Encouraging Literacy Proficiency in Males of Color

How often do we hear academics and scholars use the phrase "One size does not fit all", when discussing a number of educational or socio-economic issues facing America? Well, one very pressing challenge that fits that description is related to the task of building literacy proficiency in males of color. 

The issue is not just about getting boys of color to complete the "must-read" curriculum.  It goes much beyond that. The real challenge lies in encouraging these young men to embrace reading and writing so that they might develop "in total" - socio-emotionally - and not simply in terms of passing an exam or moving to the next grade.

Addressing the root cause

At the heart of the problem lie many non-literary challenges that sometimes get overlooked in our eagerness to build a ready-made solution.  The tools we use to build those solutions, such as policy decisions, teaching methodologies and curriculum content, take a "one size fits all" view of the classroom. And often, as we develop and implement what we perceive to be the "ideal solution", we lose sight of the fact that we are tailoring solutions for a disparate group of students.

The Broad Prize for Urban Education[i] endows a $1 million benefit to urban school districts that can prove they have contributed significantly in the academic performance of, and reducing improvement gaps between, poor and minority students. As recently as March 2012, educational experts gathered in Washington to nominate deserving school districts for the award noticed exactly the disparity that I am talking about here. Although in this case the spotlight was on the differences between Hispanic-American and African-American students, the lessons learned are equally valid to any two (or more) groups of students. As noted by USA Today[ii]: 

"The real lesson is that we need to stop lumping blacks.....in terms of how we measure progress and in terms of policy — as "students of color." The groups have different education needs".

The report very aptly identified the root cause of the challenge that educators face when trying to encourage literacy proficiency amongst males of color in the following words:   

"Lumping the two groups together only shifts attention away from differing strategies that can work for each group."

Different strokes

Promoting literacy proficiency amongst men of color must consider the environment beyond the classroom, in order to be successful.  Afro-American students have a unique set of socio-economic and socio-emotional circumstances that make them open to a different teaching/learning style than that used for other ethnic communities. And unless educators and policy makers realize that, no policy tool or teaching method will meet with success.

Recognizing the fundamental differences between various groups of students is therefore the first step to encouraging learning within members of those groups. Once some of the social barriers to learning have been removed, men of color will respond more positively to any stimulus that aims to foster literacy proficiency amongst their ranks.

As a result of such reorganization should also come the realization that curricula currently used in traditional schools therefore deserve a second look. Teachers and educators need to understand that what a Hispanic-American student will relate to in the classroom is different from that to which an Afro-American student will respond to, which is totally divergent from that which stimulates white American students. 

The fact is that each student learns differently. And a student's ethnicity helps shape his/her learning styles. These differences in learning styles are well articulated in the text "Moore, Carol. (1992): Learning Styles - Classroom Adaptation"[iii], where the case for "Different strokes make different folks" can be made. The underlying message here is that while students may find it extremely hard to change their unique learning styles, educators should adapt their teaching methods to meet differing learning styles.

Best practices to bridge these differences

So what can we do to bridge these differences? A lot, actually! Over the years of being involved in the learning and development of youth of color, I have seen first-hand the results that certain practices can bring to bear in fostering literacy proficiency in males of color. I'd like to propose some of my "best practices" for educators to consider:

• Cultural responsiveness: Bringing cultural sensitivity into the classroom means that teachers are aware of the learning style of their pupils, and adapt their teaching methods accordingly

• Recognizing ability: Given the right literary environment, boys of color will shine too. Teachers should recognize their student's innate abilities to learn, and must do away with oversimplification of lessons 

• Collaborative classrooms: Rather than promoting "individualism" in learning, help foster a collaborative literary environment

•  Enabling text: Choose text books and other learning material for the curriculum, to which men of color can relate. Using "standard" text will make them "tune out"

• Unapologetic learning: Choose literacy plans that don't force boys of color to be apologetic about their place in the community when learning or writing their assignments

• Readers write & Writers read: Have students read as authors and write as readers. Fostering both these perspectives is a key element of fostering literacy proficiency  amongst males of color

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[i] http://www.broadprize.org/

[ii] http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/opinion/forum/story/2012-05-01/education-achievement-gap-blacks-hispanics/54668664/1

[iii] http://www.ndt-ed.org/TeachingResources/ClassroomTips/Learning_Styles.htm

We are no longer Invisible Project

Mentoring Young Men of Color: Incorporating mentoring programs in schools

“That’s what ‘My Brother’s Keeper’ is all about. Helping more of our young people stay on track. Providing the support they need to think more broadly about their future. Building on what works – when it works, in those critical life-changing moments.”

