators across the country, even the world, really believe that not all students can achieve the same academic goals because of the differential intelligence levels that they are endowed with. This gives credence to the belief that intellect or intelligence is an inborn ‘skill’, with each person being gifted with a specific limit of it. This also means that there are only a select few who can truly excel even when the best teachers are employed and they are leveraging the most modern, most effective teaching techniques to impart knowledge.

This view is flawed in more than one way because there is reason to believe that the so called ‘underperforming’ student does not have the same intelligence or ability to grasp complex academic concepts as the so- called ‘intelligent’ student. Further, there is no scientific basis for the assumption that everyone is born with different intelligence levels, which cannot be enhanced or drawn out in any way as they progress through life and through different educational experiences. As Nobel Prize nominee, clinical, developmental and cognitive psychologist Ruevin Feurestein explained, ‘intelligence is not fixed but modifiable’. It is the responsibility of the teacher or academician to devise a teaching system or strategy that helps every student achieve higher levels of intelligence by drawing upon his or her own hidden reserves.

An overview of the Feuerstein Method

After fleeing the Nazi invasion, Feurestein leveraged his psychology degree to teach young survivors of the Holocaust in his new home in Palestine. The needs of these children prompted him to take up a career that would address both psychological and educational needs of refugee children. In the 1950s, Feurestein was involved in working with children from Moroccan, Berber and Jewish families and he found that those who initially scored low on IQ tests showed remarkable improvement when they were given special psychological and academic attention.

This encouraged him to start viewing intelligence as a modifiable characteristics rather than a fixed one, as the traditional view point held. He started researching various ways in which too ‘teach’ intelligence even as he expounded the theory that the students who excelled and who were believed to be intelligent were actually leveraging their ability to learn more effectively than others.

The prevailing means and tools for measuring intelligence were flawed and inadequate, in his view, because they failed to indicate that all students could be elevated to the same level of intelligence provided they were taught how to do it. As a new, more effective and more accurate method of evaluation, Feurestein came up with the dynamic assessment method, as it is known today. His focus was on identifying and evaluating the inherent cognitive flexibility in the child that represents the ability to learn. Once this evaluation is done, teaching methodologies can be tweaked so that these abilities are used optimally.   This view was dramatically different from what was commonly accepted then and it transformed the way people looked at ‘intelligence’ and its impact on academic performance.

Taking his study further, Feurestein began to devise methodologies to help children who were not performing well academically and work on their weaknesses, putting them on track for dramatic improvements. ‘Mediated relationship’, he discovered, lay at the foundation of meaningful teaching strategies. These methodologies have brought a ray of hope into the lives of not just poorly performing children but also children with special needs such as those affected by Down’s Syndrome, palsy, stroke or other conditions. 

The journey from ‘poor performer’ to ‘gifted’ status 

Feuerstien’s methods can be used with amazing success in every academic field to teach and engage urban students most effectively. The success of the methods hinge on our ability to understand and accept that intelligence is limitless. Most urban schools tend to look at students as deficits; they believe that the students can only advance so far. However, this is far from the truth that Feuerstien has proven beyond doubt. In my personal experience, wherever I have implemented Feuerstien’s method, the results have been simply dramatic and uniformly impressive.   I have taught several boys and young men of color with these tools and witnessed the improved academic performance from close quarters.

One important contributing factor for this impressive change is that a growth oriented mindset is essential. A tremendous amount of growth is possible when this correct approach is adopted to take a low performing student and turn them into a “gifted” student. This growth mind set is often lacking in academic environments where ‘underachievement’ is the expected outcome. Sadly, this is true of many schools where children of color are automatically tagged with the ‘underperformer’ label. The teachers may, inadvertently, believe that these students are incapable of improving their academic excellence and thus feel that investing more attention or time on them will not yield results. In reality, it is the opposite that is true.

The teacher has to actively believe that the students can excel and this belief should be evident every single day in the teaching strategy, technique and tools utilized.  This positive mindset, that the underperforming student is no different from their academically proficient peers, is the foundation block on which the students builds their new skills to learn more effectively and efficiently.

Another critical understanding for both teacher and student is that learning and intelligence are not two different aspects. Intelligence is the knowledge of identifying where knowledge can and should be applied, i.e.: a meta knowledge of sorts. This knowledge comes when the learner is actively involved in the learning process- understanding why they are studying something and where they might apply it. When the students make these connections, they can apply the knowledge intelligently to various situations. This is not all- they can also learn more advanced concepts easily because the grounding of knowing why they need it and how to use it is already present in them. This is how the transformation from poor performers to exceptional students takes place with the right teaching methodologies being implemented.

