2016 spring edition of living education emagazine revised 3 22 16

Living Education eMagazine A magazine that discusses education in our everyday lives Spring Edition XV 2016

Equity Matters: A Difference that Makes a Difference Everybody Loves A Good Story!

“What Are Little Boys Made Of?”: The Vital Need for Equitable Early Childhood Education Classrooms for African American Boys

Is My Child TwiceExceptional?

Giftedness and Autism Spectrum Disorders

Strong Anticipatory Sets – Preparing Students for Learning

Living Education Everyday

Publisher’s Notes The country is in the process of selecting a leader from one of the two major political parties to serve as president of the United States. This is an election season unlike any before. Throughout this campaign period, American citizens have had the opportunity to listen to various of views from each candidate on an assortment of important issues regarding the future of America. Presidential candidates have discussed in infinite length, and at times could be categorized as ridiculous the challenges confronting our nation. Seldom does the discussion focus on our multi-faceted and multi layered educational systems. The bulk of the political rhetoric is concentrated on National Security and Immigration from one party and Wall Street and the Economy from the other. While these are serious topics, the lack of discussion about K-12 and post-secondary education represents a significant missed opportunity to substantially prepare our nation to be the leader of the world, but is equally a risk to our economy and our national security. In my opinion, the greatest threats to America’s security is the lack of access to a quality education for all citizens. Especially for those Americans who need it the most.

According to the OECD 2012 report; among 34 countries, the United States ranked 27th in mathematics, 17th in reading and 20th in science. Such poor performance by our students indicate America is potentially losing its hold as a global leader. When politicians seeking to govern from the most powerful office in the world avoid speaking about cities where school buildings are infested with rodents and have black mold as garish on the walls, we know defending our great nation from threats both foreign and domestic is empty pomposity.

In numerous schools across this country, a child cannot use the schools’ restrooms with dignity, because of missing stall doors and locks. Neighborhoods are forced to host failing schools or face the closures of their schools which results in the turmoil of watching their children bused to schools away from their neighborhood just to receive a chance for a better education. Data has shown, closing schools do not send students to better learning opportunities, but typically sends them to another low performing school.

Our classrooms and school houses are suffering. Our larger societal woes, for instance racial challenges, hunger, drugs, violence, homelessness have permeated our schools and are now challenging the very fabric of a free public education. Yet those aspiring to serve in the highest office in the land scarcely mention the conditions of our education system; other than the common sound bites offered too often without substantive dialogue behind them. The list seems endless on what children, parents, and teachers address in today’s educational landscape and these issues must be resolved if this country is to reclaim the mantle as the “shining light on the hill”, a beacon of light for the world and the home of the best and brightest.

So here is the call I am sending out to all who believe in America’s greatness and understand education should have a significant part in the preparation of that greatness. No matter, if it is a national or local election, hold those who aim for office accountable to our children…our future. Ask the tough questions, insist on seeing the data of accountability and demand transparency. We all have a role in the process to improve education. Let’s all stand together for our children. Let’s stand for equal access to quality, world class education for all children. This is where we will find our greatness.

Michel Davis Robinson, MS Founder, CEO Forest Of The Rain Productions

The Research Lab The Research Lab (RL) is the academic resource center for Forest Of The Rain Productions. In partnership with researchers, scholars, and educational institutions from around the world, RL provides access to past and recently released research from individuals who have completed their doctoral investigations. In addition, visitors will have the opportunity to download and/or hear the various studies available.

The Research Lab is comprised of the following areas: African American Studies, Fair Housing, Health and Human Services, K-12 Education, and Higher Education.

Within each section are specific academic areas such as Student Services (Higher Education), Student Services (K-12), Special Education, African American Student (Higher Education), African American Student (K-12), Business of Education and others will be added as the Research Lab continues to grow.

Organization You Need to Know

The mission of Detroit Teacher Village is to facilitate the collaboration between members of the Detroit Pre-K -16 education community to make the vision of quality education a reality for all Detroit children. In Metro Detroit, the teacher shortage, budget downfalls and political arguments have created an atmosphere of lack of support and trust in the education system. Despite this lack of support and trust, the desire among educators, community members, and families to improve the education system in Detroit is strong. Detroit Teacher Village is the only location in Detroit that caters to the needs of education professionals. Detroit Teacher Village is the location for local educators from all education systems, consultants both local and visiting, leaders, administrators, business owners, parents and community members to collaborate, meet, learn, network and have a resource support center. http://www.detroitteachervillage.com/ The mission of the Maryland Out of School Time Network (MOST) is to build a coalition of youth, families, community members, program providers, educators, funders, and policy makers to expand funding, implement more effective policies, and support increased program quality for youth opportunities in the out of school hours.

GOALS Create a sustainable structure of statewide, regional and local partnerships, particularly school community partnerships, focused on supporting policy development at all levels.  Support the development and growth of statewide policies that will secure the resources that are needed to sustain new and existing school-based/school-linked afterschool programs.  Support statewide systems to ensure programs are of high quality.  Build a systemic infrastructure statewide (sySTEM) that increases access to high quality STEM programs in the out-of-school hours for students under-represented in STEM higher education programs and careers.  Combat childhood obesity, childhood hunger and other chronic health problems through a broad based campaign to support OST programs in adopting and implementing national best practices around food access, increased physical activity and nutrition education. http://www.mdoutofschooltime.org/who_we_are 

Contributors Improving the Lives of Others with an Attitude of Gratitude Improves Your Life! p.15 Everybody Loves A Good Story! p.60 Dan Blanchard @GranddaddysSecr As an award-winning author, speaker, and educator Dan Blanchard shares real-life lessons and inspiring stories with audiences of teens, adults, educators, and sometimes a mixture of all three. His goal is to positively think what we think is possible, regardless of how old we are.

Dan has seven educational degrees, has been an inner-city school teacher and athletic coach for over 20 years, and has a passion for teaching, inspiring, and working with teens. His “Granddaddy’s Secrets” book series was inspired by their lives, accomplishments, and struggles, and his own absolute belief in every teen’s potential.

“What Are Little Boys Made Of?”: The Vital Need for Equitable Early Childhood Education Classrooms for African American Boys p.18 Dr. Brian L. Wright is an Assistant Professor of Early Childhood Education in the Department of Instruction and Curriculum Leadership in the College of Education at the University of Memphis in Memphis, TN. His research and publications examine the role of racial--‐‐ethnic identity in the school achievement of successful African--‐‐American boys/males in urban schools preK--‐‐12. Dr. Wright’s current research projects include High--‐‐quality Early Childhood Education Programs for all children, but especially those children living in poverty, Culturally Responsive and Responsible School Readiness for African American boys (preschool and kindergarten), Literacy and African American males, African American and Latino males as Early Childhood Teachers, and Teacher Identity Development. His focus on the academic achievement of Black males, in particular, has resulted in opportunities to conduct professional development workshops for teachers sponsored by the Children’s Museum of Memphis (CMOM), and the local school district (Shelby County Schools) where he was recently appointed by the Superintendent (Dorsey E. Hopson, II) to serve in the capacity of their resident Early Childhood expert as a member of their Early Childhood/Head Start 2015-‐‐2016 Policy Council. Dr. Wright was the first African American male to earn his doctoral degree in 2007 in Applied Child Development from the Eliot--‐‐Pearson Department of Child Study and Human Development at Tufts University.

Dr. Donna Y. Ford @donnayford - Donna Y. Ford, PhD, is Professor of Education and Human Development at Vanderbilt University. She is the former Betts Chair of Education & Human Development, and currently holds a joint appointment in the Department of Special Education and

Contributors Department of Teaching and Learning. Dr. Ford has been a Professor of Special Education at the Ohio State University, an Associate Professor of Educational Psychology at the University of Virginia, and an Assistant Professor at the University of Kentucky. Professor Ford earned her Doctor of Philosophy degree in Urban Education (educational psychology) (1991), Masters of Education degree (counseling) (1988), and Bachelor of Arts degree in communications and Spanish (1984) from Cleveland State University.

Professor Ford conducts research primarily in gifted education and multicultural/urban education.

Specifically, her work focuses on: (1) the achievement gap; (2) recruiting and retaining culturally different students in gifted education; (3) multicultural curriculum and instruction; (4) culturally competent teacher training and development; (5) African-American identity; and (6) African-American family involvement. She consults with school districts, and educational and legal organizations on such topics as gifted education under-representation and Advanced Placement, multicultural/urban education and counseling, and closing the achievement gap.

Research on gifted Black males with dyslexia in special education is virtually absent p.21 Dr. Shawn Anthony Robinson earned his Ph.D. at Cardinal Stritch University (Milwaukee, Wisconsin) in the Literacy and Language program. His concentration is on giftedness and dyslexia. Robinson brings a wealth of academic experience, training and knowledge about the psychological development of dyslexia, especially among Black males who have not tapped into their gifts because of their misdiagnosis and inability to read or spell. He is an emerging national speaker, and one of few scholars in the United States with a research focus on the scholarship, theory and literature addressing theoretical or psychological frameworks investigating twiceexceptional Black males who have dyslexia.

Equity Matters: A Difference that Makes a Difference p.26 Dr. Christine Johnson McPhail is the President of the McPhail Group LLC. She serves as a Leadership Coach for Achieving the Dream National Reform Network. She is President Emerita, Cypress College and founding professor and director of the Community College Leadership Doctoral Program at Morgan State University.

McPhail currently serves on the National Community College Advisory Board at the Roueche Graduate Center and formerly served on the American Association of Community Colleges Board of Directors. She has published numerous articles on community college issues, including of AACC best-selling books, Establishing & Sustaining Learning-Centered Community Colleges and Fighting the Execution Gap Syndrome: Real Strategies for Student Success in

Contributors Community College Week. Christine works primarily on leadership and teaching learning in community colleges. Her publication in- progress with co-author George R. Boggs is Practical Leadership in Community Colleges: Navigating Today’s Challenges (Jossey-Bass Publishers, 2016).

Is My Child Twice-Exceptional? Giftedness and Autism Spectrum Disorders p.30 Dr. Sally J. Logerquist Dr. Susan E. Jackson Dr. Sally Logerquist - Dr. Sally Logerquist is a licensed psychologist with over 25 years of experience in school and clinical settings. Dr. Logerquist earned a Ph.D. in Educational Psychology and a M.Ed. in counseling at Arizona State University. Dr. Logerquist works with individuals of all ages.

She provides a wide range of intellectual, academic, social and behavioral evaluations including: giftedness; autism ADHD, learning disorders; and social, emotional and behavioral disorders. She specializes in autism spectrum disorders and twice-exceptional (2E, gifted with a disability i.e., autism, ADHD). She observes individuals at their home, school or work and conducts Functional Behavioral Assessments. She provides individual and group therapy; emphasizing social skills, giftedness, anxiety and ADHD. Dr. Logerquist co-facilitates a SENG Model Parent Group with Dr. Susan Jackson.

Dr. Logerquist consults on issues related to evaluation and accommodations for individuals with disabilities (including 2E).

Consultation may be specific to an individual or group. Dr. Logerquist has been a speaker for the Parent Institute of the Arizona Association for Gifted and Talented, Arizona Psychological Association and the Arizona School Psychology Association. Dr. Logerquist is committed to advancing knowledge in the field of Psychology.

Dr. Susan E. Jackson @gtsp1- Susan E. Jackson, PhD. is a consultant and advocate for gifted people and their families. She is also an adjunct instructor in education and psychology for Lone Star College-Kingwood. She serves on the Parent Editorial Content Advisory Board and is the Program Chair for the Parent & Community Network of the National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC).

She is a member of the Arizona Association for the Gifted and Talented (AAGT), the Association for the Gifted division of the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC-TAG), and the World Council for Gifted and Talented Children (WCGTC). Sue also has membership in the American Psychological Association (APA).

Sue has a bachelor's degree in Psychology and Dramatic Art from the University of California, Davis.

She completed her M.Ed. and Ph.D. in Educational Psychology, with an emphasis on gifted education, at the University of Houston. Her research interests include the social-emotional needs of gifted children and the creative experiences of people in the performing and visual arts.

Contributors The Increasing Vulnerability of Students with Special Needs and Disabilities who are Bullied in Schools!! p.35 Dr. Sairah Qureshi @DrSairahQureshi - Dr. Sairah Qureshi earned her PhD in Sociology and Criminology from the UK in 2011, based on exploring and examining the perceptions of bullying and racist bullying and particularly how it is manifested around the school environment. Dr. Qureshi has had over 10 years of academic experience and over 7 years as a consultant and practitioner in the field of bullying and bias-based bullying. She has advised local authorities on school bullying, participated in and evaluated school training manuals on bullying as well as delivered extensive public outreach work to children and young people on the subject of school bullying and racism. More recently, Action Against Bullying, LLC affiliated and developed a partnership with Bullying Intervention Group, a UK Not-for-profit organization allowing for schools to achieve a special award for best bullying prevention. The BIG scheme also incorporates an online course for teachers and guidance counselors, nationally approved and accredited as college credit course, as well as developing a peer support system also approved as college credit course. BIG currently has been acknowledged as the largest anti-bullying organization in the UK. Action Against Bullying, LLC and Bullying Intervention Group are currently in the process of marketing, promoting, franchising and launching the BIG award scheme on the East Coast with intentions to allow schools to sign up and educators gaining credits towards their teaching qualifications.

