The Edvocate

Top Menu

Main Menu

  • Start Here
    • Our Brands
    • Governance
      • Lynch Educational Consulting
      • Dr. Lynch’s Personal Website
      • Careers
    • Write For Us
    • Books
    • The Tech Edvocate Product Guide
    • Contact Us
    • The Edvocate Podcast
    • Edupedia
    • Pedagogue
    • Terms and Conditions
    • Privacy Policy
  • PreK-12
    • Assessment
    • Assistive Technology
    • Child Development
    • Classroom Management
    • Early Childhood
    • EdTech & Innovation
    • Education Leadership
    • Equity
    • First Year Teachers
    • Gifted and Talented Education
    • Parental Involvement
    • Policy & Reform
    • Special Education
    • Teachers
  • Higher Ed
    • Best Colleges and Universities
    • Best College and University Programs
    • Diversity
    • HBCU’s
    • Higher Education
    • Higher Education EdTech
    • International Education
  • Advertise
  • The Tech Edvocate Awards
    • The Awards Process
    • Finalists and Winners of The 2022 Tech Edvocate Awards
      • Finalists and Winners of The 2021 Tech Edvocate Awards
      • Finalists and Winners of The 2020 Tech Edvocate Awards
      • Finalists and Winners of The 2019 Tech Edvocate Awards
      • Finalists and Winners of The 2018 Tech Edvocate Awards
      • Finalists and Winners of The 2017 Tech Edvocate Awards
    • Award Seals
  • Apps
    • GPA Calculator for College
    • GPA Calculator for High School
    • Cumulative GPA Calculator
    • Grade Calculator
    • Weighted Grade Calculator
    • Final Grade Calculator
  • The Tech Edvocate
  • Post a Job
  • AI Powered Personal Tutor

logo

The Edvocate

  • Start Here
    • Our Brands
    • Governance
      • Lynch Educational Consulting
      • Dr. Lynch’s Personal Website
        • My Speaking Page
      • Careers
    • Write For Us
    • Books
    • The Tech Edvocate Product Guide
    • Contact Us
    • The Edvocate Podcast
    • Edupedia
    • Pedagogue
    • Terms and Conditions
    • Privacy Policy
  • PreK-12
    • Assessment
    • Assistive Technology
    • Child Development
    • Classroom Management
    • Early Childhood
    • EdTech & Innovation
    • Education Leadership
    • Equity
    • First Year Teachers
    • Gifted and Talented Education
    • Parental Involvement
    • Policy & Reform
    • Special Education
    • Teachers
  • Higher Ed
    • Best Colleges and Universities
    • Best College and University Programs
    • Diversity
    • HBCU’s
    • Higher Education
    • Higher Education EdTech
    • International Education
  • Advertise
  • The Tech Edvocate Awards
    • The Awards Process
    • Finalists and Winners of The 2022 Tech Edvocate Awards
      • Finalists and Winners of The 2021 Tech Edvocate Awards
      • Finalists and Winners of The 2020 Tech Edvocate Awards
      • Finalists and Winners of The 2019 Tech Edvocate Awards
      • Finalists and Winners of The 2018 Tech Edvocate Awards
      • Finalists and Winners of The 2017 Tech Edvocate Awards
    • Award Seals
  • Apps
    • GPA Calculator for College
    • GPA Calculator for High School
    • Cumulative GPA Calculator
    • Grade Calculator
    • Weighted Grade Calculator
    • Final Grade Calculator
  • The Tech Edvocate
  • Post a Job
  • AI Powered Personal Tutor
  • 18 Ways to Encourage Pessimistic Students

  • E-learning Localization: Everything You Need to Know

  • Interesting Essay Topics To Write About, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?

  • DNA Essay Topics

  • Distance Education Essay Topics

  • Dispute Resolution Essay Topics

  • Interesting Essay Topics To Write About Disorders

  • Disneyland Essay Topics

  • Disabilities Topics for Research Papers & Essays

  • Diet Essay Topics

Black Boys in CrisisEquityMatthew Lynch
Home›Black Boys in Crisis›Black Boys in Crisis: Why Aren’t They Reading?

Black Boys in Crisis: Why Aren’t They Reading?

By Matthew Lynch
January 16, 2017
26
pass or fail
Spread the love

In this series, appropriately titled “Black Boys in Crisis,” I highlight the problems facing black boys in education today, as well as provide clear steps that will lead us out of the crisis.

Though people outside the “Black boy” demographic like to think that American K-12 schools, workplaces and courthouses are pillars of fairness, those within the grouping know better. Study after study, research report after research report, and statistic after statistic all point to a crisis among the young, Black boys of the nation – beginning in homes, stretching to K-12 educational experiences, and leading straight to the cycle of incarceration in increasingly high numbers.

