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THIS
ISSUE +++
Heewon Chang, Ph. D.
Eastern
University
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TEACH
AMERICA WITH CARE: Mitra
Fallahi
This paper describes two years of experience working as a university consultant in an urban high school located in the city of Chicago. In this case, the targeted school was placed on probation given that students did not perform well on standardized tests. These schools are given the opportunity to improve students’ test scores or they will be shut down. Schools on probation adopt remedial programs such as intensive reading programs and develop partnerships with universities who provide consulting services. All teachers regardless of their subject area are required to spend a portion of class time practicing students’ reading skills. [paragraph 1] The pressure of teaching students who are usually under-prepared in the subject matter as well as preparing them for a test is detrimental to the survival of the school and creates enormous anxiety for teachers. Teachers grow to resent the test and the testing procedure for the following reasons: 1) high school students are usually not adequately prepared for the grade in which they attend, 2) the amount of resources available to teachers is minimal at best, and 3) students tend to come from troubled families. Trouble in the family or lack of an adult in the student’s life typically translates into a lack of support for the teacher. In the process, the need for improving test scores becomes the driving force by which administrators base their decisions. The result is an unhappy and nervous crew of administrators, teachers, and consequently students. This paper reflects on common characteristics of the most effective teachers in such pedagogically difficult academic settings. [paragraph 2] The question focused on during the first semester working at the targeted school was whether teachers in the school were multiculturally prepared to reach out to and understand students. The majority of the teachers were White, while 100% of the students were African American. Nevertheless, there was no attempt to incorporate a multicultural awareness in the curriculum. Test scores and staffing classes with certified teachers seemed to be the only issues with which every one at the school was concerned. [paragraph 3] My experience revealed that effective teachers respected students and presented tenets of multicultural education in their treatment of students. Effective teachers were also sensitive to students’ socio-economical status, cultural, racial, and gender related issues, and expressed a genuine care and interest in helping students succeed to the best of their ability. They trusted students, communicated with them, and motivated them effectively. In addition, effective teachers shared the following characteristics: 1) awareness of the limited instructional resources and willingness to make ends meet with whatever was available to them; 2) sensitivity to and consciousness of cultural differences and the needs of students from racially and socio-economically deprived backgrounds, and 3) willingness to pursue the personal goal of teaching students to the best of their abilities despite students’ poor academic preparation. [paragraph 4] A review
of literature on multicultural education reveals that
multiculturalism has been primarily defined in terms of its
goals and characteristics. According to Banks (2002), “a major
goal of multicultural education is to provide all students with
the skills, attitude, and knowledge needed to function within
their ethnic culture, within their mainstream culture, and
within and across other ethnic cultures” (p. 2). Multicultural
education has also been defined in terms of achieving social
justice, caring for students, respecting students’ own and other
cultures through strong interpersonal communications, and
placing an emphasis on teaching students and challenging them to
perform to the best of their ability. Having students as the
center of attention in a school or classroom enhances the
possibility of their academic success. The following literature
describes how researchers view basic tenets of multicultural
education such as caring, attention, enhancement of learning
through promotion of an authentic curriculum, and the
development of interpersonal skills.
[paragraph 5] Qiuyun (2001) describes a caring centered multicultural education that needs to become a central part of the school curriculum in order for schools to succeed in educating students. Qiuyun suggests that a “caring centered multicultural teacher conveys a sense of urgency in raising students’ levels of achievement and self efficacy”. This caring centered education is a way for educators to promote social justice by treating students equally and focusing on the education of the children who may be oppressed. Over-emphasis on tests contributes to the development of a “hidden curriculum” as one of the invisible forces that control the curriculum and instruction in a school. This hidden curriculum perpetuates the acceptance of the status quo by teachers who do not want to change (Ginsberg and Cliff as cited in Qiuyun). Townsend (2002) describes the need for classroom teachers to be responsive to the needs of diverse students. Townsend mentions that teachers might revisit their understanding of culture by creating opportunities for all students to learn. Le Roux (2002) places emphasis on the interpersonal communication as being crucial to the success of the school and thus students in diverse schools. The importance of students as the focus of school has been described by Elam (cited in Qiuyun). Elam describes Northwest, a middle school in Utah with a minority rate of 39%, as a successful school given that students are the number one priority for administrators and faculty. Different programs such as “Student of the Day: Academic Superstar or Super Citizen” (p. 5) honor students on a daily basis. About 500 students are honored every year. The type of approach used by Northwest is in direct contrast to the targeted school in this article where the “word of the day” was posted on all classroom and hallway walls daily and the preparation for standardized tests was the primary focus. [paragraph 6] A review of the literature indicates that if school success is measured in terms of students’ academic performance rather than as outcome of standardized tests, then teachers who apply goals and characteristics of multicultural education are on the right track to help students and schools succeed. Among the tenets most successful in promoting students’ academic progress are social justice through a caring centered education, and developing a positive and respectful interpersonal approach. [paragraph 7] The school in which the case study took place was an inner-city high school attended predominantly by African American students. Improving standardized test scores was the primary focus of the school. The school had received a few grants from Chicago Public Schools to hire a team of reading specialists to improve students’ reading skills and to