Getting to the Heart of Behavior and Emotional Issues Through Psychological Evaluations p.37 Dr. Nekeshia Hammond- @Dr_Hammond Dr. Nekeshia Hammond is a licensed psychologist and owner of Hammond Psychology & Associates, P.A. Her current focus is completing psychological evaluations (Gifted, learning disorders, ADHD, depression, anxiety, etc.). She is heavily involved in community endeavors with a motto of “give back� in addition to her private practice work. Dr. Hammond has also been a contributor for WFLA News Channel 8 and a contributing writer for Tampa Bay Parenting magazine. In August 2015, Dr. Hammond was one of 25 psychologists in the country to receive the Early Career Achievement Award from the American Psychological Association. She was also one of 30 individuals selected out of hundreds of applicants in October 2015 to receive an Up and Comers Award from the Tampa Bay Business Journal for the Under 40 years old category. Dr. Hammond is honored to consult with the media to increase public education about mental health issues, and she has been featured in Life Improvement Radio, CBS Boston, Essence, WFLA News Channel 8, Tampa Bay Times, Deseret News, Tampa Bay Parenting, AM 1150 WTMP, Ebony, 105.5 WDUV, News 4 San Antonio, and more.

Contributors When A Dream Explodes and Comes to Fruition p.43 Dr. Shanelle R. Reid- @ACCESSACandC is the Founder and Owner of ACCESS Academic Coaching and Consulting. Dr. Reid earned a B.A. in Sociology from California State University, San Bernardino. She also completed her M.A. and Teaching Certification at California State University, San Bernardino. She earned her Doctorate from the University of La Verne, in Laverne, California. Her doctoral work focused on the historical roles of African American Educators as counselors, disciplinarians, advocates, role models, and surrogate parents; and how these roles significantly contributed to student empowerment and success. Dr. Reid is certified to teach in the states of California and New York and she has over 15 years of special and regular education coordinating, supervising, mentoring, and teaching experience at the Pre K, K-12, and graduate levels in the public, private, reformatory, and non-profit settings: in urban, suburban, and rural communities.

Strong Anticipatory Sets – Preparing Students for Learning. p.48 Dede Rittman @dederittman – is an Author, Speaker, Teacher, and President of Rittman Publishing, LLC, enjoyed teaching English and Theater for 37 years, retiring in 2011, when her husband was dying from cancer. Dede’s award-winning first book, Student Teaching: The Inside Scoop from a Master Teacher, is now required reading at several universities and colleges. Dede speaks in person and virtually about her book. www.dederittman.com Dede’s second book, Grady Gets Glasses, is the first in a series about a rabbit named Grady who wears glasses. Written in verse for children 2-8, Grady explains near and farsighted, and also the care and wearing of glasses.

The Dearth of Research on Adolescent Mothers and Post-Secondary Educational Possibilities is a Disservice. p.54 Dr. Beshon Smith @DrBeshon- has spent the past eighteen years of her professional career using the transformative power of education to change the lives of young people and their families.

As an African-American female, a former teenage mother and a first generation college student, her early exposure into the realities of cultural capital, social reproduction and gender gaps ignited her passion to advocate for the underserved. Dr. Smith is currently a Manager for the Office of School Operations Support with Baltimore City Public Schools.

New Leaders

K

Michelle King Superintendent Los Angeles Unified School District

12

Executive Perspective Michael A. Robinson, Ed.D.

CEO Forest Of The Rain Productions Educator Parent/Family Involvement Advocate

Here is something we wanted you to know!

Eighty-three percent of our readers self-identify as educators, parents, and entrepreneurs. Many others identify as actively involved civic minded individuals, seeking to remain informed. Our mission to expand voices of the seldom heard in education, fair housing, parental/family engagement, academic research and the business of education is changing the narrative from the ground up. Our grassroots efforts are making a difference.

It may appear too many, we spend an extensive amount of effort catering to engaged parents, dedicated educators and educational entrepreneurs and the simple truth is we do! We proudly and unapologetically provide content our passionate readers want and have come to expect.

The growth of our readership is directly related to the ongoing desire of engaged parents, dedicated educators and educational entrepreneurs who are seeking opportunities to engage in the discussion of education, fair housing, parental/family engagement, academic research and the business of education issues without clutter or partisan slants that typically ruin any opportunities for positive dialogue.

Living Education eMagazine (LEeM) and our parent organization Forest Of The Rain Productions embrace the importance of expanding voices of the seldom heard.

Throughout this edition you will read articles and review tips and other content focusing on the topic of working with individuals with special needs. The stories in this edition will challenge some to better understand the world of people with an intellectual or physical disability, while for those acutely aware of the challenges, this edition will serve to reenergize you as the battle for inclusion for our most vulnerable citizens is far from over.

Lead In The Water

Parent Talk Live Dr. Nekeshia Hammond A Crisis in the Water: The Long-Term Effects on the Physical and Psychological Health of Children in Flint, Michigan

Parent Talk Live Dr. Brian L. Wright Early Childhood Education and Special Education Don’t Drink the Water: The Flint Water Crisis

Parent Talk Live is hosted by Dr. Michael Robinson

Improving the Lives of Others with an Attitude of Gratitude Improves Your Life!

Dan Blanachard Improving the lives of others with an attitude of gratitude improves your own life! This statement above is so true that I believe I can even call this truth a truism!

This simple little secret of success from my Granddaddy is a recipe to ensure that we will never be depressed and that we will always live a high-quality life.

This secret of success is one of those universal laws, and believe it or not, there are a lot of universal laws out there.

Some of these universal laws we are probably already fully aware of and some of them we may not fully know. For example, we all know that the law of gravity exists. And we all know that gravity is always going to do its thing, no matter what… Every time we roll a pencil off the edge of a table, that pencil will be taken over by gravity every time and fall helplessly to the ground. Relax! It’s just a pencil; hopefully not your favorite pencil, but regardless, it’s still just a pencil and not you that’s falling, right? You’re still safe! Whew!

Now suppose there is someone out there who doesn’t know or believe in the universal law of gravity… I know, it sounds crazy, but just go along with this crazy notion for a second or two so I can make a point. Suppose, there is someone out there who doesn’t know or fully believe in the universal law of gravity.

Suppose he or she believes that at least

one of these times when he or she rolls the pencil off the edge of the table that it won’t fall.

Well, after hundreds, thousands, and maybe even millions of trials this person sees with his or her own eyes that the pencil is taken over by gravity every time and falls helplessly to the ground every time regardless of this person’s disbelief.

The universal law of gravity doesn’t care if we know it exists or if we don’t believe in its existence, or even if we doubt its consistency to follow the universal law of falling every time. Regardless of what we may or may not think, the universal law of gravity is going to take place and do what it’s supposed to do every time. And this is a good thing because these are the universal laws we use, believe it or not, to make a plane fly. Now getting back to helplessly falling, I say we should all be happy that this earlier doubter mentioned above used a pencil in his or her experiments and didn’t actually test out his or her disbeliefs by jumping off of a building!

Jumping off a building would be crazy, wouldn’t it? This person certainly wouldn’t be able to harness the universal law of gravity like a plane and make him or herself fly. Nobody of sound mind would ever just jump off a building, right?

Well, just like the universal law of gravity will always do its thing regardless of our ignorance, naivety, or doubt, so will the universal law of improving the lives of others with an attitude of gratitude also improve our own life regardless of whether or not we know this or believe this!

What we put out there, good or bad, comes back regardless of whether or not we know it or believe it. Not sure if you believe me yet… Well, try this: Consciously smile at the next 10 people that pass by you. What happened? I know what just happened! You just received a lot more smiles than you usually get in such a short time span. Are you a believer yet? No? Well, now try this one: Frown at the next 10 people that pass by you. Be careful with this one; we don’t want you to get beaten up. But, cautiously, give a little frown to the next 10 people and let’s see what happens.

Oh… you’re not feeling so good now, huh? Did a bunch of people frown back at you and send negative vibes your way? I bet the earlier smiling experiment was funnier than the frowning one, huh?

Well, I told you it’s true. What we put out there, good or bad, comes back, and it can either improve the quality of our lives like smiling just did, or wreak havoc on the quality of our lives like the frowning experiment just did. Now imagine exponentially upping the reward we’d get back by going way beyond just smiling at people, but rather now helping people and enjoying it with an attitude of gratitude! Imagine how awesome our lives would be if we would just feel grateful to help others improve their own lives!

Yeah, I know. Some of you out there think it’s too Pollyannaish! Some of you think it’s too simple of a thing to do to really work. Well, part of the secret is that it’s also a simple thing not to do. And as most you probably already know, most people

do it because it’s so simple.

Come on… What do you have to lose?

Just try it and, if helping others with an attitude of gratitude doesn’t improve your life, then you’ve at least made someone else happy and you probably haven’t personally lost anything. But, if helping others with an attitude of gratitude does work, then you might have gained everything while simply stumbling upon one of the great and simple secrets of success in this world…

Now teens, go learn, lead, and lay the way to a better world for all of us.

Remember that improving the lives of others with an attitude of gratitude also improves your own life. And once again, thanks in advance for all that you do, and all that you will do…

Do something healthy for your child.

Get to know your child’s teacher today.

Living Education eTalk Radio For continuous talk on education

“What Are Little Boys Made Of?”: The Vital Need for Equitable Early Childhood Education Classrooms for African American Boys By: Brian L. Wright, PhD Donna Y. Ford, PhD

If there is a Black boy in your world, you know that the nursery rhyme that can be traced to the 19th Century that asks the question: “What are Little Boys made of?” attempted to capture an idyllic view of childhood in general, boyhood in particular, but had little to do with Black boys then or now in the 21st Century. Our claim is based in part on the persistent adultification and criminalization (e.g., racial profiling) of behavior among Black boys, as well as the over-representation of Black boys at early ages and grade levels in areas of suspension and, expulsion, and high incidence areas of special education.

Revising the nursery rhyme to ask the question “What are Little Black Boys made of?” will invariably lead to the question of what happens when it feels like there is a conscientious effort to destroy any chance of an idyllic childhood for Black boys? These efforts limit their promise and ignore their gifts. This question and assertion apply to Black boys at any age, especially as preschoolers. How do we reconcile this feeling in light

of the persistent negative educational status of Black males? The authors discuss these racialized, gendered, and inequitable issues using national data, and offer recommendations for equitable early childhood special education.

In a hard hitting, cut to the chase book, Upchurch (1997) lamented and bewailed that far too many Black males are convicted in the womb. He and others condemn zero tolerance policies and the predictable school-to-prison pipeline (Alexander, 2010; Barbarin, 2013; Howard, 2014; Losen & Gillespie, 2012). Sadly, Black families have come to expect that when they send their son off to preschool, he may repeatedly experience cultural assaults on his identity resulting in frustration and uncomfortable or alienating schooling experiences. Moreover, he may encounter expectations at the hands of well-meaning teachers that are at odds with his natural development that may leave him bewildered and wondering, “What am I made of?”

When putting the finishing touches on this article,

the second author received, the night before, an in vitro ultrasound photo of her future great nephew who is expected to enter the world in February. This should be a time of celebration, but seeing this Black boy still in the womb brought worries, fear, anxiety, and stress. What does the future hold for this baby? His parents and family see only promises. What will educators think this little Black boy is made of when he enters preschool and throughout his educational experience?

The unique challenges and complex ways in which structural and systemic racism in society and schools shape the experiences and well-being of Black boys, including implicit bias and explicit forms of racism, must be understood and tackled to disrupt the criminalization and adultification of behaviors among Black boys and, relatedly, the discriminatory special education referral process that results in their misplacement/miseducation in high incidence areas (i.e., emotional and behavior disorders, intellectual disability, learning disability, developmental delay). Despite the assertions and data presented by Morgan, Farkas, Hillemeier, Mattison, Maczuga, Li, and Cook (2015) that “Minorities are Disproportionately Underrepresented in Special Education: Longitudinal Evidence Across Five Disability Condition”, decades of data say otherwise. Their study contradicts a vast body of work and findings at federal, state, and local levels.

The appalling educational status and trajectory of Black males of all ages has a long history, with few reports finding positive experiences and outcomes, so much so that organizations, policies, and journals have been created to advocate for this one group of students (e.g., Educating Black Boys and Adolescent Males, Journal of African American Males in Education, My Brother’s Keeper, Schott Foundation). Such terms as ‘endangered’ and ‘at risk’ have become a proxy for ‘Black males’. Table 1 presents a quick snapshot of key issues facing Black boys.

Table 1: Status of Black Boys in Education: Discipline, Special Education, Gifted Education

DISCIPLINE and ZERO TOLERANCE Over-Representation SPECIAL EDUCATION (High Incidence Categories) Over-Representation

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Office referrals Suspensions Expulsions

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Learning Disability Emotional and Behavioral Disorders Intellectual Disability Development Delay Other Health Impairments

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Intellectual area Academic areas (language arts, math, science, social studies) Leadership area

GIFTED EDUCATION Under-Representation

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Continue on page 22

Living Education Everyday

Research on gifted Black males with dyslexia in special education is virtually absent Shawn Anthony Robinson, Ph.D. Research on gifted Black males with dyslexia in special education is virtually absent in past and current literature. Thus, we need to offer perspectives by filling this "gap" in existing research in order to help educators across a wide array of academic disciplines to the needs of such students who are marginalized and underperforming in school (Adams & Ellis, 2013; Lindo, 2006; Hoyles & Hoyles, 2010; Robinson, 2013, 2014, 2015).

Literature Review Black males are 2 to 3 times more likely to be placed in special education compared to White students because of implicit biases, inappropriate identification and assessments, which have been challenged at state and federal levels (Ford, 2014; Kunjufu, 2011; Proctor, Graves & Esch, 2012). Conversely, Black males are more under-represented in gifted education than any other students – with a discrepancy of over 60% (Ford, 2011, 2013, 2014).