So what can be done to save this group of children that consistently seem to fall through the cracks of a society that does little to rescue them? In this series, I will look at four specific areas of especially troubling data, in hopes of sparking some conversation on how as a society we can rethink them to produce a stronger generation of Black young men in our midst.

Dismal Reading Numbers

This spring, the Black Star Project published findings that just 10 percent of eighth-grade Black boys in the U.S. are considered “proficient” in reading. In urban areas like Chicago and Detroit, that number was even lower. By contrast, the 2013 National Assessment of Education Progress found that 46 percent of white students are adequate readers by eighth grade, and 17 percent of Black students as a whole are too. The achievement gap between the two races is startling, but the difference between the NAEP report on Black students as a whole and the Black Star findings of just Black boys is troubling too. It is not simply Black children in general who appear to be failing in the basics – like literacy; it is the boys.

Reading is only one piece of the school puzzle, of course, but it is a foundational one. If the eighth graders in our schools cannot read, how will they ever learn other subjects and make it to a college education (or, in reality, to a high school diploma)? Reading scores tell us so much more than the confines of their statistics and I believe these numbers are key to understanding the plight of young Black men in our society as a whole.

A Group Behind

While it is true that Black boys often arrive in Kindergarten classrooms with inherent disadvantages, they continue to experience a “behind the 8-ball” mentality as their school careers progress. Black boys are more likely than any other group to be placed in special education classes, with 80 percent of all special education students being Black or Hispanic males. Learning disabilities aside, black students (and particularly boys) experience disconnection when it comes to the authority figures in their classrooms. The K-12 teaching profession is dominated by white women, many who are very qualified and very interested in helping all their students succeed but lack the first-hand experience needed to connect with their Black male students.

Schools with majority Black students also tend to have lower amounts of teachers who are certified in their degree areas. A U.S. Department of Education report found that in schools with at least 50 percent Black students, only 48 percent were certified in the subject, compared with 65 percent in majority white schools. In English, the numbers were 59 and 68 percent, respectively and in science, they were 57 percent and 73 percent.

The disadvantages that Black boys bring to their schools aren’t corrected in K-12 classrooms, they are furthered. As they get older, they are continually marginalized in their schools and societies – given less-than-adequate access to the resources that their already advantaged peers receive. While the connection between items like reading scores and civic responsibility may not seem well defined on the surface, they are related and that relationship is integral to turning the tide for Black boys in America.

Click here to read all our posts concerning the Achievement Gap.

TagsBlack Boys in Crisis SeriesEducationelemchatk12learningschoolsteacher
Previous Article

What causes mind blanks during exams?

Next Article

The Edvocate’s List of 20 Must-Follow Higher ...

Matthew Lynch

Related articles More from author

  • Policy & ReformTrending Topics

    4 Things That Educators Should Know About School Finance and Organization

    November 13, 2017
    By Matthew Lynch
  • Modern Parenting

    The 8 Best Apps for Homeschooling Parents

    April 28, 2018
    By Matthew Lynch
  • Higher EducationK-12

    The A-Z of Education Blogs: Letters D-E

    May 3, 2017
    By Matthew Lynch
  • Ask An Expert

    The A-Z of Education: The Philosophy of Education

    May 2, 2017
    By Matthew Lynch
  • Black Boys in CrisisEquityTrending Topics

    Black Boys in Crisis: Eliminating the School-to-Prison Pipeline

    September 21, 2017
    By Matthew Lynch
  • Uncategorized

    5 Ways the Achievement Gap Was Narrowed in 2015

    August 1, 2016
    By Matthew Lynch

26 comments

  1. LiberalEd 26 September, 2014 at 13:00 Reply

    Yes, why aren’t they reading indeed? Or more specifically, what can we do in our K-12 schools to improve their attitudes and aptitudes in this regard? Early literacy is really important to overall success in school and if these young men cannot accomplish that, it will be difficult to succeed in other areas later on.

    • LaCresha Lawson 12 September, 2021 at 23:19 Reply

      Maybe, if their fathers would help the mothers….they can provide teamwork to help the or boys read more.

  2. ferris27 27 September, 2014 at 12:19 Reply

    We know that black boys learn differently than their white peers, and even their female counterparts. What’s needed now are concrete ways to address these differences and come up with a solution to better learning experiences.

    • LaCresha Lawson 12 September, 2021 at 23:18 Reply

      Are you a teacher? Do they need more Black Male teachers? Do they need more Black Fathers in the home taking them to the library?

