African American Adolescent Males and Text: Enablement and Engagement

1
African American Adolescent Males and Text
Enablement and Engagement

• Middle Grades Matter Conference
• Philadelphia, PA
• May 26, 2006
• Dr. Alfred W. Tatum
• Northern Illinois University
• atatum_at_niu.edu

2
Young African American Boys and Schools

• What is schooling doing for young African
  American boys?
• How are teachers conceptualizing literacy
  instruction for young African American boys?
• How are young African American boys being taught
  to read and write?

3
African American Male Student(Retained 3 times)
Let me say something. School changed a lot from
when you were in school. I know you can tell
even though you are a professor. Teachers used
to care about how good you can read Teachers
dont even do that any more. They just say
thats wrong and put it up there right. They
dont even worry about it, and they go on to the
next one. You have to take your time. Teachers
now days, do this on the board they explain it
one time - no repeating. They dont know
whether the student caught it or not. They dont
ask us if we need them to go over it one more
time?
4
I am not doubting teachers dont care, they
care. If they didnt care they wouldnt be there,
but its just that they are doing what they want
to do. Theyre doing what they think they need
to teach they are not doing what the students
need. Tatum They arent really paying
attention? S Right, they are not reading us.
Its hard but all you have to do is just sit down
and talk to us and ask us whats the problem.
5
Teachers Roles

• Making text accessible (Enablement)
• Showing students different ways how to hold their
  thinking (Engagement)

6
Enablement
7
Neformalna drama je relativno novi termin. Kojim
se opisuje niz na pozoritisu zasnovanih
aktivnosti posebno vrijednih u obrazovanju mlade
djece. Vazno je znati o cemu govorimo kada se
pozivamo na neformalu drama, jer, kao sto je
poznati kanadski teoreticar dramskog obrazovanja
Richard Courtney istakao, termini koje
upotrebljavaju edukatori u razlietim zemljama i
razlietim nastavnim nivoima razlikuju se i cesto
su izvor zabune za ucitelje.
8
Neformalna drama je relativno novi termin. Kojim
se opisuje niz na pozoritisu zasnovanih
aktivnosti posebno vrijednih u obrazovanju mlade
djece. Vazno je znati o cemu govorimo kada se
pozivamo na neformalu drama, jer, kao sto je
poznati kanadski teoreticar dramskog obrazovanja
Richard Courtney istakao, termini koje
upotrebljavaju edukatori u razlietim zemljama i
razlietim nastavnim nivoima razlikuju se i cesto
su izvor zabune za ucitelje. Neggeo teuie
ejar? Neformala drama i ________________? Gageut
Richard Courtney?
9
Neformalna drama je relativno novi termin.
Neformala drama i ________________? Kojim se
opisuje niz na pozoritisu zasnovanih aktivnosti
posebno vrijednih u obrazovanju mlade djece.
Vazno je znati o cemu govorimo kada se pozivamo
na neformalu drama, jer, kao sto je poznati
kanadski teoreticar dramskog obrazovanja
Richard Courtney istakao, termini koje
upotrebljavaju edukatori u razlietim zemljama i
razlietim nastavnim nivoima razlikuju se i cesto
su izvor zabune za ucitelje. Gageut Richard
Courtney?
10
A,E,I,O,U count to 1 count to 2

• Split consonant between vowels
• bal / lad
• Move one consonant between vowels to the next
  syllable
• te / na / cious
• Split neighboring vowels
• jo / vi / al
• Do not separate blends or word groupings that
  need each other
• ous, qu, bl, cl, dr,

11
Sample Semantic Map
What is it not?
What is it?
education is
education
Examples
Non-Examples
Key Term
12
Sample Anticipation Guide

• Directions Indicate if you agree or disagree
  with the following statements. Be prepared to
  provide an explanation for your responses.
• More phonics instruction in the elementary grades
  will reduce reading problems in high schools.
• Agree b. Disagree
• Teens read 5 or fewer pages per day in school and
  for homework.
• a. Agree b. Disagree
• 4. Members of todays generation feel basically
  hopeless about the future.
• a. Agree b. Disagree

