@consultingDCH Flashback to almost twenty-two years ago, I was 26 years old and returned to school to earn a teaching certificate. Part of my training included a semester of student teaching at a school assigned to me by the university. I specifically requested an assignment at an urban school. Like all students, I was eager to learn my placement. When I met with my professor, she opened our conversation with an apology. “Dorothy, we are so sorry. We worked extremely hard to find you an adequate placement. The other schools did not have any additional vacancies. You have to report to the elementary school that was assigned to you in order to receive a grade for the semester.” I was puzzled because I could not understand my professor’s comments or need to apologize to me until I arrived at the school. My student teaching assignment was at an elementary school that educated students from three different public housing projects and, all three public housing projects were known throughout the city for their violence. Despite my professor’s reaction to my placement, I was excited because I saw it as a challenge to teach students whose socioeconomic and racial backgrounds were similar to mine. Nonetheless, I was concerned. I questioned if I had the skill sets to be a successful educator in that environment.
From the Marcy Projects in Brooklyn, Cabrini Green in Chicago, Jordon Downs in Los Angeles to Magnolia Projects in New Orleans, public housing projects riddle urban cities. The federal government built public housing projects to provide subsidized housing for low-income families, especially low-income families of color. Over the years, these aforementioned public housing projects and others across the county have become notorious for their violent crime, including astronomical murder rates, around-the-clock drug distribution, and trafficking, and never-ending gang activity. Unfortunately, violent public housing projects are saturated with low-income families that include Black male school-aged students, who reenact similar aggressive, violent behavior while attending school.
Exposure to violence can negatively influence the educational career of Black male students. Collins et al. (2010) concluded that adolescents who reside in poor urban areas are more likely to be exposed to community violence, such as violent crimes in their neighborhoods and schools, gang and drug activity, victimization, death of a family member, and family violence and maltreatment. Repeated exposure to community violence cause adolescents to experience a complex set of psychological problems that occur before, during, and after the traumatic event(s) (Collins et al. 2010). Adolescent males who are exposed to community violence show aggressive behavior while in school (Busby, Lambert, & Ialongo, 2013). This combative behavior mediates the association between exposure to community violence and poor academic performance (Busby et al. 2013). Exposure to specific trauma causes adolescents to experience negative effects in one or more of their intelligence quotient (IQ) factors (perceptual reasoning, working memory, verbal comprehension, and/or processing speed) (Kira, Lewandowski, Somers, Yoon, & Chiodo, 2012). Adolescent males are at an increased risk of developing insecure or disorganized attachments to teachers, not attend school, and may have a negative student-teacher connection due to their exposure to community violence (Voisin, Neilands & Hunnicutt, 2011).
As a result of exposure to community violence, classroom management is vital in urban school settings. In-school violent behavior is undoubtedly one of the top issues that urban educators must tackle on a daily basis. Urban educators are charged with teaching the curriculum and increasing dismissal state assessment scores in addition to maintaining order.
Classrooms must be places conducive for learning, where students are focused and engaged; otherwise, instruction is in vain. Nonetheless, when urban classrooms are located near high-crime public housing projects, these classrooms may be inundated with constant violent disruptions from Black male students from the start of the school day until dismissal. Thus, the question remains: What can urban educators decrease the violent behavior of our Black male students, who are exposed to the violence within public housing projects.
First, urban educators must create a positive climate and culture in the classrooms. Educators should not use language that perpetuates the notion that Black male students can only demonstrate violent behavior. Black male students should not hear constant threats of incarceration or death due to murder as a means to change their negative behavior. Educators must create classroom rules and policies that are equitable. Black male students should feel supported due to the implementation of restorative practices and/or proactive programs that address their social and emotional needs. Yet, the students should understand that educators would not tolerate in-school violent behavior, and such behavior may be subjected to consequences.
Second, urban educators must focus on training Black male students on the importance of self-control and self-regulation. Black male students need to learn coping strategies. The students can develop a checklist of straightforward, concrete steps of what they can do during the instructional day in order to avoid violent behavior and/or how to de-escalate violent behavior when it occurs. The males should have the opportunity to participate in role-playing activities prior to dealing with actual violent incidents that may take place during the school day.
The students should be educated on the importance of self-identity, self-pride, and self-respect. The students should have the opportunity to speak in groups with Black males from their community so they can connect and identify with other Black males who lead positive lives despite exposure to community violence. During these sessions, the students can understand that their lack of knowledge of self directly correlates to their in-school violent behavior.
