black youths` perspectives on education challenges and policy

BLACK YOUTHS’ PERSPECTIVES
ON
EDUCATION CHALLENGES AND POLICY
Black Communities Demographic Project
Consortium for Ethnicity and Strategic Social Planning
School of Social Work, McGill University
Spring 2010
The photograph on the cover page reflects the work of the West Island Black Community Association, which
works in partnership with one of the schools involved in the study. Permission to use this photo, and others
taken within the school, was granted by the administration.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The research would not have been possible without the support of a number of key individuals and
organizations. We thank the following institutions for their vital financial support: the “Services aux
communautés culturelles” of the “Ministère de l’Éducation, du loisir et du sport” (MELS), the J.W.
McConnell Family Foundation, and Canadian Heritage. We also extend our gratitude to the Centre
for Community Organizations and especially Tana Paddock and Loralie Bromby, for sponsoring and
organizing two outstanding workshops on the practice of “dialogue” and community work for the
team of youth researchers. Finally, we wish to thank the many other individuals and organizations
who contributed in different and invaluable ways to the project:
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collaboration, including principals, teachers, and support staff. We promised the names of
their schools would be kept anonymous, and so they will be.
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Montréal.
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“If we simply listen carefully to students as they describe their school experiences, we might come closer to
actually figuring out how to mend the cracks in our elementary and secondary school systems, and how to
get at-risk students more fully engaged in school.” (Carter, 2005, p. 163).
THE RESEARCH TEAM
Project Coordinator"OOF.BSJF-JWJOHTUPOF#MBDL$PNNVOJUJFT%FNPHSBQIJD1SPKFDU
Research Assistant+BDRVFMJOF$FMFNFODLJ'BDVMUZPG&EVDBUJPO.D(JMM6OJWFSTJUZ
Co-Facilitators: Loralie Bromby, Centre for Community Organizations, and Luigi Marshall,
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Report writing team:"OOF.BSJF-JWJOHTUPOF+BDRVFMJOF$FMFNFODLJ.ÏMJTTB$BMJYUF(FPSHF
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Student researchers:.ÏMJTTB$BMJYUF(FPSHF,Pĕ%VBI+POBT+VMNFVT-ÏHFS5JWPOćPNQTPO
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Report design and layout: Loralie Bromby
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction............................................................................................................4
Objectives................................................................................................................6
3. Project Implementation........................................................................................6
4. Methods...................................................................................................................7
5. Findings...................................................................................................................8
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6. Conclusions and Recommendations..
References..................................................................................................................35
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4
1. INTRODUCTION
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rate of high school completion in the Black community has risen significantly in the past decade and that
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These increases might be due in part to improvements in the census questionnaire, among other possible
factors like immigration and upward mobility within the Black population. It is also important to note that
within the Black community, rates of high school completion vary to some degree and fluctuate in relation
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a relatively smaller population, their graduation rate was significantly higher and closer to the average for
the general population. In French schools the graduation rate for African students who are Francophone
5
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It remains unclear what causes explain these differences, yet they are likely to include background
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contextual and historical factors located in schools and in the broader social system. Much still remains
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To date, few if any qualitative studies have been conducted to examine what can be done to improve the
situation for Black students in Montreal schools, and even fewer attempts have been made to solicit the
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opportunity to engage Black students in examining the challenges and solutions to high school
graduation, given the absence of their voices in recent policy debates about the success of Black youth in
Montreal schools.
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school experiences of Black youth, and b) to explore how schools and community organizations can
promote the academic engagement and success of Black high school students.
Over a period of several months, the youth researchers worked with adult researchers and community
workers compiling information on school and community activities; conducting focus group
discussions with other students; analyzing the data; and preparing a report of the findings. This report
embodies the collective work of a multilingual and multicultural team of youth and adult researchers.
It also portrays the insights, ideas, and suggestions gathered from a large and diverse group of Black youth
attending English and French high schools across Montreal.
6
2. OBJECTIVES
The primary goal of this project was to engage Black youth as researchers and scholars in exploring the question of
how, and to what extent, schools and community organizations promote the academic engagement and graduation
of Black students. Key questions that the study was designed to explore include:
What do Black students view as the factors that influence their successes and
challenges in school?
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needs of Black students, and in what ways do they promote their academic success?
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graduation rates of Black high school students?
•
3. PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION
Selection of Schools
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Black community in Montreal. They were located in the east, west, south and centre of the city. A deliberate choice
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Recruitment of Youth Researchers
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attend a meeting where they could learn more about the project and submit their candidacy. The students who
attended the meetings were asked to fill out a short form describing their background and their reasons for wanting
to participate in the project. Four students from each school were chosen based on selected criteria. Consideration
was given both to the nature of their answers in the form, and to the profile of students. Every attempt was made to
bring together a representative group of students according to age, gender, and linguistic and cultural background.
In two schools, it was not possible to organize an initial meeting with a large group of students. As a result, the
school personnel selected a group of three to four students who were bilingual and whom they believed would be
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schools. A majority of the youth was bilingual and a few spoke only French. The student researchers were awarded
scholarships of five hundred dollars for their participation in the project.
7
Training in Qualitative Research
Once selected, the youth and adults met every two weeks over a period of four months. The first set of meetings
focused on introducing youth to the field of qualitative research and preparing them for the teamwork and data
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integrated to create a friendly, fun and collaborative atmosphere. Guest speakers were also invited to several of the
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and adult researchers to engage in lively discussion, debate, and data analysis on the issues being investigated.
4. METHODS
The methods for this project included a combination of four focus group discussions with students and a
community mapping exercise in which the youth researchers compiled information on the resources, programs, and
activities located in their schools and community settings. The focus group discussions with students in schools were
facilitated by the youth researchers, with support from one or two adults from the team.
Data Collection
As indicated, the youth compiled information on programs and activities in their schools using a tool that was
specifically developed for this purpose (see Appendix B). For the focus group discussions, the youth were trained in
facilitation, observations, and recording. They also worked together on developing the interview guide, which is
attached to this report. The youth researchers recruited fellow students in their schools to the focus group
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discussions.
Data Analysis and Report Writing
Towards the end of the youth research project in June, the team meetings were used to analyze the typed
transcriptions from the focus group discussions and data from the mapping tool, and to outline a framework for the
report. By the end of the school year, much work still remained on data analysis and report writing. As a result, a
smaller committee of five student volunteers was formed to continue working on the report over the summer. These
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8
5. FINDINGS
5.1
Factors that Influence Student Success in School
In the first part of the focus group discussions, students were asked about the factors that have a positive and
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student success in school, b) to better understand their school environments and experiences before discussing
questions about the role that schools and community organizations play in helping students to succeed academically,
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5.1.1 Goals for the Future
One of the first and most common responses that students gave when asked about the factors that
motivated them in school was their desire to be successful in life and to secure a promising future.
Students frequently talked about how education was the key to obtaining a satisfying job and decent
income. Below are examples of these responses.
What motivates you to do well in school?
“To know that we’re preparing for good jobs . ”
“To have life goals. ”
“For me, it’s when you look on TV and you see all these successful people and, you want
to, like, be successful. But, like, I think that motivates you.”
9
When students were asked to define what success meant to them, they articulated a range of professional and
personal goals. Some students talked about how it was important for them to grow and to realize their individual
talents and potential. Others said that success meant earning a good income and improving their material standard of
living. On the whole, students were looking forward to a future in which they could have jobs that are once fulfilling
and ensure an adequate standard of living.