- President Barack Obama, February 27, 2014

The statistics recently released by the Whitehouse makes for stark reading indeed:  

“Data shows that boys and young men of color, regardless of socio-economic background, are disproportionately at risk throughout the journey from their youngest years to college and career. For instance, large disparities remain in reading proficiency, with 86 percent of black boys and 82 percent of Hispanic boys reading below proficiency levels by the fourth grade — compared to 58 percent of white boys reading below proficiency levels.”

For those of us who are blessed with some degree of success in life today, when we cast a quizzical look at how we made it this far, we're bound to acknowledge the part that some "person of influence" may have played in our success. Perhaps it was a parent, a relative, a sibling, a teacher, a coach, or an acquaintance.  Regardless of whom it was, their contribution in putting us on the path to achievement is priceless - and should be recognized. And for that, we should be grateful!

Giving Success a Chance

Sadly, not all of our peers may have been so fortunate as us. In some cases, even many of our siblings too might not have "made it good" the way some of us have. But anyone who encounters one of our less fortunate brothers/sisters along the way, may wonder what we, individually as well as collectively as a society, can do to make sure things get better for the next generation of young boys of color. The answer is: Lots!

For starters, as individuals we can contribute our skills and talents towards mentorship programs within our communities. As mentors, we can play the same role that the "person of influence" once played for us, and help to shape the future of at least one at-risk young boy/man.  That will be our personal contribution to giving success a chance.

But while individual action can be lauded, it is societal action that will really make the difference in the lives of hundreds/thousands of young men of color who find themselves on the fringes of society today. They are lost, and are looking for a sense of belonging, a sense of identity, and a sense of purpose. To successfully bring them back into mainstream society, and make them productive members of communities, there is need for systemic early intervention programs to be put in place. And the best ways to do that are through mentorship programs that are focused on serving the needs of those at-risk individuals.

The objective of such programs should be to take boys at their formative age, pre-schoolers or those in pre-secondary schools, and nurture in them a sense of purpose by offering them the support they need to transition successfully into adulthood. At a very high-level, the formula for success through mentorship is to:

• identify at-risk individuals early on in their lives 
•  coach and counsel them away from their risky lifestyle 
•  offer them strong role models to look up to 
•  help them build a strong academic foundation 
•  offer them a chance to go to college/other higher institutions of learning 
•  provide them career counseling, advice on health and wellness, financial responsibility, leadership, crises management, respect for authority and social responsibility 
•  guide them into the workforce

Schools can come together and collaborate with communities, industry leaders and government agencies to make success for these young men a reality. Some of the roles/responsibilities that each of these groups will need to assume include: 

• help guide a steady stream of deserving mentees into the program 
•  provide rooms/buildings and other logistical support so mentors and mentees can meet regularly 
•  commit (and pay for) the time of successful individuals (within an organization or institution) to act as Mentors 
•  give mentees access to visit businesses and other commercial enterprises to get a firsthand look at what "success" looks like 
•  open up opportunities to mentees to receive (paid or unpaid) work experience 
•  collaborate with various partners to help rehabilitate/re-integrate mentees who may fall afoul of the law 
•  keep track of each mentor, his progress, failures, successes

Schools will initially need to actively reach out to all of these groups in order to put the program together. School administrators will then also need to work hard to oversee the program and keep all other stakeholders apprised of its progress. But mainly, it falls to the schools to continue to keep their partners engaged and interested in the program.

The Building Blocks

The building blocks for a successful mentorship program have already been outlined by a Presidential Task Force that was expressly set up by the Whitehouse to help young, at-risk (including boys of color) individuals carve a path to a successful adulthood. Experts identified a number of predictive milestones that were critical for young men to achieve success as they transition from adolescence into adulthood.  

