LearnmoreMN Blog

Motivating kids is key to their success

By Kent Pekel, September guest blogger

How does Minnesota move beyond admiring the problem of the gaping gaps in educational achievement and attainment that persist in our state along racial and socioeconomic lines? That was one of the questions I had the opportunity to pose last night to more than 100 community members who gathered to watch a preview screening of a new TPT documentary, “Challenging Expectations.” The program offers a compelling overview of the urgent need to put students from groups that have long been underrepresented in higher education — especially students of color and low-income students — on the path to success at technical, community and four-year colleges.

The program describes many of the changes that schools, colleges and community partners need to make to reach that goal, from increasing access to challenging high school classes to providing mentors and support systems for students who face challenges beyond the classroom. Carlos Mariani Rosa — legislator and head of the Minnesota Minority Education Partnership — spoke about the need for systemic responses combined with individual commitment and community leadership. He also suggested that we need many more non-profit organizations like Admission Possible and publicly supported initiatives like the federal TRiO programs.

I agree with Carlos about the need for systemic reforms and supports, but I was most struck by the conversation afterward about another critical part of the formula for academic success: student motivation. Time and again, we heard students who were succeeding against the odds say they had a fire in the belly to make their way to college and a career. Some of those students said that motivation came from a family member, others drew it from a mentor or teacher and still others had no idea where it originated.

As I reflected last night on my years as a K-12 teacher and administrator, I realized that despite the fact that my colleagues and I were deeply committed to student success, no school or district I worked in had a formal strategy to increase and sustain students’ motivation to succeed in school. Instead, we assumed that strong relationships and good teaching would result in the motivation to learn. For many students, those things are enough. But my experience in recent years and the “Challenging Expectations” program reinforce my sense that schools and organizations that work with youth now need to put in place proactive and powerful strategies for motivating students to succeed in school and progress toward higher education and high-skill employment.

And so the question in my mind today is this: what would that look like? How can we do more than hope that students develop the persistence to work through academic and personal challenges to reach their goals? How can we help young people who tweet and text all day develop the willingness to undertake the “boring” work that is required to learn to perform a science experiment, write a great essay or create a great work of art?

What programs and educators are already doing this, what can we learn from them and how do we replicate them across Minnesota? We need to stop admiring the problem of the achievement gap and start solving it at scale for all of our students and in all of our communities.

Achievement Gap and Poverty

By John Fitzgerald, April guest blogger

I recently wrote an essay for Minnesota 2020 about the achievement gap. My goal was to bring to light new figures that show the gap still exists and has not changed for the better.

The achievement gap is most often seen through the lens of race — that is, how do minority students compare to white students? In Minnesota, they fare quite poorly. In 1992, white fourth-grade students scored 223 on a National Assessment of Educational Progress test while African American students scored 189, a gap of 34 points. Fifteen years later, that gap was 33 points. In eighth-grade math, white students scored 277 in 1990 and African Americans 236 — a gap of 41 points. In 2007, that gap was 37 points.

But race isn’t the only way to look at the achievement gap. Significant differences can be seen between those children who live in poverty and those who do not.

More than 30 percent of Minnesota students qualify for free and reduced price school lunch, the federal standard for poverty. There was a gap in the reading test of 30 points between fourth-graders from high-income families and low-income families in 1998. That gap was 27 points in 2007. Minnesota’s low-income fourth-graders rank 31st in the country in test scores.

The situation is worse in the eighth-grade math test. What was a 19-point difference in 2000 is a 25-point difference in 2007.

What’s the answer to the achievement gap? Heck if I know. I am often reminded of the saying “A war is won with boots on the ground.” I suspect that the achievement gap problem — vast and nationwide — will require a solution that includes increased manpower to reach out to students in danger of becoming achievement gap statistics. We simply must not allow these students to fail.

Latinos engage on education policy issues

By Rogelio Muñoz, March guest blogger

During President Barack Obama’s first address to the nation last month, he called for Americans to be more civically engaged in their communities on issues important to them. The president emphasized the significance of what we each can do when we unite, mobilize, and work together. In Minnesota, that charge has been the essence of Latino civic engagement for generations and today it is no different.

Shortly after the 2009 Legislative Session convened in early January, the state’s Latino community participated in the 2009 Latino Legislative Day at the Capitol. The event, organized by the state’s Chicano Latino Affairs Council, was the first in modern history to bring Latinos together under one united voice to support a multi-issue policy agenda.  With some 200 Latino community members, leaders, supporters, and longtime advocates, the day at the Capitol addressed the council’s priorities for the 2009 Legislative Session and important policy issues for Minnesota’s Latino community, such as Pre K-12 education, higher education, and health. 