A major problem for students with dyslexia learning to read is their weakness in phonological and orthographic skills, which also influences their ability and skills to store words in their lexicon (Byrnes & Wasik, 2009; Westwood, 2008; Wolf, 2007). Characteristics that hinder identification of giftedness and student’s strengths: 

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Students show their frustration with difficulties mastering certain academic skills, develop learned helplessness, and may engage in disruptive classroom behavior (Burden, 2005; Ruban & Reis, 2005); High levels of creativity and productivity when given support, wide variety of interests, and an ability to see interrelationship among ideas and concepts; and Desire for knowledge and to explore and

discover (Baldwin, Omdal, & Pereles, 2015) Considerations for Theory and P-20 Institutions Triple Identity Theory™ (Figure 1) (Robinson, 2015) can serve as a cultural lens for examining what it means to be a Black male who is gifted and in need of special services. The Triple Identity Theory focuses on the intersectionality of race, giftedness, and dyslexia. It can be used to help understand how: (1) Identity formation may impact students’ academic and social experiences; (2) Gifted Black students construct their identity and understand their experiences while navigating the academic systems as an “other” and have multiple identities;(3) Identities become activated in shifting situations (Jones & McEwen, 2000; Mayes & Moore, in press; Stets & Burke, 2000). 

Researchers investigating educational outcomes should examine the effects that navigational and social capitals have on degree attainment of

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gifted Black males with dyslexia (Sullivan, 2011; Zell, 2014).

For resistant capital, Bonner (2014) discussed that the utilization of an academic resilience framework may increase knowledge about degree attainment, and researchers should study how resistant capital may turn into community and school engagement.

Researchers focusing on both familial and aspirational capital might investigate how these capitals differ for gifted Black males with dyslexia (Harry, 2008).

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Learn what specific strategies/skills gifted Black males with dyslexia have employed to obtain college, master’s and terminal degrees; Gather more stories to compile a critical mass of voices that need to heard by allowing these students the opportunity to write their own narratives.

Host community forums/seminars to equip parents, politicians and community leaders with the knowledge needed to help gifted Black males with dyslexia in Special Education navigate school in effort to prevent them dropping out or becoming invisible and written off.

“What Are Little Boys Made Of?” continued from page 19

The Broken Pipeline: Black Boys in Early Education

Recommendations for Special Education Initiatives 

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Engage in quantitative and qualitative assessments and research that examine the educational experiences of gifted Black males with dyslexia; Ensure all Black males with a reading disability read at grade level by 3rd grade – curriculum should be explicit, multisensory and informal; Collaborate with school districts to establish effective identification and assessments that view gifted Black males with dyslexia learning from comprehensive approaches to aid in reaching their full potential; Examine how schools currently identify gifted Black males with dyslexia and determine what gifted and special education services they need to receive;

Boys are extensively viewed as problems in school (Barbarin & Crawford, 2006; Davis, 2005; Losen & Gillespie, 2012; Noguera, 2008; Schott Foundation, 2015; Upchurch, 1997). Barbarin’s (2013) study found that boys of color (specifically Black boys) are subject to discrimination in (a) disproportionately in special education and (b) disciplinary actions, namely, suspensions and expulsions. At the national level, which comprises approximately 16,000 school districts, Black male suspension is 2-3 times higher than White males; and they are unjustly overrepresented in special education (see U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights, Civil Rights Data Collection (2011, at ocrdata.ed.gov). Their overrepresentation rate is incomprehensible, beyond statistical probability. This common trend is found in national, state, and district data and reports. It cannot be denied that the ways Black boys are socially and culturally misunderstood result in misguided school practices and, thus, mis-education (Woodson, 1933).

How the Pipeline is Primed: Over-representation in Discipline and Special Education In preschool, boys face inequitable disciplinary consequences. Boys are five times more likely to be expelled than girls and Black boys are the greatest risk for expulsion. The Office for Civil Rights (2014) reported that Black males are suspended more Continue on page 69

Telling Our Stories: Culturally Different Adults Reflect on Growing Up in Single-Parent Families (forthcoming, Information Age Publishers)

Edited by Donna Y. Ford, PhD

criminal activity, poor educational outcomes, poverty, and apathy of many kinds were placed squarely on the shoulders of these families, especially if the families were headed by Black mothers. Eurocentric and middle class notions of ‘real’ and ‘normal’ families like those depicted on TV shows and movies dominate, then and now, what is deemed healthy in terms of family structures – with the polemic conclusion that nuclear families are the best and sometimes only structure in which children must be raised.

These colorblind, economic blind, and racist blind studies, reports, theories, and folktales have failed to do justice to the families in which there is one caregiver. Their stories of woe and mayhem make the news and guide policies and procedures. The stories of children who have been resilient have been unheard and silenced, they have been under-reported and relegated to the status of ‘exception to the rule’.

Perhaps they are exceptions, but there are more exceptions than we may know.

Several decades ago as a doctoral student, I was required and challenged to read the Moynihan Report (1965). Then and now, I take issue with much of the content, which wreaks of deficit thinking, blaming the victim, and a blindness or almost total disregard for how systemic racism and social injustices contribute to family structures and outcomes for children not growing with both parents.

I recall being professionally and personally offended by interpretations of single-parent families, which were often negative and painted a hopeless and dismal picture regarding the children’s future. Moral development,

This forthcoming book is designed with those stories of resilience and success in mind. The book is not an attempt to glorify single-parent families, but such families are prevalent and increasing.

High divorce rates are impactful. And some parents have chosen to not marry, which is their right. While not glorifying single-parent families, we are also not demonizing them or telling their stories void of context. Yes, income will often be low(er), time will be compromised when divided between matters too. How healthy are married couples who don’t really love or even like each other? How healthy are those parents who have separate sleeping arrangements/bedrooms?

How healthy are those families who have oppositional parenting styles and goals for their children?

This is the 50th anniversary of the Moynihan Report, and I am concerned that another 50 years will pass that fails to balance out the stories of single-parent families, mainly those whose children succeed and defy the odds so often unexpected of them. I agree with Cohen, co-author of the updated report: "The preoccupation with strengthening marriage as the best route to reducing poverty and inequality has been a policymaking folly�.

Further, 50 years after Moynihan released the controversial report, The Negro Family: The Case for National Action, a new brief by the Institute for Women's Policy Research (IWPR) and the Council on Contemporary Families titled, "Moynihan's Half Century: Have We Gone to Hell in a Hand Basket?," finds that the changes in family structure that concerned him

Living Education Everyday

have indeed continued, becoming widespread among Whites as well, but that they do not explain recent trends in poverty and inequality. In fact, a number of the social ills Moynihan assumed would accompany these changes in family structure— such as rising rates of poverty, school failure, crime, and violence—have instead decreased. (see http://www.streetinsider.com/Press+Releases/The +Moynihan+Report+at+50%3A+New+Report+Fin ds+that+the+Rise+of+Single+Mothers+Does+Not +Explain+Poverty+Rates+Fully/10344482.html) It is past time and timely to chime in on the timely and timely discussion. It is more than past time to tell another version of our journey, one that defies stereotypes and gives credit to those who do triumph living with one parent.

New Leaders

Dr. Robert Maddox Superintendent Edgefield County School District

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12

Equity Matters: A Difference that Makes a Difference Christine Johnson McPhail , Ed.D. Equity is knocking at the American community colleges’ open door. Hailed as democracy’s college (AACC, 2014), American community colleges are often regarded as the best in the world. However, recent community college reform initiatives (Achieving the Dream, Completion by Design, Developmental Education Initiative) implicitly suggest that the system could be much better if programs were in place to support and nurture students of color. Community colleges are a microcosm of their larger communities, and they can be a focal point to address larger societal issues. Equity is positioned in front and at the center of the issues facing community colleges. As protests over racial tensions continue to capture the nation’s attention, it is increasingly important for community college leaders to pay deeper attention to what is taking place at the doors of their institutions.

No longer can community college educators hide behind the historic open-door admission policies, suggesting that open access policies alone are sufficient to provide for the educational needs of all students. Today’s community college leaders must embrace equity in all aspects of their leadership.

Community colleges can no longer be about only access and opportunity; today’s college leaders must examine how their students are treated and what support structures are in place to accommodate their needs in order to improve success rates and close achievement gaps. In the 21st century community college, management of issues related to equity is an urgent leadership imperative.

Some community college leaders pay lip service to equity, and they may not necessarily have institutionalized the policies and procedures to make these values real. Equity is more than measuring

student and employee demographics and support for a few special programs and services. America and the local communities served by community colleges have changed, and the new populations of students and employees carefully evaluate how the institution relates to them. If community colleges do not connect with them in a relevant manner, they will begin to question the institution's authenticity and relevancy.

Although the majority of Black and Hispanic undergraduate students in in the United States study at community colleges (AACC, 2014), back in 2006, Bill Moore, a professor in the Community College Leadership Program at the University of Texas at Austin declared his belief that discrimination was alive and well in the community college. Moore believed that community colleges still operated in a "good old boy" system. Moore argued that race is a difference that makes a difference. I argue that an equity-centered teaching and learning environment can be the difference that changes the game for underserved student populations. I have seen no recent research that discounts Moore’s 2006 argument.

John Brooks Slaughter, the first African-American Director of the National Science Foundation and a distinguished academic leader is quoted as saying: “It must be recognized that American higher education is a microcosm of American society. It possesses all the strengths and possibilities as well as all the weaknesses and pathologies of our nation.

Just as America continues to be a “work in progress,” higher education is evolving as well. It is this evolution that must be guided and nurtured by those who understand the essential role that our colleges and universities play in improving our society” (Slaughter, 2004).

The persistence of educational disparities in the community college sector makes the concept of equity urgently important and equity must be guided by those who understand the role of community colleges. If community colleges are to be relevant to all students, equity values must be embedded in the culture of the college. The mission of the college must clearly state equity as an essential institutional value. Commitments to equity focuses educators on the needs of “all” of the people connected to the college in a holistic way. Equity in higher education, according to Estella Bensimon (2003), means equal access to and success in higher education among historically underrepresented student populations, such as ethnic minority and low-income students.

Bensimon defines three components of equity: (a) representational equity, which refers to the proportional participation of historically underrepresented student populations at all levels of an institution; (2) resource equity, which takes into account the proportion of educational resources that are directed at closing equity gaps; and (3) equity mindedness, which refers to the priority that the institution gives to equity efforts. The concept of equity requires institutional leaders and staff to demonstrate both awareness and a willingness to address differences by instituting policies and practices to serve all students.

More and more community college leaders are adding equity to their strategic plans, and it's long overdue. Outdated policies and practices prevent colleges from realizing the full potential of a diverse and inclusive institution.

Many organizations may still be focused only on counting the numbers. While equity in higher education may increasingly be respected as a fundamental characteristic, many community colleges have yet to link equity to the core values of the institution.

Colleges can demonstrate equity-centeredness by engaging people from diverse backgrounds, treating them fairly, and including their perspectives in the way the college conducts its business.

The community colleges leaders who are bold enough to embrace equity as an institutional core values will reap enormous benefits in an improved institutional climate and with the success of students. When equity is practiced at the college, stakeholders' behavior demonstrates engagement and support for the mission. A diverse and inclusive environment enables all stakeholders to contribute their full potential in pursuit of the college's goals. The equity-friendly environment involves the celebration of various cultures, religions, and ethnicities. Colleges can sponsor cultural competence educational opportunities that provide students, faculty, and staff with skills and knowledge to become global citizens. But, let’s keep it real—equity is not an event. It is a fundamental core institutional value and it is imperative that community colleges employ policies and practices that embrace and

support diversity, equity, and inclusion (AACC, 2014).

Launching an equity agenda may inspire both positive and negative responses at a college. But, connecting with underserved populations requires institutions to alter their policies and practices. In most cases, equity efforts also require the institutions to push for behavioral changes from its employees. Getting entrenched faculty and staff to change is difficult. For some community college leaders, implementing programs to promote equity may bring about added concerns to an already full plate of competing programs and leadership challenges.

Some entrenched community college educators may dismiss newly launched equity efforts because they have witnessed the development of numerous other special initiatives that did not go anywhere. They might see the equity agenda as just another passing fad. Further, in some cases, faculty and administrators may view equity efforts as a path to lower academic standards in order to accommodate disadvantaged students. One of the first concerns, that some leaders express when considering the prospect of adding an equity focus to the college’s agenda is fitting additional programs into an already underfunded environment. Unfortunately, many wellmeaning equity initiatives fail because organizations push them only as a compliance issue. In other situations, equity – oriented programs are established as appendage programs that are never mentioned in the college’s strategic plan. Some institutions develop college-wide programs to increase equity without necessary stakeholder input and buy-in.

Despite the many benefits of equity, as colleges embrace them, they often realize that the idea of launching the efforts comes with many unintended issues and concerns. Sometimes when the workplace becomes increasingly diverse, employees’ dissimilarity increases, and entrenched faculty and staff may feel uncomfortable dealing with diverse populations (Moody, 2004).

Institutions must effectively manage the changes in policies and attitudes to make equity efforts work.

Changing policies and practices can present a challenge for many leaders. Taking the wrong approach to solving equity issues can also create challenges for leaders. College administrators should work within the internal college governance structure

to develop strategies to implement equity strategies, analyze results, and make necessary changes if results do not meet the established goals. The implementation process for new equity programs may present challenges to everyone involved, and frustrations may arise because implementation is not as smooth as expected. Institutions may benefit from hiring experienced consultants who specialize in workplace equity to help with implementation of any new initiative. Experienced professional consultants understand the challenges and know how to handle major equity issues and related problems.

Bauman, Bensimon, Brown, and Bartee (2005), point out that institutions must make adjustments in programs and services in order to achieve equitable educational outcomes for all students. They argued that institutions had responsibilities for fostering teaching and learning environments to make educational opportunities inclusive for all students.

Colleges must make the shift from merely measuring the demographic changes to placing an emphasis on institutional practices to assure that a diverse population of students and employees receives equitable treatment and a voice in the implementation of the policies and practices that affect them.

