The PAS project was funded by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation to the University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill. Michigan State University and the Lansing School District , one of four PAS sites, developed this training.

Enhancing the School Success of Boys of Color Grades PreK-3:

Train-The-Trainer – Lansing, MI

Promoting Academic Success (PAS)* InitiativeJuly 11, 2011

Dorinda Carter, PhDMichigan State University

Today’s Agenda

• Institute Overview

• Introductions

• Establishing Group Norms

• K-W-L-H

• Introducing Frameworks that Guide Sessions

• BREAK

• The Educational Crisis for Boys of Color in the U.S.

• Take-Aways

• Wrap-Up

Institute Overview

• Purpose Equip trainers with tools needed to implement professional

development on enhancing the school success of boys of color in Lansing Public Schools

Enhance educator awareness of issues affecting boys of color and their school success, and the racialized and gendered nature of the problem.

Engage participants in critical self-reflection about the impact of their social identity on their pedagogy and practice in the classroom, specifically as it relates to interacting with boys of color.

Allow participants to PLAN and ACT in ways that are more culturally inclusive for boys of color in the classroom

Institute Overview

• ModulesModule 1 – Establishing the Context for Training on

Enhancing the School Success of Boys of ColorModule 2 – Engaging in Critical Self-Reflection as an

Educator of Boys of ColorModule 3 – Understanding the Development of Positive Male

Identities for Boys of ColorModule 4 – Establishing a Boy-Friendly ClassroomModule 5 – Using Instructional Approaches that Motivate and

Engage Boys of Color

Institute Overview

• Overarching Structure for Sessions

Module 1

Establishing the Context for Training on Enhancing the School Success of

Boys of Color

Introductions

• Activity 1.1 – Introductions

• Activity 1.2 – Get-To-Know-You Bingo

Establishing Group Norms

• Activity 1.3 – Defining and Establishing Courageous Conversation

• Activity 1.4 – R-E-S-P-E-C-T

Theoretical and Conceptual Frameworks

Teacher Identity

Teacher Critical Consciousness

Teacher Pedagogy and Practice

Critical Self-Reflections for Educators

•How does my social identity inform/shape my pedagogy and practices?

•In what areas do I need to learn more about cultural inclusivity, culture, power and difference?

•How might I be a more culturally responsive educator?

Culture, Identity, and Achievement

Culture is embedded in all of these pieces!

What is Culture?

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• A shared, learned, symbolic system of values, tastes, styles, beliefs and attitudes that shapes and influences one’s perceptions, behaviors and interaction patterns in the world; ways of thinking, knowing, and being in the world

What is Culture?

• What kind of culture currently exists in your school building/classroom? What type of culture should exist?

• How is excellence defined in your school building? Classroom?

The Achievement Gap is . . .

• Comprised of many gaps. It’s:• A racial gap• A socioeconomic gap• A social class gap• A gender gap• A skills gap• An opportunity/access gap• A funding/resource gap• A teacher quality gap• . . . .

Equality ≠ Equity

• Equality is achieved through the recognition of differences. • Acknowledge the differences that children bring to school (e.g., race,

ethnicity, language, gender, etc.)• Admit and accept the possibility that students’ identities influence

how they experience school• Accepting differences means making provisions for them

• Equity is providing equal access to the same opportunities• You are achieving equity when you plan for differences

• Treating everyone equally does not mean treating everyone the same.

• Equality is achieved when individuals are treated equitably.

How am I promoting equity and equality at various levels within the organization? What can

I do to ensure gaps are being filled?

Question

What Contributes to Student Achievement Outcomes?

• Structural/In-School Factors– School culture and climate– Institutional Policies and Procedures– Teacher Pedagogy and Practice– “-isms” – Teacher Quality– School district organization and leadership– School building organization

• Environmental– Social identities– Peer Groups– Home– Community

• Individual– Student achievement attitudes and beliefs– Student behavioral choices

A Holistic Approach to Student Achievement

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Community

Forms of CapitalAn individual’s assets.

Sometimes seen as liabilities, depending on the

social context

CulturalStyles, tastes, interaction patterns,

normative behaviors of socialgroups of people

HumanThe skills and capabilities anindividual has to make themmore productive in society

SocialDerived from family and peer networks, relationship-building

Forms of Capital

Dominant v. Non-Dominant Cultural Capital (for schooling)Dominant (Traditional) Non-Dominant (Non-Tradition)

Uniforms Having the latest fashion trends; sagging

Stephen Covey 7-Habits Having to ride the bus to school

Parent advocate

“Proper” etiquette (classroom, lunchroom, field trip, etc.)

Speaks Standard English

Students who conform to rules Non-conforming student or deviant student behaviors

Students who have an individualistic disposition

Students who have a collectivist disposition

Dominant v. Non-Dominant Human Capital Dominant (Traditional) Non-Dominant (Non-Tradition)

Being on time

Having higher education Lowly educated/Drop-out

High academic achievement

Being literate Being non-literate

Being employed Non-employment

Being able-bodied

Being organized Non-organized

Being an English speaker Being bi/mulitlingual

Dominant v. Non-Dominant Social CapitalDominant (Traditional) Non-Dominant (Non-Traditional)

Participation in extracurricular activities

Parents who come to events and are engaged in the schooling process in traditional ways

Parents who are involved in non-traditional ways (i.e. at home, but don’t necessarily attend school events)

Kids who are involved in formal mentoring programs

Kids who are not involved in formal mentoring programs

Kids of educators

Kids who are involved in a faith community

Peer groups that value academic achievement

Gangs

Kids with parents who have completed high school

Kids who have parents who have not completed high school

Kids in nuclear families Kids in multigenerational households

How can I/my grade level team/our staff build on

students’ non-dominant capital to enhance

their learning? How can I/we ensure that every

student is able to develop dominant

cultural capital?

Question

From Awareness to Action

How is my school currently addressing the needs of boys of color?

Identify a diversity-related issue in your school. Given what you’ve learned today, how might you begin addressing this issue?

What short-term action steps do I need to take in order to be more culturally responsive in my classroom?

Explanations for Underachievement of Boys of Color

• Low teacher expectations

• Peer pressure

• Maladaptive behaviors

• Negative student-teacher relationships

• Eurocentric curriculum

• Low parental involvement

• Stereotyping

• Racism

What Stuck?

• An ‘Aha’ moment

• A pleasant surprise

• Something that you had to struggle with to understand

• Something that you don’t agree with

• Something that you agree with strongly

• Something you thought was particularly interesting

• Something you didn’t expect

• An insight or solution

• Something you want to know more about/A question that you have

Thank you…

• The PAS project was funded by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation to the University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill. Michigan State University and the Lansing School District, one of four PAS sites, developed this training.