Posted on 07/05/2009 6:16:27 AM PDT by cyberella
Despite almost 50 years of large and accelerating efforts to improve the school achievement of African-American students, the gap between their achievement and that of whites and Asians remains about as large as ever.
Yet proposals for what to do about it seem basically unchanged: Spend more money and divert existing money to reduce class size and train teachers better, have more students take a rigorous college prep curriculum, work on improving self-esteem, eliminate ability-grouped classes, use cooperative-learning techniques, and reassign top teachers to schools with a high percentage of African-American students.
I have become especially doubtful about whether those approaches will work better in the future than they have in the past when I read this report from the trenches. Usually, we hear only from politicians and education leaders (who also are politicians) spouting lofty rhetoric. Occasionally, we hear of a promising program, but which never turns out to be scalable. Or we see a Hollywood movie about some amazing teacher.
We rarely, however, hear from a more typical teacher who, day to day, teaches low-achieving African-American kids. So it was with interest that I read this truly depressing account from a teacher. I've edited out a couple of unnecessarily snarky sentences, which are irrelevant to the issue. Nonetheless the essay is long yet, I believe, worth your time.)
The essay does make me feel uncomfortable because while it presents an eye-opening report from the trenches, it is just one person's report and one that feels more extreme than what I experienced when I taught in a heavily African-American school. Also, while the author made passing mention that not all Blacks behaved as he described, those comments felt, to me, too parenthetical.. Of course, many black students are high-achieving and motivated.
But I decided to post this teacher's essay on my blog for the following reason. The much-needed women's movement was triggered not just by measured academic tomes but also by passionate statements that, even though often excessively male-bashing, shone powerful light on women's plight. Similarly, I believe we need to hear passionate (even if deeply frustrated and overly drawn) reports from the trenches on this issue. For decades, we've certainly heard plenty of the lofty rhetoric from education leaders and academics yet the achievement gap remains and little new is being proposed. I hope that my posting this will make a small contribution toward a more full-dimensioned view of the problem and thus in turn, toward identifying more promising approaches and not be used to justify racist behavior toward African-Americans. That is the last thing I want.
After you read this essay, I hope you'll post your thoughts on what if any implications you believe this has for what we should do differently to better serve the needs of African-American kids, their non-African-American classmates, and in turn, the nation as a whole.
Update, July 4, 2009: I have reviewed the over 150 comments on this essay, updated my knowledge of the research on what works in reducing the racial achievement gap, and drafted a plan for doing so. Here's the link.
What is it Like to Teach Black Students?
by Christopher Jackson
Until recently I taught at a predominantly black high school in a southeastern state. contined at http://martynemko.blogspot.com/2009/06/white-teacher-speaks-out-what-is-it.html
“http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2283059/posts";
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Begging your pardon, Sir, but I posted this article first last night and it was removed because of ‘language’. I put it up again today and left the essay with the ‘language’ out
because I thought this was an interesting and important article.
After all the approaches, budget changes and eye-rolling it remains difficult to not accept the obvious answer to the dilemma is that it’s caused by the quality of the raw material.
Spot on.
My niece taught in an inner city grade school, she spent more time teaching them to talk than she did teaching them the 3 Rs. How can you teach a child to read English when they basically don’t speak English.
Amen! But how do we assimilate them?
If you look at the results across the globe for different races, your conclusion would seem reasonable. But, it's my firm belief that it's a spiritual problem.
Satan comes as an angel of light, with a mission to blind the eyes of unbelievers (and believers if possible). This darkness can envelope a person, a group, a nation, or an entire continent. Consider in Daniel Ch.10 where Daniel was fasting in order to hear from the Lord, but heard nothing for 21 days. The angel Gabriel (I assume Gabriel based on Ch 6 in the Lion's den) fought to deliver God's message, but was unable to break through the stronghold of "the prince of the kingdom of Persia" (v.13) until Michael, the highest archangel, intervened. This shows that there are incredibly powerful spiritual forces controlling territories and their peoples.
Looking for natural or earthly solutions based on humanistic understanding will continue to yield the same failed results.
mr marty
I trust you will recognize the question:
“Why is that not anathema to you?”
Kids stimulating sex
“She’s totally burnt out by the end of the school year, but she goes back in the fall because she does love the kids and does make a difference in many of their lives.”
But to some she’s evil because she teaches in a public school.
I applaud your sister’s tenacity!!!
Yes, it is.
What makes those students open to McClendon’s suggestions? They attend a private school where the students are motivated and have parents that care.
I do not think his ideas would be so well received in most public schools.
I posted this piece on another top forum, and the Libs came out and ATE ME ALIVE before it was pulled.
I was called racist for posting it (?) and there were comments like ‘this makes me want to vomit’.
I don’t understand this. I just thought it a very interesting and important article.
It seems to me the teacher did the best he could..what do they want????
That is a very leftist way of looking at education. The easiest way to close achievement gaps is to bring down the achievers, and that is the normal leftist envy-driven evil outcome. Instead we should focus on opportunity gaps and let the chips fall where they may. Modern life is a continuous fountain of opportunities. Educators should strive to create opportunities for students. Equal outcome is not a desirable goal.
If your giving speeling lessions, I needs some.
I sooooo agree.
Now I tell people I am not a Racist...I am a Cultural Bigot and proud of it!
And give me a break on the poverty thing...when I was growing up there were other immigrants from all over..poor as could be. But the houses and people were clean, the streets were clean and people showed respect in and out of school. Being poor has NOTHING to do with it.
Your axeing the wrong dude
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Agreed.
The real gap is the “ambition gap.” To blacks, being ambitious is considered “White” and not “Keepin’ it Real.”
Ok. ill ax some other dud.
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