Young, Gifted, and Black: Promoting High Achievement among African-American Students by Theresa Perry

Young, Gifted, and Black: Promoting High Achievement among African-American Students Reviews

• 
  Tia

  The first two sections regarding pre- and post-Civil Rights black education and the relationship between stereotype threat and achievement were pretty informative and well-argued. The last section made me question the author’s argument that raising achievement is as simple as he states. If I read another essay/article/book where the author recommends further overworking underpaid teachers and suggests that they all be content specialists in their field as the solution to bridging the gap between low performance and excellence, my eyes are going to roll so much they fall out.
• 
  Melissa Jung

  This is an excellent book, especially for anyone who works in education. As a white teacher who works in a predominantly white school with mostly white colleagues, I found this book to be a great learning resource and a counter to the the harmful and deficit-based narratives surrounding black students that continue to be perpetuated. It is a series of academic essays and reads a little dry sometimes, but it's valuable information.
• 
  Mark

  The chapter on stereotype threat, of course, is the best, but I appreciated Theresa Perry's essay, too. Perry does an excellent job arguing that education has become more complicated after the Civil Rights Movement as de jure segregation has disappeared. We have a society that wants to believe that merit matters most and that hard work will prevail. In most schools, this is not true.
• 
  Longhair

  Young Gifted and Black is a collection of five essays written by three authors that focus on identifying the unique challenges African-American face in institutionalized racism embedded in our schools, what it means when they commit themselves to high achievement and how schools can change their programs to create culturally responsive classes that support all children. The purpose of this review will focus on the first four written by Theresa Perry and Claude Steele. Perry uses various narratives to combat the common misconception concerning African-American students and presents theories of group achievement with descriptions and analysis. Steele presents a couple experiments that he and his team designed and preformed to assess the issue of stereotype threat on the testing performance on students. Unlike most written presentations of psychological research it uses an informal voice that makes the information easily comprehensible.
  Perry’s first essay opens with a series of powerful stories that illustrate how strong the desire for education is for African-Americans. This opening shocks the reader into paying attention to the presented ideas and confronting preexisting misconceptions concerning African-Americans and their attitudes toward education. Perry then looks at the current growing achievement gap between African-Americans and their peers, and redefines the meaning of achievement to match what it actually means for an African-American student to commit themselves to achievement when whether that achievement will ever be recognized. This is an affective segue to the first essay that takes historical and modern-day narratives from African-Americans that express the lengths they went through become literate and gain their identities as Americans and reaffirm their humanity. Using historical records from African-Americans sets up the argument for historical precedence that follows into the more recent texts that drives the point that the African-Americans of today are not apathetic towards education and if a Black youth seems to be then that is a problem that needs to be addressed not accepted. On a personal note, seeing an excerpt from The Narrative Life of Frederick Douglass forced me reexamine it from a different preceptive. The first time I read the work was in high school and we looked at the effects of slavery and literary technique, not making the connection to African-American beliefs was a terrible missed opportunity. Having those familiar names was a gentle ease into the more technical theories.
  The second part is composed of various theories concerning African-American education. Perry offers more than a description of each presented theory, she does a short analysis even to point she illustrated Bourdieu’s argument that an institution can be set up to advantage or disadvantage a child (p.68-70). All of these examples describe a typical school situations where a teacher’s actions benefit their students or put them at a great disadvantage. This is useful for those who may have trouble with the direct quote she used to present the argument and for current teachers to look at their lessons and as a warning to pre-service teachers as I did get a sense that the teachers presented were idealistic in their lessons. I myself will confess to be exuberant over the prospect of sharing my favorite stories with my students but reading the first scenario did make me second guess how a student might response to some of those stories I had in mind. Besides that I feel this was chapter worked better as an introduction to the theories and works well as a reference source. The number of theories, arguments and the sheer amount of information made it hard to recall any of what was read else you’re familiar with it or it leaves a distinct impression. However the main points are separated with appropriate and descriptive titles, making it very easy to flip through and spot whatever it is you want to find. And in case you were confused during the your reading, the conclusion is titled From Analysis To Theory Building and it does an excellent job of drawing on the current and previous essays to concisely summarizing the assertions being made through her analyses.
  The final piece we’re covering is written by Claude Steele and the tone makes a distinctive change from argumentative and asserting to more posing. While the focus of this book is how educators can help their African-American students be successful this chapter is dedicated to presenting research on stereotype threat, something that can (and probably) affects everyone. While the experiment is laid out well, what’s needed to understand the results and the consequences of those results for students I still feel like the particulars of the experiment could be picked apart but in turns of providing support that the stereotype threat is a legitimate concern and something that educators need to be aware of when working with their students it does an adequate job. Perhaps part my concerns were triggered by the informal language. This was not the typical experiment recap where advanced technical terms bog the reader and leave them mystified as to the meaning of the sentence they just read. Naturally, this is an advantage and made this the easiest essay to read.
  The final essay that we didn’t read looks like a conclusive piece that directly deals with the achievement gap where the other essays looked at some contributing factors and practical strategies that teachers can use in their lesson planning and interactions with their minority students, particularly African-Americans. Given the focus on analyses I’m not completely comfortable considering this as an introductory text for educators, there isn’t much room for the audience to make their own judgments before a criticism is made and sometimes it was better to read the classroom strategies to fully understand the criticism and through that any unfamiliar theories. There is still solid evidence used and the titles make it easy for a reader to flip through and find something making it a useful resource.
• 
  Rae Hittinger