What does success mean to you?
“I want a better life.”
“I think that I want to be a better person, a bigger person, and actually achieve something for myself. And
not only because of that, because I want to, I want to have a good life, I just don’t want to be working at a
dead end job, you know, I want to do something big, that’s all.”
“You want to do something that you love, but, to have money.”
“Well me, I want a nice car. I want five kids. I want my family to be proud.”
In addition to expressing goals for personal and professional success, some of the students talked about how it was
important for them to succeed in order to make positive contributions to their community. When articulating these
goals, students did not talk specifically about the “Black community”; however, their words suggest that they identify
closely with the experiences and struggles of their parents and previous generations. These experiences, and accom
plishments, seem to be a source of both inspiration and motivation. Below are two quotations that illustrate these
ideas:
“Most of our parents didn’t go to school. That’s why it’s up to us to create a new
generation, to show that we’ve been there.”
“Success to me means, valuing all the hard work you’ve done over the years, moving a step ahead of your
past generation, and making it for the better, because that’s what generations do. They make the future
sort of better.”
10
5.1.2 School-Related Influences
A) The pressure of grades and performance
All of the students in the focus group discussions expressed a strong desire to do well in school; yet, they also talked
about how the academic demands and stresses of school can sometimes make it challenging for them to succeed.
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motivation, as they describe below:
“What discourages me is when I am stressed
out and don’t understand something.”
“But, just, like, you don’t feel like being there
[in the classroom], ‘cause, like, let’s say you’re
still not passing. You feel like they’re [teachers]
wasting their time helping you. You get
discouraged easily.”
Students expressed in a variety of ways how academic challenges can be discouraging and can lead them to disengage
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not understand something in class, a student said, “You start messing around.” This response suggests that youth who
withdraw from classroom activities or engage in disruptive behaviors may actually be expressing a sense of
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they need. One student commented that s/he sometimes felt that s/he had to perform like the “top” students in order
to get his/her teacher’s attention, as s/he explained, “This teacher is used to perfect students, but I can’t be perfect.”
Another student added that teachers were more or less available when s/he approached them for assistance, as s/he
said: “Teachers are supposed to be there to help you. There are some teachers that are super-available. With others, when
you ask them for help, that you have exams coming up, they’ll say ‘sorry, I can’t.” In addition, it was found that students
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available (e.g., homework help or tutoring), students in one focus group indicated that they did not take advantage of
the support until it was very crucial, like exam time. Overall, the findings show that students may not all possess the
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they need. This finding shows that it may take the initiative of the adults in students’ lives – parents, teachers, princi
pals, and community workers – to make sure that students get the support they need to succeed academically.
11
B)
School Climate
The discussions with students revealed that the social and academic climate at school greatly influences their
attitudes towards school. Students described circumstances wherein the attitudes and actions of school staff could
either be encouraging or discouraging to them. In one of the group discussions, students said that the negative
attitudes of some of their teachers, combined with a high rate of student absenteeism, meant that they were less
motivated to attend school. As one student explained, “You see other kids who are not coming to school, so you say,
‘Why should I come?” A student from another school said that they generally felt supported and cared for by the
school staff, and this motivated them to come to school. The following quotations illustrate students’ views on the
importance of the school climate and the support from adults in school:
“Like, some schools, like, you’re staying in [name of school omitted], the principal doesn’t care. The teachers
don’t care. Nobody cares. But [at our school], everybody’s here for you, you know? Even if you don’t have a
teacher that’s there for you.”
“When we go to school we know that the teachers are willing and wanting to be there to help us. If we have
the vibe that they don’t want to be there, obviously we are going to have the same exact vibe.”
“School staff are supposed to encourage you and care about you, but they discourage you.”
C)
The Role of Principals
In a couple of the schools, students spoke of the principal as someone who played an especially important role in
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from students indicates that an active, visible, and caring principal can make a significant difference in their lives. In
one school, students said that the attention and support they received from the principal motivated them to try harder
in school, because they did not want to disappoint him/her. As one student expressed, “S/he wants us to get ahead
in life. So we have to give him/her a reason to, you know?” Students also described other ways in which the principal
played an important role, including:
t Promoting a positive academic and social climate in school;
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t Setting appropriate standards for student behaviour and discipline in school.
12
D)
Teacher Support
The discussions showed that teachers play a central role in the lives of students, and that many youth look towards
their teachers for support and mentorship. Across the four schools, students explained that the quality of their
relationships with teachers varied, and that they had both very supportive teachers and others who were less engaged
in their academic lives. In one of the schools, students seemed particularly concerned about what they perceived
as a lack of support from some teachers. A student described his/her view of the situation in this way, “You have
those who want you to pass, and you have those who help us, and those who don’t.” The causes of these problems at the
school were not fully understood; yet, at the time of the research, it was reported that the school was facing a
number of complex challenges that were having a negative impact on the climate at the school.
Across the four group discussion, the youth said that the quality of teaching, teacher
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success in the classroom. There were a few key themes that emerged from these discussions:
a) the importance of teacher expectations;
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c) the most engaging and effective teachers combine high expectations, good
instruction, and positive relationships.
Many students said that they understand teachers face challenges in their jobs and have many diverse students to
serve in a single classroom; however, they also said that they do not always get the support that they would like to
receive. Students indicated that their relationships with teachers can exert a great influence on their academic
engagement, as one explained, “Teachers also have a great influence and often they don’t even realize it.” The impact of
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with schoolwork. For many students, the teacher may be the single most important person who can help them with
their academic studies, “Well, your teacher is the only one who can really help you. He’s the one giving the course.”
1
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factors such as, a declining school budget, a turnover in personnel, a high number of students in “special education” and
many students from families living below the poverty line. It was also indicated that the school had succeeded in raising the
graduation rate in recent years, and that these gains had unfortunately been lost in the last couple of years due to declining
funds (which had facilitated smaller classes, for example).
13
Teacher Expectations
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teachers respond to individual students, and the expectations they have of them, can have a great impact on how
students perceive their own academic abilities. Below, a student describes how encouragement and negative
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“The thing that motivates me the most is when I get a lot of encouragement from my teacher and
when the teacher wants me to succeed, and when I think of the future I can have, that’s what
motivates me the most. It’s like if my French teacher, when you make a mistake, she, like, gets mad,
she gets mad at you, then, like, she doesn’t insult you, but she’s going to talk to you like you’re not
smart, like you don’t know how to do anything.”
Caring and Respectful Teacher-Student Relationships
The youth said that when a teacher was caring and respectful towards students, and communicated high
expectations for their success, it motivated them to do well, because they did not want to disappoint him/her.
They also said that they valued teachers who were compassionate towards students and who understood that they
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one student articulated,
“That’s the kind of teachers the schools need. Teachers that actually are going to help the kids and
because everybody’s here coming from all kind of problems and everybody has their own
problems to deal with and the last thing they need is homework and these frustrating numbers and
papers to deal with. Like all we need is just somebody there that-who cares.”
14
The Best Teachers Combine High Expectations and Support
Across the four schools, students gave similar descriptions of the teachers they found most effective and helpful.