Sustainability of any, equity initiative happens only when key stakeholders are actively engaged in the design, development, and administration of the equity initiatives.

I have identified five steps that it will take to advance equity-centered teaching and learning environments: The are: 1) Build an inclusive campus environment: The environment for equity is where students, faculty, staff and administration flourish. Achieving an equity-centered work environment is a culture change initiative, but it does not require lots of large undertakings. Strive for equity instead of equality. In order to develop a fully engaged constituency; individuals must receive equitable treatment instead of equal treatment. Establishing equality means treating everyone the same. Equity necessitates transforming the campus community to meet the needs, interests and cultural norms of the students, faculty and staff.

Continue on page 65

New Leaders

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Dr. Colleen Palmer Superintendent Westport Public Schools

Is My Child Twice-Exceptional? Giftedness and Autism Spectrum Disorders Sally J. Logerquist, Ph.D., PLLC Susan E. Jackson, Ph.D.

According to the U.S. Department of Education (2015), the most recent figures from 2011-2012 showed that 6,401,000 children were being served under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. The National Education Association (2006), based on the 1972 Marland Report to Congress, estimates that 6% of those served under IDEA, or close to 384,000 of those children in 2012, are twice-exceptional. One of the newest operational definitions of twice-exceptional comes from Reis, Baum, and Burke (2014): Twice-exceptional learners are students who demonstrate the potential for high achievement or creative productivity in one or more domains such as math, science, technology, the social arts,

the visual, spatial, or performing arts or other areas of human productivity AND who manifest one or more disabilities as defined by federal or state eligibility criteria.

These disabilities include specific learning disabilities; speech and language disorders; emotional/behavioral disorders; physical disabilities; Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD); or other health impairments, such as Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). These disabilities and high abilities combine to produce a unique population of students who may fail to demonstrate either high academic performance or specific disabilities.

Their gifts may mask their disabilities and their disabilities may mask their gifts (p. 222).

With twice-exceptional children, high ability can mask the disability and children are able to “hide” their disability until they meet challenges that exceed their abilities.

For some people this may not occur until college or later. On the other hand, a disability can mask an individual’s high IQ by impeding the individual’s achievement, so that the full extent of the person’s ability is not apparent and the focus in education is on the disability.

Complicating the process of identification and support for gifted children is the fact that many social, emotional, and cognitive behaviors of gifted children are similar to those of children with autism spectrum disorders. These similarities lead to misinterpretation, misdiagnosis, or the lack

of identification of giftedness or a disability (American Psychiatric Association, 2013; Kennedy, Banks & Grandin, 2011; Webb, Amend, Webb, Goerss, Beljan, & Olenchak, 2005). Gifted children and children with Autism Spectrum Disorders are similar in that they experience uneven, asynchronous development, and can be hypersensitive to stimuli.

They may not adapt easily to change, but can become absorbed

in something that is of special interest and remain highly focused.

Both may have excellent memory skills and exhibit extensive knowledge, especially for events and facts. Teachers may notice that both the gifted student and the student with ASD exhibit inattention, especially when information has already been learned and they feel the need to focus on tasks that they’re interested in.

Many of these behaviors may appear to be the same for both gifted children and children with ASD, but differ in the underlying cause. For example, a gifted child may be comfortable and understands his/her social world, but wants to be alone to focus on an activity that he/she knows others may not enjoy. On the other hand, the child with ASD does not understand his/her social world and is not comfortable in it, so prefers to be alone. A gifted child understands sarcasm and social nuances and his/her humor may be more mature than his/her same age peers. A child with ASD does not +

understand sarcasm and social nuances, as he/she is a “black and white” thinker and misses the joke. Both the gifted child and the child with ASD may experience underachievement. The gifted child may hold back in order to fit in with his/her peers or may be bored with a task and invest little effort. The child with ASD has symptoms, such as restricted, repetitive, and stereotyped patterns of behavior, that impede his/her academic efforts.

Gifted children sometimes have difficulty communicating with their same-age peers, because of their asynchronous development.

They may be three years ahead of those peers cognitively, so that their peers are not interested in the same things that they are, but two years behind in emotional maturity, so they struggle with fitting in. Gifted children with ASD may also experience problems with social communication, but this is because of an inability to read or interpret nonverbal messages. Often, their own expressions are blunted or hard to read.

A gifted child with ASD may be less likely to initiate or respond to a social interaction.

While he/she wants to share his/her interests and emotions with others, he/she may lack insight and awareness of the feelings, needs, or interests of others. Gifted children with ASD also may have a problem with regulating their emotions and often have a higher level of anxiety than the norm. For gifted children with ASD, and all children who are twice-exceptional, it is essential that teachers and parents focus on and promote the development of talents, while supporting their challenges.

Promoting Talents For Parents:  

Help students to self-advocate.

Consider opportunities outside of school for your child to demonstrate his/her strengths and connect with interests – service learning, volunteering at a museum or zoo, summer programs and camps, creating a writing or art portfolio,

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submitting to a literary magazine, etc.

Support the development of and participation in mentorships.

For Teachers: 

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As with all gifted students, determine their interests, abilities, and style preferences, and then adjust content, instruction, process, and products according to those elements.

Provide opportunities for students to spend time with their mental-age peers and with other 2e students.

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For 2e students, ask teachers to provide topics in advance and for the teacher to work with the special education teacher in tweaking differentiated tasks to meet student’s needs.

Ask teachers to assist students in developing academic contracts for student’s general goals and for specific independent projects. Include the student’s expectations and proposal of the project and the teacher’s timeline and rubric for minimum standards.

For group work in class, allow the 2e student to prepare beforehand by writing out a list of steps for the task. Have students help each other in explaining the task. Assign specific tasks within the group based on individual strengths.

Provide choices in the ways that students can demonstrate their learning (the products they develop) and provide rubrics for the different choices. Allow all students to use technology to compensate for weaknesses. Allow students to “soar” in their areas of strength. (WillardHolt & Morrison, 2013)

Supporting Challenges Teaching Social Skills:  

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Don’t assume that your child knows a social skill.

When teaching social skills, identify the desired skill in clear, concrete, behavioral terms, i.e., “When you greeted our guest you looked up at the person’s face, you smiled, and offered to shake her hand.”

Avoid vague terms, such as “appropriate.”

Reinforce good social skills in clear, concrete, behavioral terms, In addition to praise, “you did a nice job” (which is vague), identify what parts of the interaction are nice (i.e., eye contact, facial expression, tone of voice).

Provide feedback to refine the skill.

Increasing Social Perspective Taking: 

Social stories are personalized short stories written by an adult with the child, in the child’s environment, that describes a situation, skill, or concept in terms of relevant social cues, perspectives and common responses. and Social stories provide the child with accurate and specific information about what occurs in a situation and why. They are designed to bring

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predictability to a situation that may be challenging confusing for a child (Gray, 2002).

Comic strip conversations use simple stick figures and thought bubbles to illustrate ongoing conversation. They can be used to show that each person may have different thought and feelings in the same situation.

For both gifted children and children who are twice-exceptional, help them to understand that it’s OK if their friends don’t think or act like they do.

So, as a parent, you think that your child may be twiceexceptional. What do you do next? Don’t assume that school personnel are familiar with or understand twiceexceptional children. Many people have never heard the term. You may have to bring information about twice-exceptional children and services to your special education teacher, general education teacher, principal, or school counselor. The district special education coordinator and GT coordinator could be good resources, if the campus-level specialists are not familiar with 2e. Find out if your district has a parent support/advocacy group for the gifted program. They should be able to provide you with materials and research regarding both giftedness and twiceexceptionality.

Remember that evaluating a child that is suspected of having two exceptionalities, such as intellectual giftedness and an autism spectrum disorder, can be tricky. The process of determining twiceexceptionality, which involves the diagnosis of a disability and the identification of giftedness, is often assessed by people having different training and using different theoretical models. One area of exceptionality is assessed at a time while controlling, to the extent possible, the impact of the other exceptionality. You can talk to the school psychologist assigned to your school and indicate your child is demonstrating signs of ASD and that you would like an evaluation. To qualify for services under IDEA the disability has to negatively impact academic achievement. Districts differ on the interpretation and they may refuse to evaluate if your child’s grades are passing. If the school conducts a psycho-educational evaluation, it will include an IQ test which will identify giftedness. If the district isn’t meeting or won’t meet the needs of your child, find a psychologist who provides psycho-educational evaluations, one who is knowledgeable in both areas of exceptionality and IDEA.

Dr. Ralph Gardner, III, Special Education Program Chair, Department of Educational Studies with The Ohio State University on the issue of African American Students and Special Education.

Dr. Ralph Gardner, III African American Students and Special Education

Do something healthy for your child.

Get to know your child’s teacher today.

References American Psychiatric Association (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental health disorders: DSM-5 (5th ed.). Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Publishing.

Gray, C. (2002). Friendship on the horizon: Can social stories pave the road. Jenison Autism Journal, 14(3), 10-16.

Kennedy, D. M., Banks, R. S., & Grandin, T. (2011). Bright not broken: Gifted kids, ADHD, and autism. Why twice-exceptional children are stuck and how to help them. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

National Education Association (2006). The twice-exceptional dilemma. Washington, DC: National Education Association.

Reis, S. M., Baum, S. M., & Burke, E. (2014). An operational definition of twiceexceptional learners: Implications and applications. Gifted Child Quarterly, 58(3), 217-230.

U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics.

(2015). Digest of Education Statistics, 2013 (NCES 2015011), Chapter 2. Retrieved from https://nces.ed.gov/fastfacts/display.asp?id=6 4 Webb, J., Amend, E., Webb, N., Goerss, J., Beljan, P., & Olenchak, F. R. (2005).

Misdiagnosis and dual diagnoses of gifted children and adults. Scottsdale, AZ: Great Potential Press.

Willard-Holt, C., & Morrison, K. (Fall, 2013). Uncovering buried treasure: Effective learning strategies for twice-exceptional students. Teaching for High Potential, 14-16.

The Increasing Vulnerability of Students with Special Needs and Disabilities who are Bullied in Schools!!

Sairah Qureshi, Ph.D. ABSTRACT The deepening illness of the social problem, Bullying, seems to have extended itself further. Whilst not a new phenomenon, children who are bullied due to their disabilities beggar’s belief as to how and why an individual without any disabilities or special learning needs can target the already vulnerable? This article addresses the unfortunate facts of how students with disabilities and special learning needs are increasing targets of bullying and offers some alarming statistics. The article also discusses how various individuals are bullied, details legislation and offers recommendations for parents and school staff.

Keywords: Victims; vulnerable; disabilities; special needs; parents.

Introduction: Bullying remains an ever pervasive social problem in schools worldwide, however, students with special needs and disabilities are at increasing risk of being bullied.

Despite US Department of Education legislation on students with disabilities in schools, the social problem is on a rise (Parker-Roerden et al, 2007). Children with learning disabilities and special needs are at increased risk of being bullied. Bullying of children with disabilities but little research has been conducted in this specific area.

In the US, only 10 studies have been conducted on the connection between bullying and developmental disabilities but all of these studies found that children with disabilities were two to three times more likely to be bullied than their nondisabled peers. One study shows that 60 percent of students with disabilities report being bullied regularly compared with 25 percent of all students

(Pacer.org 2012).

The Law:

Several studies have shown that students with special needs are more susceptible to school bullying. Students with cognitive disorders, emotional disorders and behavioral disorders and physical disabilities consistently experience more bullying as bullies or victims. In spite of the pervasiveness of bullying and its potential association with disabilities, there have been few comprehensive studies investigating the relationship between bullying and students with special needs (Oh and Moss, 2012: 147).

In recognition of this growing problem, 41 states now have anti-bullying laws (www.bullypolice.org).

These bills call for schoolwide strategies to address bullying and for school districts to formulate prevention and intervention policies and procedures for reporting and investigating bullying (Vohs, Newsline: 2009). In the fall of 2009, responses to a Massachusetts Advocates for Children online survey asked about the extent of bullying against children on the autism spectrum.

Nearly 90% of parents responded that their children had been bullied. These findings are applicable to most students with disabilities.

Some Signs of How Children and Young People with Disabilities and Special Needs can be Bullied: The ‘Stomp Out’ campaign have ventured deeper into analyzing various ways students with disabilities and the signs to look for that they are being subjected to bullying. Although little research has been conducted on the relation between learning disabilities (LD) and bullying, available information indicates that children with learning

Schools are obligated to observe the Titles II and III of the Americans with Disabilities Act and Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) (Stomp Out Bullying 2016).

The U.S. Education Department's Office for Civil Rights (OCR) issued guidance to schools reminding them that bullying is wrong and must

disabilities are at greater risk of being teased and physically bullied. Children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) are more likely than other children to be bullied.

They also are somewhat more likely than others to bully their peers. Children with medical conditions that affect their appearance (e.g., cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy, spina bifida) are more likely to be victimized by peers. Frequently, these children report being called names related to their disability.

Obesity also may place children at higher risk of being bullied.

Children with hemiplagia (paralysis to one side of their body) are more likely than other children their age to be victimized by peers, to be rated as less popular than their peers, and to have fewer friends than other children. Children who have diabetes and who are dependent on insulin may be especially vulnerable to peer bullying (HRSA Stop Bullying Now! Campaign, 2007).