develop partnership with a university to provide consulting services to the teachers and administrators. [paragraph 8] Classes were conducted in a block schedule. Every block was one hundred minutes given that two fifty-minute classes in the traditional schedule were combined. Each teacher had to spend about fifteen minutes of each class working on reading comprehension and “the word of the day.” The word of the day was posted in different places in the hallways as well as on every chalkboard in the classrooms. The word of the day was the focus of reading activities. One year after the implementation of the reading program the test scores increased. Administrators and teachers perceived this as a success and referred to increased scores as “the May Day,” since the school had received notice of the improved test scores in May. The second year the school benefited from a positive attitude among teachers and administrators, which resulted from the success achieved the previous year. The second year tests given in April were changed from the format of the previous year without prior notice. As a result test performance was lower than that of the previous year. At the end of that academic year the principal left and a new principal was hired who terminated the reading program and partnership with the university. [paragraph 9] As a university consultant my responsibility was to make field trips to classes in which teachers could use assistance and guidelines that would enhance their teaching and would lead to better preparation among students. School administrators provided me with the names of teachers and explained why they thought that the teacher could benefit from my consultation. I met with the teachers identified and together we planned visits to their classes and dates for subsequent meetings. When administrators referred teachers to me they gave a brief history of the teacher’s background and his or her affiliation with the school. For example, teachers who had begun their teaching that year in the targeted high school or new teachers were referred to me for consultation. Veteran teachers who had been at school for a long time and who, based on their students’ poor performance on standardized tests and teacher-made tests, as well as observation of their classes, were also on the administrators’ list for consultation. Administrators seemed to be particularly frustrated with science and math teachers, both new or veteran, who had displayed weak instructional skills during observation, had low students’ attendance in their classes, and whose students had low academic performance both on standardized tests as well as teacher made tests. A severe shortage of science and math teachers in the city of Chicago made it even more difficult for administrators to find qualified math and science teachers to replace these teachers or to release veteran tenured teachers who were ineffective from their teaching responsibilities. [paragraph 10] The second
group were teachers who had been hired on a full-time basis to
fill a vacancy with which administrators had not succeeded in
filling with a certified teacher or a person holding a related
degree in the subject area required for the position. One such
example was a mammogram technician assistant who was hired to
teach English. The possibility of this person seeking
certification in English in the state of Illinois was slim and
involved at least two years of college education. In our first
visit she told me that she had no desire After a
few months, frustrated with the poor performance of these
teachers, I asked administrators if there were effective
teachers in the school. I wanted to know if anyone cared to
teach students. To boost my morale, administrators introduced me
to a few good teachers and suggested that I attend department
meetings where I could meet and communicate with different
teachers. I had the opportunity to know effective teachers as
they approached me in department meetings. I took time to
observe their classes and made recommendations to novice
teachers to do the same. After one year, I divided teachers that
I worked with into the following categories: 1) least effective
teachers, 2) ineffective veteran teachers, resistant to change,
and 3) teachers who were new to teaching and basically lacked
experience. There was a fourth group of teachers in the school
who were not on the administrators’ list for consultation. In
this article I describe them as effective teachers. Effective
teachers included new, experienced, and veteran teachers.
[paragraph 12] These were teachers who
were unhappy with their job or who had given up on students and
blamed the system for failing the students, and those who were
convinced that they could not help students because they were
academically unprepared. They did not make any effort to change
the situation and were least cooperative with the consultants
and reading specialists. Another group in this category were
non-certified teachers hired to fill a vacant position.
Non-certified teachers tried to learn as much as possible in
order to survive, but basically they became babysitters in the
classroom. In all these cases, students typically became
victims. [paragraph 13]
Ineffective Veteran Teachers Resistant
to Change Those were teachers who had settled into a comfort zone and were resistant to any change or assignment that required them to take action in a manner that demanded deviation from their routine. Veteran teachers were for the most part very friendly people. They had stories to tell and knew all about the school and its history. They developed good rapport with the majority of students. They did not resist the idea of having an outsider, a consultant, in their classroom, but they did not change their teaching routine as a result of these services. Teachers in this category appeared convinced that they could not change much by focusing on students’ poor academic preparation. [paragraph 14] The third category of teachers on administrators’ lists was new teachers. For the most part teachers in this case made every effort to improve teaching strategies and worked to teach students effectively. They were also interested in receiving good evaluations from the principal, either to be re-hired, to leave school for a better job, or just to become a good teacher. In general they were open to consultation and welcomed input that they believed to be beneficial to their teaching. One such teacher would invite me to her class on any possible day. She asked questions using e-mail and welcomed suggestions. She received good recommendations from the principal and his assistant and ultimately left the school to teach in what she believed was a better school. [paragraph 15] Another first-year teacher was a Stanford University graduate who had chosen to teach in deprived schools. He was an intern from the Harvard University “Teach for America” program. Both of these first year teachers tried to be effective in their effort to reach out to the students. They were very sensitive to the needs of students coming from low socio-economical backgrounds, and appreciated racial differences between themselves and students. [paragraph 16] As in every school there