On the issue of education in the state, Latino students in public schools continue to be impacted by the achievement gap across all subject areas and have the lowest graduation rate. Currently, Minnesota’s minority communities or people of color comprise more than 14 percent of the total state population. When you compare this percentage to students of color in our public schools, the percentage is much higher at 24 percent or almost one-fourth of the total student enrollment. Further, Minnesota’s total Latino population is at 4 percent (208,000) while it is surpassed by the total Latino student enrollment at 6.1 percent (51,000). What does this say? Clearly, the state’s Latino community is younger and growing fast.

During the Latino Legislative Day at the Capitol, 25 teams organized and led by Latino community leaders, met with state legislators to brief them on the needs of Latino students. View their recommendations 

Minnesota must meet the needs of Latino students in public schools and prepare them for higher education. It’s important to our community and to the state. 

Root cause of the achievement gap

Posted by moderator

In Part Two of his article, At-Risk Sur-Thrival Begins Deep-Down In The Mind, Jon Pekel shares his view of the achievement gap. Here’s an edited excerpt.

“In my view, all too many well-meaning youth programs jump right to throwing time and money at solutions, without carefully defining the underlying root cause of the problem for which their solution, supposedly, is a corrective action. That’s why when I founded MyGrowthPlan.Org four years ago I spent months reviewing the achievement gap research and literature. Gradually, I came to the conclusion that the primary root cause of the achievement gap is NOT found in:

1. The low socio/economic status of some people of color
2. The still oppressive White mainline culture – that is, in white racism
3. Poorly performing teachers and schools, or in the
4. Inherent intellect or learning deficiencies of students of color.

Rather, in my view, the primary underlying root cause of the domestic and international achievement gap is found in some relatively recent, highly negative American youth development MINDSET values, beliefs, and attitudes & LIFESTYLE behaviors and practices. And, while our entire American culture exhibits some aspects of these negative youth development qualities, I believe they are particularly strong in some (but not all) segments of the Black and Latino communities, and in some segments of the White and Asian communities. But, as with earlier American sub-cultures, I believe these negative youth development orientations and practices are temporary and very fixable … if they are specifically identified, admitted, and addressed.”

Do you agree with this view of the primary root cause of the achievement gap?

Read the full article and share your comments here.

Is the achievement gap caused by our culture?

Posted by moderator

We've posted a new article about a planning service for at-risk high school and college students on the LearnmoreMN site. Jon Pekel, president of MyGrowthPlan.org, states in his article that our pop culture has had an adverse impact on many youth and their families.

"...I believe our profit-driven mass media pop culture...is highly toxic, systematically undermining the development of our youth's highly vulnerable, still under construction teen brain, mind and resulting everyday lifestyle."

In Pekel's view, the achievement gap stems in part from a mass media influence that promotes negative values, beliefs, attitudes and lifestyle practices. He proposes a model that focuses on continuous growth planning versus a "street survival" (just let life happen) orientation. His practical suggestions include better role modeling by parents and educators and changes to our youth development practices. What do you think?

Read his article and share your comments here.

Response to "Vanishing Graduates & Minnesota's Future"

By Katherine Bristol, April Guest Blogger

Minnesota is a prosperous place; the state ranks highly in many social and economic indicators.  The state’s  affluence can be traced to wise investment and policy decisions made by past generations.  However, as we progress into the 21st century, this prosperity is not guaranteed.  In order to be competitive globally, Minnesota needs a highly‐skilled workforce.  Regrettably, several indicators of educational attainment demonstrate that the state is not meeting this standard.  This is especially true for communities of color, which comprise a major source of future workers.  And while Minnesota has the third highest high school completion rate among all states, following high school, about 65 percent of Minnesotans enroll in postsecondary education.  Sustaining this high rate will be a challenge for Minnesota’s high schools and postsecondary institutions.

The total number of high school graduates is projected to decline by 10 percent from 2005 to 2010.  This will occur as children of the baby boomers (“the boomlet”) move beyond the high school age.  According to the Minnesota Office of Higher Education, “Unless high school to college participation rates increase—especially among low‐income students, students of color and other students who are traditionally underrepresented in post‐secondary education — colleges will have a smaller pool of students from which to recruit (Minnesota Office of Higher Education 2006).”

“Vanishing Graduates” addresses the economic and social issues associated with a lower number of college graduates.  It got me thinking about what are some practical changes that could be made, without addressing widespread issues such as federal funding and teacher quality. I was able to come up with two, based on my previous research and experience:

1. Set High Standards.  Minnesota must be a national leader in public education.  In order to accomplish this ambitious objective, every student, family, teacher, school, district and program must be held to the high standards.  These goals must be transparent to all, specific and measurable.  Although it may seem counterintuitive, setting high standards is key to improving outcomes for low‐income or minority students who begin school with significant deficits in cognitive, social, and academic skills.
2. Empower Communities, Schools and Individuals.  Empowerment at the community, school and individual levels bestows control to members of marginalized communities who have often been denied that privilege. That control fosters senses of ownership and pride.  When communities are empowered to be involved in their schools, schools are empowered to take control of their own resources, parents are empowered to take initiative in their children’s learning, and young people are empowered to get involved in their communities, the end result will be improved outcomes for students.