According to them, the best teachers are those who set high expectations, provide consistent support and
encouragement, and use teaching methods that are interesting and actively engage students in class. Students
particularly appreciated when teachers pushed them to succeed, and took the time to make sure that they mastered
the curriculum. The quotations below illustrate the importance that students attach to teachers who stick by them
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“If you don’t get something instantly s/he will sit there. It’s his/her time and
s/he will sit there until you actually get it. Then there are teachers that when you don’t get it and
you’ll be quiet in the class and they’ll come over and you’ll say, ‘um, I don’t get what this is trying
to say” and they are looking at you, like, “why don’t you get it?’”
“You need a teacher that’s going to pressure you and be, like, ‘C’mon, c’mon, you gotta do this. You
gotta do this’, cause if we all have these teachers that are just laid back and all that, we’re not
going to really want to do the work when the time comes.”
Teaching that Engages and Motivates Students to Learn
As indicated above, an important theme in the group discussions was the impact of a teacher’s approach to teaching
and student involvement in class. Students said that they thrived in classrooms where teachers valued their
intelligence, and made lessons dynamic, interesting and interactive. Students said they particularly enjoyed classes
where teachers seemed enthusiastic about the subject, and communicated a love of learning to their students. When
asked how teachers could influence student success, one student said that it was not the teacher per se, but rather the
quality of his/her teaching. As s/he described,
“It’s really more about the way that they describe things. If he’s boring, like he doesn’t show any emotion
when he speaks, it’s always the same thing (that’s what influences me). ”
15
E)
Inspiring and Fun Extra-Curricular Activities
One of the things that many young people enjoy most about school is the opportunity to participate in fun and
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recreational clubs, and creative and artistic projects.
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outlets and spaces for them to socialize and have fun with peers, and to develop and express
their varied talents. As one student said, “Some people [students] just don’t want to go home after
school. They just want to, like, chill a bit.” 'VSUIFSFYUSBDVSSJDVMBSBDUJWJUJFTQSPWJEFTQBDFTGPS
youth to gather and socialize outside the context otheir academic studies; an important space
for building community amongst their peers which classrooms do not necessarily provide.
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good grades, and that this motivated them to work harder in school. As one student expressed, “You know, it
depends on whether you have an activity, like me, I have basketball. If someone said to me, you have to—to play
basketball—you have to have good grades. Well, I’m gonna work really hard.” As another student describes below,
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with adults and peers in school.
“We’re all different, but just the fact that we play music together, that
creates a sense of belonging, because you’re part of a group. You’re part of a family, of a group and you
have your place in that group. If you play the clarinet or trumpet, you have your role to play. If we play
sheet music, you know what you have to do, because you could mess it up for everyone else.
And when you’re there from Sec. I to Sec. V, the connections are really
strong. It’s really very beautiful. That helped me a lot. It gave me discipline.”
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participating. Students at one school talked about how sports activities were inaccessible because they could not
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no students are barred from participating.
16
5.1.3 Parents and Family
Students spoke at length about how important their parents and families were in influencing the way they
approached education, and how they applied themselves at school. They expressed how their parents play an
especially important role in providing the encouragement and support that they need to succeed in school, and that
support came not only from parents, but also members of the extended family.
“Like, if we want to drop out, you know, our parents are going to support us. [They’ll say] No, you’re not
allowed to do that.”
Students said that if their parents had high expectations of them, it motivated them to stay on track with school.
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attitudes about education. Students with parents who have struggled economically or never finished high school said
that they were motivated to succeed in school in order to improve their circumstances.
“It’s our parents. They didn’t exactly succeed in life and
they don’t want us to have the kind of failures they did.”
“‘Cause [my mother] she didn’t, well, she passed high
school and everything, but, like, she didn’t get to finish
everything she wanted to do, because she had me. So
she wants me to do good in school so I have a better life
than her.”
The youth said that while their families played a very important role in influencing their school success, their impact
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example, if parents are busy working and not available, or if there are conflicts within the family – this has a direct
impact on their emotional health, which affects how they perform at school.
“Because some people, like, sometimes, when they have problems at home, if their
parents are having problems, it will affect them too. Like you know, if your mom and your dad are fighting,
or your mom and your dad are getting divorced, the situation that they’re in, that affects you and then, it’s
always on your mind constantly so you’re not able to focus or concentrate the way you’re supposed to in
school.”
17
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One student said that it is not the presence of one or two parents that mattered, but rather the amount of time and
attention that parents provide to their children. The general feeling seemed to be that one of the most important
factors is the quality (versus quantity) of support from parents, as the quotation below illustrates:
“Well, I don’t think that it’s really about the fact that you have two parents or one parent. It’s about
the time that they could find for you. Because there could be somebody with only even one parent
and the parent has the time. Like, it could be with both parents and they’d always be working. And
it could also be that you’re at home with two parents, but then there’s not really a relationship there.
It’s about the relationship, I think, that you have with your parents. It’s not really about, like, how
many parents you have.”
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indicated, these circumstances affected their thoughts about education and success in the future. All of the students
expressed a desire to do well in life and to achieve a comfortable standard of living; however, not all of them seemed
as hopeful or as confident that they could achieve these goals. Some students said that their family’s economic
struggles motivated them to work harder in school to succeed; others seemed to find these barriers more daunting,
and said they needed the support of schools and community organizations to overcome the obstacles. In one of the
focus groups, students talked about how neighbourhood poverty proved challenging for them and their parents
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5.1.4 Peers and “Fitting In”
Friends play a very important role in young people’s lives, and can serve either as a positive or negative influence.
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applying themselves at school, or alternatively, reinforce their desire to try hard and do well. A few students said
that peers can influence them when it comes to making decisions about whether or not to go to school. Below are
excerpts of student reflections:
“If your friends don’t want to succeed, it
discourages you, because then they
become involved in other things.”
“There are friends who can influence you too, like,
they say, ‘No, don’t go to school. Don’t do this, don’t
do that.’ It’s, like, a kind of obstacle.”
18
When discussing their peers, students talked about how the influence of gangs could be a factor that leads some
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social, such as a desire to earn money and to escape family problems. While gang presence in their lives was not
something that the youth in the focus group discussion elaborated on extensively – as it was not part of their lives
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towards gangs as way to find social support and belonging. A comment from a youth below illustrates this idea:
“I think it’s more how each person fits in and […] like, if you fit into the family […] If the
parents [of a student] mistreat him and all, there’s no connection at home, he’s gonna look
for another family somewhere else to be comfortable. So, I’d say it’s more about fitting in.
The more they feel uncomfortable in their environment, the more they’re gonna look
somewhere else. If things around them are bad, they’re gonna look somewhere else.”
5.1.5 Cultural Stereotypes and Racism3
Across the four focus group discussions, students raised the issue of racism and discrimination as having a
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frustration regarding the negative stereotypes about Blacks that they see in the media, and the impact of these
stereotypes on people’s attitudes and their own identities. The youth said that they try to resist and defy these
stereotypes by working harder in school to succeed. At the same time, they said that the impact of racism can be
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Across the four schools, a few students also described instances in which they had faced racism in an encounter with
a teacher, school principal, or the police. In general, the students talked about racism as an every day reality that
affected their interactions with peers and adults both in and out school. As one student expresses in the following
quotation, the potential of prejudice and discrimination is always present, “Well, it’s not right. You know. They can
discriminate against you just by your colour, man. They don’t even know you yet. So you walk in there, and before you
even say a thing, they’re… all eyes are watching you and judging you.” Students were also conscious of discrimination
in observing the achievements of other Black students at their school. For example, they questioned why Black
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school. The following are cases of overt racism that the students described:
3 The term “culture” has been included in the title because discrimination against Black youth is not only
informed by “skin colour” but also perceived cultural differences.
