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Abstract:
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The topic of the achievement gap is perceived to be a “taboo” topic at an elementary school where the African American students have failed to meet their target goal on standardized testing every year since measurements have been published.
Sources of Data:
Twenty-five teachers responded to a questionnaire about 40 historical African American figures African American, all of whom were perceived to have left a lasting legacy of relevance to all people regardless of race or culture. Following the survey, two focus group sessions and two interviews were conducted.
Conclusions Reached:
Teachers and all those from the school’s professional teaching community, who participated in the study, embraced the opportunity to engage in a discussion of race, culture and achievement. Teachers welcomed the idea of a culturally-relevant pedagogy and were observed to need support in grasping the broader scope of the concept. Teachers found it difficult to discuss a single, marginalized group and generally targeted language, vocabulary, and class as reasons for the achievement gap of African American students. |