  3. edmom5 27 September, 2014 at 12:41 Reply

    I do feel for these kids — but I have to wonder how much of this is a reflection of our schools, and how much are things we can’t control like home environment?

    • LaCresha Lawson 12 September, 2021 at 23:17 Reply

      What do you suggest? How about Black Fathers taking their sons to the library? Is that a good suggestion? Instead of aspiring to be whores/rappers?

      • Teacher 26 June, 2022 at 12:45 Reply

        Taking students to the library isn’t the answer to a literacy problem. A black father can take their children to the library everyday doesn’t mean they will be readers this just means they went to the library everyday. The problem is the cycle is being repeated. The parents didn’t get the literacy foundational skills as a child and they’ve passed this type of learning on to their children. Aspiring to be whores/rappers are you kidding me? This is the foolishness and nonsense that we don’t need.

  4. coach bear 6 May, 2015 at 19:46 Reply

    Good report, something that is well known especially with teachers like myself who has 31 years of experience mostly at the high school level. I will argue though that the problem deals more with gender and not culture. I dispute the way you present your percentages, I need to see a percent of black males and white males with similar socioeconomic values. You cannot compare inner city low socio black males with affluent white suburb males. Let’s compare apples to apples no matter the color, they must be apples. THE PROBLEM IS THE DISENGAGEMENT OF MALES IN PUBLIC EDUCATION ESPECIALLY THOSE WHO ARE POOR. Our public schools would rather drug young boys who can’t sit in their seat for 8 hours, rather than examine poor teaching methods and teachers who just want you to “sit down and be quiet!” When that teacher closes her door, she becomes the dictator, a nice positive one who understands testerone and boys need to learn tactically, and those who only understand the way THEY learned, quietly and well mannered. Well, we don’t teach robots, but with drugs they can act as robots. I went to a predominantly black school and have taught/ coached at upper middle class white schools and poor inner city schools. Males learn better in an active, competitive, incentive driven environment where group learning is advantageous, and distractions ( girls) need to be seen in the hallways and not the classroom. I had 3 classes of all males in Biology at an inner city school. The majority of them were classified as low achievers and troublemakers by previous biology teachers. I got administrative approval on keeping them all male, divided each class into 4 directional groups, used food and sports as incentives, gained their trust, and my classes passing rate on Texas state tests was the highest of all teachers in our 5 high school district. It is politically incorrect to say boys are being disadvantaged by teaching methods in schools. But it is the truth.
    Coach Bear

    • Makemba 12 January, 2016 at 14:08 Reply

      EXCELLENT RESPONSE! I would love to hear more about the methods you used.

    • Anonymous 19 June, 2016 at 13:01 Reply

      What about a possible reading list. I’d like to know the books that are young black boys would like to read.

  5. Black Boys Facing Critical Conditions Yet Nothing Noteworthy Is Being Done About It | Black Like Moi 4 December, 2015 at 12:30 Reply

    […] are some areas that, if properly addressed, could motivate society to find lasting solutions instead of blame […]