Many students on insulin are bullied by the insinuation that they are injecting drugs into them.

not be tolerated, including against America's 6.5 million students with disabilities. The guidance in the form of a letter to educators detailed public schools' responsibilities under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and Title II of Americans with Disabilities Act regarding the bullying of students with disabilities. If a student with a disability is being bullied, federal law requires schools to take immediate and appropriate action to investigate the issue and, as necessary, take steps to stop the bullying and prevent it from recurring (2016) What Schools Can Do: The disproportionate targeting of students with disabilities shows that, in addition to schoolwide approaches, many schools include specific Continue on page 38

Getting to the Heart of Behavior and Emotional Issues Through Psychological Evaluations When a parent or teacher witnesses a child struggle through school due to behavioral, emotional or academic issues the first thing they do is question the reasons the child is acting that way. It's not uncommon for educators and caregivers to immediately jump to conclusions such as them having attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), being lazy or having a learning disorder. Could it be one of these issues or some other behavior problem?

The quick answer to their questions is yes, one of those issues could be at play. However, the more complicated answer is that it could be a combination of factors, only one factor, none of those, or something else that is causing the child to have difficulties in a classroom setting.

Nekeshia Hammond, Ph.D. A comprehensive psychological evaluation is designed to answer some of the questions you may be having about your child and the results can be used to offer appropriate recommendations to increase your child's chances of success in their life.

What is Involved in the Evaluation?

A psychological evaluation may be composed of all or some of the following: -an intelligence test (IQ test)

Because the human mind is a complex one, to determine the actual cause of a child's behavior, they may need a psychological evaluation to assess their intellectual, academic, social, emotional and processing abilities.

- academic testing to see what age/grade level the child is performing in the areas of reading, writing, and mathematics

- tests to assess social functioning, personality measures (if the child is old - processing abilities such as processing speed, auditory enough) processing, and visual processing to name a few - measures of attention and concentration

What Happens After the Evaluation?

Once the results of the evaluation have been assessed, the next step is to make the appropriate recommendations for the child to receive accommodations in his/her school if they are needed.

The psychological evaluation, although confidential, can be used to make special suggestions for the care and education of students. The main fear parents have is that they don't want their child labeled, and while this is a valid concern, it is imperative that parents take the time to recognize the benefits of a child getting the help they really need (i.e. accommodations or special education) to increase their academic and as a result their life success.

When a child is having difficulties functioning, cannot pay attention or is struggling with a learning disorder for instance, with no accommodations, they are basically set up to fail. On the other hand, with a modified curriculum for a learning

giving the student additional time to complete tasks, sitting them closer to the teacher, reduced distractions, etc…. you may notice a vast difference in the child. Therefore, parents should talk with the school about developing an IEP or 504 Plan to assist with accommodations.

While the words “psychological evaluation” can be scary to some parents, it is better to have your child evaluated and get answers to your questions than to have them struggling to succeed without knowing why. The results of a psychological evaluation may simply require individual therapy, a consultation with a psychiatrist (in some cases), academic interventions, tips the families can use at home, as well as ways the child can work on improving his/her situation, but wouldn't you rather have solutions than more questions?

Vulnerability of Students with Special continued from page 36

strategies for dealing with bullying in the IEPs of students with disabilities. A whole-school approach to creating a safe and respectful climate for all students, combined with specific help for students most at risk, has been shown to effectively reduce bullying behavior (Vohs, 2009).

Oh and Moss, (2012: 151) suggest schools develop a comprehensive multi-level intervention within the framework of the American School Counselor Association (ASCA) National Model in order to address counseling issues of bullies or victims with special needs. The ASCA National Model is the framework that school counselors are advised to base their comprehensive programs upon and use. The model seeks to meet all students’ needs, which would include students with special needs and issues related to school bullying. The fact that most bullying situations are multi-layered between individuals, groups, classrooms, and on a school level increases the importance of a multi-level approach.

The ASCA National Model can be an effective framework in which a school counselor develops and implements anti-bullying programs for students with special needs because of the comprehensive nature of this model.

Furthermore, it includes multiple levels of

counseling interventions such as guidance curriculum for prevention and responsive services for immediate and remedial intervention. Such a comprehensive multi-level intervention is based on the four themes (leadership, advocacy, collaboration/teaming, and systemic change) of the ASCA National Model (ASCA, 2005). This intervention requires a school counselor to serve as a leader in collaborating with all stakeholders (e.g., parents, teachers, and administrators). It focuses on not only bullies or victims, but also bystanders, thereby advocating for all students who are involved in bullying situations. A successful comprehensive multi-level approach will ultimately lead

What Parents Can Do: Parents of children with learning disabilities and special needs who are being bullied need consistent support and can ask the school district to convene a meeting of the Individualized Education Program (IEP) team or the Section 504 team, a group convened to ensure that the school district is meeting the needs of students with disabilities (HSRA, 2007). These teams are trained to listen to parents concerns and needs and will provide them an opportunity to review their child’s IEP or 504 plan to ensure the school is taking steps to stop the bullying and or harassment. This also provides an opportunity for parents to mention and needs of counseling or other supportive services because of the bullying and or harassment for their child.

Additionally, sometimes children and youth who are bullied also bully others. Parents should ask their children questions to find out if their child is bullying peers or younger children. If this is possible, the child’s IEP may need to be modified to include assistance in changing the aggressive behavior (HSRA, 2007).

All children deserve to feel safe in school.

Under the Massachusetts Aggression Reduction Center (Vohs, 2009) suggestions are given for ways parents can support their child who is being bullied: 

Tell your child that this is not his or her fault, Continue on page 48

Living Education Everyday

Living Education Everyday

Special Education What does College & Career Readiness look like for Special Needs/Special Education students? “They cannot be left behind. As a country, we need to do so much more.

If I coach someone with special needs, I customize a program for them. Its core focus is on confidence building. I determine ways they can learn the same skills as everyone.� Joe Rychalsky Bio on page 76

Living Education eTalk Radio For continuous talk on education

When A Dream Explodes and Comes to Fruition Shanelle R. Reid, Ed.D. What happens to a dream deferred? Does it dry up like a raisin in the sun? Or does it explode?

Langston Hughes Contemporary statistics reveal there is evidence of some improvement, for African Americans in public education. However, despite these achievements, racial disparities between Black and White students in educational test scores, outcomes, and attainment remain.

By some measures of improvement, public schools seem to be fulfilling the Brown versus Board of Education’s goals for racial integration coupled with high achievement. However, a constant pattern of racial inequality remains.

A number of solutions have been proposed affecting the process and content of educating African American children more successfully.

Although some of these solutions are grounded in substantive thinking, others are representative of the non-systemic changes that continue to dominate U.S. public education but do not improve the teaching and learning of these children.

Though African American student achievement has made enormous strides over the past four decades, African American students, as a demographic group, continue to fall far below their same age White counterparts. A half-century since the Brown ruling attempted to make integration the law of the land, African American students, the very group of students who were supposed to benefit most from Brown, are arguably the most underachieving group of students in U. S. Schools.

In the report from the Schott Foundation for Public Education, recent research shows opportunity

disparity continues to be the greatest for African American males and while nationally there have been slight increases in their rate of obtaining a regular diploma, the gap between graduation outcomes for African American males compared to their White male counterparts continues to broaden.

At the national level, the 2012-13 school year estimates indicate a national graduation rate of 59% for African American males and 80% for White males. In 2012, the Schott Foundation reported that the national graduation rate for African American males was 51 percent. When compared with our current 2012-2013 estimates of 59 percent, this indicates an increase in the African American male graduation rate nationally.

More importantly, the graduation gap between African American and White males continues to expand, increasing from 19 percentage points in the 2009 -10 school year to 21 percentage points in 2012-13. economic status and represent diverse population. So instead of creating an environment that fosters growth and success, special education is a reflection of the greater society. “Let’s create programs that appear to provide assistance but in reality they function as vehicles to keep expectations lowered and keep individuals settling for mediocrity.

Based on the projected outcomes for students with disabilities, what are young adults to do?

Students are placed in special education to obtain equal access but no preparation for life after secondary school. How are young adults with disabilities expected to compete for viable employment and access?

I recently interviewed a gentleman who graduated

from high school with a special education diploma and this is his recipe for success.

Question: Take me back to your childhood, at what point did you know you were learning disabled?

Answer: I attended school in Thomasville, Georgia and Jersey City, New Jersey and was never placed in a special education class. When I moved to Seneca Falls, New York, I was told I was a student with a learning disability.

Question: Describe your first experience in special education classroom.

Answer: It was small setting. There were about 5 students in the class and I had to go to the room a couple of periods per the day. I really do not remember doing anything constructive there, we just hung out. I can laugh about it now. But they said this is what I had to do to graduate, so I did it. I didn’t mind going because the teacher in the class was a very nice lady.

Question: Did you get any academic support at home?

let the special education diploma stop me, but I didn’t have anything else to loose. I needed someone to take a chance on me and he did.

Question: How did all of your life experiences get you to this point? You were a special education student with few academic skills and now you are a successful dental technician. What was your recipe for success and what advice would you give other young African American males?

Answer: Take bits and pieces from all of your life experiences. Learn from your failures because you can build off them, especially if you’re black. Don’t let the setbacks stop you. Your real life starts after you graduate from high school. Nothing I learned in high school prepared me for adult life. What I know for sure is I learn at my pace and I define my success. I refuse to let anyone else define success for me. I right my goals down. I track them quarterly and for longterm goals I use a vision board. I am my only obstacle. No one else can stop me. Mr. Langston Hughes so poignantly asks, “What happens to a dream deferred?” Does it dry up like a raisin in the sun? Or does it explode? You have witnessed the explosion of a dream deferred through Mr. Reid’s story!!!!

Answer: No, not really: By the time I got into the 9th grade, I was pretty much on my own. If I got a bad report card my mom really did not say much. I think she felt like she had done all she was able to do and she just wanted to see me graduate. She didn’t want to push too hard because I have an older brother that dropped out of school so she hoped and prayed that I was doing enough just to make it.

Question: What motivated you to keep going?

Answer: I knew I would graduate because I was in special education so I just kept going. I played football and that helped but I think knowing that the school would let me graduate regardless to what I learned helped. I was always a nice guy and everyone liked me. I was the only black kid on campus so I was popular but I wasn’t leaning anything.

Question: What happened after graduation?

Answer: I was scared. Initially I thought I had a regular diploma, but turns out I had a special education diploma. I got a job right out of high school at a dental laboratory because the owner’s daughter was a friend. I could have

Do something healthy for your child.

Get to know your child’s teacher today.

Special Education What does College & Career Readiness look like for Special Needs/Special Education students?

College and Career Readiness for special needs/special education students involves the committee of stakeholders determining the best post-secondary option for each student based on the student's ability to learn, and function in life. I have transitioned some students into four-year colleges through their office of disabilities (located on every college campus). The special needs student takes his or her individual education plan or IEP to that office to receive any additional resources and or tutoring assistance available. I have also transitioned students into day-programs that provide assistance for students functioning at lower levels. Each student's transitional goals depend on their educational level, which is the same expectation for students in the regular education track.

-Julie Bee, Educator Jefferson County Public Schools, Kentucky Bio on page 76

The Role of a Tutor

by George Noble PhD Physics The number of students seeking tutoring services is growing. Tutoring’s popularity is in part due to the need for students to receive individualized programs to help them improve their grades and gives them more career choices. Students also have a greater need of understanding how they learn better so that they can become independent learners. The tutoring experience improves the students’ understanding of their course material and helps them apply their learning strengths.

Tutoring is more than matching a student to an “expert” who is very knowledge in the student’s subject. Yes, this “expert” probably could solve the student’s immediate need by doing their problems. Seeing the solution is only a small part of the process. The student is left to fill in the reasoning process: ie how the solution was developed from the question, definitions, approximations, variables and assumptions that leads to the answer. If the student is unable to figure the solutions reasoning process, this type of help, can create a dependant relationship between the student and the tutor. The student needs the tutor to find solutions for their problems. This approach help the student’s long term need to become an independent learner.

Moreover, having the students create their own stories, helps them achieve their goal of becoming an independent learner.

Story telling has been used for centuries for understanding all subject from history, art, English, biology, math, business, chemistry and physics. Stories are also a medium for which the human are adept for storing and retrieving information. Many people have a need for a sense of

Interaction between the student and tutor, accelerates the learning process in several ways. First, the students can be individually accessed for their knowledge of the material. It’s important that this assessment occurs in a non-threatening environment so the student can feel free to share their strengths and weaknesses in a particular subject area. Ideally, this assessment should be done when helping the student with their existing homework or test/exam preparation. In the assessment, the tutor observers the student approach to the problem. The tutor notes patterns in how the student processes and answer questions. Over time, the student’s learning preferences become apparent. Examples of learning preferences include math, logic, visual, spatial, auditory and verbal reasoning.

Next, the tutor guides the student in applying their learning preferences or to

their strengths school work. For example, if a physics student is strong in verbal reasoning and math, then the tutor would help the student understand physics using words and math. Sometime this involves interacting with the student by asking him or her questions, let the student reason to an incorrect answer and use that experience for a lesson. It also involves making suggestions to help the student form better habits for learning. For instance, a suggestion may be that a student can note definitions of key variables in the problem.

In addition, creating stories about the learning material, make it more memorable for the student. Stories helps students visualize, model and reason the material. This facilitates the long term learning process.

“understanding” in order to learn, and stories helps address this need.

Tutoring is beneficial for many students from the struggling student to students who are doing relatively well in their subjects regardless of their grade level. Tutoring is a form a mentoring in the sense that the tutor serves as a resource for the student and guides the student in learning Continue on page 59

Vulnerability of Students with Special Needs continued from page 38

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and that your child did nothing wrong Gently emphasize that above all, your child should not retaliate or attempt to fight or hit the bully



Role-play ignoring the bully or walking away.



Arrange for him or her to see friends on the weekends, and plan fun activities with the family (Vohs, 2009).

References:

1) HRSA, (2007). “Bullying Among Children and Youth with Disabilities and Special Needs” HRSA Stop Bullying Now! Campaign. www.Idonline.org 2) Oh I. and Moss, M.M., (2012).

