This is what society expects from you. Standard Statistics This is what society expects from you.

Materials: worksheet Catalyst (5 min): Turn in Parent letter to front tray if you have it. Answer the first 6 questions on the worksheet you picked up from the side table.

The Achievement Gap: Establishing Urgency in our Classroom

THINK PAIR SHARE Procedure You speak to your “shoulder partner” (the person sitting next to you. Talk quietly. I should not be able to hear what you are saying. Listen to what each other has to say.

THINK PAIR SHARE In the Atlanta area, 31% of students from low income communities (like Forest Park) go to college (approximately 3 out of 10). 79% of students from higher income communities (like Buckhead) go to college (approximately 8 out of 10). Why do you think this difference in college attendance exists? What do you think “being a statistic” means?

A 48% difference

The Achievement Gap The huge gap (or difference) in college enrollment, grades, and test scores between low-income schools and wealthier schools. Students from poorer schools have low test scores, while students from wealthier schools have really good test scores and really good grades.

Why does this problem exist? Children growing up in low-income communities face extra challenges. Schools are not able to meet students’ extra needs. Lack of belief. Is this true? Discuss.

What Roles Do Race and Ethnicity Play?

50% of BLACK males do not graduate from high school 50% of HISPANIC men do not graduate from high school 58% of Forest Park does not graduate from high school

Blacks make up 39% of the prison population Latinos make up 44% of the prison population

By the age of 23, 49% of black men 44% of Hispanic men, and 40% of white men have been arrested. By the age of 23, 20% of white females, 18% of Hispanic females, and 16% of black females have been arrested.

In 1990, 85% of black families made less than $50,000 a year. It costs about $39,000 a year for a family of four to live.

90% of youth gang members are reportedly BLACK or HISPANIC.

Forest Park’s average is a 16. On average, African Americans score 5 points below whites on the ACT (on a scale of 36) Forest Park’s average is a 16. ACT Mid-Range Test Score for GSU is a 21-25

70% of black high school seniors are below the basic achievement standard.

Blacks and Latinos make up about 80% of people stopped and questioned by police.

WHAT DOES 80% MEAN TO YOU?

Let’s make our own statistic that speaks to what FPHS scholars CAN and WILL do.

Let’s make 80% and above our goal for mastery in ALL of our classes.

If we can make our goal of 80% mastery, we can begin to CHANGE What people think about us. We can change what we think about ourselves.

Individual Reflection 1. How did the power point make you feel? Why? 2. Did anything surprise you? Why or Why not? 3. What does this inspire to Do in class? Out of class?

In the zone.

How do we change what society thinks of us?

Materials

Perseverance The ability to keep going and work hard despite challenges is known as perseverance

Valedictorian Speech

What are we PERSEVERING towards?

What makes a good goal? Making our Goals FAM: 1. Feasible 2. Ambitious 3. Measurable

Feasible A good goal needs to be something you will be able to do. A good goal needs to be realistic. A good goal needs to be something that is not outrageous at this point.

A good goal can not be easy. A good goal needs to be challenging. Ambitious A good goal can not be easy. A good goal needs to be challenging. A good goal requires hard work to reach.

Measurable A good goal needs to have a clear starting point. There needs to be a way to tell if you are on track to completing your goal. A good goal needs to have a clear finish point so you know if you completed it.

Let’s FAM an Old Goal Original Academic Goal: “I will do well in all of my classes.” Is this a good goal? Yes. Is this a FAM goal? No.

Is this goal Feasible? “I will do well in all of my classes.” Yes, this goal is feasible because: 1. Doing well in my classes is something I can do. 2. Doing well in my classes is realistic and not outrageous.

Is this goal Ambitious? “I will do well in all of my classes.” Yes, this goal is ambitious because: 1. Doing well in school is not easy, it is challenging. 2. It will require a lot of work to accomplish this goal.

Is this goal Measurable? “I will do well in all of my classes.” No, it is not measurable because: 1. There is no clear starting point. 2. There is no way to tell if I am on track to accomplish my goal. 3. There is no clear finishing point to tell if I accomplished my goal.

Let’s Make it Measurable! What does “well” mean? To me, “well” means A’s and B’s. Let’s FAM the goal: “I will earn A’s and B’s in all of my classes.”

Let’s Make it Measurable! What about the start and finish points? The school year has already begun and it ends in June. “I will get A’s and B’s in all of my classes by the final June report card.”

Let’s Make it Measurable! Wait a minute, science is really difficult for me and I don’t think I can get an A. Let’s get more specific: “I will earn A’s in all of my classes and a B in science by the final June report card.”

Let’s Evaluate the Goal “I will get A’s in all of my classes and a B in science by the final June report card.” FAM: 1. Is it Feasible? 2. Is it Ambitious? 3. Is it Measurable?

Revisiting Our Individual Goals Original Academic Goal: I will do well in all of my classes. Revised FAM Academic Goal: I will earn A’s in all of my classes and a B in science by the final June report card.

And when we accomplish our goals, we will be like…