  6. spartaga 10 December, 2015 at 11:29 Reply

    We need to understand just how our differential treatment of boys to make them tough is creating the Male Crisis and also very poor reading and motivation to read. Those very few boys who are more supported will do fine in reading and excel in school – and use the academics as their coditional ticket to love and honor from society to keep striving in school. However, the majority of boys will not be given this more correct treatment.
    To understand this, “we must redefine our average stress as many layers of mental work we carry with us that take away real mental energy leaving less mental energy to think, learn, concentrate, and enjoy the learning process”. This differential treatment creates very real differences in learning by individual and by group.
    The problem involves two entirely different treatments of Males and Females as early as one year of age and increases in differential treatment. This is creating the growing Male Crisis. The belief Males should be strong allows more aggressive treatment of Males as early as one year, designed to create more layers of agitation, fear, and tension, so they will be prepared to fight, defend, and be tough. This is coupled with much “less” kind, stable, (very little verbal interaction) and less mental/emotional/social support, knowledge, and skills for fear of coddling. It is this more aggressive, less supportive treatment that creates the toughness or maintained, higher average layers of – anger, fear, anxiety, preparation for defense, etc. This remains in the mind as higher average stress that take away real mental energy needed for academics. This increases over time and continued by society from parents, yes teachers, and others in society. This creates more social/emotional distance/distrust of others -parents and other authority figures who have knowledge; lags in communication, lower social vocabulary, poor sentence structure; also higher average stress: more layers of mental agitated conflicts and fears taking away real mental energy that hurt learning and motivation to learn. This also creates more activity due to need for stress relief from their higher average stress. It creates more defensiveness and wariness of others further hindering emotional and social growth. The higher average stress creates higher muscle tension (creating more pressure on the pencil and tighter grip) that hurt writing and motivation to write (hurting form and creating early fatigue). It creates much lag in development due to lack of care creating a learned sense of helplessness in school. This differential treatment continues through adulthood, almost fixing many Males onto roads of failure and escape into more short-term areas of enjoyment. Also society gives Males love and honor (essential needs for self-worth) only on condition of some achievement or status. This was designed to keep Male esteem and feelings of self-worth low to keep them striving and even give their lives in time of war for small measures of love and honor. Males not achieving in school or other are given more ridicule and discipline to make them try harder. Support is not an option for fear of coddling. Many Males thus falling behind in academics then turn their attention toward video games, and sports to receive small measures of love and honor not received in the classroom. The belief boys should be strong and the false belief in genetics creates a mental denial of any connection with differential treatment and the lower academics, lower esteem, and other problems, removing all good sense when it comes to raising boys today. I feel there is an almost emotional cannibalism allowed upon Males by society, even young Males who appear weak, all to make them tough.
    Note, it is not just about feelings and more openness that is needed as it is more support and care in general from infancy. Remember it is the aggressive treatment that is increased for any sign of weakness and much wariness they feel for others, especially adults (parents and teachers) who feel it necessary – and more freely allowed to use more aggressive treatment for any sign of weakness or vulnerability.
    As for reading, we need high social vocabulary, social experience with sentence structure, and “lower average stress to perform the abstract skill of reading: decoding, visualizing, organizing, reaching back into our social vocabulary to learn new words in print, and enjoying the process. Boys are deprived in these areas due to much less care, interaction, and more aggressive treatment in general. This hurts reading and motivation to read.

  7. ruth8826 16 December, 2015 at 21:26 Reply

    What about the failing/non-reading black boys with predominantly black teacher?

  8. Tanya 19 January, 2017 at 04:51 Reply

    There can be many answers as to why black boys aren’t reading. I believe we need to look at motivation first, and the answers will follow. I don’t recommend this as a process for teachers to take to task, but as a function of social work to address ‘issues’ outside of education which are typically the roadblocks to motivation. I’d even argue that reading should not be considered a teachable subject as are language and grammar, which are needed in order to read. People don’t need to be able to read in order to communicate with others at even the most infantile level. Language is the predecessor. Many black boys’ especially of poverty believe they get by just fine with common street utterances. They get their point across when they need to. And that may be good enough–for some. For others who are motivated yet have difficulties learning, alternative teaching methods can be applied individually and not of the one-size-fits-all variety. Beyond this, there has to come the realization by government, administration, teachers and parents that success is measured differently–high and low–and not every student will see reading proficiency as the only road to success.

  9. spartaga 20 January, 2017 at 16:23 Reply

    Added info from Spartaga
    As girls we are treated much better and enjoy more hope and care from society. Since we as girls are given by differential treatment, much more continual, positive – mental, social/emotional support, verbal interaction and care from an early age onward, this creates quite the opposite outcome for girls when compared with boys. We enjoy much more care and support from society from infancy through adulthood and receive love and honor simply for being girls. This creates all of the good things. We enjoy lower average stress for more ease of learning. We enjoy much more freedom of expression from much protection that makes us look more unstable at times. Of course we can also use that same freedom of expression to give verbal, silent abuse, and hollow kindness/patronization to our Male peers with impunity knowing we are protected. We enjoy much lower muscle tension for more ease and ability in handwriting and motivation to write. We enjoy much more positive, trust/communication from parents, teachers, peers, and more support for perceived weaknesses. We are reaping a bonanza in the information age. The lower the socioeconomic bracket the much more amplified the differential treatment from infancy and more differentiated over time through adulthood. In lower socioeconomic environments, there is also a kind of more set in place, attention, support and care for Female children as a kind of love and affection catharsis for girls. Such kindness would “almost never be given to boys”. Now with girls and women taking over many areas of society, we are enjoying even more lavishing of love and honor from society, while the boys and men are now failing more so and are now given even more ridicule and abuse by society. Mind you, this is also now coming from many girls and women using our still protected freedoms of expression and more so with false feelings of superiority. learning theory [email protected]

    • LaCresha Lawson 12 September, 2021 at 23:23 Reply

      Are the Black Fathers there to help with this?