Problem-based Learning in Secondary Schools

As student-centric study modules grow popular, so do problem-based learning techniques in academic institutions. Problem-based learning module being a subset of Project-Based Learning, can help expand the thinking capabilities of students, especially their critical thinking skills while also helping them pick up useful skills and knowledge in the process. Students do not just stop at what they are being taught in a lecture format, but also question and analyze it, which can help broaden the learning capabilities beyond the confines of what a textbook has to offer. They naturally hone their analytic skills in the process, which can prove to be a valuable asset even in non-academic settings down the line. It does not come as a surprise that problem-based learning is referred to as a 'learn to learn' methodology, as students do not learn by rote or learn by doing, but learn so they can solve problems. This makes the learning experience both fruitful and interesting. Since they work in groups to solve the problem, it also promotes a collaborative and interactive learning experience. Let's take a look at when and how PBL can be implemented.

How to implement PBL models

The first thing that you need to know about implementing a PBL model is that there's more than one way to do it. For starters, you want to frame a problem that gets close to defining the type of problems that real-world professionals in the field solve on a daily basis, even if it may not be of the same level of complexity. Framing the problem is one of the most important aspects of the process, and educators can afford to get creative with the process, provided the problem is within the boundaries of question and reason. Of course the problem should be such that it has multiple answers and there are multiple ways to get to the answers. For instance, an educator teaching the concept of economics can frame a question such as- How will the upcoming budget and market situation affect your purchase? The commodity that is being purchased can be anything from real-estate assets to automobiles.

The answer itself is not as important as the thought-process, questioning and learning that occur during the process, and this is the basic premise of a problem-based learning module. Once, the problem is presented, the students can be divided into multiple groups so they can discuss the problem statement and brainstorm possible solutions. This is also when students research on the subject and exchange information with their fellow-team members, and where the actual learning occurs.

Pain points while implementing PBL techniques

No doubt, PBL techniques sound like an effective way to teach but implementing it needs quite some work on the educator's part, as you may have already guessed. The educator needs to understand that many variables come into the picture in a PBL environment. One challenge that educators face is to ensure that the problem statement touches all the learning points that the students are expected to learn as a part of the curriculum. Also, given the time constraints and the vast curriculum, educators may find it difficult to implement a PBL technique in each and every concept that is being taught. Educators may also have difficulties framing a PBL module for certain subjects like English. Educators should evaluate if a PBL technique has more value to offer over tradition teaching style, and if it is a good fit before they decide when and where it can be implemented. The next step is to assist students while they brainstorm solutions. Educators should primarily act as mediators while implementing a PBL assignment, but they should also be able to gauge when students need a small forward nudge when they are stuck in a tricky spot. Classroom management is another pain point that PBL may present, depending on the size of the class.  Many of these pain points can be addressed in secondary school programs such as those that incorporate innovation lab models.

Students get to participate in an exclusive program that goes beyond the traditional curriculum, wherein they meet professionals from the field. They work with a team to gain hands-on experience on the subject, whether it is by designing or utilizing tools to find a solution. Since the Design Studio focuses on STEM areas of learning, students have a holistic learning experience by understanding how they are interlinked with each other. This when combined with the core curriculum, can allow students to get a better grasp of the subject with real-world experience.

Back to the One Room School House

What We Can Learn From the One Room School House in Today's Educational System

Modern schooling is all about efficiency, and what better way to drive efficiency in a classroom setting than group students based on their skill levels (or age) and employs a set teaching solution that can be utilized year after year, right? While this may look good on paper, the varied learning capabilities of students and the general academic results say otherwise. Now if you looked at the other corner, you will find an entirely different classroom setting, one where students of different age groups and learning capabilities are encouraged to learn under one roof. Yes, we're talking about the classic One Room School house setting. The One Room School house seems almost as if a fable today, but their perks over the traditional classroom remain just as relevant. In fact, there are many lessons that we can pick up from the classic schooling module, let's take a look at some of them.

Challenging the teachers and students

The problem with a traditional classroom and syllabus is that educators are confined to a specialized teaching formula which is repeated year after year. Now unless an educator makes the effort to periodically reinvent their teaching methods and material, alongside stay updated with the latest advancements, they fall into the same teaching pattern that is neither exciting nor challenging.  In a One Room School, educators are constantly challenging themselves to come up with new teaching methodologies that can be comprehended by students with varied learning styles and skills. The educators are expected to keep students of beginner and expert level engaged whether it is through activities or other collaborative settings in the classroom. This makes the teaching role far more satisfying than in a traditional setting.

Often, students are enthusiastic about the idea of learning, but a dull, time-tested learning curriculum that does not match with their learning style may douse their enthusiasm. When the teaching style is more in line with their aptitude and different from the usual one-fits-all solution, the students are in a better place to grasp it, which no doubt bears better results as well.

In short, the One Room School approach is interesting and fruitful for both the educator and the student.

Encouraging individual learning

A One Room School House has individualized lesson plans for each student. This can go a long way in nurturing independent learning capabilities. In a traditional classroom, boundaries and benchmarks get in the way of the students' learning curve. Benchmarks on what students are expected to achieve may deter slow-learners from reaching their full potential, as there is a constant pressure from these expectations which takes the focus off the primary goal of education- to learn. Students who are able to adapt to a traditional curriculum do not look beyond what is being taught and constrict their learning view. In One Room School Houses, students are always pushing boundaries on what else can be learned. They are not judged based on how they fare with respect to their peers and equals, and instead know that there is always scope for growth and to learn more. This hits the nail on what education should be achieving in the first place.

