Underrepresented African American Gifted Students April Odom and Nicole Dahlberg.

UnderrepresentedUnderrepresentedAfrican American African American

Gifted StudentsGifted Students

April Odom April Odom and and

Nicole DahlbergNicole 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/IndividualPsychological/Individual

I thought I was dumb, I thought I was dumb,

but now I know I’m but now I know I’m smart.smart.

Aysha Brown Aysha Brown

(African American Kindergartener)(African American Kindergartener)


Self-conceptSelf-concept

RacialRacial

IdentityIdentity

Lack of Academic motivationLack of Academic motivation

Test taking skillsTest taking skills

Learning stylesLearning styles


Relationship between students self-concept and Relationship between students self-concept and achievement. achievement.

Widely accepted students with higher self concepts Widely accepted students with higher self concepts tend to do better academically.tend to do better academically.

Students of color of low, poor, or negative racial Students of color of low, poor, or negative racial identity are less likely to perform well academically identity are less likely to perform well academically that students of color of high or positive racial that students of color of high or positive racial identity.identity.


Racial Identity Development related Racial Identity Development related achievement among gifted students of colorachievement among gifted students of color

Individuals with high RID’s often have high Individuals with high RID’s often have high achievement.achievement.

Students with low RID’s often have low Students with low RID’s often have low achievement. achievement.


Minority students who do not hold positive Minority students who do not hold positive racial identities may be especially vulnerable racial identities may be especially vulnerable to negative peer pressuresto negative peer pressures

They think that achievement is “acting white” They think that achievement is “acting white” or “selling out”or “selling out”


Gifted Minority choose between need for Gifted Minority choose between need for achievement or need for affiliationachievement or need for affiliation

Students often succumb to negative social Students often succumb to negative social pressurespressures

Need for affiliation outweighs need for Need for affiliation outweighs need for achievementachievement

CulturalCultural

The perception of giftedness and gifted The perception of giftedness and gifted education may not hold the same value for education may not hold the same value for different racial and cultural groups.different racial and cultural groups.

Educators are seldom formally prepared for Educators are seldom formally prepared for identifying cultural characteristics and identifying cultural characteristics and associated behaviors.associated behaviors.

CulturalCultural

Teachers may fail to recommend capable Teachers may fail to recommend capable students of color for gifted education programs students of color for gifted education programs if these students exhibit disinterested behavior if these students exhibit disinterested behavior or appear unmotivated.or appear unmotivated.

Mismatch between learning styles and Mismatch between learning styles and teaching styles can result in confusion, teaching styles can result in confusion, frustration, and underachievement for gifted frustration, and underachievement for gifted minority students.minority students.

There are nine cultural styles commonly There are nine cultural styles commonly found among African Americans:found among African Americans:

1. spirituality1. spirituality 2. harmony2. harmony

ability to read the environment well and to read ability to read the environment well and to read nonverbal behaviors- students who feel nonverbal behaviors- students who feel unwelcome in their classes may become unwelcome in their classes may become unmotivated and disinterested in learningunmotivated and disinterested in learning

3. oral tradition3. oral tradition 4. affect4. affect 5. verve5. verve

There are nine cultural styles commonly There are nine cultural styles commonly found among African Americans:found among African Americans:

6. communalism6. communalism a cooperative, interdependent style of living and a cooperative, interdependent style of living and

learning such that competition (especially with learning such that competition (especially with friends) is devalued…would rather learn in groupsfriends) is devalued…would rather learn in groups

7. movement7. movement being tactile and kinesthetic learners- preference for being tactile and kinesthetic learners- preference for

being involved in learning experiences (otherwise being involved in learning experiences (otherwise may be easily distracted and off-task)may be easily distracted and off-task)

8. social time perspective8. social time perspective 9. expressive individualism9. expressive individualism

CulturalCultural

Communalism and harmony may explain why an increasing Communalism and harmony may explain why an increasing number of African American students (especially middle number of African American students (especially middle school and high school students) are choosing not to be in school and high school students) are choosing not to be in gifted programs. gifted programs.