13
Examining Geometry on its Own Terms About ten
years ago a fundamental riddle in my life was
partly answered. I had been wondering why so many
cultures, religious symbols, corporate logos, and
kindergarten classrooms were full of the regular
polygons, especially the 60-degree triangle, the
square, the pentagon, the hexagon and the
octagon. And though I did not include it in my
musings at the time the clock, or dodecagon. In
classrooms, one finds them in the forms of
blocks, pattern puzzles, the subject of countless
coloring and cut-out exercises, and in the string
constructs of geo-boards. These basic geometric
shapes turn up everywhere. Language does not seem
to matter. Culture does not seem to matter. They
turn up on all continents, in many cultures, and
occur with every civilization that has ever risen
and passed away. (Why does the author believe
that basic geometric shapes show up everywhere)?
__________________________________________________
_(think and search) When geometry is explored on
its own terms, an extraordinary intellectual
journey awaits. It begins with two points and is
guided by a few self-evident rules and carried
out by a cheap set of tools a compass for making
circles and arcs and a ruler for drawing lines.
(What tools are needed to explore geometry?)
__________________________________________________
_____________ (right there)
14
Monitoring Comprehension About 75 million people
______________ of the bubonic plague during the
14th ____________________. Half of the population
of Italy fell victim to the ______________________
. The plague caused high _______________, swollen
glands, dark splotches on the __________________,
and spitting of blood. Most _________________ who
go the disease ___________________ within a few
days. The disease was ________________ from the
fleas and rats. Lack of sanitation and poor
_________________ knowledge account for the
continuous plague epidemics throughout the 14th
century. So many people died so ___________ that
it was difficult to bury them in the
_________________ way. The dead were ____________
without the usual prayers and ceremony. Dozen of
people _______________ be buried in a single big
grave.
15
Engagement
16
A pendulum swings both ways for African American
males. On one side are hopes and dreams, where
the potential leads to promise. On the other side
is defeat, where hopes unfulfilled become a
record of human tragedyTeachers must discuss
texts with African American male students in
responsive ways in order to help them land on the
side of the pendulum that swings toward promise
and possibility.
From Chapter 8 Tatum, A. W. (2005). Teaching
Reading to Black Adolescent Males. Portland, ME
Stenhouse.
17
Dichotomy

• Enabling
• Historical Orientation
• Right of Man Ideology
• Uplift

• Dis-abling
• Present Orientation
• Skill/Strategy focus
• Leveling of text

18
Dichotomy betweenEnabling and Disabling Text

• Enabling Text moves one toward some cognitive
  action
• Moves one beyond a cognitive activity to a
  social, cultural, political, spiritual, personal
  and economical activity. Activity is defined as
  being, thinking, or doing.

• Disabling text moves you further away from an
  action that has human, political, social,
  cultural, spiritual, personal and economic
  benefits.
• Disabling texts may not have any personal
  benefits does not pay attention to the local
  contexts and the desire to define ones self.

19
Tatum Have you ever read anything that
really affected you life? J Nope. Tatum Is
there any book that just stands out that you
remember? J To say the truth, I aint
read a book. Tatum Do the teachers assign
books at school? J NO
20
Emerging Codes

• Stress Engagement SE
• Perceived Social Supports PSS
• Maladaptive Solutions MAS
• Adaptive Solutions - AS
• Emerging Identities - EI
• Self-Organizing Processes/Self-Righting
  Tendencies SOP/ SRT

21
Stress Engagement

• The majority of the world dont think we are
  worthy enough to take control and handle what we
  need to do
• We dont have education on our side

22
Perceived Social Support in Schools

• T You mentioned that teachers do not know how to
  handle black males. Talk about that.
• J Cause they just think we are worthless. They
  think we are just going to give up. They wont
  constantly help us to get on trackThey just give
  us stuff we already know basically.
• J Teachers are quick to send you out for a quick
  descent to the principals office to get
  suspended or something when all they have to do
  is to talk to us.

23
Maladaptive SolutionsExternal and Internal

• I My dad really hurt me because he told me if I
  dont get bad grades he would stay out. He went
  back. I got mad and I just started failing
  school. I felt I needed to show him I know I can
  do the work, I just chose not to for some reason.

24
(No Transcript)
25
Yo Little Brother Texts Content

• Tatum How did the text affect you?
• This book helped me out a lot. I read this book
  and it really made me think because I did some of
  the same things that same day and it made me
  think a little bitIt helped me out with a lot of
  problems I had. I wish I had this book earlier so
  I can know more things about my life.

26
Handbook for BoysText 3

• Tatum Did you complete Handbook for boys?
• J I finished this one.
• Tatum I know you did not finish the last two
  texts. Why did you complete this one?
• J I made time instead of waiting on time. Well,
  we have been talking about my life. Its like I
  have been moving away from success because I am
  not trying to find the time to do what I need to
  do to succeed, but I need to work hard to make my
  life better. (SOP)
• Tatum Thats pretty powerful.

27
I felt a whole different change when I read the
first book. Its like when I started reading I
thought I was just going to go through it and see
what that chapters about then go to the next
chapter to like glance at it a little bit, but I
just kept going away because it was like I was in
the story myself. Because I was understanding
what he was talking about, it was like I was
reading and visualizing what was happening, and
put my feet in his shoes, and thats how I kept
with the book. I mean I kept reading and reading
and reading.
28
Self-Organizing Processes

• Tatum Do you feel differently as a result of the
  texts you have been reading?
• J Im starting to think. Before I started
  reading, I didnt think period. So what I am
  saying now is Im starting to think about things.
  Before I started reading I didnt really care. I
  just did what I do.
• Tatum Do you really feel yourself changing or
  are you coming up with the right things to say?
• J I am thinking positive instead of negativeI
  used to stay in trouble everyday, now you cant
  even pay me to get into trouble.