A holistic learning approach

The thought of a heterogeneous-level classroom may seem slightly ill-planned and chaotic at first glance, but given the right approach, it can make learning a holistic experience for students. For instance, say you have students of different learning capabilities in a music class. Managing students with different learning skills and styles may seem somewhat of a difficult task, but once you have individualized lesson plans in place it gets simpler. The key is to also have a collaborative approach while teaching. So how do you bring a collaborative approach in such a diverse setting? You could try bringing in the high-level students to improvise and play on the spot, while the mid-level students watch them and try to pick up the chords that are being played.

You can then have the mid-level students try and play the same under the guidance of the high-level students. This also helps reinforce the basics in the high-level students, while they teach the mid-level ones. The beginner-level students can try getting the basic chords right, as the mid-level students tell them about the same. This is exactly how students with different learning skills collaborate under a One Room School House setting, making the learning experience far more interesting than otherwise.

African American School Students - Why They Lag Behind and How to Help

By Anthony L. Hubbard

African Americans are one of the biggest minority communities in the United States today. The community has, however been having many problems mainly with education, which seems to be continuing with no end in sight. There have been many studies done through the years about the problems faced by the community, but they have mostly looked at the differences between the African American community and the majority population in the country. However, recent surveys have shown that there are differences even within the community, which have not been adequately studied or worked upon.

Gap between African American girls and boys in school – is it real?

Although earlier researches have taken the community as a whole, it has been more recently observed that there are differences between the academic performance of African American girls and boys. From as early the fourth grade, there are differences that have been noticed between boys and girls of the community. On the whole, girls seem to be doing much better academically than their male counterparts, a difference that starts off early and carries through to university and beyond. It is now clear that the internal academic differences between the members of the same community are a reality and not a misconception.

Be it K-12 or higher, girls seem to perform much better than boys academically. Of all the youngsters who graduate from the community, 62 percent are females. The gap is much higher that what is seen among other majority and minority communities in the country.

Reasons for educational gap between African American boys and girls

Since it is a trend that has only recently been observed, there is not much known on the subject. There is still a lot to be analyzed when it comes to the reasons for such major differences in academic performance within members of the same community. However, initial surveys and studies have suggested a few possible reasons for these differences, including emotional and health issues.

• Although most African American boys and girls come from similar socio-economically classified families, girls seem to cope better than boys with their socio-economic problems.
• Cognitive development among boys has been tested to be lower than girls of the community, even from a very young age of 24 months.
• Girls also did much better as far as physical health and wellness was concerned compared to boys from their early years.
• Boys seem to have more trouble forming close-knit relationships with others in their family and community, while girls seem to have strong ties with family and society. The security that such attachments brings could make a lot of difference and explain to an extent why girls seem to perform better academically.

However, there are some factors that keep all the youngsters of the community unmotivated and unwilling to strive for success, irrespective of whether they are girls or boys.

• There is a strong fear of failure in all the children and youngsters of the community, which keeps them from trying hard to succeed. They rather look like they do not care than as those struggling hard, but are not able to reach their goals.
• Many students from the community go to schools that have a known history of students dropping out and not graduating. Bring in an environment that is so demotivating where they see their seniors dropping out frequently, there is no motivation for these students to strive hard to graduate or do well academically.
• There is a lack of good role models within the community or even at school for many African American students. Not having someone they identify with to look up to, it becomes more difficult to set goals and realize that they can achieve their aim if they try.

These are a few of the reasons that are seen as possible explanations to the differences among boys and girls of the African American community and the gap in their academic performance. They also try to explain why students from the community suffer as a whole academically.

Strategies to help African American students perform better at school

Teachers play a huge role in students’ lives, spending more time with them than their parents during their schooling years. So teachers can make a big difference to African American students and their academic performance.

• Making teachers more aware of the community – their way of taking, behavior, socio-economic problems and so on – could go a long way in their attitudes towards African American students and how they deal with them. It could help teachers look beyond prejudices and stereotypes and treat these students as equals rather than as intellectually lower.
• There should be regular workshops and training sessions for teachers who deal with a lot of African American students. These sessions and workshops could teach them more about the history of the community. Understanding the community and their culture better could help teachers understand the behavior of students and deal with them more effectively without making them aggressive or offending them.
• Teachers could take time out to train and guide weaker students from the community to help them excel academically. They should not have lower expectations from students of the community, because knowing that someone believes in them and expects them to do better is a great motivation for those struggling to find motivation.
• There should be unbiased counselors and guides for students who may have problems at home, either with family of friends, which may be affecting their academic performance. Having someone who they could speak to freely and not be judged can  help these students clear their mind and concentrate on their academics.

These are a few strategies that could possibly help African American students perform better academically from early on, so that the percentage of those graduating from the community increases. What the youngsters from the community seem to need is some real motivation and guidance of how to get ahead in life by doing well academically.