They communicate concerns about estrangement and isolation They communicate concerns about estrangement and isolation because these programs mostly consist of white students.because these programs mostly consist of white students.

Communalism may result in some African American students Communalism may result in some African American students shunning participation in gifted programs and equating high shunning participation in gifted programs and equating high achievement with “acting white”.achievement with “acting white”.

SocialSocial

Peer Pressure Peer Pressure

PrejudicePrejudice

DiscriminationDiscrimination

SocialSocial

Negative peer pressure has profound effects on Negative peer pressure has profound effects on school experiences and educational outcomes school experiences and educational outcomes for students of colorfor students of color

Seem particularly susceptible to negative Seem particularly susceptible to negative opposition from their peersopposition from their peers

Especially in urban settings frequently teased Especially in urban settings frequently teased by their peer groups as acting white when they by their peer groups as acting white when they appear academically engaged.appear academically engaged.

SchoolSchool

Less positive teacher-student relationsLess positive teacher-student relations

There are concerns regarding the lack of There are concerns regarding the lack of attention to multicultural education in classes, attention to multicultural education in classes, which contributed to a lack of interest in school. which contributed to a lack of interest in school.

Having too little time to understand the materialHaving too little time to understand the material

SchoolSchool

Low teacher expectations for minority students may relate Low teacher expectations for minority students may relate to a lack of teacher training in both multicultural and gifted to a lack of teacher training in both multicultural and gifted education. education.

Unprepared teachers are less likely to refer minority Unprepared teachers are less likely to refer minority students for gifted education services or to complete students for gifted education services or to complete checklists favorably.checklists favorably.

Research indicates that black students tend to be field-Research indicates that black students tend to be field-dependent, visual, and concrete learners while schools dependent, visual, and concrete learners while schools teach more often in verbal and abstract ways.teach more often in verbal and abstract ways.

SchoolSchool

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

What Should Teachers Do to Encourage What Should Teachers Do to Encourage African American Students?African American Students?

Learn to modify their teaching styles to Learn to modify their teaching styles to accommodate different cultural stylesaccommodate different cultural styles

Teacher expectations have a powerful impact Teacher expectations have a powerful impact on student achievement.on student achievement.

How Does Culture Impact How Does Culture Impact Achievement?Achievement?

Teachers who understand and integrate the Teachers who understand and integrate the cultural needs and styles of African Americans cultural needs and styles of African Americans into the curriculum promote and enhance into the curriculum promote and enhance achievement among these students.achievement among these students.

Culturally Responsive Teaching Culturally Responsive Teaching Strategies: Applying Boykin's ModelStrategies: Applying Boykin's Model

Boykin‘s Afro Centric Expressions Boykin‘s Afro Centric Expressions

Teaching Strategies and ProductsTeaching Strategies and Products

ReferencesReferences Ford, D. Y. (1997) “Underachievement among gifted minority students: Ford, D. Y. (1997) “Underachievement among gifted minority students:

problems and promises”. problems and promises”. Hoagie’s Gifted.orgHoagie’s Gifted.org. ERIC EC Digest . ERIC EC Digest #E544. 13 August 2008.#E544. 13 August 2008.

Maxwell, L.A. (2008) “Gifted black pupils found pressured to Maxwell, L.A. (2008) “Gifted black pupils found pressured to underperform”. underperform”. EdWeek.org.EdWeek.org. 21 August 2008. 21 August 2008.

Moore, III, James. L. (2005). “Underachievement among gifted students of Moore, III, James. L. (2005). “Underachievement among gifted students of color: implications for educators”. color: implications for educators”. BNET.com. BNET.com. 13 August 2008.13 August 2008.

Skanner, P. (2003) “African American students have ‘genius to tap’”. Skanner, P. (2003) “African American students have ‘genius to tap’”. HighBeam Research.HighBeam Research. 13 August 2008. 13 August 2008.

Compiled and presented by Nicole Dahlberg and April OdomCompiled and presented by Nicole Dahlberg and April Odom

Underrepresented African American Gifted Students April Odom and Nicole Dahlberg.

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