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first generation college student

What the Best High Schools in America Should Prioritize in 2022

August 22, 2022 By Zavia Jarrett

2022 is looking like a busy year for public high schools in America. There is plenty of work to do, especially when it comes to closing the achievement gap experienced by most Black students. Intergenerational poverty, persistent segregation, and systemic racism plague most school districts. The Village Method differs from most after-school programs. We aim to help young scholars achieve the success they rightfully deserve.

 

Like many other institutions, high schools in America are built on a caste system. Racial hierarchies are nothing new. Every Black student has to fight their way through constant discrimination. The K-12 years should mark a smooth transition to college. Sadly, college enrollment among Black students has declined, and teachers are confused about the solutions they should come up with.

 

Continue reading our article and find out if high schools in America have the capacity to mend the achievement gap and tend to the needs of the first-generation college student.

 

High Schools in America vs. the Achievement Gap

Let us take a look at Advanced Placement courses. They showcase the students’ interests, drive for academic success, and ability to succeed in college. They are very important for the college application process, and yet only 9% of Black students are enrolled. Why is this figure so low?

 

Our youth should have access to all the opportunities that arise throughout their four years of high school. Electives are also a huge part of high school academics. By focusing on various subjects, the road to university can become easier, even for a first-generation college student. 

 

Research has shown that charter schools are linked to segregation. Although Black students attend charter schools in higher numbers than the traditional ones, their needs continue to be unmet. Family engagement activities are widely recognized as key ingredients to long-term academic success. They could be used as a way to end segregation.

 

Many undergraduates of color fail to connect with the curriculum. The achievement gap is indeed caused by high levels of poverty. However, what is less talked about is how quality tutoring should be the educators’ main concern. The achievement gap won’t close itself. The parents, teachers, and students must come together and reach a consensus when it comes to the contents of the curriculum.

 

Since the curriculum doesn’t cover the extensive need for classroom discussions on race, seniors have turned to after-school programs. Although they are not formally required, after-school programs are a necessary addition. They encourage our youth to nurture their talents, study an extensive version of Black history, and master the college application process.


High Schools in America and After-School Programs

The high and unmet demand for after-school programs is a direct consequence of the achievement gap that is being perpetuated in most high schools. Qualitative after-school programs remain a remote dream for families of color with low incomes. These are the families that crave education the most. 

 

Every single high school graduate of color should be confident enough to pursue college applications. Ideally, the freshman year should mark the beginning of the college application process. Things like work and leadership experience, financial literacy, community involvement, and extracurricular activities are just what admissions officers are looking for. 

 

We should always keep the first-generation college student in mind when developing after-school programs. They are the most vulnerable category because they can easily get intimidated by the many formalities that are necessary in order to get admitted into college. 

 

That is why after-school programs take the lead. Not only do they nurture academic excellence, but they also acknowledge the achievement gap and systemic racism that pervades American society. All minorities need to be empowered and presented with the real facts. 

 

Black history should be a good starting point. The successes and experiences of Black people go beyond the standard slavery lessons. We, as a people, have an extensive history that traces all the way back to our African ancestry, culture, and traditions. Students deserve to know this. 

 

High Schools in America and Black Counselors 

Since most high schools in America deal with unequal opportunity and a lack of diverse high school counselors, it is needless to say that education itself is lacking in quality. It’s important to speak the young ones’ language and give them the opportunity to consult with Black counselors. 

 

Black counselors have the power to offer our youth a look into their own futures. The power of personal example is unlike any other piece of information that might come from any figure of authority. 

 

Counseling should also provide our children with the tools to increase their standardized test scores. They need guidance in order to understand the entire college application process. Lastly, they should be familiarized with the International Baccalaureate, as well as the Advanced Placement courses they can take.

 

There are so many things that public high schools in America must prioritize. We believe that the points we’ve made in this article would mark the ideal starting point for all minority students. 

Are Public High Schools in America Prioritizing the Right Things?

2022 can be a year of change for the better. With the COVID-19 pandemic slowly receding, it is time to rethink education as a whole. Family engagement activities promoted by after-school programs proved that the gap between home and school could finally be bridged.

 

Why not apply the same logic to the achievement gap? High schools in America need to take extensive notes from culturally affirming after-school programs. They need to implement a new strategy. 

 

Finally, high schools in America need to prioritize family engagement activities, tailor empowering curriculums, and teach every single first-generation college student about how they should tackle the college application process. This way, we might have a solid chance at educational equity.

 

The Village Method is not your usual after-school program. We are dedicated to creating villages of culturally empowered, successful young scholars. Join our cause and get involved today! 