were a group of teachers who had a positive attitude toward I met some of the teachers in department meetings, during in-staff development days, or other school activities. For example, I met a history teacher during a department meeting where I suggested that instead of teaching to the test students could be taught test-taking skills. He liked the idea and asked me to meet with him. We met and discussed some cooperative learning and test-taking strategies. He explained how he tries to make a connection between learning history and his students’ lives by putting students in charge of their own learning. In talking with him it was clear that he is sensitive to the fact that students come from different racial, cultural, and socio-economical backgrounds and that he is sensitive to their cultural and social needs. The administrators described him as an outstanding teacher. However, he was still frustrated that the school was driven by test results. He left his position mid-year. [paragraph 18] Another teacher trying
hard to improve his skills and help students was the teacher
from the "Teach for America" program. He taught history to
freshmen and sophomores. He worked with the previously mentioned
history teacher and found him rigorous in pursuing new ways to
improve students’ achievement. [paragraph 19] During the first semester the new "Teach for America" intern had found teaching challenging and was wondering if he would continue with the program. Challenges that he faced included teaching unmotivated students history, following a restricted reading program, discipline problems intensified by students’ lack of familiarity with a young White male teacher, and students’ lack of respect. As the year progressed he seemed to become more comfortable in overcoming these challenges. It was in March that he decided he would continue his dream of making a difference in the lives of the most deprived students in the society for another year. In my working with him as a consultant the teacher revealed his sensitivity to the needs of diverse students. When asked what made him choose to teach students in inner-city schools he responded that his education as a history major in Stanford had given him a solid understanding of the social injustices that had deprived minorities of their right to an equal and equitable education. [paragraph 20] As a new teacher, he was
receptive to new ideas and he welcomed new strategies such as
cooperative learning and performance-based activities. We also
discussed students’ cognitive, developmental, social, and
cultural needs. Throughout this process he was willing to try
new models of teaching that helped improve classroom management.
Some of the cooperative learning strategies worked well in two
of his classes but not in the third one. We brainstormed other
ideas for the third class. [paragraph 21] We discussed different aspects of multicultural awareness such as sensitivity to cultural, racial, and gender differences with a racial perspective, social justice, and socio-economical status. In general, even when bothered by his students’ behavior and lack of interest in academics, the teacher in this case never lost sight of his dream and desire to teach deprived students. He showed a genuine interest in students’ lives and intended to help them learn history. He shared his love for history with them with great honesty. His genuine interest and respect helped students to accept and respect him as a teacher by the second semester. [paragraph 22] The third effective teacher was an African American female science teacher. She was not on my list to observe. I visited her class after being impressed by her students’ performance in a science fair and after being frustrated by the negativity and pessimism of three other science teachers that were on my list to observe. She taught science classes as if learning mattered most. She spent the first fifteen minutes on reading comprehension and “ the word of the day” exercises and then went on to teach science using all the instructional strategies that could make an eighty-five minute class interesting and attractive. In a school where everyone complained about lack of resources she made ends meet with whatever was available to her and students. She shared with me how she personally wrote to companies asking for supplies that she needed and convinced them to provide materials at a discount or even for free. Students in her classes attended science fairs using the materials that they found in her reservoir without paying for everything. She diversified instruction, keeping students on task. She taught students and prepared them for the test without teaching them to the test. She, too, was sensitive to the culture, the kind of family, and socio-economical status that students came from and showed optimum care for both students and their education. She was well-respected and trusted by students. [paragraph 23] Spending one day a week for two years in a deprived school was an invaluable experience. Lessons learned from that experience have been instrumental in my teaching as a college professor. The most important lesson learned was that good teachers share common characteristics regardless of where they teach. A majority of college students choose to enter the teaching profession because they love children and because they want to make a difference in the lives of children or adolescents, but not all of them become effective teachers. It is the responsibility of higher education and not only of teacher education programs to provide pre-service teachers with a thorough understanding of what it means to serve ALL people in any capacity and show them how can they make a difference in the lives of the students they are going to teach. Knowledge of society, social justice, equity, equality, race, class, gender, cultural, language, ethnic differences, and the needs of people with disability must be an integral component of every educational system beginning in pre-kindergarten and continued at any level of education. A culture of caring must be incorporated in the core curriculum of elementary, middle or high school and all levels of higher education in order to create an educated society. [paragraph 24]
Banks, J. (2002) An
introduction to multicultural education (3rd ed.). Boston,
MA: Allyn and Bacon. Le Roux, J. (2002). Effective educators are culturally competent communicators. Intercultural Education, 13, 37-49. Qiuyun, L. (2001) Toward a caring-centered multicultural education within the social justice context, Education, 122 (1): 3. Townsend, B. (2002). Leave no teacher behind: a bold proposal for teacher education. International Journal of Qualitative Studies in Education, 15 (6): 727-739.
Mitra Fallahi, Ph. D. , received her Ph.D. from Marquette University in Educational Foundations/Psychology and is currently on faculty at Saint Xavier University. She worked as a consultant in Chicago Public Schools for three years. (Contact the author at fallahi@sxu.edu) Recommended Citation in the APA Style:
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