19
Racial profiling by the police
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visible in areas where Black youth hang out:
“Like when students hang around in one place, they’re going to call the police. They’re going to
start giving out tickets for loitering, but, like, we have the right be here. It’s like, if we want to hang
around, it means that we’re up to something no good.”
Discrimination at school
A few of the youth raised troubling examples of situations in which they were
discriminated against by school staff. Below, one student describes how in the past, a primary
school had tried to discourage him/her from achieving in education.
“I wanted to stop coming to school, because, when I was in grade 6, my teacher told me that I will
never amount to nothing, and that I will never succeed without her, that I’ll never
graduate. And from like since that day, I’ve always pushed
myself to make sure that I succeed, and now I’m in Sec 5.”
Students placed a lot of the blame for the persistence of racism on the media. They said that whenever the media
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of the youth in the group discussions said they did not have much, if any, presence of gangs in their schools, or in
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media, said they are frustrated and upset with the ways that they are portrayed. Below, two youth describe how they
were offended by the negative and harmful assumptions made in a recent newspaper article about their school and
the Black community:
“They call to let us know that the school has a bad reputation. In the newspaper, I don’t know if you’ve
seen it, they spoke of (name of school omitted).”
“Yes, I think that there was a journalist who did a feature report on Black people that recently
arrived from Haiti, and said that they didn’t even know how to hold a pencil in their hands. You
know, I took that really badly, because he was trying to show the whole world that, ‘You see, if they
Blacks are like that, they’re all like that, that really affected me.”
20
Students across the four schools said that they believed that racism and negative
stereotypes lead adults, both in and outside of school, to have lower expectations of them
and to label them as “problem youth,” as one student said, “ often they’ll say…it’s because
you’re Black[…] you are in street gangs.” Even students who are doing well in school say that
they have to deal with negative stereotypes and low expectations, as one student described,
“If in math class, for example, you’re the only Black person in the class, each time you must
prove that you are capable. I am capable of doing
something. They have this idea, that since you’re Black that means that you have
nothing, nothing in your head. You’re always, like, pushed to the side.”
In addition to affecting social and academic expectations, students spoke about how racism had a negative
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of racism by working harder in school to succeed. In explaining her/his reasons for wanting to succeed in
school, one student said, ”To show that Blacks can also do well. Because the world says that there are too many
prejudices against Blacks. Like they are always in street gangs, and me, I’m at school.” 6OGPSUVOBUFMZTUVEFOUT
21
also explained that even though they might try hard to resist racist stereotypes, they are still vulnerable to their
effects. In the quotations below, youth describe how they are vulnerable to internalizing the negative messages, and
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“It affects the way I think we’re actually starting to look kind of comfortable with the way people
actually look at us. I mean, okay you know how people say, ‘Oh blah blah blah, you guys are loud, you
laugh loud.’ Okay so we say, ‘Oh well we’re black, what do you think?’ You know, it’s like, kind of
getting comfortable with what people are saying, you know.”
“It’s hard to say that we are not affected by stereotypes. It affects us a lot, for sure.”
“It’s like, next time they put you down, just don’t listen to it. Just, like, forget about it, you know? Don’t
listen to them. As a black person you should be, like, so happy, so proud. But I see most students they’re,
like, giving up because of one thing somebody said, you know?”
The discussions on this topic showed that Black youth are very
conscious of and grappling with the effects of racism on their lives.
While they are actively and courageously trying to resist its impact,
they admit that racism can take a toll on their identities,
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States have shown that youths’ experiences with racism can lead to
feelings of distress, exclusion, and frustration; feelings that can
only undermine their capacity to cope and perform in school
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youth need to develop identities that will help them to thrive
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youth face a particular set of complex challenges as they seek to
form a positive identity and to succeed in school.
22
5.1.6 Community Support
The focus group discussions revealed that community organizations can play significant and
positive roles in the lives of Black students. The results also showed that students across the four
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to refer to, and participate in, community programs when they were located in their school or in
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programs talked about how these organizations provided assistance in several different ways,
including:
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academic studies (e.g., tutors, homework help) and with professional training and preparation. It appears that
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homework assistance made it easier for them to get help because they did not have to approach their teachers on
their own. One student at this school described the homework help in this way, “obviously, the tutor’s so useful. Like,
you have to ask your teachers to come help you, and they’ll come to the room.” In another school, students talked
about how a community organization was important in their lives because it encouraged and helped them to aim for
higher professional goals:
“That’s what [name of organization omitted] is for, they give us our internship program, helping us find a job and giving
us opportunities to know that we can be better. So that we don’t work at McDonald’s.”
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community act as role models and mentors for young people. As described below, these adults give students the
inspiration to believe in themselves and to aim high:
“Not only that, but s/he [the tutor] used to pressure us. Like, s/he was a motivator. And s/he, like, believed in us. Like, I
think s/he like, made us proud to be Black.”
23
3) Students described how community organizations might have a better understanding of the needs and
experiences of Black students, because of their close relationships with the youth and their families, and their more
intimate knowledge of the cultural and social backgrounds of youth. The discussions about community
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needs of students. The following is one students’ description of the role of a community organization that s/he
attended in his/her neighbourhood:
“[What youth need are] community centres that actually are more close with the actual
community. Not school. ‘Cause school is a variety of people and they only cater to this and that. It’s like a
classroom, where pretty much, a teacher doesn’t have time to say to say: ‘Ok this student needs help, this
student needs help, because everybody kind of needs help.’
The same student went on the say:
“I find at [name of organization] there are good people in there because they
understand what us Black students are going through in our school because they are around a whole
community of those types of kids. They are used to it, you know, like helping people.”
One of the key findings from this discussion on community programs is the
importance that students place on having adults in their lives who reinforce their
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services like tutoring and homework help, community organizations seem to fill the
need for students to have adults in their lives who offer emotional and social support,
encouragement, and advice. Furthermore, community organizations can give
Black youth the chance to meet and interact with role models and mentors from the
Black community who inspire them and enhance their sense of pride in their cultural and
social identities. As one student explained,
“If we’re surrounded by smart Black people, then that means we’re going to be more successful in
achieving a diploma and stuff, right?”
24
5.2
Students’ Views about their Schools
A)
What We Like About School
Across the four schools, students said that one of the things they liked most about school was the multicultural
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worlds. They claimed that it was common to find students mixing with others who share the same cultural
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Month. However, in one school, students claimed that these kinds of cultural activities were rare, and needed to be
organized more frequently. In a quotation below, students describe their appreciation for the diverse population and
multicultural activities in their schools:
“I would say that it’s special because it’s
multicultural, okay? We are part of the Black
community, but here and there you here Chinese people
speaking their language all the time. We hear Black
people speaking English or French. But often you look
around you and you see this whole mix of people who
speak one language, we all speak French together. We
come from different countries, but we manage to
communicate together. It’s really
beautiful.”
“There is real harmony at this school.”
“[I like] the multi-cultural activities. We have a lot
going on. I don’t see, like, other schools having black
history shows and multi-cultural days.”
B)
Problems and Challenges at School
When asked to identify some of the negative aspects about school, some students talked about the experience of
being pressured to move into adult or professional education, while others were critical of the poor reputation and
physical conditions of their school.
