Ashley Singer June 19, 2011 Our Nation Cannot Permit Geography or Demography to Determine Destiny -Marshall, McGee,

McLaren, Veal

The longer I work in an urban district the more I feel that preparing students for science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) careers is the best route to preparing them for college. These areas of study have the ability to increase students confidence as academic learners and open up opportunities they may never have had otherwise. I believe the biggest hurdle these students have to overcome is in their mind, its something seeded by a teacher or society that they let grow inside of them, it tells them that they arent built for success and they arent smart. Several districts are acknowledging and addressing a learning gap, with great attention to STEM preparations, between suburban, white students and urban, minorities. A study conducted in 2004 reported a graduation gap between white students and their minority counterparts. While the white students had a graduation rate of 75%, only 50% of all black students and 53% of all Hispanic students got a diploma (Black Issues in Higher Education). Many students cite math and science classes as reasons they do not progress through and graduate from high school. With a push toward STEM preparation, math teachers are faced with the daunting task of raising students 3-4 grade levels of mathematical skills. Students are coming to high school with skills that are below grade level. Science and math

teachers need to take advantage of all the research that has already been done to implement programs that we already know work. Acknowledging problems such as reading deficits and differentiating instruction can help students learn content in spite of their deficiencies in other areas. One tactic to overcome the STEM achievement gap is to create quality feeder programs to proactively deal with students disadvantages. Some programs begin as early as preschool with a full-day year round program with a low child-teacher ratio from infancy to age 5 (Nisbett, 2010). Another similar program included regular home visits. These ideas are great, however I alone cannot create a free top quality pre-school program. What I can take away from this is that parents involvement and contact is extremely important. I can take part in creating summer programs to prevent students from forgetting what they learned as well as learning more math skills over the summer. The next thing I can do is take on roles in which I am a part of the committee that creates curriculum and works on vertical mapping, to ensure students are learning what they need to before they get to the high school level. The next strategy I would like to address is appealing to a students psyche. By the time many students reach high school they are so used to failing that it seems like the norm to them. These students believe that they dont have what it takes to succeed in a math classroom, they think that people are either born with a math brain or arent. In the article Think Big, biggerand Smaller Nisbett quotes a social psychologist saying, students who believe ability is a matter of hard work get higher grades than students that believe ability is fixed from birth. Teachers dont

often think to talk to students about the emotional and psychological issues that face children from low-income, minority, and urban neighborhoods. Ways to address these issues would be to enlist the help of mentors or stage interventions. In one particular instance mentors were asked to talk to their mentees about the affect drugs have on the brain and to not take them. Mentors also spoke about how the brain works when its learning new things, this way students would understand that their brains could build new connections. (Nisbett, 2010) The second way to deal with psychological issues students face is to build confidence. Many students have not experienced success in math (Goldberger, Bayerl, 2008). Students need an alternate route to reengage them into the math world they need to be surrounded by a culture of success. If students feel like they are a part of a supportive team, who has set out to conquer all required math concepts, they will meet high expectations and begin to believe in themselves. By building confidence through the support of a community of teachers and students, students will take responsibility not only for themselves, but also for others. Weaker students can feel supported by stronger students and strong students will reach a deeper understanding through cooperative learning. Teachers can build this culture by stetting group norms. These norms would consist of rules of conduct so students know how to support others and to expect support for themselves. Another way to help students is to ensure quality leadership in schools. The principal could concentrate on student achievement if he or she delegated work to others. By delegating leadership roles to staff members the principal can give teachers the chance to take on challenges and build confidence among them selves.

If teachers feel confidents, they can better pass the feeling along to students. Students can benefit by having confident teachers and a principal that can concentrate on top priorities. If the principal can concentrate on whats important he or she can ensure a quality teaching force. Teachers will get the attention they need to be successful. One of the roles a principal should play is to keep a laser like focus on instruction (Chenoweth, 2010). The principal should be able to support teachers to; participate in professional learning communities, take on responsibilities outside classroom instruction, keep up with professional literature and teach after school classes in reading and math. Principals can monitor teachers, making sure they are collaborating meaningfully and studying data, which are extremely important in any school. (Chenoweth, 2010) Curriculum is the next hurdle to tackle. By utilizing vertical alignment skills, generally used to ensure students are prepared for the next level within high schools, teachers can create a curriculum that is consistent with district standards but also includes what a student would need for college. In the article, Beating the Odds teachers mapped their curriculum backwards from college level classes. This not only prepared students for college, but if students are made aware that they are on track for college, they can feel more confident. If students know what they are learning will help them later in life they are more likely to buy into the class and the material. By introducing the ideas of college students can feel more confident about going.

While there are many articles and studies done on what teachers can do for urban, minority or low-income students, it is important to remember to take away something that can be followed through on. At this point in my career I cannot begin multi-billion dollar pre-school programs, but I can instill confidence in my students and prepare them for college. I can maintain a culture in my classroom where students feel safe to take risks with their work and try new things. I can ask my colleagues, in high school as well as on the junior high level, to collaborate and work on a curriculum that best fits our students. Lastly I can keep up with current information and constantly change my lessons and techniques for the better.

References Ascher, C., & Maguire, C. (2011). Beating the Odds: How Thirteen NYC Schools Bring Low-Performing 9th-Graders to Timely Graduation and College Enrollment. Education Digest: Essential Readings Condensed for Quick Review, 76(5), 13-20. Retrieved from EBSCOhost Chenoweth, K. (2010). Leaving Nothing to Chance. Educational Leadership, 68(3), 16-21. Retrieved from EBSCOhost. Marshall, S., McGee, G. W., McLaren, E., & Veal, C. C. (2011). Discovering and Developing Diverse STEM Talent: Enabling Academically Talented Urban Youth to Flourish. Gifted Child Today, 34(1), 16-23. Retrieved from EBSCOhost. Minorities Have '50-50' Chance of Graduating High School, Study Finds. (2004). Black Issues in Higher Education, 21(3), 9. Retrieved June 3, 2011, from ProQuest Central. (Document ID: 609272941) Nisbett, R. E. (2010). Think Big, Bigger ... and Smaller. Educational Leadership, 68(3), 10-15. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.