Research Questions

Parallel study conducted with Dr. Rose Myers

Definition of Umoja

Umoja “unity” programs establish social networks and resources dedicated to enhancing the cultural and educational experiences of African-Americans

Focus on developmental classes

Learning community model

Cohort model

Methodology

Case study design

Data collection from 3 campuses

Instructor interviews

Classroom observations

Student interviews and focus groups

Physical artifacts from instructors

Findings

Pedagogical practices

Intentional use of race and cultural identity

Students’ development as African American students

Integration and intrusiveness of support services and instruction

Active Learning

Active learning

Example from discussion on Manchild in the Promised Land

Example of teacher’s mistakes on math problems

Active learning encourages higher order thinking and student’s integration into academic community (Braxton, Milen & Shaw Sullivan, 2000)

Collaborative Learning

I think the best part for me is the fact that we’re able to work in groups. So, Ms. Mason puts out a plate for you, everyone picks and eats out of it and then in the end, we all get back together and talk about how good that meal was. That’s how I see the math. So she teaches us the math, we work on it, and then we all argue real loud, but we try to understand what’s going on. (Chantel)

Authentic Teaching

There’s lots of ways to express “live learning,” but some of the basics I guess are that you walk into the classroom, you have something in mind basically … but you don’t make the meaning. They make all the meaning. And you facilitate the meaning, but if you want to up it because you think it would be more abstract, more translate to academic work, or just more get closer to their pain, then you can up it, but it’s organic because it’s right in what they’re talking about. (Rob LaSalle, English instructor)

Authentic Teaching

I will take the mathematics and I will not put it in mathematic jargonese. I will explain it because my purpose is for you to understand … I can train a monkey to do something, I want you to understand, so when you see this in any kind of class, you know what you’re doing … This ain’tabout coming in here and passing quizzes. This is about understanding mathematics so when you walk out of here, you’ll know what you’re doing. (Sue Davis, math instructor)

Othermothering

Teachers take on a surrogate mother role to encourage and expect the best from them (Guiffrida, 2005)

Othermothering

Yeah and then Ms. Mabel and Ms. Davis, they see you messing up and they're like, ‘Where you at? You're gonna come talk to me today right?’ Like they see it before you see it, and then, like, stop it before it happens. They don't like stop working for you even if … they're off the clock. And you know like even if you get mad at them, you can't help but respect them. I look at Ms. Davis as if I was looking at her on the same level as a grandparent … she's just like always been there. (Astra)

Warm Demander

Teacher’s insistence that students perform consistently and exceptionally (Ware, 2006)

Warm Demander

I don’t want nothing late, and don’t be emailing me at the last minute talking about “my car broke.” Leave the car, bring my test. I’m serious, ok? (Sue Davis)

Ms. Mabel and Ms. Davis, they kind of like work really hard to make you do good and sometimes it feels like they your grandparents because they just get on you over everything like, everything, but you can't help but respect them because they're looking out for you, you know? (Astra)

Culturally Responsive Curriculum

“Culture is at the heart of all we do in the name of education, whether that is curriculum, instruction, administration, or performance assessment” (Gay, 2010,p. 8)

Students’ Development: Understanding History

Because it taught me a lot about my background and my history. And a lot of things that I didn't know that I was able to learn about myself and to where that I'm just as equal as everybody else … So that helped me give me a little boost to my self like about, “OK if I really have that desire, then I really can. All I gottado is do it.” (DaShawn)

Students’ Development: Racial Identity

It showed me how unfair the justice system is and how unfair the world is. When you don't experience things like that, you think the world is fine, but when you see somebody who's coming from your same background experience something like that and not be treated fairly, it makes you think that could happen to anybody. That coulda been me or my dad. so those assignments like they really change my perspective on who I am and where I come from and how the world looks at me. (Manny)

Students’ Development: Finding a Voice

It makes me feel powerful. It makes me feel like we really have to stand up and do something. Like because the stories we read were like kids our age that really stood up back in the days and we could still do the same to make it better. (Sunny)

Finding a Voice (cont.)

The most valuable thing about [the program] is that I was able to be successful …I was able to express my opinions … When I first got to English I was like, “Oh I don't know how to write a paper. I don't know how to do this. I don't know how to talk." But after being in [the program], it helped me just become more prepared and just satisfied as a writer … when I first got to English, a 2- page paper made me shiver. And now I got an 8-page paper [assignment] and I said, “Oh that's it? Ok!" And I had written a 10-page paper and had to cut it down because I wrote too much. (Dashawn)

Integration of Instruction and Student Services

Counselor in the classroom

Assignments on support services

Use of services a joint responsibility

Intrusive Support Services

Requirement to use services