25
Pressures to Switch into Professional or Adult Education
The following quotations provide examples of situations in which Black students felt pressures to move into
professional and adult education before finishing their high school degrees. Students were troubled by these
situations, and felt that school staff should encourage them to complete the regular academic track.
“What I don’t like is, when you get to a certain age and you’re not doing well, they put you in another school.
Like, this year, I went into Training for a Semiskilled Trade. You spend half the day learning and the other
half working.”
“The school staff go around the classrooms. They come in, they say ‘Well, if you don’t have good grades, we
can send you to vocational training.’ I was so against that.
Between you and me, going further [to cegep] is better than leaving right after.”
“Instead of pushing you to get good grades, they’ll [school staff] discourage you.
They’ll tell you that it’s better to go to vocational training, or to go to adult education.”
Negative Reputation of the School
Students were bothered by the apparently negative reputations of their schools, which they said were inaccurate
and outdated. In some cases, students said that their schools had long been associated with gangs but that this was
no longer an accurate association, and that the current school climate was very different. Some students questioned
whether the poor reputation of their schools was connected with prejudices about minorities and recent immigrants,
as they describe below:
“But I mean, it’s like […] I feel like when people hear about [school name
omitted], it’s like, ‘That’s where all the bad black kids go to.’”
“How do we know what a ghetto school is exactly? Like, what is a ghetto school? They
probably think that ghetto school is like, it’s ‘cause our school looks like a rainbow. What’s so ghetto
about it?”
26
Physical Conditions at School
4UVEFOUTEFTDSJCFEIPXUIFQIZTJDBMDPOEJUJPOTPGUIFJSTDIPPMTBČFDUFEUIFJSTFOTFPGXFMMCFJOHBOETDIPPMQSJEF
Students said that they were unhappy when their schools were physically unappealing or showed signs of disrepair
BOEOFHMFDUFHMFBLJOHDFJMJOHT
*OPOFTDIPPMTUVEFOUTUBMLFEBCPVUUIFiQSJTPOMJLFwBUNPTQIFSFPGUIFJSTDIPPM
Students also said that they felt it was important to create a safe, positive and bright atmosphere at school by
displaying artwork, using warm and colourful paint on the walls, and keeping the school clean.
5.3
Programs and Activities in and out of School
The tables in Appendix B present data that summarize the results from the community and school mapping
FYFSDJTF*UJEFOUJĕFTUIFBDBEFNJDBOEOPOBDBEFNJDSFTPVSDFTBDUJWJUJFTBOEQSPHSBNTUIBUXFSFBWBJMBCMFUP
students in schools and community settings. Key highlights from the mapping include the following:
t Homework assistance, remedial help, and tutoring are available to varying degrees across the four
high schools. The services appear to be most accessible in circumstances where there are staff and/
PSWPMVOUFFSTEFTJHOBUFEUPQSPWJEFUIFIFMQBUDFSUBJOIPVSTEVSJOHUIFEBZPSBęFSTDIPPMBOE
when community organizations can supplement what the school can (or cannot) provide. In the two
English schools, volunteers from community organizations and universities played an active role in
providing tutoring and remedial help on weekdays and weekends.
t A range of TDIPPMDPNNVOJUZQBSUOFSTIJQTexisted in all of the schools. These were developed
QSJNBSJMZUPBVHNFOUBOEJNQSPWFUIFFYUSBDVSSJDVMBSBDUJWJUJFTBęFSTDIPPMQSPHSBNTBOE
academic and professional opportunities available to students.
t 5XPPGUIFMBSHFTUIJHITDIPPMTIBEPOFPSNPSFGVMMUJNFTFDVSJUZHVBSET4PNFTUVEFOUT
indicated that the presence of security guards actually created a sense of insecurity, rather than
safety. In spite of this, students across the four schools said that they generally felt safe in school,
and did not report any significant problems like violence, gangs, or drug abuse.
t A student council was active in 3 of the 4 high schools. In two of the schools, Black students and
other youth of colour were active members, and even presidents, of their student council.
Students in one school lamented that their student council was not given adequate support and
recognition, and that its recommendations were sometimes ignored by school leaders.
27
t Multicultural activities were more or less frequent across the four schools. Students in
one school indicated that multicultural activities were rare and that they wanted more
PQQPSUVOJUJFTUPFYQMPSFUIFJSDVMUVSBMIFSJUBHFTBOEUPFOHBHFJODSPTTDVMUVSBMFYDIBOHFT
with other students. Students who did have multicultural activities expressed how
much they enjoyed and appreciated them.
t Community programs for youth were more accessible in some settings than in others. As
indicated earlier, students were more likely to know about and to participate in community
organizations when these organizations were working in partnership with the school and/or
located in the neighbourhoods where students lived. In three of the high schools, students
seemed to participate very little, if at all, in community organizations outside of school hours.
t Three of the schools organized yearly activities to celebrate Black History Month. These
activities appeared to be one of the few, if only, opportunities that the schools provided for
students to learn about and to explore their cultural identities
28
5.4
Student-Recommended Solutions to Promote Success in School
%VSJOHUIFTUVEFOUGBDJMJUBUFEGPDVTHSPVQEJTDVTTJPOTBUFBDIPGUIFGPVSTDIPPMT
students provided recommendations regarding necessary changes at the level of school and
DPNNVOJUZUPQSPNPUFUIFTVDDFTTPG#MBDLZPVUIJOTDIPPMBOEQSFWFOUESPQPVUćFLFZ
suggestions were: support from teachers, engaging teaching methods, a multicultural curriculum, and
FYUSBDVSSJDVMBSBOEBęFSTDIPPMQSPHSBNT
5.4.1 Teacher Support
The discussions with youth revealed that teachers play an important role in promoting their engagement and
learning in the classroom. The role of caring and supportive relationships with teachers may be especially
important for Black students who have the fewest resources and the greatest challenges to overcome in performing
in school. As indicated already, students appreciate when teachers believe in them and set high expectations for
their success. The following quotation summarizes these ideas:
“Good follow-up from teachers. And also, making students feel like they can do things. Lots of
motivation and lots of support. Because often, you tell yourself that you can do something, but if your
teacher says ‘what are you doing […] what are you, stupid’, there are teachers who say that, ‘you’re stupid,
you’re dumb.’ That doesn’t motivate the student. He’s just going to drop out. So, make the
student feel like he is able to do something. And there are other teachers who’ll take
students and really give them a lot of support, lots of support and good follow-up.”
29
5.4.2 The Classroom
Students remarked that they understand that teachers face numerous challenges in instructing the assigned
curriculum while serving large and diverse classes of students. The students also said that they think teachers must
be sensitive to the diversity of their students’ backgrounds, experiences and skills. The classrooms that students say
they find most engaging are interactive, they tap into and integrate students’ real life experiences and identities, and
teachers are able to adapt and respond to the different needs of students. In the quotation below, a student describes
how a teacher might tap into the strengths and and interests of students:
“If you [the teacher] come to class ask [the students] ‘what would help you learn? How can I make you
learning easier, and teaching you easier?’ Compromise with them, and see how they want to learn. You
know like, let’s say you want to learn math ask them, ‘okay, you want to play cards?’ Just motivate them
and make them feel like ‘okay, tomorrow I’m going to school, we’re going to play some cards and learn
some math.’ After that, if you’re learning English, [work] with all the rappers and [ask students to] turn
that into proper English, ‘okay, take this rap song and turn it into proper English.’ Like motivate them,
like really, really, motivate them and like use different strategies and just ask them what they want.”
