The Nuts and Bolts of Working with Students
In communities across the country, educators work daily to promote greater
educational attainment for Latino middle-grades students. We interviewed
a small but
representative sample of these individuals to learn how they implement programs
whose mission is to prepare minority or low-income youth for education beyond
high school. These programs, which are often housed at universities, sought
collaboration with middle-grades schools in carrying out their activities.
They managed the balancing act of supporting the work that students were
doing in school with offering experiences that students did not receive as
part of their regular schooling. In fact, many programs believed that to
succeed academically, students must learn and practice a set of skills that
are rarely taught explicitly in school.
For students attending schools in under-resourced communities, learning leadership,
communication, and study skills and gaining information about college and
careers is essential to their academic success. Several programs devoted
large portions of their resources to teach students how
to be leaders in the classroom and the community, which students learned
through participation in student organizations and clubs, study groups or
service learning projects.
Programs also taught students how to research, plan,
and prepare for postsecondary studies, all in the context of developing thoughtful career goals
and in many cases, exploring varied career paths through hands-on experiences.
Finally, and certainly not least in importance, programs devoted much energy
to strengthening students’ academic preparation and achievement.
Across the board, these diverse programming elements were embedded in networks of supportive relationships upon which students could draw. Successful professionals and college students from the community often served as mentors. Program staff knew the ins and outs of each student’s situation, providing guidance and advocacy as needed. And notably, students had opportunities to support and motivate one another, through structures such as team projects or informal study groups.
These relationships countered the discouraging messages and experiences that are too often part of a first-generation college student’s story. One program director recalled speaking with a new guidance counselor who had just been told by a teacher that a student in the program was not “college material.” Having heard similar stories before, the director’s response was swift: “That’s why you and I are here. If the students only hear negative messages, how will they ever have any expectation to attend college?” We invite you to read more about how these educators are raising expectations and achieving results.
