Appendix N
The Challenges Associated with Teaching
Black Adolescent Males
Introduction
Data
According to Thernstrom and Thernstrom (2003) the basic problem within our diverse educationally community is that Blacks and Hispanics are “typically underachievers, but innate intelligence is not (emphasis mine) the explanation (p. 11). This is not surprising to me as I work with a primarily Black student population. I see firsthand how smart my kids are, yet I also see how poorly they compare to other students of different races in standardized tests. Using CMT Data Interaction (2007) I compared the results of the 2006, 7th grade students in reading and writing by males and race, focusing on Black and White students. The results are dismally disheartening. Because I believe that “anecdotal data is no substitute for quantifiable data;” (Streifer, 2004, p. 94) below is a table that highlights results.
|
Group/State |
Reading-Avg. Scale Score |
Percent at or above Proficient |
Writing- Avg. Scale Score |
Percent at or above Proficient |
|
Black Overall- both Genders |
208.8 |
53.3 |
224.0 |
65.2 |
|
White Overall- both Genders |
250.8 |
86.5 |
251.6 |
88.3 |
|
Black Males |
202.6 |
47.3 |
215.7 |
54.7 |
|
White Males |
245.5 |
83.7 |
243.4 |
83.1 |
What this table demonstrates is that in the 2006 CMT 7th grade Blacks overall scored much lower in reading and writing than their white counterparts. Even more disturbing is that white males scored 36.4% higher than Black males in the percentage at or above proficient in reading; and that White males scored 28.4% higher than their Black male counterparts in writing.
Does this data indicate that Black males are less intelligent than their White counterparts? No. Does it indicate that Black males may learn differently than their White counterparts? Perhaps. Does it indicate that Black males do not test as well on high-stakes tests than their White counterparts? Perhaps. In an attempt to be succinct and concise for the purposes of this paper; I will not focus on economic factors that affect the above described achievement gaps between Black and White males in Connecticut. Although it should be pointed out that socioeconomic status is a huge influence on student achievement. Rather, I will focus on some strategies that I have found to work with Black males to improve their reading, writing, critical thinking, and reflective skills and knowledge.
History
To preface my next remarks the following needs to be considered. McLaren (2003) discusses “race, class and gender: why students fail” (p.227). McLaren (2003) provides discourse on “resistance and the reproduction of class relations” (229). Through McLaren’s (2003) reflections “we can […] see that social reproduction occurs with both the willing compliance and the active refusal of its own victims—a striking example of how hegemony is maintained by the capitalist class at the cultural level” (p. 230).
When one looks back over the history of education it becomes clear how this system of inequality evolved. Rury (2005) asks “how [does] schooling affect[…] the social structure, or the relative standing of various groups in American History?” (p. 94). It is my belief that while certain European groups, such as the Irish, did struggle originally when they arrived in America; their white skin allowed them to assimilate more easily than people of color. Typically, young black men, particularly in inner-city schools realize the value of education at a theoretical level, yet they continue to “active[ly] refuse” (McLaren, 2003, p. 230) to commit the effort needed to succeed on socially accepted measures. The lure of drugs, gangs, and other negative influences work detrimentally for these children. According to Hrabowski, Maton, & Greif, (1998). “Black boys have the highest suspension and dropout rates” (p. 10) of any other race, ethnicity or gender in America. One of the factors affecting this statistic is that minorities “are largely over-represented as the target of low expectations” (Hrabowski, Maton, & Greif, 1998. p. 11).
Strategies
Teacher expectations play a large role in this element of low achievement for Black males. As such, in my classroom I consistently have high expectations, and offer a rigorous instructional environment for all of my students. Granted, not all succeed, but having high expectations is one strategy that teachers of minority students must adhere to at all times.
Another strategy to enhance performance for Black adolescent males is to frequently produce, disaggregate, and analyze data to see exactly where their shortfalls lie. At the beginning of every year I analyze each student’s performance on the most recent CMT. I pin-point areas of weakness in reading and writing content strands and adjust and direct instruction accordingly. Then periodically throughout the year; I assess skills to see where there are improvements and where I need to focus more attention to groups and to individual students.
A strategy that has also worked in my school was the implementation of the young men’s reading group that is an after-school, voluntary club with a male adviser/instructor. The boys were able to choose books of interest and discuss them in a book club style setting. Because there was no pressure to perform or grade attached; the young men who participated had an enjoyable experience and were able to view reading and text analysis as something other than a chore.
It is also essential to empower young Black males. To explain to them in no uncertain terms how level of education and level of income are directly proportionate to each other. They also need to know that there is a historical base of racism and classism in America that has generally made it difficult for Black males to succeed in traditionally accepted ways. They need to understand the obstacles before them in order to overcome them. Teachable moments should be embedded into curricula and used frequently to demonstrate how oppressed peoples in the past have worked to overcome similar obstacles.
Conclusion
In conclusion, working with Black adolescent males definitely has its challenges. However, the rewards so outweigh the challenges that I would never consider teaching another group of children. My only desire is to see an overhaul of the current accountability movement and NCLB, that will accurately demonstrate their potential, and show quantifiable improvements to the achievement gap, as it now stands, between Black Males and their white counterparts in American K-12 public education.
References
(2007). Welcome to CMT data interaction. Retrieved March 28, 2007, from
CMT Data Interaction Web site: http://cmtreports.com/
Hrabowski, F., Maton, K., & Greif, G. (1998). Beating the odds: Raising
academically successful African American males. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
McLaren, P. (2003). Life in schools: An introduction to critical pedagogy in the foundations
of education. Boston, MA: Pearson Education Inc..
Rury, J.L. (2005). Education and social change: Themes in the history of
American schooling. Mahwah, New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
Streifer, P.A. (2004). Tools and techniques for effective data-driven
decision making. Lanham, MA: Scarecrow Education.
Thernstrom, A., & Thernstrom, S. (2003). No excuses: Closing the racial gap
in learning. New York: Simon & Schuster.