I would like to know your thoughts on these suggestions, or the show in general! Please feel free to post your opinion below in the comment section, and we can get the conversation about this important issue started!

Final comments on the achievement gap

By Josie Johnson, March Guest Blogger

I have received many comments regarding the articles on issues relating to the achievement gap question. They have been thoughtful and encouraging. The bottom line supports the need for all of us interested in the education of ALL children, to get involved.

In his book Achievement Matters, Hugh B. Price, former president of the National Urban League, states in the introduction: “Education is the great equalizer in American society. It unlocks the doors to children’s futures.” All the comments I have received made that statement in many different ways.

Our challenge is to apply the skills of research and analysis. We need to take time, and review all the educational reforms strategies we have initiated in the last 54 years.

Marvin Cetron and Margaret Gayle in their book Educational Renaissance, reported on hundreds of reform efforts they studied in the 1980s. They identified several school districts that showed some progress. We in education often refer to “best practices” however I am not sure we truly follow models of “best practices.” We too often introduce a new reform before we determine what worked and what did not work in the last reform methods to educate all children.

I believe our American education system is in trouble. We are losing a once-held prestigious position in science and technology and we have again, relinquished our interest in educating all the children to outsourcing and recruiting from abroad.

Until America places value on all her children we will continue to be "A Nation at Risk" and widen the achievement gap.

Issues Before the Achievement Gap

By Josie Johnson, March 2008 Guest Blogger

On May 17 we will celebrate the 54th year since the Supreme Court settled the question in Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, does segregation of children in public schools solely on the basis of race, even though the physical facilities and other tangible factors may be equal, deprive the children of the minority group of equal educational opportunity? “We believe that it does,” the Court said.

Thurgood Marshall, the chief NAACP Legal Defense lawyer at the time of the decision, believed that the American Dream could be made to work for Black people as well as whites. He did not believe that the system was flawed and deeply etched with the effects of segregation and the laws of segregation which had denied Black children equal education opportunities.

Some historians have written that Marshall, the NAACP lawyers and the Black community were convinced that the Supreme Court decision guaranteed Black children the education their parents and communities had suffered and died for since 1865.

The dream of true emancipation through education continues to elude our Black community. It has become clear that the issues facing Black parents and Black communities are larger than simply the condition of the schools or transportation. They are more subtle and insidious.

In many schools, Black children are taught by teachers who believe them to be inferior and, therefore, treat them that way. The same teachers teach white children that they are superior. Curiously, the degree to which Black children are experiencing this from teachers has increased since the enforcement of Brown. Many Black children are forced to fight their way rather than learn their way through school in an effort to gain some sense of self-respect.

In many communities, experienced Black teachers have been removed from classrooms with large numbers of Black students where they served as models and have either been “promoted” to an administrative position or reassigned to a white majority school.

Furthermore, teachers are offered pay incentives classified as combat pay, to accept teaching assignments in schools in Black majority neighborhoods. All of these behaviors and policies perpetuate institutionalized racism which is etched deeply into the American social fabric.

One year after the historic May 1954 decision, renowned scholar and historian, Dr. W.E.B. Du Bois, predicted that it would force Black people to face:

…a cruel dilemma…with successfully mixed schools they know what their children must suffer for years from southern white teachers, from white students who sit beside them and under school authorities from janitors to superintendents, who hate and despise them….They must eventually surrender race ‘solidarity’ and the idea of American Negro culture to the concept of world humanity, above race and nation. This is the price of liberty. This is the cost of oppression.

Unfortunately, Dr. Du Bois was accurate in predicting the experiences Black children would have in desegregated schools.

In today’s system our children are not being taught to function successfully in society. Their learning has been replaced by emphasis on the achievement gap. The U.S. Department of Education describes this gap as “the difference in academic performance between different ethnic groups.” The Department also states that the achievement gap is a multifaceted problem that requires examination from multiple perspectives. Some educators suggest it is the difference between a child’s potential and his/her actual achievement.

In my judgment, the challenge to help Black students reach that potential is, in part, the lack of knowledge about and respect for the Black student’s community’s relationship/history with education.  Neither the teachers nor our children know their history. They don’t know who they are, their relationship to education or, from whence they have come.

The gap is caused by disparities in information, resources, instruction, belief, commitment, quality and care. Our children are given medication, assigned to special classes for emotional or academic deficiencies, allowed to fall short of their potential rather than reach their potential.

We must pull together as a nation, if we are to survive. We must save all of our children and help them become the best they can be.

The society needs all its children to become successful, productive, happy citizens.