The purpose of this study is to investigate the emerging school culture of Excel
Academy for Boys [Pseudonym] located in the Southwestern region of the United States,
and how it contributes to the social and academic development of urban African
American male students. This case study was based on interviews and focus groups with
parents, teachers, students, and the school administrator. Additionally, the researcher
conducted participant observations of school meetings, new parent orientations, new
teacher interviews, and reviewed student academic and behavioral records. This
exploratory analysis consisted of two separate; but interrelated, qualitative studies
relevant to educating urban African American males.
The first inquiry featured a case study of Excel Academy for Boys, a singlegender
middle school serving urban African American males. This detailed examination
of Excel Academy’s organizational habitus yielded the Building African American
Males Model. This organizational process was characterized by four essential factors
that included: (1) educational justice; (2) expectations monitoring; (3) expectations casting; and (4) a culture of Effort. Particular attention was given to how each factor
promoted community-school synergy or organizational synergy. These processes were
essential for creating a school culture and climate that promoted the emotional, social,
and academic maturation of students. Implications for protecting and strengthening the
organizational habitus of Excel Academy were offered and broader implications for the
emerging African American males’ school movement were discussed.
The second study of Excel Academy uncovered four complexities that teachers,
parents, and the school leader encountered as they sought to meet the social, emotional,
and academic needs of urban African American males. These four critical complexities
emerged through observations of the educational processes at Excel Academy, and were
labeled: 1) expectations dissonance; 2) disguised engagement; 3) differential
engagement, and 4) expectations overload. The emergence of each factor was detailed,
and recommendations were offered to address each complexity.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:tamu.edu/oai:repository.tamu.edu:1969.1/ETD-TAMU-3150 |
| Date | 15 May 2009 |
| Creators | James, Marlon C. |
| Contributors | CARTER, NORVELLA, Lewis, Chance |
| Source Sets | Texas A and M University |
| Language | en_US |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Book, Thesis, Electronic Dissertation, text |
| Format | electronic, application/pdf, born digital |
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