Culturally Responsive
Classroom Management
African American Students
By
Dr. Mack T. Hines III
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PURPOSE
The purpose of this presentation is to
provide research validated strategies for
building positive behavior within African
American students.
ENGAGED
ENCOURAGED
EMPOWERED
EXPRESSIVE
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*Anthony *Latoya
*“The Problem”
*“The Look”
Dirk
“The Issue”
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JUST CAUSE
DISCIPLINARY MOMENTS
• Moments that foster disciplinary
removal of African American
students from the class because of a
conflict with the teacher.
• Because subjectivity defines the extent
to which student behavior warrants
disciplinary action, teachers decide
which behaviors are “Just Cause” for
reprimand and removal.
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CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE
DISCIPLINARY RESPONSES
Relational approaches to using race and culture as a guide to
building positive behavior within African American students.
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QUESTION
What does it take to use race and culture as a guide
to respond to African American students?
Knowledge about how power and communication are used
in African American culture to create an environment of
discipline with African American children.
*Skills to translate knowledge into specific responses to
conflict with African American students.
Disposition to process the emotionality of teacher-student
conflict with African American students.
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RESPONSE SKILLS SET
Verbal, Vocal, and Visual uses of Power and
Communication to redirect African American students
• Verbal-Using specific words to communicate a
specific message.
• Vocal-Using the words to consistently maintain
expectations.
• Visual-Maintaining a demeanor that
communicates an authoritative way of expecting
the best behavior.
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VERBAL
(What do your words say?)
VOCAL
(What does your voice convey?)
VISUAL
(What does your face mean?)
On Cue
Our attention to the world is based on three cues:
• Spatial-orientation to environment
• Objects & Materials-details about the
environment
• Affective-emotions & feelings within the
environment
Culture socializes our approaches to responding to these
cues.
On Cue
Result
1. African Americans are
better able to distinguish
the emotions and
nonverbal communication
of faces in situations.
African Americans pay
more attention to the
emotions and feelings
2. African Americans have
in the environment
a strong tendency to direct
than other cues.
their attention towards the
emotions, expressions, and
feelings of people.
Ms. Robinson
Anthony, I do not have problems. I have
never had problems. I just have students who
make mistakes that become problems.
The problem with this situation is that you want to
belittle other students in this classroom.
Because I care for all of my students, which
also includes you, I will always protect them
from being ridiculed by other students, which also
includes you.
Ms. Robinson
“Anthony, she is a smart student. And let me
say one other thing-You are smart, too-So
smart until I know that you understand me
when I tell you that you can not and will not
make fun of any student in this classroom.
You won’t do it because you know that I
expect more and will get better from you
than what you are showing me.”
VERBAL
(What do your words say?)
Key Statements
Statement(s) A
“Anthony, she is a smart student.”
“And let me say one other thing-You
are smart, too-So smart until I know that
you understand me when I tell you
that you can not and will not make fun
of any student in this classroom.”
Statement(s) (B)
“You won’t do it because you know
that I expect more and
will get better from you than what
you are showing me.”
Verbal
(Words)
How is directness and/or relatedness used
in the statements?
VOCAL
(What does your voice convey?)
Key Statements
Vocal
(Voice)
What type of tone would you use to convey
sincerity?
Statement(s) A
“Anthony, she is a smart student.”
“And let me say one other thing-You
are smart, too-So smart until I know that
you understand me when I tell you
that you can not and will not make fun
of any student in this classroom.”
Statement(s) (B)
“You won’t do it because you know
that I expect more and
will get better from you than what
you are showing me.”
VISUAL
(What does your face mean?)
Key Statements
Visual
(Face)
What type of facial expression/demeanor
would you use to show seriousness?
Statement(s) A
“Anthony, she is a smart student.”
“And let me say one other thing-You
are smart, too-So smart until I know that
you understand me when I tell you
that you can not and will not make fun
of any student in this classroom.”
Statement(s) (B)
“You won’t do it because you know
that I expect more and
will get better from you than what
you are showing me.”
What type of facial expression/demeanor
would you use to show seriousness?
KNOWLEDGE
COMMUNICATION OF POWER
POWER OF COMMUNICATION
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QUESTION
What is the
significance
of power and
communication
with regards to
addressing behavioral
situations with
African American
students?
Q/A
ANSWER
Power and
communication
are anchored by
authority and
emotions,
which have relational
implications in
Black culture.
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Black Culture
Black people expect leaders to act with authority to
acquire authority.
“Act With Authority”
Use of interpersonal characteristics and communication
to establish authority.
“Communication”
Direct use of words to give and seek understanding of
others in an authentic, relational way.
(c) 2011 Mack T. Hines III
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ACTING WITH AUTHORITY
• Figure of Authority
• Authoritative Figure
“Because I am the teacher,
I am the authority.”
“Because I can show authority,
I am the teacher.”
• Certification
• Title
• Qualification
• Temperament
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Basis
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Spirituality
Harmony
Affect
Verve
Communalism
Orality
Movement
Expressive Individualism
Social Time Perspective
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COMMUNALISM
Emphasis on
interdependent
connectedness that
emphasizes social bonds
and responsibilities.
HARMONY
Emphasizing wholeness
because of believing that
humans and nature are
one.
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AFFECT
Expression that is
centered on a heightened
sensitivity towards
emotional cues and
expression.
ORALITY
A preference for
aural modes of
communication.
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MOVEMENT EXPRESSIVENESS
A stylized, rhythmic way of
moving and expressing one’s self.
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Communalism
Orality
Harmony
Affect
Movement
Expressiveness
What did you see?
Power & Communication
• Animation/Expression
• Directness
• Turn Taking
• Volume
You Saw
A. Two people who will not change their style of relating to
others during conflict.
You Saw
B. Their way of handling conflict is influenced by the
culture in which they grew up in for the longest time.
You Saw
C. Emotions are universal, but the way in which
they convey them is culturally determined.
Power
Lisa Delpit
“Other People’s Children”
1. Issues of power are enacted in classrooms.
2. There are codes and rules for participating in
power.
3. The rules of the culture of power are a reflection
of the rules of the culture of those who have
power.
4. If you are not already a participant in the culture
of power, being told explicitly the rules of that
culture makes acquiring power easier.
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Communication
Dr. Mack T. Hines III
“The Skin They’re In”
1. Communication is the cornerstone of all classrooms.
2. Different codes and rules for communication exist
between people from different racial groups.
3. Failure to understand the racial differences of
communication creates negative perceptions of other
people.
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Power & Communication
• Animation/Expression
• Directness
• Turn Taking
• Volume
RESPONSES TO CONFLICT
Figure of Authority
• React
• Emotions
• Symptomatic
• Power
• Embarrass
• Confront
• Tell
COERCE
ASSIMILATION
Authoritative Figure
• Respond
• Expectations
• Systematic
• Purpose
• Empower
• Convey
• Teach
COOPERATE
ACCOMMODATION
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THANK YOU!
www.mackthines.com
hines1971@yahoo.com
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