Third, urban educators must increase the motivation of Black male students. The students should comprehend how negative feelings about yourself correlates with your motivation to improve your behavior. Students should have the chance to express their feelings and/or emotions while in school. Educators should ask students open-ended questions regarding their violent behavior with the expectation that students freely express their true feelings behind their negative reactions to situations. Consequently, students recognize how negative emotions affect their motivation to control and regulate violent behavior.
Educators should also teach Black male students how to set and achieve SMART goals as a means to increase motivation. SMART goals are specific, measurable, achievable, results-focused, and time-bound goals. While working through the SMART goals, the students can self-assess their abilities to reach their stated goals and learn how their violent behavior may prohibit them from reaching their stated goals. Each SMART goal should have milestones. Educators should celebrate each obtained milestone(s) and goal(s) with tangible and/or intangible rewards, so the Black male students continue to improve their behavior.
In conclusion, Black male students who reside in violent public housing projects may exhibit violent behavior while in school. Hence, the urban educators who serve these students must be able to create a positive climate and culture within the classrooms and build the students’ knowledge of self and motivation to improve their behavior. As educators, we are aware that we cannot control the violence that occurs within our school’s community. On the contrary, we can help prevent violence that occurs within our classrooms.
References
Busby, D.R., Lambert, S.F. & Ialongo N.S. (2013). Psychological symptoms linking exposure to community violence and academic functioning in African American adolescents. Journal Youth Adolescence, 42, 250-262.
Collins, K., Conners, K., Donohue, A., Gardner, S., Goldblatt, E., Hayward, A., Kiser, L., Stieder, F. & Thompson, F. (2010). Understanding the impact of trauma and urban poverty on family systems: risks, resilience, and interventions. Baltimore, MD: Family Informed Trauma Treatment Center.
Kira, I., Lewandowski, L., Somers, C.L., Yoon, J.S. & Chiodo, L. (2012). The effects of trauma types, cumulative trauma, and PTSD on IQ in two highly traumatized adolescent groups.
Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy, 4(1), 128-139.
Voisin, D.R., Neilands, T.B. & Hunnicutt, S. (2011). Mechanisms linking violence exposure and school engagement among African American adolescents: examining the roles of psychological problem behaviors and gender. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 81(1), 61-71.
Dr. Handfield has 20 years of experience in urban education, where she served 13 of those years as a school administrator. As a toddler, Dr. Handfield and her family immigrated to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania from the Bahamas in search of a better life. As result, she earned a Bachelor of Business Administration Degree from Temple University, a Masters of Arts - Educational Media Specialization from Kean University, and a Masters of Educational Administration from Caldwell University. In addition, Dr. Handfield will formally receive a Doctorate in Education from the University of Southern California in May 2018. Dr. Handfield is the CEO of DCH Consulting Service, LLC and Executive Director of The Reading Experience for Young Men, Inc. Her areas of study are the impact of community violence exposure on youth and traumatized youth.
From the Marcy Projects in Brooklyn, Cabrini Green in Chicago, Jordon Downs in Los Angeles to Magnolia Projects in New Orleans, public housing projects riddle urban cities. The federal government built public housing projects to provide subsidized housing for low-income families, especially low-income families of color. Over the years, these aforementioned public housing projects and others across the county have become notorious for their violent crime, including astronomical murder rates, around-the-clock drug distribution, and trafficking, and never-ending gang activity. Unfortunately, violent public housing projects are saturated with low-income families that include Black male school-aged students, who reenact similar aggressive, violent behavior while attending school.
Exposure to violence can negatively influence the educational career of Black male students. Collins et al. (2010) concluded that adolescents who reside in poor urban areas are more likely to be exposed to community violence, such as violent crimes in their neighborhoods and schools, gang and drug activity, victimization, death of a family member, and family violence and maltreatment. Repeated exposure to community violence cause adolescents to experience a complex set of psychological problems that occur before, during, and after the traumatic event(s) (Collins et al. 2010). Adolescent males who are exposed to community violence show aggressive behavior while in school (Busby, Lambert, & Ialongo, 2013). This combative behavior mediates the association between exposure to community violence and poor academic performance (Busby et al. 2013). Exposure to specific trauma causes adolescents to experience negative effects in one or more of their intelligence quotient (IQ) factors (perceptual reasoning, working memory, verbal comprehension, and/or processing speed) (Kira, Lewandowski, Somers, Yoon, & Chiodo, 2012). Adolescent males are at an increased risk of developing insecure or disorganized attachments to teachers, not attend school, and may have a negative student-teacher connection due to their exposure to community violence (Voisin, Neilands & Hunnicutt, 2011).