“School Bullying of Students with Special Needs: Counseling Issues and Effective Interventions” Journal of Pacific Counseling Vol 2., No. 2, pp: 147-160 3) Parker-Roden L., Rudewick, D., and Gorton, D.B., (2007) “Direct from the Field: A Guide to Bullying Prevention” Boston, MA: Department of Public Health 4) Pacer Center Action Information Sheets (2012) “Bullying and Harassment of Students with Disabilities: - Top 10 Facts Parents, Educators, and Students Need to Know” Pacer, National Bullying Prevention Center. www.pacer.org/bullying 5) Stomp Out Bullying (2016) “Special Needs Kids and Bullying” www.stompoutbullying.org 6) Vohs, J. (2009) “Vulnerable Targets: Students with Disabilities and Bullying” Newsline, Federation for Children with Special Needs report.

STRONG ANTICIPATORY SETS – PREPARING STUDENTS FOR LEARNING

By Dede Rittman “Teacher” is a noun with a myriad of descriptors. Teachers are mentors, evaluators, advisors, truant officers, pseudoparents, counselors, decision makers, coaches, facilitators, instructors, tutors, behavioral specialists, liaisons, nurses, problem solvers, communicators, and so much more. A day in the classroom requires teachers to make thousands of decisions, from addressing a student’s attitude to collaborating with department members on district initiatives. With all that teachers have to do, I suggest that teachers add one more item to their daily lesson plans, because this one addition will create more focused learners, fewer discipline problems, and increased student/classroom involvement. A strong anticipatory set can do all of those, and more. Thank you and applause, please, for Madeline Hunter!

Students K-12 rarely come into the classroom with a “ready to learn” attitude. They enjoy the social time, talking and joking with friends, and the few minutes of free time they have moving in the halls from bell to bell. As teachers, we should not merely present material, we should make the material interesting, so that our students WANT to learn!

Here is an analogy I like to use when discussing anticipatory sets. People enjoy going to the movies, despite the neverending movie previews before the featured film. The audience rarely considers the movie preview, but enormous thought goes into the planning of the movie trailers. The producer has only a small amount of time to “hook” the audience, get their attention, and make them want to return to see the upcoming film. Producers work very hard at making their previews actionpacked, intriguing, and memorable. As teachers, we should also be working hard to captivate the imaginations of our students, and drive them to WANT to learn.

I taught 10th grade English and Theater for 37 years, until I had to retire when my husband was dying from cancer. I enjoyed and embraced the imaginative challenges of creating great anticipatory sets, and I also reaped the benefits of those sets: no discipline problems, engaged learners, and students who enjoyed classroom participation; all leading to higher grades and more

learning. One of my favorite anticipatory sets, which I would like to share with you, was for a short story by Carl Stephenson titled “Leiningen vs. the Ants.” If you are not familiar with the story, here is a brief synopsis.

The setting is a large plantation in Brazil, and the plantation owner and his 400 workers have been warned to evacuate, as a column of large ants 10 miles long and 2 miles wide will One of my favorite anticipatory sets, which I would like to share with you, was for a short story by Carl Stephenson titled “Leiningen vs. the Ants.” If you

are not familiar with the story, here is a brief synopsis. The setting is a large plantation in Brazil, and the plantation owner and his 400 workers have been warned to evacuate, as a column of large ants 10 miles long and 2 miles wide will reach his farm within 2 days, and the ants eat everything in their path.

The ants have mandibles, and they can eat an entire buffalo in a matter of minutes. Leiningen decides to stay, and he says that he will use his brain to outsmart the ants and save himself and his workers. The story is action-packed and

compelling, with many of Leiningen’s ideas failing due to the sheer number of the ants.

The story is long and involved with lots of new vocabulary words, but none of that mattered during my anticipatory set. Here it is: Late bell rings, students are sitting down.

Me: “Hi, Everyone! I hope you are all having a good day, because I am about to make it even better.”

Student: “Ok, Mrs. Rittman, what are we going to do today?

You have a crazy smile on your face.”

Me: “I’m just happy to see all of you. (smile) Everyone, please stop what you are doing, put all of your stuff down, and look at me. (wait time for a few seconds, remaining absolutely silent and still) Today, we are going to talk about ANTS. (a few laughs from students- I remain serious) Not just any ants. You will find out about these ants in a few minutes. I (I look around the room seriously) Please hold up your right

questioning looks, I am holding up my thumb.)

Take a look at your thumb. Notice the size of your thumb. (I am walking around the room with my thumb up and talking) What if I told you that today, we are going to read a story about ants, and each ant is as large as your thumb?”

Students: ad lib surprise, some say that “can’t be true” Me: “Before I share any more information about these giant ants, raise your hand if you have ever been bitten by a fire ant. (hands go up- I speak to the whole class) What word would you use as a descriptor for what that ant bite felt like?”

Students: (several answer) “painful.” “OUCH” “Burned like fire- I guess that’s how they got their name” etc.

Me: I had the misfortune of leaning against a tree on a golf course in Texas, and I did not realize that fire ants covered the tree. I had more than 50 bites on my back and legs and arms- very painful.”

Students: ad lib “Yikes, that’s terrible, etc.”

Me: (very seriously) “The ants in this story actually have jaws, and Although this might make some of you feel squeamish, I must tell you that these ants can eat an entire buffalo down to the bones in about 6 minutes. Just think how painful it would be to have a bite from one of these ants, whose mandibles - that means jaws - can tear flesh from bone.“ Students: gasps and jaws drop Me: And in this short story, which is set in Brazil, a plantation owner is warned that a column of ants 2 miles wide and 10 miles long – 20 square miles of chomping ants, will be at the protagonist’s door, eating everything in their pathway.”

Students: (are totally engaged- some hands up, some exclaiming to themselves and each other, more gasps, ad libs) “I would get out of there!

How far is 10 miles? How many ants is that?

What is he going to do? I want to read this!”

Me: It is almost 3 miles from here to the senior high school, so 2 miles of ants takes you to the Target Store. And from here to downtown is 12 miles, so 10 miles would be to the North Side.

That means millions of ants are on their way to Leiningen’s house. And . . . I will share a tiny foreshadow with you about Leiningen- he wants to stay and fight the ants. He wants to use his brain and outwit them! “ Students: “He is crazy! Mrs. Rittman, can we PLEASE stop talking and start reading now? “ Teachers know that an anticipatory set has been successful when students want to move to the lesson and stop the discussion. By the way, as an added bonus, the aforementioned anticipatory set actually increased learning across the curriculum, as students asked their Biology teachers about the Brazilian ants and the ants’ behaviors and effects on the country.

Having a strong anticipatory set creates demands an immediate and involved response from students, “hooking” them, reeling them in, and engaging them to want to learn. Teachers who are ready to begin the class with an anticipatory set are setting a class expectation of participation and cooperation without saying either of those words, as well as showing the class that they are prepared and ready to teach. I know that my students appreciated my extra efforts, and students often wrote me notes about “making learning more fun than in other classes.” From my personal experience, I believe that teachers who provide strong anticipatory sets will have fewer discipline problems, more involved and engaged learners, better classroom participation, and students with higher grades. Creating anticipatory sets is hard work, but the rewards are well worth the efforts. I think teachers should collaborate with department members to share ideas for strong and creative anticipatory sets. After all, teachers want students to learn, and the best way teachers can help students to learn is to present subject matter in an interesting manner, preparing students to learn.

Rittman Publishing, LLC ®

Teachers and parents working together make the best partnerships.

Teachers get to know your students’ parents today.

Living Education Everyday

What are the Educational Rights of Special Education Students and Their Families?

Sonya Harris @proudNJteacher Dr. Camilla Ferebee @DrMi_Mi

The Dearth of Research on Adolescent Mothers and Post-Secondary Educational Possibilities is a Disservice.

Beshon Smith, Ph.D. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, in 2013 a total of 329,797 infants were born to girls aged 15-19 years in the U.S., a rate of 31.3 babies born to every 1,000 girls in that age group. Black and Hispanic youth comprised 57% of U.S. teen births in 2011 (Center for Disease Control, 2012). The negative consequences of adolescent motherhood have been well researched and documented within a variety of disciplines. Psychologists discuss the psychological turmoil experienced by adolescents forced to transition into parenthood without the cognitive abilities and skills needed to fully comprehend the meaning of parental responsibilities. Sociologists find that adolescent mothers are less likely to complete high school, less likely to secure sustainable employment and less likely to be self-sufficient.

Economists argue that the high costs associated with caring for adolescent mothers and their children—costs associated with welfare benefits, housing, healthcare and even juvenile

justice-- make the phenomenon of teenage pregnancy a national crisis that must be systemically addressed.

The issue of adolescent pregnancy (defined here as pregnancy among young women aged 13-19) and childbearing has been a part of the national policy platform since the mid 1970’s and continues to reserve a space on the agendas of national, state and local boards and organizations. While research on adolescent pregnancy and childbearing can be found in abundance, a universal identification of the exact issues and concerns surrounding adolescent childbearing remains elusive.

For some (see, e.g., Luker, 1995; Kaplan, 1997; Domenico & Jones, 2007) the critical issues surrounding adolescent pregnancy and childbearing are the identification of resources necessary to support existing teen mothers and help them to avoid additional pregnancies. For others (see, e.g., Horwitz,

Kuo Sung and Manes, 1991; Corcoran, 1998; Lingxin, Cherlin, 2004) the critical issue is a quantitative representation of the social costs associated with the short and long-term effects of adolescent childbearing. Still others (see, e.g., Namkee, 1994; Merrick, 1995; Kulkami, Kenney and Lewis, 2010) are concerned with society’s perception of adolescent behaviors and use their work to heighten awareness, increase understanding and encourage advocacy for pregnant and parenting teens.

However, most literature on adolescent mothers and education tend to focus on the failure of the young parent to successfully complete high school due to low academic competencies, the absence of a stable support system or an indifference to education This fatalistic, deficient approach to examining the issue of adolescent parenting and education has painted a portrait of adolescent mothers as a homogenous group with a linear, stunted academic trajectory.

This limited portrayal hinders the ability of existing and future parenting teens to be exposed to the success stories of adolescent mothers who successfully complete high school. The abundance of fatalistic, deficient research on parenting teens also hinders school staff and social service providers charged with supporting pregnant and parenting teens by narrowing their understanding of the tools, resources and supports offered to parenting teens and their academic ambitions.

In addition, my exploration of available research on adolescent mothers and higher education left me both surprised and disappointed. I was surprised that empirical research on the exploration of college attendance by teenage parents was disappointingly scarce.

There were primarily three articles that focused on the post-secondary educational endeavors

of adolescent parents: Rehm (2000); Hofferth, Reid and Mott (2001); and Sosulski, Cunningham and Sellers (2006). Each of these studies incorporated higher education into their examination of the academic trajectories of young mothers. The remaining research limited their focus to secondary education.

However, according to the National Campaign to Prevent Teenage Pregnancy (2010), approximately 51% of adolescent mothers go on to earn a high school diploma. Although this is a small number when compared to the 89% of adolescent girls who delay childbearing and obtain their high school diploma, more than half is still a significant success rate. So why then, does the majority of literature examining the issue of teenage mothers and education fail to explore their post-secondary educational considerations and possibilities: the process of exploring post-secondary academic options as parenting or pregnant high school students, the role of school counselors in assisting pregnant and parenting graduates with post-secondary options, examining the challenges parenting high school seniors encounter when exploring post-secondary academic options ? The failure of research to explore these pertinent issues (and others) have resulted in a significant gap in the literature on young mothers and their academic endeavors.

In order for us to effectively and comprehensively support pregnant and parenting teens, the current discourse and research on their academic trajectory must be expanded. We must acknowledge that adolescent parents are not a monolithic group limited to linear academic prospects. Federal, state and local lawmakers, school leadership, teachers and social service providers targeting service to adolescent mothers must be better informed about the post-secondary considerations, opportunities, and processes available to parenting teens. Expanded research should focus on:

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The post-secondary considerations of pregnant and parenting teenagers: What processes, protocols and considerations do parenting teens explore regarding post-secondary options?

Qualitative and quantitative research on adolescent pregnancy and parenting among students with disabilities: How do the rates of teenage pregnancy and parenting among students with disabilities compare to rates for students in general education. How are programs, services and information on pregnancy prevention, prenatal care and parenting, rendered to students with disabilities? Do they require alternative mode of communications and presentation depending on their disability?

What are the experiences of adolescent mothers who enroll in college: What processes and navigation skills are required? What are the challenges? What supports and programs within post-secondary institutions are available to support the success of parenting students?

What does College & Career Readiness look like for Special Needs/Special Education students? “There are as many answers as there are students with disabilities. I know students with disabilities who have gone to Ivy League Colleges, and others who cannot find employment despite years of trying. I suspect the answers are the same for students with and without disabilities: organization, motivation, and the ability to work effectively in the environment where you wish to be employed, in addition to breadth and depth of academic knowledge necessary to do the job.� (Dr. Sarah Wayland) Bio on page p.76

Special Education

Sarah Wayland, Ph.D.

New Leaders

PostSecondary

Dr. Kathryn E. Jeffery President Santa Monica College (SMC)

The Role of a Tutor continued from page 46

at a greater rate. So the struggling student and the gifted student can both benefit. Many subjects lend themselves to different learning preferences. For example, a strong student in math and logic may experiences challenges with physics. Physics often makes assumptions that are unstated in the problem and makes many mathematical approximations in order to answer a question. Also, a strong verbal learner, may have trouble with graphic based programing languages such as National Instrument’s LabView. Students benefit from seeing how another person approaches a problem and can learn by imitating their approach. Finally, there is no age limit on when a student should seek help. It’s very important to get a good start to school. If a child does not do well at school a child may become more distracted at school and he or she may not follow the lesson.