29
Self-Organizing Processes

• Tatum Do you think it is because of reading?
• J I dont know what it is to tell the truth, but
  it has to be reading.Before I started reading, I
  stayed in trouble. Normally, I dont help my
  momma clean up, I am cleaning up for her. The
  books did not tell me anything about cleaning
  up and learn how your parents are stressing out.
  But like I said, I am starting to think so now I
  see stress in them. I dont know what it is but I
  am changing a little bit.

30
Corelles favorite part of English II had been a
played we read by August Wilson, The Piano
LessonIn one long monologue, Boy Willie talks
about the turning point in his life, the
terrifying moment when he confronted the worlds
opinion of his uselessness Many is the time I
looked at my daddy and seen him staring off at
his hands. I got a little older and I knew what
he was thinking. He sitting there saying, I got
these big ol hands but what Im gonna do with
em?...All I got is these hands. Unless I go out
and kill somebody and take what he gotits a
mighty long row to hoe for me to get something of
my own. So what Im gonna do with these big ol
hands? It is the growing perception of their
own uselessness together with apparent
lawlessness of the world around them that
hurtles boys like Corelletoward extinction. P.
115
31
The Test of a Man   The test of a man is the
fight that he makes The grit that he daily
shows, The way that he stands upon his feet, and
takes life's numerous bumps and blows. A coward
can smile when there's naught to fear, And noting
his progress bars. But it takes a man to stand
and cheer while the other fellow stars. It isn't
the victory after all, But the fight that a
Brother makes. A man, when driven against the
wall still stands erect and takes the blows of
fate with his head held high, bleeding, bruised
and pale, Is the man who will win and fate
defied, For he isn't afraid to fail.
32
Invictus William Ernest Henley 1849-1903 Out
of the night that covers me, Black as the Pit
from pole to pole, I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul. In the fell clutch
of circumstance I have not winced nor cried
aloud. Under the bludgeonings of chance My head
is bloody, but unbowed. Beyond this place of
wrath and tears Looms but the horror of the
shade, And yet the menace of the years Finds,
and shall find me, unafraid. It matters not how
strait the gate, How charged with punishments
the scroll, I am the master of my fate I am the
captain of my soul.
33
IfRudyard Kipling
If you can keep your head when all about you are
losing theirs and blaming it on you, If you can
trust yourself when all men doubt you, But make
allowance for their doubting too If you can
meet with triumph and disaster And stoop and
build 'em up with worn-out tool And so hold on
when there is nothing in you except the will
which says to them ."If neither foes nor loving
friends can hurt you, If you can fill the
unforgiving minute with sixty seconds' worth of
distance run, Yours is the Earth and everything
that's in it, And-which is more-you'll be a Man,
my son!
34
Our Deepest Fear... is not that we are
inadequate, our deepest fear is that we are
powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not
our darkness that most frightens us. We ask
ourselves, "Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous,
talented and fabulous?" Actually, who are you
not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing
small does not serve the world. There is nothing
enlightened about shrinking so that other people
won't feel insecure around you. We were born to
make manifest the glory of God within us. It is
not just in some of us, it is in everyone. And
as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously
give other people permission to do the same. As
we are liberated from our own fear, our presence
automatically liberates others. Marianne
Williamson -
35
Suffering from In-activist literacy development
Currently, literacy for action is something
imagined or postponed for some time in the
future. For many of these young men the future
never materializes because they are unable,
unwilling, or lack the understanding of the need
to navigate through schooling where their
masculinity and identity are repeatedly
assaulted.
36
Recurring Function of Literacy

• The right to define ones self without
  embarrassment, apology, or external constraint

37
Rebuilding Textual Lineage

• Anthology
• African American Literature Holt Rinehart
  Winston
• Books
• Handbook for Boys - Myers
• Our America - Jones Newman
• Reallionaire - Gray
• 47 - Mosley
• The Writing Life - Dillard
• The Rose that Grew from the Concrete - Shakur
• The Pact Davis, Jenkins, Hunt
• Yo Little Brother - Davis
• Convicted in the Womb - Upchurch
• The Greatest Myers
• Letters to a Young Brother Hill
• In the Deep Hearts Core Johnston
• Beasts of No Nation - Iweala
• Essays
• My Dungeon Shook Baldwin

• Excerpts
• Preface of Invisible Man Ellison
• Up From Slavery Washington
• Black Boy Wright
• Shame of a Nation Kozol
• The World is Flat Freidman
• All Alone in the World Bernstein
• Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass
• The Autobiography of Malcolm X
• Quitting America Man-Boy
• The Call of the Wild - London
• Movies
• Lean on Me
• Finding Forrester
• Dead Poets Society
• Something the Lord Made
• Tuskegee Airmen
• Crimson Tide

38
When a human being becomes suddenly conscious of
the tremendous powers lying latent within him,
when from the puzzled contemplation of a
half-known self, he rises to the powerful
assertion of a self, conscious of its might, then
there is loosed upon the world possibilities of
goodthat make men pause. W. E. B.
DuBois The Education of Black People