Underrepresented African American Gifted Students April Odom and Nicole Dahlberg

Hasty Statistics Total Number of Students = 611 Total Number of Gifted Students = 21 Total Number of African American Students = 54 Total Number of Gifted African American Students = 1

Psychological/Individual I thought I was dumb, but now I know I’m smart. Aysha Brown (African American Kindergartener)

Psychological/Individual Self-conceptRacialIdentity Lack of Academic motivation Test taking skills Learning styles

Psychological/Individual Relationship between students self-concept and achievement. Relationship between students self-concept and achievement. Widely accepted students with higher self concepts tend to do better academically. Widely accepted students with higher self concepts tend to do better academically. Students of color of low, poor, or negative racial identity are less likely to perform well academically that students of color of high or positive racial identity. Students of color of low, poor, or negative racial identity are less likely to perform well academically that students of color of high or positive racial identity.

Psychological/Individual Racial Identity Development related achievement among gifted students of color Racial Identity Development related achievement among gifted students of color Individuals with high RID’s often have high achievement. Individuals with high RID’s often have high achievement. Students with low RID’s often have low achievement. Students with low RID’s often have low achievement.

Psychological/Individual Minority students who do not hold positive racial identities may be especially vulnerable to negative peer pressures Minority students who do not hold positive racial identities may be especially vulnerable to negative peer pressures They think that achievement is “acting white” or “selling out” They think that achievement is “acting white” or “selling out”

Psychological/Individual Gifted Minority choose between need for achievement or need for affiliation Gifted Minority choose between need for achievement or need for affiliation Students often succumb to negative social pressures Students often succumb to negative social pressures Need for affiliation outweighs need for achievement Need for affiliation outweighs need for achievement

Cultural The perception of giftedness and gifted education may not hold the same value for different racial and cultural groups. The perception of giftedness and gifted education may not hold the same value for different racial and cultural groups. Educators are seldom formally prepared for identifying cultural characteristics and associated behaviors. Educators are seldom formally prepared for identifying cultural characteristics and associated behaviors.

Cultural Teachers may fail to recommend capable students of color for gifted education programs if these students exhibit disinterested behavior or appear unmotivated. Teachers may fail to recommend capable students of color for gifted education programs if these students exhibit disinterested behavior or appear unmotivated. Mismatch between learning styles and teaching styles can result in confusion, frustration, and underachievement for gifted minority students. Mismatch between learning styles and teaching styles can result in confusion, frustration, and underachievement for gifted minority students.

There are nine cultural styles commonly found among African Americans: 1. spirituality 1. spirituality 2. harmony 2. harmony ability to read the environment well and to read nonverbal behaviors- students who feel unwelcome in their classes may become unmotivated and disinterested in learning ability to read the environment well and to read nonverbal behaviors- students who feel unwelcome in their classes may become unmotivated and disinterested in learning 3. oral tradition 3. oral tradition 4. affect 4. affect 5. verve 5. verve

There are nine cultural styles commonly found among African Americans: 6. communalism 6. communalism a cooperative, interdependent style of living and learning such that competition (especially with friends) is devalued…would rather learn in groups a cooperative, interdependent style of living and learning such that competition (especially with friends) is devalued…would rather learn in groups 7. movement 7. movement being tactile and kinesthetic learners- preference for being involved in learning experiences (otherwise may be easily distracted and off-task) being tactile and kinesthetic learners- preference for being involved in learning experiences (otherwise may be easily distracted and off-task) 8. social time perspective 8. social time perspective 9. expressive individualism 9. expressive individualism

Cultural Communalism and harmony may explain why an increasing number of African American students (especially middle school and high school students) are choosing not to be in gifted programs. Communalism and harmony may explain why an increasing number of African American students (especially middle school and high school students) are choosing not to be in gifted programs. They communicate concerns about estrangement and isolation because these programs mostly consist of white students. They communicate concerns about estrangement and isolation because these programs mostly consist of white students. Communalism may result in some African American students shunning participation in gifted programs and equating high achievement with “acting white”. Communalism may result in some African American students shunning participation in gifted programs and equating high achievement with “acting white”.

Social Peer Pressure PrejudiceDiscrimination

Social Negative peer pressure has profound effects on school experiences and educational outcomes for students of color Negative peer pressure has profound effects on school experiences and educational outcomes for students of color Seem particularly susceptible to negative opposition from their peers Seem particularly susceptible to negative opposition from their peers Especially in urban settings frequently teased by their peer groups as acting white when they appear academically engaged. Especially in urban settings frequently teased by their peer groups as acting white when they appear academically engaged.

School Less positive teacher-student relations Less positive teacher-student relations There are concerns regarding the lack of attention to multicultural education in classes, which contributed to a lack of interest in school. There are concerns regarding the lack of attention to multicultural education in classes, which contributed to a lack of interest in school. Having too little time to understand the material Having too little time to understand the material

School Low teacher expectations for minority students may relate to a lack of teacher training in both multicultural and gifted education. Low teacher expectations for minority students may relate to a lack of teacher training in both multicultural and gifted education. Unprepared teachers are less likely to refer minority students for gifted education services or to complete checklists favorably. Unprepared teachers are less likely to refer minority students for gifted education services or to complete checklists favorably. Research indicates that black students tend to be field-dependent, visual, and concrete learners while schools teach more often in verbal and abstract ways. Research indicates that black students tend to be field-dependent, visual, and concrete learners while schools teach more often in verbal and abstract ways.

School Extreme use of competition can also hinder students’ achievement, damaging academic enthusiasm and educational commitment. Since minority students are more social and less competitive, competition can intensify students’ anxieties, lower their achievement motivation, and lower their academic and social self-concepts. Extreme use of competition can also hinder students’ achievement, damaging academic enthusiasm and educational commitment. Since minority students are more social and less competitive, competition can intensify students’ anxieties, lower their achievement motivation, and lower their academic and social self-concepts.

What Should Teachers Do to Encourage African American Students? Learn to modify their teaching styles to accommodate different cultural styles Learn to modify their teaching styles to accommodate different cultural styles Teacher expectations have a powerful impact on student achievement. Teacher expectations have a powerful impact on student achievement.

How Does Culture Impact Achievement? Teachers who understand and integrate the cultural needs and styles of African Americans into the curriculum promote and enhance achievement among these students. Teachers who understand and integrate the cultural needs and styles of African Americans into the curriculum promote and enhance achievement among these students.

Culturally Responsive Teaching Strategies: Applying Boykin's Model Boykin‘s Afro Centric Expressions Boykin‘s Afro Centric Expressions Teaching Strategies and Products Teaching Strategies and Products

References Ford, D. Y. (1997) “Underachievement among gifted minority students: problems and promises”. Hoagie’s Gifted.org. ERIC EC Digest #E August Ford, D. Y. (1997) “Underachievement among gifted minority students: problems and promises”. Hoagie’s Gifted.org. ERIC EC Digest #E August Maxwell, L.A. (2008) “Gifted black pupils found pressured to underperform”. EdWeek.org. 21 August Maxwell, L.A. (2008) “Gifted black pupils found pressured to underperform”. EdWeek.org. 21 August Moore, III, James. L. (2005). “Underachievement among gifted students of color: implications for educators”. BNET.com. 13 August Moore, III, James. L. (2005). “Underachievement among gifted students of color: implications for educators”. BNET.com. 13 August Skanner, P. (2003) “African American students have ‘genius to tap’”. HighBeam Research. 13 August Skanner, P. (2003) “African American students have ‘genius to tap’”. HighBeam Research. 13 August Compiled and presented by Nicole Dahlberg and April Odom