African American Cultures Learn How

1. African American Cultures Learn How? By: Lia Kelly November 2, 2007

2. Introduction In the past, African American students have tended to be harmed by the educational system around the United States. African Americans have their own culture, which makes the way they learn different from others. Research has shown that there is an academic achievement gap between black and white students. To improve the schooling of Afican American students, teachers must have a deeper understanding of how African Americans learn. There are many approaches that teachers can take, in order, for black students to learn better. Teachers that have a multicultural classroom can find it to be beneficial in helping all students learn. Changes in the American educational system must be made, in order, for all students to excel.

3. Taking a Look at African American Culture� African Americans oral tradition has been around for a long time because it use to be the only of maintaining their history, morals, and other cultural information. This is why, most of the time, African American preachers perform rather than simply speak. Music is also a way African Americans pass on history, teach lessons, ease suffering, and relay messages. Dance, in African American culture, is a tradition they do in everyday life and on special occasions. African Americans created distinctive language patterns during the years of slavery so they could communicate. Today this language is still carried on, but it is better known as slang. In African American churches practice dance, shouts, African rhythms, and enthusiastic singing. African American culture consists of older family members passing down social and cultural traditions, such as religion and manners to younger family members. In turn, the older family members are taken care of by the younger family members.

4. White Children Learn Better Then Black Children, Why? Explanations for the wide gap in achievement between black children compared to white children have ranged from the effects of poverty to the access of resources. One view, some people take is that children in poverty have a decreased capacity for learning ( Coleman Report, 1). Another view is that there are inherited, genetic differences among indiviuals, and that these are strongly linked to race (Jensen, Arthur, 1) From the historical perspective, the reality is that the segregated education provided many African American children as being inferior compared to White children.

5. Continued� In the design of segregated education it was to keep African Americans in the lower social and economic range of society. An assumption underlying desegregation of education was if African American children attended school with White children, their education would be more reasonable. However, studies have shown that in schools with mixed student populations, a larger number of African American students have been placed in lower skilled and special education, while White students were in higher skilled and gifted programs. Many black children are said to have tracking problems, suggestions that the child has attention-deficit disorder, or being told that it is okay if the child does not read until they were ten years old.

6. Continued� With all these facts, it is no wonder why Black children do not excel as much as whites. African American children are thought of to be less of a person or less of a contributor to society. Many White teachers do not know how to address Black children, in order, for them to learn. The solution lies in the classroom, in the nature of the interaction between the teacher and the child.

7. African American Children Learn in Distinctly Different Ways Then Others. African American students achieve at higher levels when allowed to learn in cooperative groups. African American students work well in cooperative groups and learn more new material where there is no reward system and where there is built-in value only. Analyses have shown that there is a mismatch between language in the school and the language of students. African American students find it difficult to communicate with educators. Black children require instruction that deal more with people than with symbols or ideas.

8. Continued� Studies say black children need more time for expressive talking rather than writing (Berger, 1). Black children also require more freedom to move around the classroom without being accused for misbehavior. Another point made is that Black children will respond more attentively to a story about a person rather than information presented abstractly.

9. Continued� Many African Americans prefer more kinesthetic or tactile learning. Many African American students like low lighting rather than bright lights. African American students usually rely on visual input rather than auditory input. African American students rely on information from their surroundings.

10. The Reasons African American Students Learn Better These Ways Are Because� The concept is that African Americans learn better these ways because of their cultural background. African American are people oriented. Hence the fact, social interaction is crucial.

11. Continued� African Americans are musical, in turn, makes learning easier for them when lessons are learned to a beat. African Americans are, also, expressive in what they do. Oral expression is how Black children are heard, in their eyes. African Americans rely on people or expression, rather it be musical or verbal. These are also the focuses of their culture.

12. Changes in the Classroom that Could Help African American Students� Teachers must take a look at their own cultural background, understanding the effects their biases have when interacting with students. Recognize and understand the cultural differences among students from diverse backgrounds, and treat differences with respect. Avoid segregating students by cultural groups, and do not allow the students to segregate.

13. Continued� Allow students to bring life experiences to the classroom. Respond fully to all students. Recognize effort as well as accomplishments. Encourage activity-based and hands-on programs for minority students. Take on different roles for different cultural backgrounds and to vary methods of instruction to ensure that all students are addressed.

14. Continued� Display flexibility in the context of a structured learning environment. Provide opportunities for minority students to work cooperatively. Take cultural experiences of a child and family in to include it in the curriculum.

15. Websites Title of website: Learning Point Associates- www.ncrel.org Examples of things found on the website: after school programming, data for school improvement, NCREL pathways to school improvement, and teacher quality. The website is useful for teachers and parents. Title of website: Wikipedia from the Free Encyclopedia- www.en.wikipedia.org/ On this website people can research anything they want to. The website is useful for children, teachers, parents, or students. Title of website: Find Articles- www.findarticles.com/ On the website people can find any kind of article pertaining to any subject. The website is useful to anyone wanting to learn something new.

16. Continued� Title of website: Educational Reviews-http://edrev.asu.edu/ Examples of things found on website: book reviews, reviews done on cultures, and essay reviews. The website is useful for teachers and psychologists. Title of website: West Virginia University- www.as.wvu.edu/ Examples of things found on website: about the university and studies the university has conducted. The website is useful for anyone wanting to attend the college and for society wanting to find answers from research the school has conducted.

17. Other Resources Berger, Joseph. Education; What Do They Mean by �Black Learning Style�? The article came from a magazine that dealt with many issues. The magazine is a very popular one around the United States. The magazine can be useful to society, in general. Huang, Jiafen. & Masten, William. Differences Between African American and Caucasian Students On Critical Thinking and Learning Styles. This article came from an encyclopedia. Each encyclopedia had a range of different topics to research. This reference is useful to everyone, especially students and teachers.

18. Conclusion African American students have been put on the �back burner� for years. Teachers must acknowledge all cultural backgrounds, in order, to teach more effectively. It is a shame that black children are still labeled as inferior in the school system. Changes in the curriculum must be made to get away from these assumptions. Teachers need to realize there are approaches to enable all students to learn.

19. References African Americans. Retrieved October 15, 2007, from North Central Regional Educational Laboratory www.ncrel.org African American Culture. Retrieved October 12, 2007, from Wikipedia. www.en.wikipedia.org/ Berger, Joseph. (1988). The New York Times. Education; What Do They Mean by �Black Learning Style�?, 23- 25. Durodoye, Beth, Hildreth, Bertina. (1995) Learning Styles and the African American Student. Retrieved October 15, 2007, from Find Articles www.findarticles.com/ Hale, Jane E. (2001). Learning While Black: Creating educational excellence for African American children, from The John Hopkins University Press http://edrev.asu.edu/ Huang, Jiafen. & Masten, William. Differences Between African American and Caucasian Students On Critical Thinking and Learning Styles. College Student Journal (pp. 374- 377)Farmington, Michigan: Gales Group. Keller, Ed. Strategies For Teaching Science to African American Students. Retrieved October 10, 2007, from Teaching In A Diverse Society. www.as.wvu.edu/