Ph. D. in Physics from York University (2009), Canada and a Postdoctoral Fellowship at Ryerson University in Biophysics (2013). He is also an active member of the Learning Specialists Association of Canada. George has taught physics to hundreds of students at Ryerson University and York University over an 8 year period. In addition, George Noble has taught children with learning disabilities at the Learning Disability Association. George’s interests include teaching, learning strategies, physics, math and technology.

Connect with GG Noble Tutoring ggnobletutoring@gmail.com www.ggnobletutoring.com GGNobleTutoring

A tutor should be willing to work with the school homework and tests and use these as basis to help the student and learn how student approaches learning best. If the learning is a separate program from school, that may cause confusion and create extra work for the student. A separate program may be like taking an additional course for some students. In addition, the programs’ teaching objectives may have conflicts with the school programs.

Tutoring is a form a mentorship that increases the students’ knowledge, confidence and independence. It brings out the potential of the student. Tutoring itself becomes a narrative in the student’s life and this experience becomes facilitates long term learning. As students become accustomed to using their strengths to learn new material, this skill is transferable to learning material without a tutor. Thus, a student becomes a lifelong independent learner.

Background George Noble Ph.D. Physics is a founder of GG Noble Tutoring which provides tutoring services in Math, Physics and Science for high school and college & university students.

George has completed a

george-noble-phd-physics-tutor-a9b16014 noble_ga

Everybody Loves A Good Story!

Don’t you just love a good story? Of course you do! We all do! Every one of us loves a good story because good stories speak to us in ways that language and words can’t.

A good story will penetrate us deeply, all the way down to our inner soul. A good story will work its way past our reasoning and rationalizing mind, something that I called our conscious mind, or second brain-the thinking brain, in an earlier article. A good story will get past this rationalizingbrain barrier that is the control center of modern man’s language, thinking, and civilized, as well as politically-correct behaviors. Some people call this bashful brain barrier the neocortex.

The neocortex is basically the commander of the

exchange of words, both spoken and heard. A good story finds a way to bypass this neocortex and works its way all the way down to the first brain, or subconscious mind, a place which I had also mentioned in an earlier success and leadership article. This part of our brain is a place that some people call the limbic area of brain. The limbic area of our brain is conducive to insight, instinct and faith and is without language abilities.

The most effective stories, which coincidentally happens to be the ones that we love the most, and also teach us the most, reach all the way down to the emotional decision making center of the limbic brain. This part of our brain that I already mentioned above isn’t controlled by language or words. Thus, when asked why we loved a certain

by

Dan Blanachard

story so much, we often struggle to find the words to accurately describe why. In the end, our attempts are futile and we substitute the wrong words for our feelings. But regardless of our inabilities to understand why, and the inadequacies of our spoken and written language, we’re some how still certain that it was a great story, and that we learned a lot from it.

Come on, let’s face it folks. We all know that great stories are great teachers. And these great stories are extremely valuable and are a big part of our human history regardless on whether or not we can explain it.

Hey, think about it this way. We all know that there is such a thing as electricity. And we all know how much electricity has changed our world for the

better. But, how many of us can explain exactly how electricity works? None of us! That’s right, none of us can really explain exactly how electricity works. But that lack of knowledge or inability to capture the essence of electricity’s inner-most workings in language, words, or inadequate human knowledge doesn’t seem to stop us from still benefiting as individuals and a society from the use of electricity. Even if we can’t properly explain it, we all will still choose light over darkness.

So in that same vein of not leaving yourself in the darkness, don’t be shy of your love and use for a good story. Don’t be afraid to even tell a good story once in a while. And if you happen to walk in on someone telling a good story, take a moment to pause… and notice how you’re feeling lucky right about now. And remember, just because you

may not have the language or words to exactly explain the benefits of a good story, it doesn’t mean that these benefits, like electricity doesn’t exist. Make no mistake, the benefits of storytelling exist, and they exist in A BIG-TIME ELECTRIFYING WAY! So go ahead and learn the art of story-telling even if you can’t quite seem to fully explain why you’re doing it in language or words that fully satisfy your friends and family. Just tell them that everybody loves a good story. Trust me, in the end, you won’t be sorry. And eventually, your friends, family, and co-workers will be impressed with your ability through story-telling to take a complex concept and break it down to easily managed chunks of information that now seem doable and makes sense.

Now teens, go learn, lead, and lay the way to a better world for all of us. Enjoy a good story every once in a while. In addition, use story telling whenever you can to help improve the world we all live in. And once again, thanks in advance for all that you do, and all that you will do…

Living Education Everyday

New Leaders

PostSecond ary

Dr. Kim E. Schatzel President Towson University

Equity Matters continued from page 28

2) Practice broad-based engagement: Colleges are encouraged to create a campus climate that encourages faculty, administrators, and staff to participate in the development of college-wide policies around diversity, equity and inclusion. The goal is for all employees to demonstrate cultural competence. College leaders are encouraged to create a campus climate that embraces contributions from all constituent groups.

3) Conduct professional development training: Community college leaders must dedicate human and fiscal resources to develop programs that teach cultural competence to all college stakeholders.

Professional development training can help employees learn to deal with a wide range of ideas and perspectives in the workplace. If college employees do not have the skills to deal with equity issues, the institution may experience a myriad of unnecessary problems.

4) Redesign structures, policies, and practices: The basic structure of community college affects equity. Colleges are encouraged to review policies and redesign program and services to address diversity of student needs. College leaders should routinely and consistently review what their college is doing to inspire transformative thinking about shifting from counting diversity demographics to managing equity and inclusion.

5) Develop an equity plan: College leaders should incorporate equity principles across all business functions and units of the institution.

Develop a plan and disseminate it throughout the institution. College leaders can make equity work by focusing their efforts and resources on high impact areas, especially those that are most relevant to the sustainability of the college's mission.

Colleges can consider making understanding of equity principles, a curricular requirement for students and a job requirement for

employees.

The American Community College is for all the people of the United States. That is both an abiding strength and an urgent challenge that must be addressed. All of us have the opportunity to carry out our own equity plan of action to build and sustain equity-centered teaching and learning environments or in other workplace settings. My intent is to challenge every community college in the United States to embed equity principles in their mission statements. I am using the previously mentioned five steps to expand and elevate this equity conversation in the American Community College system. Join me, the students, communities and nation deserve equity-centered institutions. Readers are encouraged to send reactions to this article to Equity Matters @ BIBLIOGRAPHY Bauman, G., Bustillos, L.T, Bensimon, E.M., Brown, C.M. II, and Bartee, R.D. (2005). Achieving Equitable Educational Outcomes with All Students: The Institution's Roles and Responsibilities. Making Excellence Inclusive: Preparing Students for an Era of Greater Expectations, No. Washington, DC: Association of American Colleges and Universities, 2005.

Bensimon, E. M, & Polkinghorne, D. (2003). Why Equity Matters: Implications for a Democracy. USC Rossier School of Education, Center for Urban Education. Los Angeles: University of Southern California, 2003.

Moore, W. (2006). Behind the open door: Racism and other contradictions in the community college.

Trafford Publishing. Indiana.

Moody, J. (2004). Supporting women and minority faculty. Academe 90(1), online at: http://www.aaup.org/publications/Academe/2004/04jf/ 04jfmood.htm Slaughter, J. (2004, November 1). Diversity and Equity in Higher Education: A New Paradigm for Institutional Excellence. Retrieved June 27, 2015; p.2. from http://.web.jhu.edu.

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Teachers and parents working together make the best partnerships.

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“What Are Little Boys Made Of?” continued from page 22

than any other students, beginning in preschool. Of the school districts with children participating in preschool programs, 6% reported suspending out of school at least one preschool child. Racial disparities in out-of-school suspensions also start early. This is, Black children represent 18% of preschool enrollment, but 42% of the preschool children suspended once, and 48% of the preschool children suspended more than once.

Furthermore, while Black males represent only 9% of kindergarten classes, they comprise almost 50% of all suspensions. These excessively high rates do not exist for any other group of males. (http://ocrdata.ed.gov/Downloads/CRDC-SchoolDiscipline-Snapshot.pdf).

In Point of Entry: The Preschool to Prison Pipeline, the Schott Foundation revealed how Black students, mostly males, are far more likely to be suspended or expelled than their White peers – than all students. These disparities begin the process of pushing students out of school at very young ages, hindering their opportunities to access high quality early education and their overall educational experiences once they enter the P-12 system.

Focusing on importance of early education programs, this report makes it clear that schools implementing these programs need to be aware of the dangers of harsh disciplinary practices and be mindful and vigilant about racial and gender inequities.

While African American children make up only 18% of preschool enrollment, they account for 42% of preschool suspensions. Comparatively, White preschoolers make up 43% of enrollment but 28% of preschool suspensions. The practice of suspending and expelling children—particularly those younger than age 5—from early childhood settings can have profound consequences. These punitive measures come at a time when children are supposed to be forming the foundation of positive relationships with peers, teachers, and the school institution. Instead, they are experiencing school as a place where they are not welcome or supported, which serves as a troubling indicator of what is to come http://schottfoundation.org/blog/2015/11/10/ne w-report-preschool-prison-pipeline Beginning in preschool, teachers have been found to stigmatize Black boys with negative labels that are passed along from teacher to teacher at each grade level. The notorious “bad boy” and “troublemaker” labels lead to isolation and exclusion from classroom activities (Barbarin & Crawford, 2006). Black boys are found to

be guilty by association, to be convicted without a socalled trial. The implication of such negative and stereotypical labels compromises societal expectations of Black boys; it also influences the expectations Black males hold about themselves socially, behaviorally, psychologically, and academically (Harper & Associates, 2014). Too frequently, Black males do not learn to see themselves as scholars – or they unlearn doing so after being told too often that they are not capable of doing well with grades and behavior (Whiting, 2009). These cumulative, negative experiences result in the notion that what little Black boys are made of are “problems”, “deficits”, and “pathologies” rather than “possibilities”, “promise”, and “potential”.

Mirroring the aforementioned inequities regarding disciplinary issues, special education issues must be addressed. The14 special education areas can be placed into two categories of high and low incidence. Black males are over-represented in high-incidence special education areas rather than low-incidence areas. Highincidence compared to low-incidence areas contain more subjectivity, more stigma, and in which testing (which can be culturally biased and unfair) is commonplace. There are also long-term and profound implications for placement and stereotypes associated with these labels that are misplaced on Black boys.

The majority, are unjustly placed in separate classrooms and schools also known as most restrictive environments, which is a form of in-school segregation, both de jure and de facto. Those Black males with such labels as emotional and behavior disorders and intellectual disabilities have a very low probability of graduating from high school and attending college. An overwhelming number ends up in the penal system (Alexander, 2010). To uncritically support views espoused by Marcus et al. (2015) that Black students are under-represented and more should be identified in special education based on their ‘deficits’ is irresponsible and egregious. We reject such views.

In contrast to these special education and disciplinary trends, creating equitable (e.g., culturally responsive) early education experiences that fosters racial pride among Black boys contribute strongly to high academic achievement, including a scholar identity (Whiting, 2009; Wright et al., 2015). Barbarin and Crawford (2006) advise: “When African American children in general, and boys in particular, are stigmatized, it seems imperative to consider the role of

(p. 82) in the persistent practice of assigning Black boys to low-ability classes and special education where the focus is on discipline at the expense of academics. This excessive focus on discipline in relation to Black boys highlights culturally insensitive institutional practices (e.g., zero tolerance policies) and roadblocks that exacerbate and hinder the well-being of this population.

To disrupt the pipeline, more equitable and culturally responsive efforts are required to support and nurture Black boys in developing healthy identities, self-esteem, social competence, and academic skills in early childhood settings. These efforts must be prevention and intervention focused.

Against this problematic educational landscape are questions and questionable practices about the quality of early education and care for Black boys that are not limited to the curriculum; it includes their social, emotional, and psychological development. We, thus, present a few questions to consider regarding the quality and the sociocultural context of the early education and schooling experiences of Black boys and their overall well-being in our nation’s places of learning: (1) What opportunities are missed and strengths overlooked when teachers do not want to or do not know how to recognize and affirm the strengths and potential of Black boys? This question is relevant for all teachers, regardless or their race and gender.

(2) What types of culturally responsive educational experiences must be in place in the early grades to nurture the healthy development of Black boys?

(3) How can educators be prepared to work effectively with Black boys?

(4) How can families of Black boys be empowered, those with supports and those lacking supports, to do the best they can with what they have?

In essence, how do we help educators to not blame the victims, and not view Black boys as “problems to be managed. ”How do we let families know that we are advocating for them with scholarly research that can withstand the test of time?

These questions have implications for the development and maintenance of culturally responsive early education and care experiences for Black boys. Questions that challenge the value and quality of early education and care programs are highlighted in a recent Vanderbilt University PreK study that released a set of disturbing findings about Tennessee’s Voluntary PreK programs.

According to Lipsey, Hofer, Dong, Farran, and Bilbrey (2015), children who attended Voluntary PreK begin kindergarten performing ahead of their non-PreK peers on

a number of early academic indicators (e.g., early literacy, language, math skills). Additionally, kindergarten teachers rated children who attended PreK as better prepared. However, by the end of kindergarten, the difference flattened; by second grade, both sets of students lagged behind national norms. Some of these findings, reminiscent of those from early studies (e.g., Perry Preschool) that focused on the benefits of preschool for low-income populations, assert that children who attend quality preschool programs experience positive academic gains, better social and emotional adjustment, increased appropriate classroom behavior, and decreased special education referrals. The most disappointing finding is that, by third grade, students who attended PreK trailed those who did not on some academic indicators. For a number of reasons, this finding is problematic, but we will focus on one.