  10. Terri 24 January, 2017 at 18:27 Reply

    I’m a black female who went to a private elementary school, but then attended a public, black high school. Roughly 90% of the boys in my elementary school excelled academically and most of the teachers were white nuns. However, when I got to the public high school, probably 1/3 of the boys fell into the category you’ve described. There were only two public elementary schools that fed into that high school, and those teachers were all black. If all of these boys went to one of two schools and had the same teachers, I’m not sure that it’s a problem with the teachers or the schools. Perhaps, it’s the home environment. The boys who did well in school (both middle-and lower income levels) had parents who stressed the importance of education. I didn’t know a lot of the boys who performed poorly, but among the few that I knew, they didn’t appear to have any parental guidance.

  11. The Lack of Freedom and Reading – B.Evans Blog 22 July, 2018 at 22:23 Reply

    […] (2017, May 22). Black Boys in Crisis: Why Aren’t They Reading? Retrieved July 22, 2018, from https://www.theedadvocate.org/black-boys-in-crisis-why-arent-they-reading/ Darling-Hammond, L. (2016, July 28). Unequal Opportunity: Race and Education. Retrieved July 22, […]

    • LaCresha Lawson 12 September, 2021 at 23:20 Reply

      Maybe, if the Black Fathers were in the home helping, they could do better..

    • LaCresha Lawson 12 September, 2021 at 23:22 Reply

      That is probably true. They should get to have both parents taking them to the library.

  12. Why So Many Black Boys Cannot Read And How We can change that - The Black Homeschool Forum 12 October, 2020 at 08:23 Reply

    […] to The Edvocate, research shows that black boys from countries in the west struggle the most with read… In California, 75% of black boys don’t meet the reading standards set by the state. Likewise, […]

  13. LaCresha Lawson 12 September, 2021 at 23:15 Reply

    Can Black Males please stop telling Black Boys that this is the White Man’s education?! It is not. We have all have worked towards education.

    • Jade M. 29 October, 2021 at 13:56 Reply

      Exactly. When my nephew ‘didn’t want to’ read, his mom made him sit there for 30 minutes every day with a book, even a comic book, and read. And she and I sat there with him and did the same. Now he loves to read. I don’t understand Black Males who tell Black Boys that education is for Whites. That is what slave masters did! Forbade Blacks from learning to read and write!

    • Marquise 12 March, 2022 at 02:30 Reply

      Stop trying to pin it all on the black men. Everyone has blame. Most of the time these boys are with mothers who control what school they go to, what environment they live in, have the power to focus their free time towards whatever they need to focus on. My grandmother when she was working and when she transitioned to a housewife USE TO FORCE ME TO GET ON MY SHIT. Whatever the baby father does or doesn’t do doesn’t stop his mother from re-writing the narrative. Where I was from BM AND BW use to ride people for acting white. Blood is on anyones hand and before you respond back with nonsense ask yourself how BW can get these boys involved in sports and entertainment, pay for professional to train them in some areas , let these boys travel for entire summer to be top tier athletes or explore entertainment and then get to reading and get lost? The answer is simple even the mothers of these boys view them as only entertainers and musicians in most cases so they don’t even hammer home education like they do for their girl counterparts. Black Men’s biggest issue is not fighting for the boys to go straight with them by law. Burden of outcome on these boys means black men should take this boys when the relationship splits

      • Pastor W. Eric Croomes 2 July, 2022 at 14:36 Reply

        I agree. So many of these situations involve separate households (including mine). The fathers in these cases must understand the value of books to the lives of their children – even if that value conflicts with the value system of the other household. It’s unfortunate, but it boils down to giving our best effort as dads, especially in those formative years to which this much needed article points to.

  14. Bree cole 21 September, 2021 at 23:38 Reply

    When I asked 8th grade black males what they wanted to be when they grew up, the answers I got were “gangsta, rapper, football player, and basketball player.” They did not view reading in any way as important. Reading is a skill that must be practiced regularly. If you have never been read to, never seen your parents read, and have no reading materials in the house, they aren’t going to value it. Many refuse to read both inside class and outside class. I can remember suggesting one day that my class should read outside as it was a nice day. The black males proceeded to put hoodies on and stuff their books inside the hoodie pockets. I found out later it was because they feared the “cool” black kids would see them holding a book. Parents, we can’t do our job without you. If we want a better future for our kids valuing education with our actions and our words starts in the home.

Leave a reply Cancel reply

Search

Registration and Login

  • Register
  • Log in
  • Entries feed
  • Comments feed
  • WordPress.org

Newsletter

Signup for The Edvocate Newsletter and have the latest in P-20 education news and opinion delivered to your email address!

Subscribe to The Edvocate Podcast

Apple PodcastsGoogle PodcastsAndroidby EmailRSS
  • Recent

  • Popular

  • Comments

  • 18 Ways to Encourage Pessimistic Students

    By Matthew Lynch
    January 27, 2023
  • E-learning Localization: Everything You Need to Know

    By Matthew Lynch
    January 27, 2023
  • Interesting Essay Topics To Write About, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?