Filed Under: Academic Excellence Tagged With: Achievement gap, college, first generation college student

Closing the Gap Between Home and School

February 21, 2022 By Zavia Jarrett

Image credit: Freepik

The COVID-19 pandemic has managed to achieve something that no other crisis could ━ it has closed the gap between home and school. Students of all ages were impacted by this unexpected turn of events and it’s safe to say that the parents were also taken by surprise. 

Bringing home and school together has managed to enhance the oftentimes neglected family engagement and achieve a newfound sense of cohesion between families and educators. 

This unprecedented social phenomenon will leave the lives of both the children and their parents changed forever. It’s up to us whether this change will turn out to be either positive or negative. You might still wonder why family engagement is important. Worry not, we’ve got you covered.

In this article, we invite you to explore the ways in which we can bring families and schools together as an indivisible force to be reckoned with. 

Encouraging Educators to Learn From Families

Image credit: Freepik

It’s safe to say that every parent is an expert in their own right. Perhaps not an expert at physics or algebra, but one at providing the best support for their children. Nobody knows their children’s needs as well as they do. 

Educators already have plenty on their hands, so why not value the parent’s expertise even more? Before the pandemic, parents and educators had very few chances of exchanging ideas and collaborating efficiently. All in all, family-school partnerships were practically unheard of. 

As people of African-American descent, we strongly believe that it’s important to provide educators with a culturally accurate outlook on what our children’s education should look like. 

Instead of being merely tolerated as minorities in predominantly white schools, we should encourage schools to celebrate our culture rather than downplay it. Cultural awareness is something that our children need.

Another important aspect when it comes to the family-school partnership is how it can positively impact the children’s grades and overall academic performance. It’s no secret that children love to feel encouraged and even praised for their good work. What better way to motivate them than by being actively involved in their school life? It’s the only way towards a more equity-based school system.

Getting Involved In After-School Activities

Another fantastic way to help close the gap between home and school would be to encourage our children to participate in after-school activities. Not only that but we should also get involved alongside them. 

The long-term benefits are impossible to ignore. Community engagement is more important than ever before. The turbulent times in which we live should drive us back to our communities instead of further apart. First-generation college students also rely heavily on the support of their communities. 

Black-owned, community-based organizations are the perfect fit for our youth. Not only will they have the chance to connect with like-minded individuals, but they’ll also receive culturally responsive youth development and parental engagement solutions among many other things.

These organizations must aim to develop cultural pipelines that will lead our children not only to academic excellence but also to having great careers that will ultimately enable them to give back to their communities. After-school programs encourage the dismantling of the family-school gap and counteract it with intensive family engagement activities. 

Counteracting Systemic Racism

Sadly, injustice has always played a pivotal part in our lives, as people of color. We can all agree that we don’t want our children to deal with systemic racism anymore. Schools have the tendency to interact with us in a biased manner. This only ends up perpetuating the same racist educational experience for our youth. Black student engagement should become a priority for all schools in our country.

With the help of family engagement in schools and culturally affirming after-school activities, we just might start seeing a significant change, for the sake of our children as future successful African-American adults. 

The gap between school and home will not go anywhere unless we collectively decide to invest more time and energy when it comes to our children’s education. Cultural responsiveness won’t happen overnight, it has to start one child at a time. This is the safest way towards an equity-focused society. 

The Conclusion Is…

The Coronavirus pandemic has facilitated the closing of the gap between home and school. We currently have the unprecedented power of bridging this gap and making sure that our youth is properly supported by both their families and educators. 

As we’ve seen above, educators should be urged to connect with the students’ families in a more wholesome manner. After all, parents are experts too. We’ve also emphasized the importance of after-school activities and how they play a relevant role for the Black youth. Last, but certainly not least, we’ve discussed the heavy weight that systemic racism has imposed upon our people. It’s time to start making liberating changes.

What better way to start than by supporting one child at a time? The Village Method is a well-known and highly respected community-based grassroots organization that has the empowerment and elevation of young Black people as its core missions. 

We do this by prioritizing family engagement, youth development, and community outreach programming. We kindly invite you to visit our website and find out how you can support our Black-owned initiative! 

Filed Under: Family Engagement, ScholarPrep Nation, Village Method Tagged With: after school activities, family engagement, family engagement activities, family engagement in schools, first generation college student, parental engagement, why is family engagement important

Family Engagement vs. the Pandemic

February 16, 2022 By Mark Gaskins

Things have changed dramatically. March 2020 was a turning point for so many of us. It was a confusing, frightening time that challenged our way of looking at our lives, including our children’s education. 