5.4.3 Multicultural Curriculum
Students reported that the school curriculum does not adequately represent the experiences of cultural minority
HSPVQTJODMVEJOHQFPQMFPG"GSJDBOEFTDFOU6OGPSUVOBUFMZTUVEFOUTJOUFSQSFUUIFBCTFODFPG#MBDLTJOUIF
curriculum as a sign that their identities, cultural backgrounds, and contributions to society do not matter. As one
student comments below, “we are people too.” Students say that they would like to have a more diverse
curriculum that integrates the history and experiences of people of African descent, as well as other groups in
2VFCFDBOE$BOBEJBOTPDJFUZ*OPUIFSXPSET students would like a curriculum that reflects their own
contemporary multicultural world. The following quotations from students illustrate these ideas:
“Like [in] history class, learn black history. Like, it’s kind of boring to always learn about the white people.
It’d be nice to know about our history as African Americans, it’d be nice to know our history as well, you
know? You get, like, part of the class you’re knowing about Jean
Chrétien, and come on. We need some time for our history too, you know. We’re people too.”
“All kinds. Not only black history, but all kinds.”
30
In one of the schools, a new Black history course had been introduced in the last year as way
of making the curriculum more reflective of its student population. Students viewed
this as an important initiative; yet, they also said that the course content was not always
engaging because it concentrated mostly on historical facts and did not
provide enough opportunities for them to make connections with their
contemporary realities. This feedback suggests that the relationship that Black
students have with Black history is more than purely intellectual, but also
cultural, emotional and personal. Overall, it is clear that Black students would like a
curriculum that provides more opportunities for them to reflect on their unique
CBDLHSPVOETBOENVMUJDVMUVSBMSFBMJUJFT
5.4.4 Extra-Curricular Activities and After-School Programs
4UVEFOUTTBZUIFZXPVMEMJLFTDIPPMTUPPČFSNPSFEJWFSTFFYUSBDVSSJDVMBSBDUJWJUJFTBOEUIBUUIFTF
BDUJWJUJFTDBOCFNPSFBDDFTTJCMFCZLFFQJOHUIFGFFTMPXPSPČFSJOHUIFNGSFFPGDIBSHFćFZIJHIMJHIUFEUIBU
FYUSBDVSSJDVMBSBDUJWJUJFTBOEBęFSTDIPPMQSPHSBNTJOTDIPPMPSJODPNNVOJUZPSHBOJ[BUJPOTBSFWBMVBCMFJO
several ways:
B
ćFZQSPWJEFPQQPSUVOJUJFTGPSTUVEFOUTUPFYQMPSFBOEEFWFMPQUIFJSOPOBDBEFNJDUBMFOUTBOEJOUFSFTUTFH
artistic and sports activities:
“There’s some people who like to rap, who like to write down lyrics, like they could have a class for that. You can get
your message out to the high school. And you could learn more about writing skills.”
“I would like if there was a choir maybe so, like, people that could sing, they could sing, you know. Yeah. Like, if
they could do something like that in this school. ‘Cause no one’s going to want to come to school if you, like, have
boring subjects all day.”
b) Enable adolescents to develop positive and supportive relationships with adult mentors and role models
c) Make the school day more enjoyable and interesting:
“If there is something always happening at school, people are going to want to come to school, because there is
something happening. Let’s say, I don’t know, if there was freestyle at lunch time, people will want to come to
school.”
“It would be fun to come to school. A ball tournament happening.”
31
d) Provide a space for students to socialize and exchange with peers. As one student expressed:
“I like Katrina’s [a pseudonym] idea of having, like, a black youth group, you know, after school. You know, to get
people to come together so that they can, like, express themselves, because most of the time they get stressed out,
and they can’t really feel comfortable to go talk to the counselor and all that. So it’d be good to come and, like,
speak your mind and stuff, yeah.”
F
)FMQCVJMETUVEFOUTTFOTFPGCFMPOHJOHBUTDIPPM"TPOFTUVEFOUEFTDSJCFEFBSMJFSFYUSBDVSSJDVMBS
programs can provide students with opportunities to develop positive relationships with adults and peers and
promote their sense of belonging and commitment to a group and community:
“When we play music together, it creates a feeling of togetherness, because we’re participating in a group. You feel
as though you are part of a family, that’s helped me a lot. It helps us be
disciplined.”
f) Provide incentives for students to attend homework help and tutoring. In one of the focus group
discussions, students said that homework help and tutoring programs would attract more students if they
allocated time for fun and relaxation. As one student said:
“You know what should happen? It should be homework, then activities. Like, homework
program, then activities. Homework for, like, half an hour. Half an hour. Get the most, like the
hardest things out of the way, then activities.”
5VUPSJOHBOEIPNFXPSLBTTJTUBODFQSPHSBNTEPOPUPęFOBUUSBDUUIFTUVEFOUTXIPXPVMECFOFĕUNPTUGSPNUIFJS
TFSWJDFTNPTUMZCFDBVTFTUVEFOUTPęFOWJFXUIFTFQSPHSBNTBTBOFYUFOTJPOPGUIFDMBTTSPPNćFSFGPSFBęFSTDIPPM
programs have increasingly opted to focus on developing students’ academic skills through other activities that
combine fun with learning, such as science and artistic projects.
32
6.
CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
The present report was written with the
aim of giving a full and “uncensored”
account of the voices of youth. Careful
attention has been paid to maintaining
a balance between the actual words and
contributions of focus group particpants,
and the research team’s interpretations of
the data. As a result, the report provides
a rich and unique portrait of the views
of youth. Though it does not capture the
views of other groups whose
contributions are also important, namely
parents and school and
DPNNVOJUZCBTFEQFSTPOOFMXIBUJUEPFTJTQSPWJEFBQMBUGPSNGPSEJBMPHVFCFUXFFOTUVEFOUTBOE
adults on the issues that affect success in school. As the report makes clear, youth have mature and
thoughtful insights to share, and their views must be taken into account if we are to deepen our un
EFSTUBOEJOHPGDBVTFTBOETPMVUJPOTUPQSPCMFNTMJLFIJHITDIPPMEJTFOHBHFNFOUBOEESPQPVU
The report summarizes the findings from focus group discussions with youth who had different
MJOHVJTUJDOBUJPOBMTPDJPFDPOPNJDBOEDVMUVSBMCBDLHSPVOET%VFUPTBNQMFTJ[FBOEPUIFS
methodological constraints, it was not possible to explore how these background differences affected
students’ thoughts about school. As indicated in the introduction, research has shown that factors like
CJSUIQMBDFJNNJHSBUJPOTPDJPFDPOPNJDTUBUVTBOEHFOEFSEPJOĘVFODFUIFTDIPPMTVDDFTTPG#MBDL
students in important ways. These background factors may also shape how students respond to
broader social forces like racism, poverty, and language differences. A Black student whose experience
PGQPWFSUZJTQFSTJTUFOUBOEMPOHUFSNJTMJLFMZUPĕOEJUIBSEFSUPTVDDFFEJOTDIPPMUIBOPOFXIPIBT
lived in poverty only temporarily. The same can probably be said of other structural barriers like
racism. This does not imply that individual factors outweigh structural barriers, but rather it
emphasizes that Black students’ experiences will vary and that these differences are important to take
into account and to understand. They may in fact hold important clues as to how and why Black
students succeed or fail in the face of structural barriers.
