tale seminar on black students
DESCRIPTION
TRANSCRIPT
Tuesday September 29, 2009.
T.A.L.E SEMINAR Bloomsburg University
UNDERSTANDING EXCEPTIONAL BLACK COLLEGE STUDENTS:
CLASSROOM ISSUES & SUPPORT SERVICESBy
W. Emeka Obiozor, Ed.D.Assistant Professor
Department of Exceptionality Programs
The Goal
To understand diversity, exceptionality or disability issues as they affect exceptional Black college students in the classroom and on campus.
Sources of support services on campus Development of Self-determination skills Interact, laugh and be happy!
Statement of the Problem The Classroom Signs
Issues of punctuality and irregular attendance Inactive class participation Incompletion of assignments Sleeping during lectures Texting messages during lectures Class disruption – loudness, disrespectful Being homophobic Late submission of assignments Anxiety during quizzes & test-taking problems Poor overall academic achievement, Etc.
What is Diversity? Diversity is a set of conscious practices that involve:
Understanding & appreciating interdependence of humanity, cultures, and the natural environment.
Practicing mutual respect for qualities & experiences that are different from our own.
Understanding that diversity includes not only ways of being but also ways of knowing;
Recognizing that personal, cultural and institutionalized discrimination creates and sustains privileges for some while creating and sustaining disadvantages for others;
Building alliances across differences so that we can work together to eradicate all forms of discrimination (LAS, 2008).
Students & Faculty are Diversity Candidates
Diversity includes:
Ethnicity
Class
Gender
Physical abilities
Race
Sexual orientation
Gender expression
Educational background
Geographical location Income
Age
Marital status
Parental status
Religious status
Individual qualities
Work experiences
Note: Diversity is….
Not always fixed Can be fluid We respect individual rights to self-
identification Recognize that no one culture is intrinsically superior to another (LAS, 2008).
What is Exceptionality?
Individuals who experience difficulties in learning as well as whose performance is so superior that modifications in the curriculum and instruction are necessary to help them fulfill their potential.
They have different physical attributes & learning abilities…require special education.
What is a Disability?
A disability is any physical, sensory, mental, or
emotional condition or characteristic that
materially limits one or more major life
Activities of an individual.
The disability can affect the educational
performance of a student in the classroom where
there are no support services.
What Every Student and Teacher Needs to Know!
All persons are capable of growth and development. All persons deserve to be treated with dignity. All persons have value. All persons must be involved and carry the primary
responsibility for decisions that affect their lives . . . (Berry, 2009; Homeward Bound vs. Hissom Memorial Center, 1988)
Federal law (IDEA & ADA) requires the provision of accommodation and modifications for individuals with disabilities in the public institutions, community and work place.
Types of Disabilities/Exceptionalities
Learning Disability Behavior Disorder Attention-Deficit
Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
Communication Disability
Aspergers Syndrome Dyslexia Hearing Impairment
Language and Speech Impairments
Mental Disability Orthopedic Impairment Tourette Syndrome (TS) Visual Impairment
including Blindness Gifted Learner ETC.
The Retention Challenge
One quarter of all students who enter postsecondary education for the first time end up at another institution before attaining a postsecondary degree.
Almost half (46 percent) of first-time students who left their initial institution by the end of the first year never came back to postsecondary education; etc.
Source: Beginning Postsecondary Student survey (BPS: 96/01) (Studentretention.org, 2005).
Available University Resource & Support Service Centers
Office of Accommodative Services for Students with Disabilities
Act 101/Educational Opportunity Program Developmental Instruction International Education Office Office of Diversity and Retention Student Support Services University Tutorial Services Center for Counseling and Human Development
Recommendations Be alert and sensitive to your behaviors in
class – comments, giggles, questions, facial expressions could disrupt class.
Engage in meaningful interpersonal communication with peers, staff and faculty on campus.
Establish friendly but professional relations with your professors
Teachers should develop an open door policy and Black students should take the advantage to seek assistance on academic issues
Recommendations The institutions should set up campus-wide retention
programs – to look at student issues on academic and social integration of minority students, exceptional Black students, plus other individuals with disabilities right from their first day in school.
Seek for note-taking and test-taking tips to support your learning.
Learn the APA writing style in the first week of class. Involve the LGBT organization on class sensitization Notify the campus offices of your disabilities. Go to the Office of Accommodative Services for
periodic information on available services.
On Diversity The university should take diversity
efforts to the next level by packaging comprehensive, coordinated action, where student learning and educational training benefits everyone on campus, and this process should be demonstrated in several ways.
Diversity Needs Support a safe, equitable classroom and
co-habitation on campus Be a role model of acceptance: make friends Don’t engage in name calling or harassment
of peers/teachers Respect other student’s cultures and heritage Attend LGBT events to be aware of their
culture Celebrate with other diverse cultures Be proud of your race, background and self.
Conclusion
Recognizing and respecting student diversity; working with and supporting exceptional Black students and other diverse students in the dorms and classroom, creates room for effective learning, appropriate social interaction, retention, high academic achievement and graduation from college or university campus.
This is a commitment for the leadership, student organizations, the faculty, students and staff of every higher institution across the globe.
Questions/Reflections
Discussion Questions
What factors contribute to classroom issues, academic probation & dropout of exceptional Black students?
Is there a connection with diversity & disability to their problems?
How can exceptional Black students with learning disabilities overcome their academic or social problems on campus?
Where can exceptional Black students and faculty members get information and assistance/available support services on college or university campus?
References Berry, J.O. (2009). Lifespan perspectives on the family and disability (2nd
edition). Austin, Texas: Pro-ed. Alliance for Equity in Higher Education (2001). In Studentretention.org
(2005). Retention 101. Retrieved September 3, 2008, from http://www.studentretention.org/rtn101_leadership.html
Gladieux, L.E. & Swail, W.S. (1998). Financial aid is not enough: Improving the odds of college success. College Board Review, 185, 16-21, 30-32.
Shackelford, W.G (2005). The changing definition of workplace diversity. Retrieved August 28, 2008, from http://www.black-collegian.com/issues/2ndsem03/changing2003-2nd.shtml
Studentretention.org (2005). Retention 101. Retrieved September 3, 2008, from http://www.studentretention.org/rtn101_leadership.html
Tinto, V. (1975). Dropouts from higher education: A theoretical synthesis of recent research. A Review of Educational Research, 45(1), 89–125.
Web Site Support
http://www.bloomu.edu/resources/counseling.php
http://www.bloomu.edu/academic/services.php
http://www.dubuque.k12.ia.us/specialed/index.html
http://www.las.iastate.edu/diversity/definition.shtml
http://www.diversityweb.org/