  This book is short and excellent for inspiring thought and discussion about race and Education in the USA.
  It is, though short, a rather dense book. Composed of three academic essays by academics in psychologogy & education, this book gives teachers and community members ideas for how to decrease the or to eradicate the negative impacts that racism still has on our education system and American youth.
  It is an interesting read, but be prepared for some serious thinking. And while you will be reflecting on philosophy, you will also have to stop and ask yourself "okay- what did that sentence mean?"
  If you are interested in reading about race and education, I highly recommend the book titled Why are all the Black Kids sitting together in the Cafeteria: And other conversations about Race
• 
  Chad

  A must read for any teacher working with black students. Broken up into three essays this book sheds light on the practices that have failed this demographic of students and what we can change to better serve the black students of our schools.
• 
  Nathan

  I remember about a year ago a student in my class asked why didn't I teach at some "white" school rather than hers. I think her comment was geared more towards other factors of my classes than the racial makeup of my classroom/school, honestly. However, it has been a question I have asked myself and sometimes frequently. I can recall a white colleague/friend of mine a few years ago commenting that she should/could simply go and teach young white people how to be less racist. The reality is I could probably very well go and do the same thing. Sometimes I thought I really wanted to. And I could rationalize all the good I would be doing while simultaneously enjoying probably a shorter day, less stress, greater benefits/pay/respect(?), etc.
  
  Upon finishing this book, I returned to that question but with a clearer answer than I originally had for the student. I am not sure that I would ever want to teach in a school that is majority White. I can look back at times as an adolescent and particularly a young Black man in college and think of the many racist interactions I endured, both at home in the rural South and north of the Mason Dixon line at the bastion of liberal White privilege. What I know is that each of those encounters left me reeling and often in ways that I could not explain and had not processed until years later after doing and continuing to do my own identity work--racially, sexually, ethnically, religiously...
  The number of times I have been overlooked or had to bear these racist moments either professionally, romantically, socially wears on an individual. The times where I sat in therapy and confronted the realities of what it feels like to be overlooked, maligned, disrespected, shunned by those who say they care and respect you or even those you work with because (even on a subconscious level for them) I had more melanin than the other guy/person (read: I wasn't White, didn't fit the White standard of beauty in the gay community, didn't present myself in some manner acceptable to the dominant culture, etc.) does something to one's psyche. And to listen to the ways in which such thoughts are explained, justified or at least attempted to be is even more disgusting when I step back to see it more clearly.
  
  Effectively, White racism scares me. This is what I would tell that student now. I have had enough experiences in life to make me really and reflect on whether I want to ever feel that/those way(s) again--if I can help it. To choose a [school] system that would actively be that would seemingly be a level of self-hate I don't think I could comprehend since not coming out early in high school--but that's another topic. While I do not always agree with the infamous Tanehisi Coates, he does make the a salient point that "[White America] believes [themselves] to have inherited all of Jefferson's love of freedom but none of his affection for white supremacy."
  
  This book sheds light on pervasive nature of such dangerous mentalities and problems they ultimately cause in particularly education. Schools have so often been designed to support the demands of the dominant culture and reify such middle class forms of social, cultural and symbolic capital. Students, particularly those who are not Black, and who have more cultural/social capital tend to excel in schools and those with less tend to fail. The challenge is to name this and to find the leaders of schools where young Black and brown children are able to see themselves in a different light than that which society paints them. So, yeah, it would be easier, in some regards, to teach young White children/families how to be less racist (on some level, maybe??) but after reading this, it does not [always] feel that there really is choice in who deserves/needs to be educated most urgently right now. Perhaps, this simply means I don't get the luxury of that choice.
• 
  Joe Koelsch

  A collection of 3 essays, the purpose of this book, it would seem is to combat the all-too-prevalent notion that African American underperformance on tests is a function of an inherent deficit.
  
  In the first essay Theresa Perry combats the notion that African American students are less invested in education than their peers of other races. To address this notion, she makes a historical survey of biographies of relevant African Americans from slavery through Malcolm X and beyond. In these stories she traces a consistent “philosophy of African American Education,” namely, “Literacy for freedom; freedom for literacy.”
  
  Next, Claude Steele takes an empirical approach to explain why even high performing African American students perform poorly on tests. He posits that the idea that the fear of fulfilling negative stereotypes created anxiety that worsens performance. He calls this “stereotype threat” and convincingly demonstrates that it exists across all races and genders when they are “under threat” of fulfilling a negative stereotype associated with a group of which they are a member.
  
