The Journey

The Journey

Susan A. WalkerDoctoral Student

University of Northern ColoradoAdvanced Placement Initiative Grant Coordinator

Greeley-Evans District 6

Overview

Introductions/Set Research Projects

Barriers to Advanced Placement Accelerated Mathematics Program P2P

Dissertation

Research Projects

Part One

Barriers to Advanced Placement

Purpose of Research

The purpose of this investigation was to gain a deeper understanding of Latino student and parent perceptions about the factors that inhibit or encourage access to Advanced Placement coursework at the high school level.


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Research Participants

Eligibility of Participants1) Enrolled entire high school career2) Current Junior or Senior with a Latino

surname3) C or better in required coursework

Selection Process


Data Collection

Focus Group Students & Parents Protocol Questions


Key Points From Parents

Communication AP Program Costs College Access and Costs Parental Support and Expectations


Parent Participant

“America is a beautiful place to live and it gives the parents opportunities like jobs to work, but it also gives their children opportunities in school… they should be focusing on their children and not just their jobs”.


Key Points from Students

Peer Pressure and Acceptance Loss of Hope and Motivation The Ethnic Check Box

Barriers to Advanced PlacementSummary of Findings

Family and peer factors A sense of isolation A lack of encouragement and support both in

and out of school Student perceptions about not comparing well in

advanced course work Perceptions about being undervalued as a

minority


Humbling Truth

It may not be so much what we are doing as educators as what we are not doing as human beings that effects the greater impact on Latino student under-representation in Advanced Placement coursework.


Findings

Build communication Create community Forge positive peer relations Engage student success

achievement through relevant activity


Recommendations

Parent to Parent Conferences Parent Language Classes Personal Parent Contacts Early Access Multi-Cultural Peer Role Plays Multi-Cultural peer to Peer Recruitment


Parent Participant

“If we are the country that we profess to be, I think that we’ve got to eradicate even the smallest idea of unfairness.”

Part Two

Accelerated Mathematics

Program

Accelerated Mathematics Program

Math Pathways 101


Mathematics Course Sequence

Algebra I 9th Grade Pre Algebra

Geometry 10th Grade Informal Geometry

Algebra II 11th Grade Intermediate Algebra

Trig/Pre Calculus 12th Grade AP Calculus and AP Statistics


Segregated Classes

Homogenous student groupings

70% of the Latino students were below grade level and placed into the lowest classes


Making Change

Research in 2006 Geometry: Gateway class Spring 2006

Principal Approval Classroom Visits to promote self selection Parent Meetings to Promote the Program Registration


New Pathway

Algebra I 9th Grade Accelerated Geometry Summer School Trig/Algebra II/Pre Calculus 10th Grade AP Calculus / AP Statistics 11th Grade Options to attend college at no cost to students

during their senior year


AcceleratedSummer School

2007 – 2008 2008 – 2009

Caucasian 50% 67%

Latino 50% 33% (50%)

Total Enrollment 16 24 (34)

Accelerated Mathematics ProgramEnrollment Outcome

Advanced Placement CalculusYear 2007 – 2008 2008 – 2009

Caucasian 17 42

Latino 1 18

Total Enrollment 18 60


Implications

Reduced Barriers Human Empowerment Informed Choices Improved Self Esteem Increased Confidence Increased Social Interest


Educational Impact

Increased Latino proportions in all other advanced core classes

Increased Latino proportions in clubs

Staff awareness Parent Engagement

Parent to Parent

Conferences

Part Three

Parent to Parent Conferences

For All Stakeholders

Knowledge Understanding Support Voice

Parent to Parent Conferences

Step 1: Select a Topic Step 2: Student Selection Step 3: Train Teachers Step 4: Develop Questions Step 5: Conduct Research Step 6: Findings Step 7: Process with Stakeholders

Parent to Parent Conferences1. Latino students feel some teachers at the school do

not care about them.“Teachers look down on us because of how we look and dress.”“School is a way to better and change your life but teachers hardly help us.”“Teachers judge Latinos. If you do one thing wrong teachers think you have quit.”“I wonder what they would so if it were their kids.”

Recommendation: Discuss the perception with faculty and allow them the opportunity to discover and develop solutions.

Parent to Parent Conferences1. Latino parents feel that some teachers at the high

school do not care about their children.“When kids aren’t doing anything and the teachers know it, then the teachers aren’t doing anything either; I give the teachers an F too.”“The kids who need help, don’t get help; only the smart kids get the help.”“When teachers don’t care then kids won’t care.”“The teachers and the school need to care about the kids and know them as individuals.”

Recommendation: Discuss the perception with faculty and allow them the opportunity to discover and develop solutions.

“Black parents who, during the 1950’s were regularly denounced in school circles for their alleged nonconcern with education, were in the 1960’s repeatedly criticized for their interference in the form of picket lines and mass delegations.”

-Meyer Weinberg (1991)

Dissertation

Teacher Perceptions

“Conservatives who urge return to former standards and practices and

radicals who criticize present conditions agree at least in one point: neither party is satisfied with the way

that things are.”

John Dewey: The Way Out of Educational Confusion, 1931

The Journey

Documents

advanced placement barriers

advanced placement coursework

advanced placementkey

expectations barriers

advanced math courses

minority barriers

peer recruitment barriers

relevant activity barriers