Debbie Painter CURR 580 April 29, 2006 Teacher Beliefs and Student Achievement in Urban Schools Serving African American Students Article Written by Angela Love and Ann Cale Kruger Published in The Journal of Educational Research Debbie Painter CURR 580 April 29, 2006

How do African American Students Learn Best? These findings are based on earlier studies: Promote the location of self in a historical and cultural context Help students create new knowledge based on life experiences Treat knowledge as reciprocal Draw on African culture and history

Build on Previous Studies to Achieve Three Main Goals For This Study: Create survey items that measure teachers culturally relevant beliefs Sample beliefs of those who teach primarily African American children in urban public schools Discover which teacher beliefs contribute to higher student achievement

Study 1 Schools served primarily African American children Beliefs of teachers within 6 urban schools were sampled Schools served primarily African American children Schools located in the southeastern United States

Two Types of Questions Statements reflect culturally relevant beliefs and practices of teachers Examples – 1. It is part of my responsibility as a teacher to make connections between what happens in the world and who my students are. 2. One student’s success is success for the whole class, and one student’s failure is failure for all.

Two Types of Questions cont. Statements reflect “assimilationist” beliefs Examples – 1. I don’t see children with any particular racial or cultural identity in my classroom; I just see children. 2. The cultural background of my students plays an important role in my teaching. I bring their backgrounds (race, culture, heritage, etc.) into my lesson planning.

Six Dimensions of Related Beliefs Knowledge Student’s Race, Ethnicity, and Culture Social Relations in and Beyond the Classroom Teaching as a Profession Teaching Practices Student’s Needs and Strengths

Study 2 Both Schools – Participated in a coalition involved in school change efforts Qualified as low-income, serving free and reduced lunches Served children of African descent from surrounding neighborhoods

Study 1 Results Knowledge – Teachers endorsed three of the five statements. Student’s race, ethnicity, and culture – Teachers agreed this is important in teaching. Social Relations – Teachers had mixed feelings as to how accountable they should hold students for their peer’s success.

Study 1 Results cont. Teaching as a Profession – Teachers responded favorably to teaching in an urban setting, and teaching as a way of giving back to the community. Teaching practice – Participants endorsed all four culturally relevant statements. Students needs and strengths – Teachers endorsed all five culturally relevant statements.

Study 2 Results The exchange of roles with students and the idea that all students can succeed both correlated with high mathematics scores. Communalism in the classroom, teaching as a way of giving something back to the community, and the belief in drill and repetition correlated with high reading scores.

Study 2 Results cont. The belief of the teacher as a disseminator of knowledge correlated in higher language arts scores.

Conclusions Learning from students is as important as teaching them and that teaching students to think critically is essential. Teaching is like an art involving creativity, flexibility, and attention to students’ responses to lessons; they believed in the importance of students’ race, culture, and ethnicity in their teaching and connected world events to students’ lives.

Conclusions cont. More experienced teachers used the similarity with their students in family backgrounds to connect and motivate students, while proving that obstacles they have in common do not prohibit success.

Observations From My Principal Go Online And Learn More About Other Cultures Atmosphere Conducive to “Family” Be A Good Listener and Pay Attention Don’t Make Quick Decisions Always Remain Calm Use Terms of Endearment Be Patient And Flexible