    By Matthew Lynch
    January 26, 2023
  • DNA Essay Topics

    By Matthew Lynch
    January 26, 2023
  • Distance Education Essay Topics

    By Matthew Lynch
    January 26, 2023
  • 18 Reasons the U.S. Education System is Failing

    By Matthew Lynch
    April 3, 2017
  • The Top 5 Unexpected Benefits of Early Childhood Education

    By Matthew Lynch
    February 29, 2016
  • 7 Benefits of STEM Education

    By Matthew Lynch
    January 12, 2019
  • What is Culturally Responsive Pedagogy?

    By Matthew Lynch
    April 21, 2016
  • pass or fail

    Black Boys in Crisis: Why Aren’t They Reading?

    By Matthew Lynch
    January 16, 2017
  • School Evaluation For Special Education What Parents Need to Know
    on
    December 27, 2022

    A Guide to Norm-Referenced Tests

    […] Norm-referenced tests – ...
  • Effectively Educating Diverse Student Populations: Strategies That Work - Applead Hofu
    on
    December 21, 2022

    6 Ways to Implement a Real Multicultural Education in the Classroom

    […] as to successfully ...
  • The Importance Of Sight Words In Early Reading – GoGreenva.org
    on
    December 21, 2022

    Understanding Letter Recognition and It’s Role in Preliteracy

    […] between letters, numbers, ...
  • Online Education in Chennai - Birla Brainiacs
    on
    December 20, 2022

    The Advantages and Limitations of Homeschooling

    […] Online Education in ...
  • Advancing Technology Education in Rural High Schools Across ... - The Tech Edvocate - VSAY .IN
    on
    December 20, 2022

    7 Ways Technology Is Impacting Modern Education

    […] technology advancements have ...

Ask an Expert

  • Ask An Expert

    How Dumbed Down Education Is Creating a National Security Crisis

    Spread the loveFor the past few decades, our country’s educational system has seen both struggle and tremendous change. With the various ailments plaguing our educational system, education reforms have attempted ...
  • Ask An Expert

    21 Inspirational Quotes That Nelson Mandela Made About Education

    Spread the loveWe all have our heroes. Those human beings that seem larger than life and almost achieve Godlike status. One of my heroes is the late-great Nelson Mandela, who ...
  • Ask An ExpertAssistive TechnologyCareer ReadinessChild Development TechClassroom ManagementDigital & Mobile TechnologyDigital LeadershipDisabilitiesDiversityEarly ChildhoodEarly Childhood & K-12 EdTechEdTech & InnovationEducation LeadershipElementary EducationElementary SchoolEquityFirst Year TeachersFreshHigh SchoolK-12Middle SchoolModern ParentingParent & Family TechParental InvolvementParentingPersonalized LearningPodcastPolicy & ReformPreK-12Special EducationSTEMTeacher EducationTeachers

    The Edvocate Podcast, Episode 7: How Digital Age Teachers Can Win Over Parents

    Spread the loveEducation is a collaborative process, as it takes many stakeholders working in unison to help students succeed academically. One of the most integral parts of this collaborative team ...
  • Ask An ExpertAssessmentAssistive TechnologyBlack Boys in CrisisChild Development TechClassroom ManagementDigital & Mobile TechnologyDigital LeadershipDisabilitiesEarly ChildhoodEarly Childhood & K-12 EdTechEdTech & InnovationEdTech Policy & ReformEducation LeadershipElementary EducationElementary SchoolEquityFeaturedFirst Year TeachersFreshGamificationGifted and Talented EducationHBCU'sHigh SchoolHigher EducationK-12Online Learning & eLearningOpEducationPersonalized LearningPodcastPolicy & ReformRetention & Social Promotion SeriesSpecial EducationSTEMTeacher EducationTeachersTesting

    The Edvocate Podcast, Episode 6: 8 Ways That Digital Age Teachers Avoid Burning Out

    Spread the loveBeing a teacher is a tough job. So much so, many new teachers end up leaving the field within their first three years. To ensure that the next ...
  • Ask An ExpertAssessmentAssistive TechnologyBlack Boys in CrisisBullyingChild DevelopmentChild Development TechClassroom ManagementCurrent Ed NewsDigital LeadershipEarly ChildhoodEarly Childhood & K-12 EdTechEdTech & InnovationEdTech Policy & ReformEdTech Startups & BusinessesEducation LeadershipEquityFeaturedFirst Year TeachersFreshGamificationGifted and Talented EducationHBCU'sHigh SchoolHigher EducationHigher Education EdTechK-12Matthew LynchModern ParentingOnline Learning & eLearningOpEducationPersonalized LearningPodcastPolicy & ReformRetention & Social Promotion SeriesSpecial EducationSTEMTeacher EducationTeachersTestingYear-Round Schooling

    The Edvocate Podcast, Episode 5: The Archetype of a Great Teacher

    Spread the loveOne of the questions that I am frequently asked is, what does a good teacher look like? I respond by mentioning my 10th-grade Biology teacher, Mrs. Minor, and ...