  Lastly, Asa Hilliard III reframed the achievement gap in two ways: by changing the bar from “white performance” to excellence and second by placing the responsibility for closing squarely on the shoulders of educators. Good teaching, the author claims, is the key to closing the gap.
  
  While the book is short on practical solutions or new ideas, it does a strong job of framing the problem. If you aren’t familiar with the ideas expressed it is an important read. For me, it was just okay.
• 
  Daven J. Oglesby Sr.

  
  Young, Black and Gifted : Promoting High Acheivement in African-American Students by Theresa Perry, Claude Steele, Asa Hilliard III
  
  How I found it: I was researching Brown V. Board of Education and the impact on Black students in 2020...and this came up in Google.
  
  My Thoughts: initially, it was a “complex” read through Perry’s introduction, but it turned into an examination of the factors that are at play when looking at student achievement for Black Students.
  
  Theresa Perry brilliantly approached the topics of “literacy for freedom, and freedom for literacy” during slavery, and the contextual and cultural impact of perceived Black intellectual inferiority among society. I particularly enjoyed her discussion on slaves learning to read, and how that dynamic of yearning to achieve (via reading) has been lost.
  
  Claude Steele discussed the achievement gap among Black students and White students , and the lasting effects of them on the issue of achievement in elementary, secondary and higher education.
  
  Asa Hilliard’s essay speaks to the actionable steps needed to be taken by all in the education field to level the playing field for students. In reading her essay on closing the Acheivement gap, I was reminded why Dr. Bettina Love mentions her name when discussing abolitionist teaching.
  
  What I Took Away: there is a definite Acheivement gap in Education. In order to address it however, This book clearly outlines the historical context, the current issues and practical recommendations for future pedagogy both in my classroom, and for academia’s sake.
  
  Rating : ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️\ 5
  
• 
  Stephanie Boedecker

  This was picked up as part of my coursework, but was a timely read with good lessons. Thought provoking and necessary issues are addressed and discussed with both a look to the past and eye for the future
• 
  Michelle Smart

  I couldn't get into this book at all. It may be wonderful, but I need something less scholarly and more conversational right now.
• 
  Linda

  Why Asa Hilliard is listed here as the main author when Theresa Perry's article is 2/3 of the book is beyond me.
  Anyway... this is a compilation of 3 articles by 3 different authors. The most compelling is Perry's. She cites countless examples to prove her point that African Americans have a philosophy of education that can be encapsulated as: "literacy for freedom, freedom for literacy." She gives a lot of practical ideas for how to transform the educational experiences of African American students so that they can achieve academically.
  
  There's a middle article that has some very thought provoking research about how stereotype threat can affect performance on tests, and how to mitigate the effects of stereotype threat.
  
  Hilliard's article, while containing some valid points, was not my favorite.
• 
  Tama

  This is the second time I have read this book and I love it. It is composed of three short essays by leading African American educators. Woven through are the concepts of literacy bringing freedom, stereotype threat, and the difference between the achievement gap and the concept of distance between achievement and excellence. This book, unlike many urban ed books, does include
  success stories and interventions for the educator to consider.
• 
  Lorette

  Three authors' take on African American scholastic achievement. The first essay is a three-part, which includes slave' narratives and other narratives about the African American community's storied history with literacy and school achievement. This author (Perry) argues that African American community experiences schools distinct and complex ways. The second author (Steele) mostly discusses stereotype threat. The final essay (Hilliard) strongly encouraged highly effective teaching and high standards.
• 
  Kat

  Very intriguing writing from three different authors on how to improve black performance in education. Each essay addresses what the writer thinks is the primary problem to be resolved. If you are an educator, there is a lot of good information to be mined here--particularly from Theresa Perry's essay (which composes 2/3 of the book) on the African-American philosophy of education, and from Claude Steele's essay on stereotype threat. The book can be very dense at points, and, unfortunately, quite uneven. I wouldn't recommend this for recreational reading.
• 
  Julie

  The book's three essays are all thought-provoking and certainly helpful for guiding/redirecting educators' thinking about teaching students of color. Yet I found the conclusion lacking in concrete-ness - "We just need better teaching! Problem solved." What is 'better' teaching? What does it look like? The authors made very clear what not-good teaching of traditionally underachieving students looks like, but less clear was what we trying-to-be-good-teachers can and should be doing.
• 
  Adia

  The collective history of Blacks in relation to education and the need to teach our Black children about the counter-narrative if we want to see positive change and achievement within the Black community again.
• 
  Jazz

  Uplifting and inspiring. I can always go back to the shelf for reference.
• 
  Mary

  My review is here:
  https://www.edweek.org/tm/articles/20...
• 
  Karla Strand

  Essential for educators at any level or others working with kids.
• 
  Joelyn

  I'm reading the slave narratives right now where Perry describes the educational philosophy of "freedom for literacy and literacy for freedom".
• 
  Wendy Gardiner

  Perry chapter is an absolute "must read."
• 
  Francesca

  Very interesting book
• 
  Jenn

  The first essay was very long and rambly. The last two essays were excellent, however.
• 
  L'aurelei Durr

  Read for a Teacher PLC. All teachers of African American students should read.