The research was primarily concerned with Black students; however, its findings may be applicable to
other groups and communities who are faced with similar social and economic obstacles, such as
youth who belong to other minority groups. When talking about their experiences at school and the
33
obstacles to success, students across the four schools expressed many of the same general concerns.
ćFZUBMLFEBCPVUUIFEJďDVMUJFTPGDPQJOHXJUIUIFBDBEFNJDQSFTTVSFTPGIJHITDIPPMUIF
importance of having support from their teachers, the impact of the school climate on their
motivation, and the negative reputations of their schools. These similarities in school experiences
point to the influence of systemic factors, which are located not just in specific schools but in the
broader education system.
As the report shows, all students want to succeed in school, and the ideas they share in this report
reflect their conviction that schools can be ideal places where students learn and develop their full
potential. As described earlier, students want schools where they feel cared for, where there is a
climate of high expectations, where principals and teachers are motivated and motivating, and where
UIFDVSSJDVMVNJTSFMFWBOUUPUIFJSMJWFTBOEFOHBHJOH6OGPSUVOBUFMZDPOEJUJPOTJOTDIPPMTBOEJO
broader society generally do not support Black students in ways that they need and instead reinforce
UIFSJTLUIBUUIFZXJMMEJTFOHBHFGSPNTDIPPM5FBDIFSTPęFOMBDLUIFUJNFSFTPVSDFTBOETLJMMTUP
QSPWJEFBMMPGUIFJSTUVEFOUTXJUIUIFOFDFTTBSZTVQQPSU4UVEFOUTNBZPęFOIBWFQFSTPOBMBOE
social challenges that schools are not adequately equipped to address. Fortunately, many solutions
are available, including the ones highlighted in the report.
The youth researchers also wish to emphasize that success in school is not the sole responsibility of
any one group or organization, but rather the shared responsibility of everyone. Conditions are best
XIFOTUVEFOUTQBSFOUTBOETDIPPMBOEDPNNVOJUZCBTFETUBČBSFXPSLJOHUPHFUIFSJOBSFMBUJPOTIJQ
of mutual trust, understanding, and respect, and when they are willing and able to listen and to learn
GSPNFBDIPUIFSćFTUVEFOUTDPVMEDJUFNBOZFYBNQMFTPGZPVUIBEVMUSFMBUJPOTIJQTJOTDIPPMUIBU
were positive and nurturing, and others that were somewhat challenging and, at times, discouraging.
The fact is that exemplary practices in schooling do exist and can be created.
In addition to the recommendations provided in the report by focus group participants, the research
team believes the following strategies are important:
t
*ODSFBTFQSPGFTTJPOBMEFWFMPQNFOUPQQPSUVOJUJFTGPSUFBDIFSTUPMFBSONPSFBCPVUUIF
backgrounds and experiences of Black students, and to explore questions of diversity, equity and
BOUJSBDJTN5FBDIFSTBMTPOFFEUJNFSFTPVSDFTBOETVQQPSUUPMFBSOBCPVUBOEEFWFMPQUIFFYQFSUJTF
to serve multicultural classrooms, and more specifically Black students (who also represent a
culturally diverse group).
34
t
1SPNPUFBCFUUFSBEBQUBUJPOPGUIFTDIPPMDVSSJDVMVNUPUIFFYQFSJFODFTBOEIJTUPSJFTPG#MBDL
students. It is important to note that since the present study ended, one of the schools in the project
introduced a new course on “contemporary worlds” which educates students about societies around the
world. This is a welcoming and encouraging development. More initiatives like these are needed in more
schools.
t
$POUJOVFUPEFWFMPQBOENBJOUBJODMPTFDPMMBCPSBUJPOTCFUXFFOTDIPPMTBOEDPNNVOJUZ
organizations serving Black youth. As shown in the report, these partnerships provide an important
opportunity for education systems to gain the knowledge and capacity to enhance the support they
provide to Black students.
35
REFERENCES
$BSUFS1SVEFODF
,FFQJOJUSFBM4DIPPMTVDDFTTCFZPOE#MBDLBOE8IJUF/FX:PSL0YGPSE
6OJWFSTJUZ1SFTT
.D"OESFX.-FEFOU+BOE"JU4BJE3
-BSÏVTTJUFTDPMBJSFEFTKFVOFTEFMBDPNNVOBVUÏTOPJSFBV
TFDPOEBJSF.POUSFBM2VFCFD$FOUSFEFSFDIFSDIFJOUFSVOJWFSTJUBJSFTVSMJNNJHSBUJPOMJOUÏHSBUJPOFUMB
EZOBNJRVFVSCBJOF6OJWFSTJUÏEF.POUSFBM
1BZOF$
4P.VDI3FGPSN4P-JUUMF$IBOHFćF1FSTJTUFODFPG'BJMVSFJO6SCBO4DIPPMT$BNCSJEHF
.")BSWBSE6OJWFSTJUZ1SFTT
4VÈSF[0SP[DP$
*EFOUJUJFT6OEFS4JFHF*NNJHSBUJPO4USFTTBOE4PDJBM.JSSPSJOH"NPOHUIF$IJMESFO
PG*NNJHSBOUT*O"OUPOJVT3PCCFO.4VÈSF[0SP[DP&ET
$VMUVSFT6OEFS4JFHF4PDJBM7JPMFODF5SBVNB
$BNCSJEHF$BNCSJEHF6OJWFSTJUZ1SFTT
QQ
5PSD[ZOFS+
%FNPHSBQIJDDIBMMFOHFTGBDJOHUIF#MBDLDPNNVOJUZJO.POUSFBMJOUIFTUDFOUVSZ
.POUSFBM2VFCFD$POTPSUJVNGPS&UIOJDJUZBOE4USBUFHJD4PDJBM1MBOOJOH.D(JMM6OJWFSTJUZ
5PSD[ZOFS+BOE4QSJOHFS4
ćF&WPMVUJPOPGUIF#MBDL$PNNVOJUZJO.POUSFBM$IBOHFBOE$IBMMFOHF
.POUSFBM2VFCFD$POTPSUJVNGPS&UIOJDJUZBOE4USBUFHJD4PDJBM1MBOOJOH.D(JMM6OJWFSTJUZ
8POH$"&DDMFT+44BNFSPČ"
ćFJOĘVFODFPGFUIOJDEJTDSJNJOBUJPOBOEFUIOJDJEFOUJĕDBUJPOPO
"GSJDBO"NFSJDBOBEPMFTDFOUTTDIPPMBOETPDJPFNPUJPOBMBEKVTUNFOU+PVSOBMPG1FSTPOBMJUZo
36
APPENDIX A: Focus group with youth- English questionnaire
A.
Experiences of Black Students
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8IBUEPZPVUIJOLJOĘVFODFTIPX#MBDLTUVEFOUTTVDDFFEBUTDIPPM
8IBUBSFUIFSFBTPOTUIBUNPUJWBUF#MBDLTUVEFOUTUPTVDDFFE
8IBUNBLFTZPVXBOUUPTVDDFFE
8IBUGBDUPSTEJTDPVSBHFTUVEFOUTGSPNTVDDFFEJOHBUTDIPPM
8IBUGBDUPSTMFBE#MBDLTUVEFOUTUPESPQPVU
8IBUSPBECMPDLTEPZPVUIJOL#MBDLTUVEFOUTGBDFPOBEBZUPEBZCBTJT
3)
What factors would motivate students to be more involved in school?
