Lessons Learned

I listened this morning to the BYU Devotional Speech that Pres. Thomas S. Monson gave on September 15, 2009.  He spoke about presidents of the LDS Church who had come before him, telling of their favorite hymn, favorite food, and a certain principle that guided them. 

He spoke of Heber J. Grant and his persistence:  "He was a persistent person. As a boy he wanted to learn how to throw a baseball. He was not as good as he desired to be, so he practiced hour after hour throwing the ball at a target marked on the barn door. He became very proficient. He also was a poor penman, but through extensive practice he developed beautiful penmanship."

It would be wise for all of us to learn from those who came before us...and realizing the uniqueness of each. 

Personal Factors #2

The following are some personal factors that research has shown benefit Latino students:

• Persistence--empeño
• Hard work
• Ability
• Clear goals
• Interpersonal skills
• Inner locus of control
• Self-efficacy
• Religiosity

How can we help our Esperanza scholars develop these attributes and skills?

School Factors #1

How can we apply the following school factors at Esperanza that research has shown affect the academic achievement of Hispanic learners?

Factor #1: High quality early childhood programs and full day kindergarten

These two things have a greater effect on Hispanic learners and low income students. Research has also shown that as far as kindergarten it is more important what they do during the day than the length of time.

Factor #2: The school has a strong shared vision and commitment.

Factor #3: Class and School Size -- Optimal classroom size is 18 and optimal school size for elementary an elementary school is 350.

Factor #4: Retention--Retention has too many negatives to even consider it for any grade level. Instead it is better to implement effective interventions.

Factor #5: Segregation and tracking: Although both of these can be detrimental, especially to Hispanic learners, there are still some things to consider. Research has shown that Hispanic learners need close relationships with high-achieving peers AND their own ethnicity. A great read about this is the book Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria by Beverly Daniel Tatum. Although tracking can be detrimental, flexible groupings can be extremely beneficial.

Factor #6: Whole child and learner-centered

Factor #7: Effort and persistence are rewarded-- Both the work of Dr. Glasser and the work of Dr. Carol Dweck about mind-set support this.