Achievement for African-American Students: Strategies for the Diverse Classroom.

Abstract

This book has been designed to provide teachers of kindergarten through grade 12 with techniques and approaches for helping their African American students achieve in school. It presents a planned approach to four major initiatives: (1) to restructure the instruction and behaviors practiced in most classrooms today; (2) to provide teachers with strategies that will help them interact positively with their multicultural students; (3) to provide social and instructional strategies designed for effectiveness with African American male students; and (4) to describe measures that will increase the involvement of African American parents in their children's education. Chapter 1 explains what is wrong with the situation as it is and why new strategies are needed to respond to the needs of African American students. Chapter 2 argues that teaching must be restructured to support instruction and behaviors that are sensitive to ethnic minorities. Chapter 3 outlines a blueprint for action to promote more positive interactions between teachers and students, and Chapter 4 challenges the myth that urban African American parents do not want to get involved in school. Chapter 4 also offers a set of programs and strategies to increase parent involvement and a strategy to involve the whole community. (Contains 84 references.) (SLD)