International Education

  • Education FoundationsInternational Education

    4 Reasons You Should Study Geography

    Spread the loveUsually, people are under the wrong impression that geography does not offer many job opportunities, and there are no jobs for a geographer. They think that studying geography ...
  • International Education

    How International Baccalaureate (IB) Programs Work

    Spread the loveThe International Baccalaureate Program is a very intensive pre-college program in which when students get involved, they get college credit. Unlike most other learning initiatives, this program deeply ...
  • International Education

    Globalization: Everything You Need to Know

    Spread the loveGlobalization is the growing interconnectedness of countries around the world. It involves increasing communication and various forms of interaction between people of different nations, ethnicities and cultures. There ...
  • AssessmentEducation LeadershipHigher EducationInternational EducationProfessional DevelopmentTeachers

    So You Want to Attend Graduate School: The 411 on Grad School Admissions Tests

    Spread the loveApplying for admission to professional and graduate schools is no less competitive than college/undergraduate admissions. If you’re planning to pursue a degree in business, law, medicine, or graduate ...
  • Higher EducationInternational Education

    What Extracurricular Activities Impress Colleges the Most?

    Spread the loveWhen you apply to schools that offer holistic admissions or apply to a college using the Common Application, you will have to describe your participation in extracurricular activities. ...

Early Childhood Education

  • Early ChildhoodTeachers

    20 Strategies to Encourage Students to Take Care of their Personal Property

    Spread the loveAre you looking for strategies to encourage students to take care of their personal property? If so, keep reading. 1. Praise the learner for appropriate care of personal ...
  • Early ChildhoodTeachers

    14 Strategies to Teach Students Appropriate Mealtime Manners

    Spread the loveAre you looking for strategies to teach students appropriate mealtime manners? If so, keep reading. 1. Praise the learner for demonstrating appropriate mealtime behaviors: (a) give the learner ...
  • Child DevelopmentEarly Childhood

    22 Strategies to Help Students Who Cannot Fasten Their Own Clothes

    Spread the loveAre you looking for strategies to help students who cannot fasten their own clothes? If so, keep reading. 1. Select a peer to model fastening pieces of clothing ...
  • Critical Thinking and CreativityEarly Childhood

    14 Ways to Teach Kids to Improve Their Critical Thinking Skills

    Spread the loveAre you looking for ways to teach kids to improve their critical thinking skills? If so, keep reading. 1. Establish a time each day for a problem-solving game, ...
  • Early ChildhoodReading Education

    Echo Reading: Everything You Need to Know

    Spread the loveEcho reading is a reading tactic employed by adults when teaching children. Here, the adult articulately reads out a portion of text, following which the child echoes the ...

Gifted and Talented Education

  • Gifted and Talented Education

    Twice-Exceptional: What Does it Mean?

    Spread the loveTo be twice-exceptional is to be exceptionally gifted in some academic aspects while being below average compared to peers in other aspects. As a matter of fact, such ...
  • Gifted and Talented Education

    A Guide to Talent Search Programs

    Spread the loveThe Talent Search Initiative has as its aim; the identification of high-performing students by organizing specific tests. Different avenues are then provided for these students to channel their ...
  • Gifted and Talented EducationK-12

    Homogeneous Grouping: What You Need to Know

    Spread the loveThis term refers to the grouping of students by mental capability, aptitude, or hobbies. For instance, gifted students are placed in one group, and students with special needs ...
  • Gifted and Talented Education

    Cluster Grouping: What You Need to Know

    Spread the loveThis term describes a manner of classifying gifted students to place them in properly segmented classrooms. For example, about five to seven extremely bright pupils with comparable skill ...
  • Gifted and Talented EducationHigher Education

    Merit Scholarships: Everything Your Need to Know

    Spread the loveThese are monetary gifts awarded by institutions to superbly gifted students, who have set themselves apart by their exceptional performance in schoolwork, regardless of whether they require the ...

