Developing the Talents of African American Male Students during the Nonschool Hours

Abstract

This article presents information that speaks of the disparity in academic achievement between African American males and other ethnic groups, male and female alike. It also shows how after-school programs could provide services that would address and decrease some of these disparities. The article is divided into three sections. The first section addresses policy issues affecting the targeted population. The second section presents four programs that have successfully improved the academic achievement of minority students. The four programs profiled in this article are generally offered during the nonschool hours. The third section addresses additional ways in which after-school programs can develop the talents of males above and beyond academic achievement.

Development of Boys and Young Men of Color: Implications of Developmental Science for My Brother's Keeper Initiative and commentaries

“…At the same time, there are emerging programs of asset building, of critical consciousness building, of racial pride and socialization, and of coping skills based on personal capability utilization that show promise for creating resilience against succumbing to risk factors disproportionately affecting BMOC and enabling young men of color means toward greater likelihood of successful development even in the face of inequities (see Gaylord-Harden, Pierre, Clark, Tolan, & Barbarin, in press, for several examples). Positive youth development programs in the community can help by providing guidance and mentoring as well as an outlet for productive activity within a violence free environment (Catalano, Berglund, Ryan, Lonczak, & Hawkins, 2004;Fashola, 2003).…”

Black Male Collegians: Increasing Access, Retention, and Persistence in Higher Education

“…Fashola () investigated the influence of after‐school programs on Black male learning. The author also discovered effective programming for targeted groups of Black males and that these programs provided ongoing professional development to staff and faculty working with Black males.…”

“…Specifically, Fashola identified the Boys and Girls Club and Big Brothers/Big Sisters programs, among others, as providers of support where academic deficiencies existed in Black male school experiences. Both Baldridge et al () and Fashola () underscore the salient role that nonschool yet ameliorative spaces can provide for Black males. As Howard () notes, these spaces have certain advantages that schools may not have including fewer restrictions on assessment measures and hiring staff, thus potentially shaping a more fruitful environment for Black males to learn.…”

The Impact of After School Tutoring on Math Achievement: Perceptions of African American Males and Those Who Teach Them

“…The research findings regarding the impact of after school programs on African American males' academic success are, at best, mixed. A number of these studies conducted regionally have shown some positive impact on increasing academic success for African American males (Crawford, 2011;Fashola, 1998Fashola, , 2003Goerge, Cusick, Wasserman, & Gladden, 2007;Hall & Gruber, 2007). However, it should be noted that these studies have been conducted primarily in the elementary grades and have been quantitative in nature.…”

“…While the literature demonstrates there has been limited success for after school program in improving academic achievement at the elementary and secondary levels of education, mathematics achievement has not been a focal point in research reported in the literature (Beckett et al, 2009;Crawford, 2011;Fashola, 2003;Goerge et al, 2007;Goldschmidt, Huang, & Chinen, 2007). In addition, there has been limited research focused on secondary school programs and on whether such programs lead to improvement in mathematics performance for African American males 2 . This study analyzed academic achievement data, observational and interview data from African American males and who participated regularly in an after school program designed to improve their math achievement, and observational and interview data from teachers in these programs.…”