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Mr. Kelly's Speech on the Achievement Gap
On Tuesday April 13, 2010, Mr. Kelly presented at the Historical Black Colleges and Universities- Educational Testing Service National Education Conference. The topic of his presentation was the Achievement Gap in Education today. Mr. Kelly's presentation is as follows:
Everyone here has been talking about the achievement gap and factors that affect this achievement gap. One aspect that I would like to address concerning this achievement gap is at the bottom of this statistical hierarchy- minority males. In a recent report that was funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the perspectives of almost 500 culturally diverse students, aged 16 to 25, who dropped out of school were shared. This report shows that 88% of these students who dropped out actually had passing grades in school. The students shared the following reasons for dropping out:
· Almost half of the students dropped out because classes were not interesting
· 45% reported that they started high school poorly prepared by their earlier schooling
· 29% expressed significant doubts about being able to meet the high school’s requirements for graduation
· 32% were required to repeat a grade before their decision (to drop out)
· 32% had to get a job and needed money, and
· Almost 2/3 reported missing class often
Previous studies on students who drop out of school indicate that they lacked positive or strong relationships with a caring teacher or educator.
Young Black males rank highest among those students who choose to leave school; are expelled, or kicked out of school; score poorly on tests; have low GPAs and high rates of referral and placement in special education and are underrepresented in gifted education programs.
As black males proceed through the educational pipeline, they appear to become less academically engaged and care less about learning. They appear to have learned to underachieve, to devalue school and academics and to reject school as a place to develop their sense off identity. Instead we see black males thriving in the sports and entertainment industries.
This lack of academic self-efficacy could be due to a number of different causes- lack of parental and other communal involvement and the media, I believe, are two of the main causes.
……
Dr. Gilman Whiting, a professor at Vanderbuilt University in Nashville, Tennessee proposes that these individuals are lacking a Scholar Identity. He has developed a paradigm that shows how educators and other influential individuals can instill this Scholar Identity within these troubled students. He calls it the Scholar Identity Model.
This model is built like a pyramid with self-efficacy at the base. Built upon this self-efficacy, comes future orientation, a willingness to make sacrifices, an internal locus of control, self-awareness, recognizing that their need for achievement is greater than their need for affiliation, academic self-confidence, establishing a racial identity, and understanding masculinity. The model also shows that these traits are affected by family, the community, a mentor, and the school community.
The foundation of this pyramid is self-efficacy. Self-efficacy is what one believes he or she can do- the extent to which they believe they can successful. Self-efficacy also includes one’s self-image as a learner in the context of academic achievement. This is the foundation of this scholar identity, because the students MUST see themselves as being able to achieve and be successful in academic settings. Students who have a scholar identity believe in themselves and their abilities and skills as learners; they are resilient, have self-confidence, self-control, and a sense of self-responsibility.
The next trait is future-orientation. Motivation theories and research indicate that people who have aspirations stay focused and prepare for both their future and present success. These students must see the success that they want to have in the future and must see how their decisions today will affect their life in the future.
“No Pain, No Gain.” Is a mantra for many successful individuals. A willingness to make sacrifices is another trait of an individual with a scholar identity. Many successful individuals can testify that sacrifices are necessary for reaching both short-term and long-term goals. Students with a scholar identity are able to realize that they must give up some things in order to achieve their goals.
An internal locus of control is the belief that outcomes are controlled by or due to one’s ability and/or effort or lack of preparation and study. Students who have an external locus of control rather than one that is internal, believe that outcomes are controlled by fate and circumstances. These students with an internal locus of control take responsibility for their choices and actions, while being mindful of outside pressures and societal injustices. They realize that they control the outcome of their life.
The next trait is Self-Awareness. When one is aware of himself, he knows what his strengths and weaknesses are. He does not allow these weaknesses to keep him back, but is able to adapt, cope, and find ways to compensate for them in order to still be successful. Students need to be self-reflective and acknowledge their weaknesses, while at the same time not allowing them to deter them from self-improvement and achievement.
Students with a scholar identity must have a strong need for achievement. These individuals desire to do well and consistently try to figure out ways to do their work better. They are more concerned about personal achievement than rewards and set high but achievable goals for themselves. Whiting states that, “for Black males who have a scholar identity, the need for achievement is stronger than the need for affiliation… African American males with a strong need for achievement understand that high academic achievement will take them farther in life than being social or popular.”
Academic Self-Confidence- how students view themselves in academic settings. Students who believe they are intelligent and capable in school are more likely to persist. They do not see any reason to negate, deny, or minimize their academic abilities and skills and they have a strong work ethic. It is important that these students understand that effort is just as important, or more important, than the ability to be successful. Kevin Durant- “Hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard.”
Now, these last two- Racial identity and Masculinity- are the traits of this model that make it specific for Black males.
So we have racial identity. Dr. Whiting discusses the research done by Psychologist Dr. Kenneth Clark whose studies showed that black preschoolers viewed Black dolls as inferior to white dolls. What does this say about how Black children view themselves? Do they truly believe that they are inferior because they are black? For black males with a scholar identity, there is a constant search for a greater self-understanding as racial beings. These individuals do not equate achievement with “acting White” or selling out.” They refuse to be inhibited by social injustices based on gender, socioeconomic status, and race or ethnicity.
And lastly, we have masculinity. Society has sort of defined masculinity as being something that is related to physical strength. Society does not equate manliness with intelligence and scholarship. Students with a scholar identity do not equate being intelligent or studious or talented with being “feminine” or “unmanly.” These individuals are able to recognize males as being intelligent and gifted.
The purpose of this scholar identity is to get these minority male students, whom society sees as not being able to achieve and be successful academically, to be able to see themselves as being able to achieve and be successful academically. Dr. Whiting proposes that if educators, family, and others in the community are able to help with instilling this scholar identity in these underachieving students, then they will be able to recognize that they can be successful and therefore, they will take the necessary steps in order to actually be successful.