Black Boys in Crisis Series

  • Black Boys in Crisis

    The Importance of Mentoring Young African-American Males

    Spread the loveTeachers need to realize that at home, in their neighborhoods, and in school, many students face difficulties that can interfere with learning. Compared to their middle-class counterparts, it ...
  • Black Boys in CrisisDiversityEquity

    7 Ways That Black Students are Discriminated Against in U.S K-12 Schools

    Spread the loveAfrican Africans have a long history of being mistreated in the United States, starting with slavery. It should come as no surprise that their children face the same ...
  • Ask An ExpertAssessmentAssistive TechnologyBlack Boys in CrisisChild Development TechClassroom ManagementDigital & Mobile TechnologyDigital LeadershipDisabilitiesEarly ChildhoodEarly Childhood & K-12 EdTechEdTech & InnovationEdTech Policy & ReformEducation LeadershipElementary EducationElementary SchoolEquityFeaturedFirst Year TeachersFreshGamificationGifted and Talented EducationHBCU'sHigh SchoolHigher EducationK-12Online Learning & eLearningOpEducationPersonalized LearningPodcastPolicy & ReformRetention & Social Promotion SeriesSpecial EducationSTEMTeacher EducationTeachersTesting

    The Edvocate Podcast, Episode 6: 8 Ways That Digital Age Teachers Avoid Burning Out

    Spread the loveBeing a teacher is a tough job. So much so, many new teachers end up leaving the field within their first three years. To ensure that the next ...
  • Ask An ExpertAssessmentAssistive TechnologyBlack Boys in CrisisBullyingChild DevelopmentChild Development TechClassroom ManagementCurrent Ed NewsDigital LeadershipEarly ChildhoodEarly Childhood & K-12 EdTechEdTech & InnovationEdTech Policy & ReformEdTech Startups & BusinessesEducation LeadershipEquityFeaturedFirst Year TeachersFreshGamificationGifted and Talented EducationHBCU'sHigh SchoolHigher EducationHigher Education EdTechK-12Matthew LynchModern ParentingOnline Learning & eLearningOpEducationPersonalized LearningPodcastPolicy & ReformRetention & Social Promotion SeriesSpecial EducationSTEMTeacher EducationTeachersTestingYear-Round Schooling

    The Edvocate Podcast, Episode 5: The Archetype of a Great Teacher

    Spread the loveOne of the questions that I am frequently asked is, what does a good teacher look like? I respond by mentioning my 10th-grade Biology teacher, Mrs. Minor, and ...
  • Ask An ExpertAssistive TechnologyBlack Boys in CrisisBullyingChild DevelopmentChild Development TechClassroom ManagementDisabilitiesDiversityEarly ChildhoodEarly Childhood & K-12 EdTechEdTech & InnovationEdTech Policy & ReformEducation LeadershipElementary EducationElementary SchoolEquityFeaturedFirst Year TeachersFreshGifted and Talented EducationHigh SchoolHigher EducationHigher Education EdTechK-12Middle SchoolModern ParentingOnline Learning & eLearningParent & Family TechParentingPersonalized LearningPodcastPolicy & ReformSecondary EducationSTEMTeacher EducationTeachersTesting

    The Edvocate Podcast, Episode 4: How to Create a Culturally Responsive Classroom

    Spread the loveBuilding a culturally responsive classroom is hard. To help you along your journey, here is your guide to exploring and respecting the cultural backgrounds of your students while ...

RSS Matthew on Education Week

  • Au Revoir from Education Futures November 20, 2018 Matthew Lynch
  • 6 Steps to Data-Driven Literacy Instruction October 17, 2018 Matthew Lynch
  • Four Keys to a Modern IT Approach in K-12 Schools October 2, 2018 Matthew Lynch
  • What's the Difference Between Burnout and Demoralization, and What Can Teachers Do About It? September 27, 2018 Matthew Lynch
  • Revisiting Using Edtech for Bullying and Suicide Prevention September 10, 2018 Matthew Lynch

About Us

The Edvocate was created in 2014 to argue for shifts in education policy and organization in order to enhance the quality of education and the opportunities for learning afforded to P-20 students in America. What we envisage may not be the most straightforward or the most conventional ideas. We call for a relatively radical and certainly quite comprehensive reorganization of America’s P-20 system.

That reorganization, though, and the underlying effort, will have much to do with reviving the American education system, and reviving a national love of learning.  The Edvocate plans to be one of key architects of this revival, as it continues to advocate for education reform, equity, and innovation.

Newsletter

Signup for The Edvocate Newsletter and have the latest in P-20 education news and opinion delivered to your email address!

Contact

The Edvocate
5322 Markel Road, Suite 104
Richmond, VA 23230
(601) 630-5238
[email protected]

Follow us

Copyright (c) 2023 Matthew Lynch. All rights reserved.