Before the pandemic started, educators and children had a direct relationship that rarely involved the parents’ input. It was a one-dimensional practice that in turn produced massive educational inequity and encouraged systemic racism.

If there is one positive thing that the COVID-19 outbreak has brought, it is definitely the increase in family engagement. Parents all across the country have had the rare opportunity to observe their children’s ways of learning, behaving, and interacting with their teachers and peers.

In this article, we’ll talk about the importance of parental engagement and how the pandemic has managed to bridge the gap between home and school. Continue to read as we’ll uncover the meaning of this unprecedented change!

Turning Families Into Valued Partners

The partnerships between families and schools have always been built upon faulty foundations. Before the pandemic, families that struggled with marginalization based on their race, social status, financial situation, language, and immigration status also struggled with how efficiently they were involved in family engagement initiatives. 

It’s a distressing fact that these families have had to deal with for the longest time. Schools have to treat children’s families as equals when it comes to the educational process. 

Parents should always have a final say when it comes to their children’s education. They should be celebrated and valued by educators, regardless of whether they’re part of a dominant or a non-dominant family. This is the only way in which we can achieve the conjoining of home and school, as well as taking steps towards the elimination of discrimination.

By turning families into valued partners, schools all over the country will make way for a future where systemic racism will be significantly diminished in its overwhelming intensity. We currently have the power to close the large gap between home and school. We have the extraordinary opportunity to get involved in our children’s educational journeys. It all starts with redesigning education as we know it today.

 

Unveiling the Importance of Family Engagement

According to research, parental involvement at home has double the impact on student test scores than the parent’s level of education or socioeconomic status. This is relevant because it shows that parents are more than capable of motivating their young ones to achieve better results at school. Basically, the success of students is directly impacted by how prioritized family engagement is. 

It’s safe to say that both COVID-19 and systemic racism are two pandemics that have to be dealt with carefully. Intentional change is what we believe to be the most important approach in this day and age. Remote learning has caused all of us to witness just how crucial and underrated parental engagement really is. 

The main question used to be “Why is family engagement so important?”. Now, the narrative has changed to “How come we never acknowledged the importance of family engagement?”. Schools and their educators are starting to see this partnership through a new lens. 

Marginalized families are slowly claiming back their power and showing schools just how pivotal it can be to embrace cultural differences. Family engagement activities are not inferior to the learning process ━ in fact, they’re an important component of it. 

Defining the Future of Family Engagement

According to the report Embracing a New Normal: Toward a More Liberatory Approach to Family Engagement by the Carnegie Corporation of New York, the race-based caste system in the United States has severely affected the way in which families engage with their youth’s educators.

It’s important to dismantle the ongoing reign of this caste system bit by bit until we reach equity-based parental engagement in schools. The pandemic has brought things to a point of no return, where parents have seen first-hand the way in which their children are being educated. 

It’s time to encourage them by providing an empowering and affirming environment where they can fully express themselves. Solidifying the parent-educator relationship is oftentimes a hard thing to do, especially when the parent rarely shows up for meetings or feels like they’re not being seen and heard.

It’s the school’s duty to start valuing the families and their cultures. Their children will not only see this as a motivating factor but they will also perform better academically. Future first-generation college students will benefit from this greatly. The confidence built during their K-12 years will give them the drive to succeed during their college years. This is a win-win outcome for all involved. So, why not implement family engagement activities as soon as possible?

All in All…

The COVID-19 pandemic has revealed an undeniable truth ━ the schooling system needs family engagement more than ever. It has always needed it but this time, the urge to implement this strategy is especially great.

We, at The Village Method, take great pride in providing Black youth and their families with the appropriate tools that will propel them into their desired colleges and careers. Together, we can achieve educational equity by supporting nonprofit community-based organizations. We offer our youth not just a regular after-school program, but a culturally responsive experience that will help them become the confident, self-aware adults of tomorrow.

Find out more about The Village Method today and help us by spreading the word! We’re all in this together as we fight for educational solidarity and creating a united community beyond the walls of the school!

Filed Under: Family Engagement, Newsletters, Village Method Tagged With: after school activities, family engagement, family engagement activities, family engagement in schools, first generation college student, parental engagement, why is family engagement important

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My son’s favorite subjects in school are Math and Science and it’s great that The Village Method includes programs that introduces him to hands on experience. They include coding, trips to UC Berkeley, and guest speakers that… Read more “TVM Gives Hands on Experience”

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