Katie+S.

I have decided to do more research on African American males and ways to ensure their success in the classroom. Unfortunately, there is a disproportionate amount of African American men that drop out of high schools and I think that I can help prevent some students from becoming statistics by being able to better understand them. However, I have little understanding of what makes black males tick. Thus, I felt that I should do more research into their performance and attitudes towards school. Here's what I've found thus far...

[]

In this article, //School Matters: How African-American Males Can Succeed in Schools,// the author, Cynthia E. Griffin, discusses ways to ensure the success of young black men, but she says that educators must promote their strengths first. Griffin compiles data about their performance in schools and correlates it with their teacher's attitudes towards their performance. She also suggests that teachers need to turn their focus away from "correcting behavior" and start treating students fairly, allowing them to freely express themselves, and provide extra help when it is needed.

//The Brotherhood: Empowering Adolescent African Americans Males Towards Excellence//

This article is about an after-school program called "The Brotherhood" that is designed for African American males to receive mentoring from successful African American men. The article emphasizes the importance of boys having a positive male role model in their life. Unfortunately, many African American males do not have a good role model. They can turn on the news to see the latest black man who has been arrested. This program was effective every time it was implemented. There is an organization in Wilmington called One Hundred Black Men that are a similar group. They provide mentoring for black boys in high schools to help them stay on track. I think that I could organize to have this group guide some of my students in the future.

[]

In the above article, //African American Males and Learning: What Discourse in Sports offers Schooling//, University of California at Berkley, professor Jabari Mahiri describes how sports education benefits students, especially black males. He presents research that shows that black males that are involved with sports through their school or community group are more likely to be successful in school and less likely to become involved with gangs and drugs.

[]

This article, //Mr. Nigger: The Challenges of Educating Black Males within American Society//, by Pennslyvannia University professor Toby Jenkins, discusses the underachievement, lack of inclusion, and backward progression of black males. He also goes through history to describe the truly unique backgrounds of African American men from slavery in the US to the disproportionate rate of imprisonment today.