These include: 

1.    Getting a healthy start and entering school ready to learn: The recommendation includes ending the practice of expelling and suspending preschoolers, while also focusing on their health and developmental needs

2.    Reading at grade level by third grade: Which can be achieved by reducing the word gap that now exists between boys of color and other racial groups, through encouraging greater participation by teachers, students and volunteers in reading programs, both in schools and at homes

3.    Graduating from high school ready for college and career: This involves focusing on "problem schools/districts" with high dropout rates, as well as taking a fresh look at disciplinary practices so that we can help boys of color stay within the schooling system for longer, so they don't drop out prematurely

4.    Completing post-secondary education or training: The focus of which is to increase college completion rates by supporting students with tools such as dual enrolment in high-schools, as well as access to Advance Placement programs

5.    Successfully entering the workforce: This can easily be accomplished by making summer employment opportunities more accessible to young men of color, while also giving them access to pre-apprenticeship and apprenticeship programs

6.    Keeping kids on track and giving them second chances: The main focus of which should be to reduce violence amongst youngsters, promote racial and ethnic bias within our judicial system, and helping young men more easily re-integrate into society once they do have a "brush" with the criminal justice system.

While these are broad and far-reaching goals, the steps outlined above could easily be used as a starting point by schools and local communities to create their own unique mentorship programs. Organizations keen on seeing the next generation of young boys of color enter adulthood successfully, can use these guiding principles as a blue print around which to build programs that deliver counseling, role modeling and mentorship for these young boys. 

Get It Right!

When planning to put mentorship programs in place, it is extremely important to keep one fact front and center: The building blocks discussed above are just that - Building Blocks. This not the plan in its entirety. They are like a few lines on a blank page, which must now be fleshed out in order to complete the plan.

Every school district, every community and every school and educational institution is unique. They each have different socio-economic challenges. Each has its unique mix of young men of color (African-American, Latino, Hispanic, Asian and other racial groups), which gives rise to a unique set of socio-cultural challenges for a mentorship program. 

Although ideally mentees should be groomed and prepared to embrace their futures anywhere across the country, because of the local environment in which the mentorship program is established, that might not always be possible. Mentorship programs should therefore not work completely in isolation to the environment in which they function. Taking what works in an environment where opportunities for young men in the high-tech sector abounds, might not work well for a program that's mentoring young boys who live inside a predominantly industrial or agricultural setting. The building blocks must be tailored to fit the environment.

It is extremely important for the mentorship program to be staffed and supported by individuals who are culturally sensitive, and motivated to getting it right. Mentors must be trained, preferably (but not necessarily) certified to act as Role Models and Mentors. At minimum however, a core team of Mentors should be drawn from a cadre of seasoned/qualified mentors that have had several years setting up, running and managing similar programs.  

The choice of mentors is extremely important if the program is to achieve its stated objectives. Clearly, mentorship is about being able to relate to the mentee, and having the mentee relate to his mentor. While every effort should be made to have men of color act as mentors to young boys/men of color, be open to the fact that this "ideal match" may not always be possible. In some cases, well respected figures (Community Leaders, Sports Figures, and Celebrities) can also mentor across racial groups.

As indicated earlier, the mentorship building blocks discussed encompass some really lofty goals and ideals. And to accomplish them will take a lot of resources - including time, effort, funding, and opportunities.  No single school board, community or educational institution can provide those resources by themselves. The only way to achieve success is through public/private partnerships. The Presidential Task Force recognized this, and has called for strong cooperation between a cross section of society - including government, business, non-profit, philanthropic, faith and community partners - to pitch in to ensure success.

Making a start

Schools can make modest beginnings to their mentorship programs by initially focusing on mentoring young at-risk boys of color on a small scale. Small groups of boys could be put under mentorship of a popular teacher or a well-liked coach, who can act as role models for the boys.

Reaching out to community and industry leaders, to visit the school occasionally to speak with students and socialize with them, could also be a good start.

Businesses and other institutions (government agencies, not-for-profit groups) could be approached to provide any assistance they can (after school events, uniforms and equipment, transportation etc) offer to achieve program goals.

Schools can also reach out to and work with existing mentorship programs, including:

100 Black Men of America, Inc

The Black Star Project

The Steve Harvey Mentoring Program for Young Men

to learn from them, and implement best practices that these programs might share.

