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Dissonant Harmony:. A Conversation About What we Must Do to Enhance African American Male Students’ Achievement. Baltimore County Public Schools December 15, 2010. The purposes of this series of workshops…. Purpose of this workshop is to:. - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
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A Conversation About What we Must Do to Enhance African
American Male Students’ Achievement
Baltimore County Public SchoolsDecember 15, 2010
• Describe the context (using data) of the state of African American male students’ (AAMS) achievement
• Describe the implications of AAMS underachievement
• Share information on best practices (locally and nationally) for improving AAMS
>
“One ever feels his twoness - an American, a Negro, two souls, two thoughts, two unreconciled strivings, two warring ideals in one dark body, whose dogged strength alone keeps it from being torn asunder.”
• W.E.B. DuBois
Do not have the same opportunities as their male or female counterparts
Have higher infant mortality rates
Have limited access to health care
Are more likely to live in single-parent homes
Are less likely to participate in early childcare programs
Are less likely to be raised in a household with a fully employed adult
Are more likely to live in poverty
Are less likely than their peers to be employed
Council on Great Schools, 2010
The Urgency of Now
The achievement gap and the economy
“We would recover what we lost during this economic recession if we effectively addressed the achievement gap”
The Lumina Foundation, National College Access Conference, 2010
Mr. Joshua ParkerWindsor Mills Middle School
The Schott Report
New York 25%
Florida 37%
South Carolina 39%
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Maine 98%
North Dakota 93%
New Hampshire 83%
Maryland 55%
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Newark, NJ 75%
Fort Bend, IN 68%
Baltimore County, MD 67%
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The College Board
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White Black Hispanic AA-PI NA-AN
Source: Devoe, NCES, 2008
Men Women
Source: Bureau of Justice Statistics, Prison and Jail Inmates at Midyear 2006
Total includes American Indians, Alaska Natives, Asians, Native Hawaiians, and other Pacific Islanders.
Percentage of Male Inmates in State or Federal Prisons and Local Jails, by Race, Hispanic Origin, and Age: June 30, 2006
In Maryland, 10% of AA males are proficient or advanced in
literacy on NAEP
BCPS Grade 4 AA students at or below Basic
Md. Grade 8 AA students at or below Basic
BCPS AA Students
81% 90% 86%
% Pass HSA English (first
try)
AMO % Pass HSA Algebra (first
try)
AMO
61% 72.7% 68% 71.7%
AA student participation - 7%
AA student composition of BCPS - 42%
AA students earning 3 or higher on AP tests• English 67%• Math 72%
Mean Writing
Avg. score- 498 out of 800
Overlyaggressive
Menacing Athletic
Apathetic toward
education
Curriculum Instruction School Support
The Counter-Narrative Culturally Responsive Instruction
Relationships
Mr. Robert MurphyMaryland State Department of
Education
Nationally, African American Males having a 47% graduation rate.
Lowest among any student group.
BCPS Graduation Rate is 67%- Schott Report, 2010.
It’s important to remember we are only 45 yrs from the original Voting Rights Act (VRA) of 1965
Gave African American’s the right to vote.
VRA has been renewed 4 times since 1965.
Most recently authorized by President George Bush for another 25 yrs of the act.
Many African Americans’ development of peoplehood/ community was in direct opposition to white social identity.
Thus various boundaries and boundary maintaining behaviors developed.
Because of rejection of the larger society through segregation, lack of enforcement of laws, and violence blacks created coping strategies to survive.
Ogbu, 2003
Management in the instructional process
Capitalizing in instructional process
What the Alternative Culture
looks like in the schoolingprocess
Class clown
Aggressive “hard” character
Athletic character
Invisible character
The blend character
Wants attention Often just likes to make people happy
Doesn’t have bad intentions
“Clowning” behavior is engaged in for fun or status
Feels isolated
Has been hurt
Efforts come from a defensive, self-protective posture
Sometimes can’t turn off the character
Gifted athletically
Often will coast through school (particularly football or basketball)
Gets connection needs met through athletic prowess
Unless something happens you won’t know he exists
Survival skills
Typically those who perform reasonably well academically but not up to their potential
Exhibits characteristics of the athletic and invisible
Survival skills Performs reasonably well academically Perceived well by his peers and his
teachers Understands DuBois’ concept of
duality
30-50% of students suspended are repeat offenders◦ “Suspension functions as a
reinforcer...rather than as a punisher” (Tobin, Sugai & Colvin,1996)
Use of suspension correlates with◦ School dropout (school level) (Raffaele-
Mendez; Ekstrom, 1986)◦ Juvenile incarceration (state level) (Skiba et
al)
Do black students misbehave more?◦No supporting evidence◦May in fact be treated more severely for same offenses
White students referred more for:
SmokingVandalismLeaving w/o permissionObscene Language
Black students referred more for:
DisrespectExcessive NoiseThreatLoitering
Of 32 infractions, only 8 significant differencesOf 32 infractions, only 8 significant differences::
Classroom Management◦ “Violations of implicit interactional codes”
(Vavrus & Coles, 2002)◦ Interactions of some teachers/some
students?Cultural Disparities
◦ Cultural misinterpretations◦ Lower or different expectations
Influence of stereotypes◦ How are African American boys perceived?◦ Different standards of “boys will be boys”◦ Differential standards for “respect”,
“loitering”, “threat”
Source: ayiak, LLC
Dr. Michial Gill
Build relationships
Know and access available resources
Acknowledge the difference that differences make
Utilize meaningful/relevant curriculum
Observe, Listen, Think
Expect the best
Build cultural competency
Mentoring Partnerships Single-Gender Schooling Male Role Models Wraparound Services
Mr. James MartinProgram Coordinator
Why this can’t wait
Woodlawn High School’s AAMI
1707: Students who had taken relevant AP or honors courses
1702 : Students reporting family incomes of more than $200,000 a year
1623: Asians 1581: Whites 1551: Students who took core
curriculum 1542: Students who previously
took PSAT/NMSQT 1523: Boys 1509: National average 1506: Students reporting family
incomes of $60,000 to $80,000 1496: Girls 1448: American Indian or
Alaskan natives
1421: Students who did not take PSAT/NMSQT
1416: Students who did not take core curriculum
1414: Students who did not take relevant AP or honors courses
1364: Latinos (excluding Mexicans, Mexican-Americans and Puerto Ricans)
1362: Mexicans and Mexican Americans
1345: Puerto Ricans 1321: Students reporting
family incomes of less than $20,000 a year
1276: Blacks
2400 Total Possible SAT score
Key principles of the program• Relationships• Learning what is relevant• Building students’ ownership in learning• Culturally relevant field trips and speakers• Taking time to point out student
accomplishments
Support Systems African American male AVID teacher:
academic coach and mentor College tutors College visits Parent meetings Business and community speakers and role
models
Vocabulary is the number ONE predictor of school success
Improving writing skills
Improving time management skills
Improving organizational skills
Improving study skills
Improving speaking skills
WHAT COURAGEOUS CONVERSATIONS DOES YOUR
SCHOOL NEED TO HAVE??
Dr. Kendra Johnson, Office of Title I Mr. Joshua Parker, Department Chair, Windsor Mill
Middle Mr. Robert Murphy, Drop Out Prevention
Specialist, MSDE Dr. Michial Gill, Deputy Director for Governmental
Relations and Minority Achievement Specialist Mr. James Martin, Program Coordinator, Woodlawn
High School’s AAMI Dr. Lisa Williams, Office of Equity and Assurance