Because an intervention wears off does not mean it had no effect and/or is ineffective; it means, instead, that the intervention strategies and resources must continue. Flu vaccinations as a case in point.

Vaccinations work -- but a booster shot is needed every year, or the effects are known to wear off.

While it can be concluded that Tennessee’s PreK is beneficial for many children across the state, it must be considered that what takes place in the following years is insufficient and, thus, ineffective. While the Vanderbilt PreK study raises general questions about what occurs in the grades after PreK that may be causing students not to maintain their PreK gains, we question the academic quality of preK for boys in early education and care settings. Like schools throughout the nation, preK quality varies, with Blacks often attending less rigorous educational programs than Whites.

Like the Marcus et al. work (2015), the results from the Vanderbilt PreK study are inconsistent with the vast body of research conducted for several decades.

PreK studies (at least 150) have examined the effect of public PreK programs and how that, although some flattening of gains occurs after children enter school, children who attend quality pre-school programs experience positive academic gains, better social and emotional adjustment, more appropriate classroom behavior and decreased special education referrals (see, for example, the High Scope Perry Preschool Project on its lifetime effects). For these and other reasons, how schools create positive and quality early education and care experiences for Black boys really does matter.

Quality Early Education and Care: An Overview We define quality and equity in the context of early education and care for children in general, and Black boys in particular as follows:  



  

 



of Black boys. At minimal, this includes:  

Delivered in developmentally age appropriate classrooms and settings Emphasizes social and emotional development with a culturally responsive lens Stresses cognitive development, with attention to opportunity gaps and potential, while also recognizing that tests and related evaluations of intelligence can be biased and unfair (and history is long, dating several centuries, see Gould, 1995; Naglieri & Ford, 2005, 2015) Utilizes high quality, evidenced-based curriculum, with attention to ensuring that high levels of multicultural content are reached (i.e., Banks’ transformation and social action levels, Ford, 2011) Has independent evaluations of classrooms, with constructive feedback and appropriate resources and supports that are culturally responsive Has high quality teachers, who receive support to continuously become culturally competent and demonstrate such competence Emphasizes culturally responsive instruction/pedagogy that is individualized through small group and one-on-one interactions Provides alignment of instruction for PreK and K-3 to ensure seamless teaching and learning and mastering the content Involves ands engage parents/families in schools and provide supports at home; recognize that families have different challenges, assets, resources; economic and cultural capital that are not distributed in equitable ways Connects Black males to gifted education, including increasing such access by creating talent development programs and activities (that is to say, early intervention programs) that concentrate on rigor, high expectations, critical thinking and problem solving. As early as possible, the gifted pipeline must be primed. As early as possible, deficit orientations (e.g., Marcus et al., 2015) must be interrogated in research, policy, and practice.

Quality early education and care must be culturally responsive and, thus, specific in support of the academic, psychological, and socio-emotional development



  



Instruction matched to culturally-based learning styles of Black boys (as espoused by Boykin and described in Ford, 2011) Curriculum that is multicultural relevant – that engages and interests Black boys Literature and resources that are multicultural – books, videos, materials, posters, etc., that reflect the racial and cultural backgrounds of Black boys Counseling that is multicultural and based on the development, issues, and needs of Black boys Tests and assessments that are fair and less discriminatory and biased toward Black boys Teachers trained in culturally responsive classroom management, with attention to the cultural styles and practices (strengths) of Black boys Psychologists trained to be culturally responsive at selecting instruments and interpreting results with Black boys in mind.

Conclusion

Black males’ experiences in education are often negative. The dismal statistics tell stories of injustice at all educational levels and in all areas of education – general education, gifted education, and special education. Disciplinary data are equally bleak. A clarion call to correct these issues is long overdue.

In this article, we have addressed a small but persistent set of issues with our focus on Black boys at the initial stages of their formal educational lives. Our focus is on prevention and early intervention. We seek to support Black males early in their lives and disrupt the many problems that virtually guarantee that they will not experience academic and social success. We opposed any and all discourse, especially those guised as research (e.g., Marcus et al., 2015) that is not only counterintuitive but also counterproductive and regressive. No singular study, especially that is not national and comprehensive, should be used to negate decades of data indicating that Black males are gravely misidentified and misrepresented in special education and, thus, mis-educated as coined by Carter G. Woodson more than a century ago and as noted more recently by Michelle Alexander. The miseducation pipeline broken but still in operation.

There are no quick fixes, but change is possible.

Change is essential. Too much is at stake when Continue on page 75

relevant solutions--an anomaly for students who are traditionally disconnected from STEM fields.

E-Communities: Investigating How a Collaborative between Engineers and Teachers Influences Underserved Youth’s Participation in Engineering Design Dr. Meredith Kier Due to a shortage of science, technology, and mathematics (STEM) professionals,

Dr. Deena Khalil

leaders call for efforts to engage all students in STEM fields through real-world applications (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2015; Feder, 2012). One critical question asked in K-12 formal education is, how do we engage students in their learning, make it meaningful, and make it applicable to their lives? This is a particularly important question for females and students of color who are often underrepresented in STEM fields. For many middle and high school students, STEM curriculum is disjointed, made up of isolated facts, and taught through linear thinking/procedural techniques used for memorization and passing a standardized test. However, researchers agree it is imperative to provide diverse youth opportunities to solve complicated real-world problems and examine solutions from multiple angles and perspectives (Cunningham & Hester, 2007; Spires, Lee, Turner, & Johnson, 2008). Interdisciplinary, design-based science and math lessons are exemplar opportunities for student-centered challenges that engage underrepresented students in authentic and culturally

These opportunities serve as a goal for a newly developed community of practice that includes multiple stakeholders: urban middle school math and science teachers, their diverse and historically underserved students, local engineers, and university STEM teacher educators. E-Communities, a three-year ITEST grant awarded by National Science Foundation to Howard University’s School of Education in partnership with the College of William and Mary’s School of Education, is considering ways that engineering design can be used to teach standards-based curricula in Prince George’s County Public Middle Schools. E-Communities aims to (1) provide fellowships to middle school math and science teachers to lead students in engineering design and, (2) promote awareness and interest in the processes of engineers amongst mathematics and science teachers and their students. By providing teachers and students with mentorship from volunteer professional engineers, E-Communities aims to situate the engineering design process as a central tenet in formal classroom settings. Through this process, teachers will be able to more actively engage students with the Common Core State Standards of Mathematics (CCSSM) as well as the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). The expectation is that, ultimately, the project team will be able to provide a model program that can advance students’ creative problem solving skills, thereby developing the next generation of science, technology, engineering, or mathematics workforce.

Support Your Teachers: Bridging Community Professionals and Classrooms Between 2016 and 2018, teacher fellows and engineers will collaborate in five synchronous online courses to co-construct narratives that merge their own math and science stories with the culture and interests of students in Prince George’s County middle schools.

Accordingly, E-Communities is seeking engineers of color who can describe their experiences and journey to their profession.

This virtual project aims to recruit approximately twenty engineers and scientists from various local and national agencies and corporations to share their stories with approximately 24 middle school teachers and 7000 students. This is an amazing opportunity for professionals to inspire middle schoolers to identify themselves as future STEM professionals. Our online modules are designed to support engineers in developing their stories and bridging their professional experiences to the classroom culture. If you are interested in participating as a STEM professional mentor in our community of practice, please let us know more about yourself at the following link: signup.e-communities.org. One of the members of the E-Communities team will personally reach out to you to discuss how you can participate.

For further information, please like our Facebook page or visit our website.

References: Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2015, May). STEM crisis or STEM surplus? Yes and yes. Retrieved from http://www.bls.gov/opub/mlr/2015/article/stemcrisis-or-stem-surplus-yes-and-yes.htm Cunningham, C. M. & Hester, K. (2007, March).

Engineering is elementary: An engineering and technology curriculum for children. In American Society for Engineering Education Annual Conference & Exposition, Honolulu, HI. Feder, M. (2012, December 18). One decade, one million more STEM graduates. The White House.

Retrieved from https://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2012/12/18/onedecade-one-million-more-stem-graduates Spires, H. A., Lee, J. K., Turner, K. A., & Johnson, J. (2008). Having our say: Middle grade student perspectives on school, technologies, and academic engagement. Journal of Research on Technology in Education, 40(4), 497-515. doi: 10.1080/15391523.2008.10782518

Assistant Professors Dr. Meredith Kier at College of William & Mary and Dr. Deena Khalil at Howard University were recently awarded a three year $800,000 National Science Foundation award to investigate how teacher educators, engineers, middle school math and science teachers and their students co-construct a community focused on engineering design in math and science classrooms. The award, E-Communities, allows Drs. Khalil and Kier to address the challenges of K-20 education in underserved communities through rigorous research and strong teacher professional has experiences teaching middle and high school students, as well as preparing elementary, middle, and high school preservice teachers. Her research focus is on constructing STEM professional identities of underserved youth. Dr. Khalil, a mathematics teacher educator and former middle and high school teacher, currently teaches undergraduate and graduate preservice teachers. Her research focuses on issues related to accessing and constructing diverse and equitable learning environments, and their connections to the micro and macro socio-cultural dynamics of public and math education both nationally and internationally.

Living Education eTalk Radio For continuous talk on education

“What Are Little Boys Made Of?” continued from page 71

we consider answering the timeless question, “What Are Little [Black] Boys made of?” Like the second’s author’s family, they should be celebrating the future birth of a Black boy rather than wondering if he too is in danger of being convicted in the womb.

References Barbarin, O. (2013). A longitudinal examination of socioemotional learning in African American and Latino boys across the transition from pre-k to kindergarten, American Journal of Orthopsychiatry 83 (2–3), 156–164.

Barbarin, O., & Crawford, G.M. (2006). Acknowledging and reducing stigmatization of African American boys. Young Children 61 (6), 79–86.

Blake, J.J., Butler, B.R., Lewis, C., & Darensbourg, A. (2011). Unmasking the inequitable discipline experiences of urban Black girls: Implications for urban educational stakeholders. Urban Review, 43, 90-106.

Carter, P., Skiba, R., Arredondo, M., & Pollock, M. (2014).

You can’t fix what you don’t look at: Acknowledging race in addressing racial discipline disparities. The Equity Project at Indiana University Center for Evaluation and Education Policy.

Davis, J.E. (2005). Early schooling and academic achievement of African American males. In O.S. Fashola (Ed.), Educating African American males: Voices from the field (pp. 129–50.) Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin.

Disproportionate Impact of K-12 School Suspension and Expulsion on Black Students in Southern States at http://www.gse.upenn.edu/equity/sites/gse.upenn.edu.equity/f iles/publications/SOUTHADVANCEDDRAFT24AUG15.pdf.

Ford, D.Y. (2010). Reversing underachievement among gifted Black students (2nd ed.). Waco, TX: Prufrock Press.

Ford, D.Y. (2011). Multicultural gifted education (2nd ed.).

Waco, TX: Prufrock Press.

Ford, D.Y., Tyson, C.A., Howard, T.C., & Harris III, J.J. (2000). Multicultural literature and gifted Black students: Promoting self-understanding, awareness, and pride.

Roeper Review, 22(4), 235-240.

Gilliam, W.S. (2005). Prekindergartners left behind: Expulsion rates in state prekindergarten programs, Policy Brief No. 3. Foundation for Child Development.

Harper, S.R., & Associates. (2014). Succeeding in the city: A report from the New York City Black and Latino male high school achievement study. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania, Center for the Study of Race and Equity in Education. www.gse.upenn.edu/equity/sites/gse.upenn.edu.equity/files /publications/Harper_and_Associates_2014.pdf.

Howard, T.C. (2014). Black male(d): Peril and promise in the education of African American males. New York, NY: Teachers College Press.

Lipsey, M.W., Hofer, K.G., Dong, N., Farran, D.C., & Bilbrey, C. (2013). Evaluation of the Tennessee voluntary prekindergarten program: Kindergarten and first grade follow‐up results from the randomized control design (Research Report). Nashville, TN: Vanderbilt University, Peabody Research Institute.

Losen, D.J., & Gillespie, J. (2012). Opportunities suspended: The disparate impact of disciplinary exclusion from school. UCLA: Civil Rights Project.

Morgan, P., Farkas, G., Hillemeier, M., Mattison, R., Maczuga, S., Li, H., & Cook, M. (2015). Minorities are disproportionately underrepresented in special education: Longitudinal evidence across five disability condition.

Educational Researcher, 1- 15.

Naglieri, J.A. & Ford, D.Y. (2005). Increasing minority children’s representation in gifted education: A response to Lohman. Gifted Child Quarterly, 49(1), 29-36.

Naglieri, J., & Ford, D.Y. (2015). Misconceptions about the Naglieri Nonverbal Ability Test: A Noguera, P.A. (2008). The trouble with Black boys: And other reflections on race, equity, and the future of public education. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Upchurch, C. (1997). Convicted in the womb. New York: Bantam Books.

U.S. Department of Education. (2014). Office for Civil Rights, Civil Rights Data Collection. Snapshot: School Discipline. http://ocrdata.ed.gov/Downloads/CRDCSchool-Discipline-Snapshot.pdf.

Whiting, G.W. (2009). The Scholar Identity Institute: Guiding Darnel and other Black males. Gifted Child Today, 32(4), 53-56.

Woodson, G.C. (1933). The mis-education of the Negro.

Chicago: African-American Images, Wright, B.L., Counsell, S.L., & Tate, S.L. (2015). We’re

many members, but one body: Teachers and African American males co-constructing the culture of the classroom community to increase access and empowerment.

Young Children, 70(3), 24-31.

Wright, B.L., & Ford, D.Y. (in press). “This little light of mine”: Creating positive early childhood education classroom experiences for African American boys prek-3. Journal of African American Males in Education.

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