Racial and Gender Disproportionality in School Punishment

A Real Issue

This is not a figment of my imagination. Racial and gender bias in dispensing school punishment is real. And because of (biased) disciplinary action in our schools, thousands of (otherwise) promising academic careers are cut short.  Often, because of these (perceived or real) infractions of school disciplinary norms, a student is stigmatized for his/her entire adult life, unable to thereafter fully benefit from our educational process. 

What is surprising though is the dis-proportionality in handing out school punishment. There's ample proof, supported by academic research and anecdotal evidence, that racial and gender bias does exist when disciplining a student.   In a research paper by the Indiana Education Policy Center, titled "The Color of Discipline"[1] , the authors noted that:

"...no support was found for the hypothesis that African American students act out more than other students. Rather, African American students appear to be referred to the office for less serious and more subjective reasons."

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   

And this study is not isolated in drawing such a conclusion. In a research paper from the University of Pittsburgh, School of Social Work and Center on Race and Social Problems, titled "Racial, Ethnic, and Gender Differences in School Discipline among U.S. High School Students: 1991-2005"[2],  the researchers concluded that: 

" ...Black, Hispanic, and American Indian youth are slightly more likely than White and Asian American youth to be sent to the office and substantially (two to five times) more likely to be suspended or expelled."

There's no doubt then that, because of strict and biased enforcement of discipline practices in schools, a large proportion of African-American students, mostly males, get out-of-school suspension for nonviolent offenses multiple times. This eventually leads to them dropping out or being removed from school. 

The challenge is real. So how do we improve our discipline policies? 

Understanding the root cause

My involvement with under-privileged Afro-American students, many of whom have been the targets of disproportionately enforced school punishment, spans many years. And many of my current students have reported that they have been mislabeled early in their educational careers as being hyperactive and too aggressive.  This was done without the intervention of their parent(s), or without the parent's comprehension or consideration of what happens at school.

A little effort on the part of teachers and school administrators to understand the underlying causes for Afro-American males exhibiting "disruptive behavior", would go a long way towards reducing the number of unnecessary disciplinary actions or suspensions. 

Common issues include anger management, alcoholism and drug dependencies, poor family relationships and peer skills, violence, gang activity, and lack of clarity about the consequences of one’s actions or about one’s available options.  The lack of support networks and no clear Afro-American male role models in their lives also foster the desire to engage in "disruptive behavior".

Best practices

Now that we know the problem, and understand some of its root causes, what can we do to eliminate racial and gender disproportionality in school punishment? From my experience, after years of trying different behavioral management models with males of color, the best approach to addressing this issue must center around: 

•   Relationship building: Foster better and more cordial relationships between students, teachers, and other school staff. The anticipated outcome is the reduction in the number of suspensions, increased graduation rates, and reduction in the number of young African-American men entering into the juvenile justice system.

•  Re-evaluating zero tolerance policies:  Once educators recognize the root causes for "disruptive behavior", they need to focus on redressing those causes instead of "not tolerating" them. Each time an "infraction" is (or perceived to be) committed, use that as an opportunity for correction rather than an excuse to punish or expel. 

• Provide alternatives to suspensions and establish restorative practices: Dealing with the "Class Clown" is a prime example of how alternates to suspension might work. Clowning has one objective - to be suspended! It comes from the deep seeded desire to get out of the classroom in any way possible. Instead of rewarding the "clown" (by suspension), create restorative justice practices using lessons that focus on independent, personal discovery and realization, rewarding small victories and most of all understanding that all students learn differently and incorporating differential instructional practices.

• Using early intervention measures: Quite often teachers and academic staff are able to spot challenges in "difficult students" much before the issue manifests itself as "disruptive behavior".  That is the time to intervene and address the cause for the non-conforming behavior.  Individual counseling, coaching, mentoring and early intervention can greatly reduce the subsequent need for stricter punishment.

• Supportive school culture: Assign a faculty advisor to each student, who assists the student with goal-setting and with shaping their learning program according to their needs. In effect, what this creates is an adult "go to" support network for the student, and gives them (the student) an opportunity to have meaningful dialogue with, and receive individual attention from, teachers and educators. 

• Create student success teams: By forming teams (of Teachers, Parents, Mentors and other adult figures) that can exert positive influence upon a student, educators can often avoid the need for referral for formal assessment for special education purposes.

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[1] http://www.indiana.edu/~safeschl/cod.pdf

[2] http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2678799/