Empowering African-American Males: A Guide to Increasing Black Male Achievement

Mychal Wynn

#5101 (8.5 x 11, 320 pgs) $24.95

ISBN 1-880463-69-5
978-1-880463-69-7

This second edition provides updated achievement data (AP course enrollment, high school graduation rates, college readiness rates, college enrollment rates, and college graduation rates). Outlines a step-by-step analysis of Black male achievement in the largest public school districts.

Must reading for anyone concerned with increasing Black male achievement. Whether African-American, African-Canadian, African-Bermudian, Caribbean, or African, this book provides insight into the unique gender and common cultural issues pertaining to Black male achievement.

In addition to providing national achievement data, this newly revised edition outlines a clear, cohesive set of strategies dealing with such issues as: Black male culture; peer pressures which devalue academic achievement; media images which promote non-Standard English usage and a thuggish image; developing grading methodology and instructional practices which meet student needs; building relationships between home and school that is driven by a shared mission; and why the college-bound message is one that Black males must begin hearing in elementary school.

Strategies include increasing Black male enrollment in math and science; building stronger relationships between coaches, counselors, teachers, administrators, and parents; making connections between tomorrow's dreams and today's efforts; building a partnership between teachers and parents to raise achievement, grades, and test scores; increasing gifted and talented identification, honors, and AP class enrollment.

The original version of this book outlined ten building blocks dealing with the critical areas required to build stronger relationships with Black males as part of the transformation of their thinking from excuses to empowerment and from low-performance to high academic achievement. The information contained within those building blocks has been woven into the six components as presented in the book, "Increasing Student Achievement: Volume I, Vision:" Mission, Vision, Climate & Culture, Curriculum and Content, Instruction, and Assessment. The components are dealt with from the perspective of overall school improvement through the systemic changes, cultural shift, operational teams, and research needed to pave the way to higher achievement levels for all students. Here, the components are dealt with from the perspective of the unique needs of Black males and their families as part of a holistic set of strategies directed at closing the achievement gap and successfully empowering Black males to move through the K-12 educational system into postsecondary institutions.

National Statistics