Teachers' Practices That Contribute to the Success
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TEACHERS’ PRACTICES THAT CONTRIBUTE TO THE SUCCESS OF AFRICAN AMERICAN MALES by MONTAURIUS B. ABNER ROXANNE MITCHELL, COMMITTEE CHAIR BECKY ATKINSON PHILO HUTCHESON JINGPING SUN ANDRE P. SAULSBERRY A DISSERTATION Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Education in the Department of Educational Leadership, Policy, and Technology Studies in the Graduate School of The University of Alabama TUSCALOOSA, ALABAMA 2017 Copyright Montaurius B. Abner 2017 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED ABSTRACT African American male students continue to fail at overwhelming rates in America’s public schools. This is not a new problem; however, such continued failure cannot be ignored. The purpose of this study is to examine teaching practices that contribute to the academic success of African American males. The study was designed as a qualitative study, using culturally relevant pedagogy as a conceptual framework, to explore students’ and teachers’ perspective about effective teacher practices. To establish an understanding of what teachers are doing to help students be successful in high school and beyond, a practical qualitative study of teachers and their practices and students and their experiences was conducted. This study was guided by three research questions: 1) What are the teachers’ practices that successful African American male students say contribute to school achievement? (2) What are the teachers’ practices that teachers say contribute to African American male school achievement? and (3) How do these practices lead to student success, as explained by the students and the teachers they identify as successful? Furthermore, the research examined Ladson-Billings criterion for culturally relevant teaching and evidence of it through the themes that emerged from data analysis. Four schools from three districts located in central Alabama were selected for the study. The participants in this study were selected by the principals and/or guidance counselors from the four schools and were eight former high school students and seven teachers identified by participating students. Data were collected primarily through interviews. The study findings showed how the characteristics of culturally relevant teaching aligned with practices and themes that emerged ii from students and teachers’ data analysis. The findings and conclusions of this study suggest that what teachers do profoundly affect student achievement and that when teachers implement culturally relevant pedagogy, students feel accomplished. This research allowed me to identify practices that teachers can employ when working with African American male students. Implications of this study suggest the need for school leaders (teachers and principals) to make African American students feel valued by acknowledging them and their uniqueness and for administrators to devise a plan (a recruitment plan) of how to get more African American male role models in their schools. Recommendation for future research is highlighted in the study. iii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I would like to thank the many people who assisted me in completing this research. I am grateful to my chair and mentor, Dr. Roxanne Mitchell, for her continuous assistance and support. She inspired and encouraged as she directed me through the dissertation process. I have grown professionally, academically, and personally from her wisdom and friendship. From day one, she has been consistent in pushing me and encouraging me to not give up on accomplishing this task. I also want to thank Dr. Becky Atkinson, Dr. Philo Hutcheson, Dr. Jingping Sun, and Dr. Andre Saulsberry for serving on my dissertation committee. Their comments, encouragement, and time were not only well received but also greatly appreciated. I wish to acknowledge the staff and faculty of The University of Alabama’s Educational Leadership, Policy, and Technology Studies Department and Graduate School, as well as the staff at the Gadsden Center, who supported me during my doctoral studies. I especially thank Ms. Vanessa Williams for her support and dedication to assisting me during this process. I offer a very special thanks to my colleagues and friends at Indian Valley Elementary School and the Sylacauga City School System. In addition, a special thanks to Dr. Todd Freeman, my superintendent, for his commitment to professional growth and development. He has supported me during this journey and has encouraged me to complete this task. I also would like to thank my mentors: Dr. Ed. Hall, Dr. Andre Saulsberry, Dr. Barbara Embry, and Mrs. Sheryl Threadgill. They have served as my personal and professional mentors iv for as many years as I can remember. They taught me that nothing is impossible with faith and that success is the result of hard work and dedication. I thank my church family, Christ Deliverance Christian Center and Pastor Tim Embry for believing in me, praying for me, and encouraging me. My faith is made even stronger because of their consistency in loving me through my journey. There are so many other people I would like to thank. I thank my students and their parents, who trust me to be their leader and principal. Thanks to my many friends and family members from Wilcox County and Lowndes County for always believing in me and supporting me and offering words of encouragement to me. I offer thanks to my former students for continually reminding me, through their success, that teachers are important to helping shape the future for our youth. To my friends from Talladega College and The University of Alabama, thank you for always pushing me and encouraging during my career. I sincerely thank my family: my grandmother Cassie Mae Hall (who calls me professor); my grandfather Pastor Jimmy Ingram; my aunts; uncles; and cousins. They believe in me when no one else does. To my nieces (DeAmbria, Dejah, Moo Moo) and nephews (Derrick, Jordan, and JaCarlo), I say thank you for always believing in the very best of me. To my brothers (Derrick, JaCarlo, Demetrius, and Cordara), my sisters (ShaQuanna, Jasmine), my closest friends (Robert, Alicia, Monica, Daniel, and Orenthal), my sons (Rashawn and Jordan), my mentees/sons, and my granddaughter ShaNedra, thank you all for everything. You push me to be better each and every day. And most importantly, I thank my mom and dad: Malinda and J.B. Abner. You are my rock! Everything I have ever accomplished has been because of your consistent love toward me v and belief in me. From day one, you always communicated high hopes for me. My relationship with God is what it is because of your teachings. Finally, to God be the glory for the things He has done. vi CONTENTS ABSTRACT .................................................................................................................................... ii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ............................................................................................................. iv LIST OF TABLES ........................................................................................................................ xii CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION .....................................................................................................1 Background of the Study ...........................................................................................................3 Statement of the Problem .........................................................................................................10 Purpose of the Study ................................................................................................................13 Conceptual Framework ............................................................................................................14 Research Questions ..................................................................................................................14 Definition of Terms and Concepts ...........................................................................................15 Significance of the Study .........................................................................................................15 Scope and Limitations..............................................................................................................16 Summary ..................................................................................................................................17 CHAPTER II: THE LITERATURE REVIEW..............................................................................19 History of Oppression ..............................................................................................................19 African American Males and Underachievement ....................................................................22 Reading ..............................................................................................................................24 Math ...................................................................................................................................25 Graduation Rates ................................................................................................................27 Reasons for low performance, retention and failure to graduate .................................28 vii Retention ......................................................................................................................28 Effects of underachievement........................................................................................29 Curriculum ...................................................................................................................30