The Crisis of Low Expectations for College-Bound Black Students

[jubilance1922]

Originally Posted by delph998

Unfortunate but true in a lot of instances. However, I'd like to dig a little further with this study and ask if it's solely who's (as it relates to race) teaching that's effecting how prepared our black students are? I've taught math for after school programs and have tutored youth in my church for years and I agree that black students are not being equipped with the tools to further their education. We could point the finger at a lot of people, but I believe it starts at home.

Perfect example, I taught a student that went to my church math about four years ago. I knew then that he was struggling badly so I spoke to his parents. They did nothing. Fastforward to 2007 and this 19-year old young man has not received his diploma because he has yet to pass the Minnesota Basic Standards Test. Now his parents are asking me to help tutor him again so he can get his diploma. This young man does not have simple problem skills so we would literally have to start at ground zero for him to pass this test. This is one example of countless others.

I totally agree with this post, and I'll add my 2 cents. In college my friends and I started a volunteer tutoring program at a Minneapolis school with the lowest test scores in the state (and the school happens to be almost all Black/Latino/immigrant students). We had so many challenges in working with this kids, and all of it stemmed from the home. We had students who were homeless, living from shelter to shelter, and they desperately wanted some stability and support from home. Its hard for a parent to help you witn your math homework when they don't know where you'll be sleeping that night or if you'll get a meal. The kids that did have homes had very absentee parents, who were often working several jobs. It broke my heart that we had 8th grade students who could not do simple multiplication , and it made me angry that the head of the math dept. simply dismissed the fact that the kids couldn't multiply, and simply said "oh, they can use calculators on the test"

[delph998]

Originally Posted by jubilance1922

I totally agree with this post, and I'll add my 2 cents. In college my friends and I started a volunteer tutoring program at a Minneapolis school with the lowest test scores in the state (and the school happens to be almost all Black/Latino/immigrant students). We had so many challenges in working with this kids, and all of it stemmed from the home. We had students who were homeless, living from shelter to shelter, and they desperately wanted some stability and support from home. Its hard for a parent to help you witn your math homework when they don't know where you'll be sleeping that night or if you'll get a meal. The kids that did have homes had very absentee parents, who were often working several jobs. It broke my heart that we had 8th grade students who could not do simple multiplication , and it made me angry that the head of the math dept. simply dismissed the fact that the kids couldn't multiply, and simply said "oh, they can use calculators on the test"

We are >>>>HERE<<<<!

I'd also like to add that due to budget cuts in education, the fun has been taken out of earning good grades. There used to be a time when you were rewarded when you got good grades. In primary, middle, and junior high school we went roller skating or had pizza parties for getting the all A Honor Roll and A,B Honor Roll. Those incentives don't exist hardly at all any more.

In high school we had pep rallies/fests, the arts, and music. All of that is even being taken out. I think this indirectly plays a role in our students not being as focused and prepared for college.