As a result of exposure to community violence, classroom management is vital in urban school settings. In-school violent behavior is undoubtedly one of the top issues that urban educators must tackle on a daily basis. Urban educators are charged with teaching the curriculum and increasing dismissal state assessment scores in addition to maintaining order.
Classrooms must be places conducive for learning, where students are focused and engaged; otherwise, instruction is in vain. Nonetheless, when urban classrooms are located near high-crime public housing projects, these classrooms may be inundated with constant violent disruptions from Black male students from the start of the school day until dismissal. Thus, the question remains: What can urban educators decrease the violent behavior of our Black male students, who are exposed to the violence within public housing projects.
First, urban educators must create a positive climate and culture in the classrooms. Educators should not use language that perpetuates the notion that Black male students can only demonstrate violent behavior. Black male students should not hear constant threats of incarceration or death due to murder as a means to change their negative behavior. Educators must create classroom rules and policies that are equitable. Black male students should feel supported due to the implementation of restorative practices and/or proactive programs that address their social and emotional needs. Yet, the students should understand that educators would not tolerate in-school violent behavior, and such behavior may be subjected to consequences.
Second, urban educators must focus on training Black male students on the importance of self-control and self-regulation. Black male students need to learn coping strategies. The students can develop a checklist of straightforward, concrete steps of what they can do during the instructional day in order to avoid violent behavior and/or how to de-escalate violent behavior when it occurs. The males should have the opportunity to participate in role-playing activities prior to dealing with actual violent incidents that may take place during the school day.
The students should be educated on the importance of self-identity, self-pride, and self-respect. The students should have the opportunity to speak in groups with Black males from their community so they can connect and identify with other Black males who lead positive lives despite exposure to community violence. During these sessions, the students can understand that their lack of knowledge of self directly correlates to their in-school violent behavior.
Third, urban educators must increase the motivation of Black male students. The students should comprehend how negative feelings about yourself correlates with your motivation to improve your behavior. Students should have the chance to express their feelings and/or emotions while in school. Educators should ask students open-ended questions regarding their violent behavior with the expectation that students freely express their true feelings behind their negative reactions to situations. Consequently, students recognize how negative emotions affect their motivation to control and regulate violent behavior.
Educators should also teach Black male students how to set and achieve SMART goals as a means to increase motivation. SMART goals are specific, measurable, achievable, results-focused, and time-bound goals. While working through the SMART goals, the students can self-assess their abilities to reach their stated goals and learn how their violent behavior may prohibit them from reaching their stated goals. Each SMART goal should have milestones. Educators should celebrate each obtained milestone(s) and goal(s) with tangible and/or intangible rewards, so the Black male students continue to improve their behavior.
In conclusion, Black male students who reside in violent public housing projects may exhibit violent behavior while in school. Hence, the urban educators who serve these students must be able to create a positive climate and culture within the classrooms and build the students’ knowledge of self and motivation to improve their behavior. As educators, we are aware that we cannot control the violence that occurs within our school’s community. On the contrary, we can help prevent violence that occurs within our classrooms.
References
Busby, D.R., Lambert, S.F. & Ialongo N.S. (2013). Psychological symptoms linking exposure to community violence and academic functioning in African American adolescents. Journal Youth Adolescence, 42, 250-262.
Collins, K., Conners, K., Donohue, A., Gardner, S., Goldblatt, E., Hayward, A., Kiser, L., Stieder, F. & Thompson, F. (2010). Understanding the impact of trauma and urban poverty on family systems: risks, resilience, and interventions. Baltimore, MD: Family Informed Trauma Treatment Center.
Kira, I., Lewandowski, L., Somers, C.L., Yoon, J.S. & Chiodo, L. (2012). The effects of trauma types, cumulative trauma, and PTSD on IQ in two highly traumatized adolescent groups.
Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy, 4(1), 128-139.
Voisin, D.R., Neilands, T.B. & Hunnicutt, S. (2011). Mechanisms linking violence exposure and school engagement among African American adolescents: examining the roles of psychological problem behaviors and gender. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 81(1), 61-71.
Dr. Handfield has 20 years of experience in urban education, where she served 13 of those years as a school administrator. As a toddler, Dr. Handfield and her family immigrated to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania from the Bahamas in search of a better life. As result, she earned a Bachelor of Business Administration Degree from Temple University, a Masters of Arts - Educational Media Specialization from Kean University, and a Masters of Educational Administration from Caldwell University. In addition, Dr. Handfield will formally receive a Doctorate in Education from the University of Southern California in May 2018. Dr. Handfield is the CEO of DCH Consulting Service, LLC and Executive Director of The Reading Experience for Young Men, Inc. Her areas of study are the impact of community violence exposure on youth and traumatized youth.