B.
Support Available in School and in the Community
*OHFOFSBMXIBUEPZPVMJLFUIFNPTUBCPVUPVSTDIPPM
8IBUEPZPVMJLFUIFMFBTU
3)
What programs are available in school or in the community that help with success at school?
8IBUBęFSTDIPPMQSPHSBNTBSFBWBJMBCMFUPIFMQ#MBDLTUVEFOUTTVDDFFEJOTDIPPM
4)
What do you like most about the programs available?
5)
What would you change about these programs?
6)
What do teachers do to encourage the success of their students?
8IBUTVQQPSUEPZPVSFDFJWFGSPNZPVSUFBDIFST
7)
Why is it important to have support to succeed in school?
8)
How does the school incorporate knowledge of the Black community into student life?
%P#MBDLTUVEFOUTIBWFPQQPSUVOJUJFTUPFYQSFTTUIFNTFMWFT
C.
Preventing Drop-out & Increasing Success
*GZPVIBEUIFDIBODFUPFYQSFTTZPVSTFMWFTXIBUTVHHFTUJPOTXPVMEZPVPČFSUPQSFWFOUUIF
ESPQPVUPG#MBDLTUVEFOUTGSPNPVSTDIPPM
8IBUDBOUIFTDIPPMEPUPJNQSPWFUIFTVDDFTTPG#MBDLTUVEFOUT
37
$
1SFWFOUJOH%SPQPVU*ODSFBTJOH4VDDFTT
*GZPVIBEUIFDIBODFUPFYQSFTTZPVSTFMWFTXIBUTVHHFTUJPOTXPVMEZPVPČFSUPQSFWFOUUIF
ESPQPVUPG#MBDLTUVEFOUTGSPNPVSTDIPPM
8IBUDBOUIFTDIPPMEPUPJNQSPWFUIFTVDDFTTPG#MBDLTUVEFOUT
3)
What can community organizations do to support Black students at school?
38
APPENDIX B: COMMUNITY AND SCHOOL MAPPING EXERCISE
TABLE 1: POLICIES, PROGRAMS AND ACTIVITIES IN SCHOOLS &
COMMUNITY SETTINGS
SCHOOL A
French high
school with
2000 students
SCHOOL B
French High
school with
1000 students
SCHOOl C
English high
school with
900 students
SCHOOL D
English high
school with
300 students
%PBMMTUVEFOUTIBWFFRVBM
access to school programs
and services, regardless of
academic scores, finacial
resources and other
potential barriers?
Yes, in theory. But
some students may
not be able to afford
activities that have a
cost (e.g., for sports
uniforms, trips).
In addition, some
activities are only
accessible to certain
grades.
Yes and No. Field Yes
trips might be
organized only
for students in
specific course
subjects or
grades.
Yes
What kinds of activities
are held to promote
multicultural
understanding among
students?
There is a lack of
multicultural activities
organized to promote
cross-cultural relations
among students.
t(SBOEFNPOEF
Club
t8FFLBHBJOTU
racism
t'SBODPQIPOF
Culture week
t#MBDL)JTUPSZ
Month activities
t.VMUJDVMUVSBM
Talent Show
t Black History Month
Are there activities that
offer students
constructive opportunities
to learn about each other
across gender, social,
economic and cultural
groups?
Yes. It depends on how
students choose to
participate in the life
of the school.
t$PVSTFPO
ethics and
religion
t(FPHSBQIZBOE
history class
A group called
F.G.B.G (For girls,
by girls)
Is there a feeling of safety
and security at school?
Somewhat. Presence of
security may actually
undermine sense of
safety.
Yes. Principals
have
walkie-talkies,
there are three
security guards,
and rules are
kept strict.
Yes.
Numerous extracurricular and
after-school programs
(Youth Fusions, LOVE,
Leadership Group,
Choir, Cooking class,
Student newspaper,
media project, sports
teams, and an
environmental club).
Information is not
available.
activities
39
SCHOOL A
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More or less.
bulletin boards, displays, Multicultural murals.
and hall decorations that
represent the interests and
backgrounds of students?
Are students encouraged
to excel through
academic and
OPOBDBEFNJDQVSTVJUT *G
so, in what ways?
More or less.
Activities and
services include :
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teams
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SCHOOL B
SCHOOL C
SCHOOL D
Yes. Murals
around the
school, movie
displays, and
pictures of
activities held in
the school.
t%JWFSTF
after-school
activities (sports
and arts
activities at lunch
and after school).
Yes. Murals
painted by
students.
Yes. Murals,
student projects, and
announcements of
activities.
"SFUIFSFTUVEFOUSVO
t4UVEFOUDPVODJMXJUI Student Council,
initiatives and activities in two representatives on with two student
the school?
the “Governing Board” representatives
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on the
group of senior
Governing
students that help
Board.
junior students with
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their personal
Committee
problems).
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Committee
prom.
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Dragons
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musical theatre
production.
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“Success Coordinator” who
Assemblies
provides assistance to
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students at risk of failing.
Banquet
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to highly involved
students.
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Distinction
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learning
environments)
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with students
Student Council,
with three
students on the
Governing Board.
Student council
organizes events for
students. There are
numerous
student-run
activities,
including:
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Program e.g.,
student dances,
Terry Fox Day etc.
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Committee
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Club
tNo Student Council.
Student-run activities
include:
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newspaper
tEnvironmental Club
tLerdership group
tMedia project
40
SCHOOL A
SCHOOL B
SCHOOL C
SCHOOL D
What kinds of academic
support programs are
offered in the school?
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homework help
available on every
subject but only for
secondary 1 and 2.
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teachers provide
remedial help.
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provide homework
assistance, but
students have to ask
for it.
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(Monday-Thursday)
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teachers’ schedule)
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difficulties can get
special assistance
(references and
complimentary
services).
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failing grades get
written advice in the
student’s report card.
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weeks worth of
catching up)
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Tutoring and
homework help every
day after school and
on Saturdays for all
grades.
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House homework
assistance
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from McGill
University
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coordinator” helps
students at risk of
not succeeding in
exams (assistance
is provided during
lunch, after-school
and on Saturdays
particularly with
math, science and
French).
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(literacy program)
What other forms of
support are offered in
school?
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profwssional for 2000
students)
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school-community
partnerships.
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social worker (called
« psycho-éducateur/
rice » in French).
Guidance
counselors can set
up “shadowing” for
students.
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counselor
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school partnerships
coordinator.
41
SCHOOL A
SCHOOL B
SCHOOL C
SCHOOL D
In what ways does the
school collaborate with
community
organizations?
Community
organizations offer
after-school sports,
cultural, and volunteer
activities:
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Centre (cultural
enrichment)
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(volunteer work)
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YMCA, CSSS, DPG,
LOVE, Head and
Hands, Tandem, and
“Jeunesse 2000.”
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partners (known
as the « Comité des
partenaires”): the
committee involves
school and
community
organizations who
joined forces to
address the high
drop-out rate of
English-speaking
Black students in the
school.
Community
organizations
offer homework help,
tutoring, cultural
activities, literacy, and
sports:
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Community
Association
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Basketball
Community
organizations
offer a range of
cultural, artistic,
sports, and literacy
activities, and
internship
opportunities:
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Jeunesse Emploi
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Mediation Project
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What community
programs are available to
students from the school?
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(volunteer work)
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(job-search services)
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tSteel pan lessons
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Georges
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House
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