California Educator

February 2012

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MAKING A DIFFERENCE BOYS AND MEN OF COLOR DIANE RAVITCH VISIT TEACHER OF THE YEAR FINALIST THANK YOU, TEACHER PAJAMA PARTY FOR LITERACY LEARN MORE ABOUT CTA'S COMMUNITY OUTREACH PROGRAMS. WWW.CTA.ORG/PARENTS-AND-COMMUNITY/ COMMUNITY-OUTREACH BMOC PROGRAM HELPS CLOSE ACHIEVEMENT GAP FOURTEEN-YEAR-OLD Chris Krebs will never forget his field trip to UC Berkeley. The eighth-grader was amazed at how large a university could be and how much there really is to learn after high school. "I liked the library, because I like to read a lot," says Krebs, a student at Bret Harte Middle School in Oakland. "I learned from the visit that college is important. Before that, I didn't think it was important and didn't want to go, but now I do." Krebs' inspirational visit to a university was a field trip that was sponsored by the Boys and Men of Color (BMOC) program at his school site. The BMOC program was created by CTA's Community Outreach and Human Rights departments and is funded by a grant from The California Endowment with the goal of closing the achievement gap. BMOC students visit colleges and community businesses, engage in community service, and listen to guest speakers with inspiring stories. CTA members and staff involved in the program serve as role models and mentors by supervising fun, educational outings and events outside of the regu- lar school day. Parents are involved, too, volunteering for field trips and activities. Founded three years ago, the BMOC pro- gram is also in place at Markham Elemen- tary School in Oakland and Hillcrest Drive Elementary School in South Central Los Angeles. Topics discussed at BMOC meet- 22 California Educator / February 2012 ings include conflict resolu- tion, health and nutrition, and good decision-making. Krebs says that the pro- gram has influenced him to work harder. "The teach- ers in there push me to be on the honor roll," he says. "I used to be bad and sent out of class, but now I'm mostly staying in class and doing all my homework." The program was recently studied by Student Chris Krebs meets Mark Twain during a field trip to UC Berkeley sponsored by the Boys and Men of Color program. 22 24 25 26 27 Mary Kreger, a senior researcher at Philip R. Lee Institute for Health Policy Stud- ies at UC San Francisco. She found that was going to drop out, but after a visit to San Jose State, he now wants to go to college." Gibbs, a member of the Oakland Educa- One little boy told me he was going to drop out, but after a visit to San Jose State, he now wants to go to college. Nikita Gibbs, Oakland Education Association Nikita Gibbs students in BMOC programs had increased reading scores by 5 percent in Oakland schools after three years, and to a lesser degree in Los Angeles, where the program has been in place for only two years. CTA members involved in BMOC believe the program is making a big difference. "I have really seen changes with the stu- dents. A lot of them are more focused," says Nikita Gibbs, a third-grade teacher who coordinates the program at Markham Ele- mentary School. "One little boy told me he tion Association (OEA), decided to become involved because she wants to help close the achievement gap. "I believe we are in a state of emergency wi th our Af r ic an American and Latino boys," she says. "I see the achievement gap getting wider, and pro- grams that are geared toward motivating boys of color to be suc- cessful are the key." Sonia Martin-Solis, a second-grade teacher at Hillcrest Drive Elementary School in Los Angeles who has helped chaperone field trips, says the program has improved the behavior and attitudes of participants. "They learn a lot about one another and seem to be much more tolerant of each other — and also the other kids at school," says the United Teachers Los Angeles mem- ber. "They are much more accepting of each other and willing to have conversations with

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