4 A's Text-Based Protocol
AGREEMENTS
AA males need role models
There are expectations that they will be in gangs - not seeing other options
Some less gifted and will be more likely to give up - how can we change that?
Sometimes we have wonderful books but we don't know how to use them.
Lack of inspiration
Kids may have preconceived ideas about teachers / adults - must develop trust first.
Influences of hip-hop culture
"School Success" and AA male talents and abilities not always aligned.
As a profession, we have not yet "gotten it right"
Literacy instruction must change now
Hidden racism still exists
We lack quality texts.
There is a lot of over-generalization and underestimation of AA males.
Everyone sometimes gets tired of trying and loses sight of the possibility of success
p. 20 - We send people to the office so quickly
VOICES- We need African-American voices in the library.
Lack of collaborative learning (student-student, student-teacher, teacher-teacher)
90's "Punishment decade" - Reflected in schools
p.15 "failure Dance" people are giving up on students and not investing in them
p. 6-7 "Exiles in American Soil"- Students have to make personal connections.
AA males may not see how education can work for them- Can't connect to the classroom setting
Reflect before we reject
Culture of Poverty: we don't get resources that wealthier libraries, schools have.
It's not just about their literacy development, it's about their lives. That's why it's so important to find texts they relate to.
6-12 graders who are overaged, retained, are embarassed and ashamed. Especially when put on the spot to read when they have trouble doing so. We must be sensitive.
Library is a safe, judgement free zone especially when outside influences can be discouraging
ASPIRATIONS
Make the media center match up with students' talents and interests
Inspire love of reading
Aspire to change thinking and open minds - i.e. graphic novels, rap performances in the library.
Bookclubs for AA boys or any boys
Find appropriate, meaningful texts & match the students to these texts
Get posters and popular biographies into the media center.
Collaborate with public libraries.
Find male teachers to form book clubs with male students - helps with book selection and providing role models.
Parent forums
Parental education "literacy"
Need to do something radical to change the culture - we need more accountability
Move from talking to implementation
Find the literature that does already exist
Desire to connect with all students & demonstrate that we care- How do we go about forming those connections?
Connect to culture
Collaborative literacy- How can we create this in the library?
Chapter 3- Vital Signs of Literacy Development- We want AA males to be part of the literacy process.
Reframe reading/Literacy as a right, not a burden- Don't let it be taken for granted
Read aloud to compensate for lack in home environment
Listen to students, identify essential questions and supplement text with relevant poems and experiences
p. 20 Reflect before we reject
Improve classroom management
p. 13 make sure kids know they matter
Keep a positive attitude towards A/A males and about them
Better communicate with families, community, and the kids
Alignments
Find ways to get students who do not already read and write into the library.
How do we "light the fire" for kids who don't read?
TIME needed to get kids excited about reading.
To discuss reading
Find books that kids can connect with.
Realize that kids express themselves in different ways.
Shatter stereotypes of the librarian: we like to laugh and have fun.
Budget restraints sometimes cause gaps between where we are and where we want to be.
Testing culture in schools does not lead to meaningful connection to reading
English curriculums can be changed to be more flexible
Use other librarians as resource people to help with materials selection
The reality is that AA males are being lost to the streets - curriculum must change
Strategies must have consistency and follow-through over time
Be PROACTIVE
Kids need to know what our expectations of them are and that this WILL happen
Lack of knowledge about student experience cannot be faked
How do we address issues of home life? % of AA males in jail, single parent families?
time to read
Personal Connections
Meaningful Collaborations
Meta World- school, family, society- specfic to child
Annotated Bibliographies for Reader's Advisory- shared among School Librarians
How to tap into people with personal experiences to help students of related backgrounds
How to make 1st connections when your background is different from a child's experience?
(Failure Dance) Prove self to students
"Oversimplification"/"Overestimation" Is it a reasonable request?
Make it a priority
Should be part of their K-12 experience
Lack of preparation in early grades
Learn to listen--open up the line of communication
Need more positive role models in society (authors, characters, actors, etc)
Antagonistic disciplinary practices - How do we change that?
Adjustments
Try to bridge the gap with parental support.
Do booktalks and genre surveys to better advise readers.
Try to keep my schedule flexible.
Work wirh classroom teachers to discover student interests.
Do more read-alouds
Use more poetry.
Address the issue of high school kids who cannot read
Be mindful of our current situation, make the students aware, and have a plan of action.
Get buy-in from administrators, other media coordinators, and teachers.
Get more money!- example: Mini Grants from DAE
Be accountable and make the students accountable.
Give them more responsibility
Decide your priority and make it a reality
Do we have the "power" to make this happen in our schools? Buy-in is key - all stakeholders must be on board.
Difference between illiterate & alliterate
changing culture
Win students' trust
Address achievement gap, even at successful schools
Persist in reaching out to students- Don't give up!
More positive interactions crucial - Build relationships
More face-to-face time with students
Help students see the role of literacy in their lives
Mindset adjustment, keep focused, more aware of actions
send out more info (newsletters, web page info, family nights in media center)
Collection development
seeking out qualified opinions
Make it a priority to reach these kids in elementary school, don't wait until they become adolescents
Role models (especially that went to that middle/high school), "big brothers" from Duke, NC Central
Make lessons more engaging, allow students to talk more
Slow down - Take more time w/ fewer books, more in depth examination of texts
Be selective to find meaningful texts