World Café Ideas
November 4, 2010
What Do Our Students Need: At School
Needs
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Good Teachers
High Expectation: Are you going to College
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Model 1
Parents
Some to visit home
Personal relationship with teachers is much
more important for low income students
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More minority teacher leaders
More interesting teaching to create student
involvement
Before/after school safety
Caring adults
Positive peer pressure
Leaders that are more aware of their culture
Parent support
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Teachers who have strong leadership, who
DEMAND that teachers LIKE the children
they work with and are positive and believe
in the potential. Leaders must impact the
culture.
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Learn new / diverse ways of teaching
Diversity in curriculum
Positive school relationship
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Students willing to learn and take advice
Respect and friendship between student and
adult
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“20%” can achieve daily
Expand our contingency plan
Honestly?
World Café Ideas: At School, Needs
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How do we get rid of the false entitlement
aspect?
Program to help the parents
GED program needs (more volunteers)
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Mentors / Expect
o Zero tolerance that there will be
children who will not fail.
o Leaders in the schools must set the
tone.
o Are there needs that we are more
geared towards their interest
o We need to be honest with being
degradedly
o Need GED paid because there are
not enough results
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Teachers with both academic knowledge
and ability to inspire all kids
Equal resources and opportunities for all
students
Consciousness of culture, equity,
community history
Hard work, commitments – education is a
profession not a job
High expectations and support to meet them
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Creating teacher equity throughout the
district
Better communication between parents and
school id. resources
Home School communicators – large role
An invitation to participate in extracurriculum activities
Advisory or homeroom to assist students in
developing relationship with teachers and
Page 1 of 9
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becoming more aware of resources and
opportunities
Evening school
Using UMC students / org. as a resource to
help our students – mentors New Program
Dev.
Public Awareness
o Face the facts. Determine how to
live with them.
o More teachers in the district students
can trust
o Focus more on economic factor
rather than ethnicity
o Parenting classes
o Kids fed and in bed at home
o High Expectations!
Find a way to keep kids in classrooms
Help kids to fit in
At a young age – understand the importance
of learning. Education is key!
Reach early!
1. Strengths
a. Have meetings like this, know gap to
fix
b. Teachers – accommodations for
special needs
c. Resources – not all used adequately
– counselors, SPED, etc. available
d. Home Connection – calling parents
to tell them what kids needs to do
e. Consciousness of equity – some
students need more than others – “no
even-Stevens”
f. HS – choice/kids choose their own
learning
2. Weakness –
a. Unfair emphasis on “I’m an
impoverished school” – access to
other opportunities - $ = concern, but
cannot use
World Café Ideas: At School, Needs
b. Equal opportunities for supports,
extra-curricular
c. Class size too large  kids falling
between the cracks
d. Lack of any of the strengths above
e. Expectations of friends and teacher,
need a + peer group
f. Parents not able to ask for early
intervention or know that they
should – Intervene!!
g. Can’t read
h. Opportunities – Early intervention –
by school
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HSC – liaison between
student/family/school
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Free breakfast for all kids who need that
Empathy
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Caring teachers
Challenge
Situational Learning
o Math in Practical Arts, etc.
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Structural supports
Better partnering between school and
community agencies
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Support, challenge accountable
Really good teachers
Teachers that care
Schools must have options
Academic curriculum ok
But diversity of talent requires hands on /
vocational curriculum
Need to learn to be critical thinkers
Must make sure that kids use the principles
in real life situations
Smaller class sizes
Need to address different ways of learning
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Page 2 of 9
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An effective plan in place for students who
are failing
Better identification of students learning
needs
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Accelerated / remedial course to help them
catch up with peers
Teacher energy spent trying to meet needs
of
Lack of teachers of color, especially male
Home School Communicators first on
chopping
Scholarships for potential African American
Teachers
Beg Mizzou (all schools) to recruit student
athletes of color into teaching
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Increase male role models of color
More money and more effort on early
reading (on grade level by 3rd grade), start
extra help at first
Redefine expectations education is
something they need to do
Civics – what is a good citizen
Diversity class
Dedicated teachers
Cultural competency
Classroom size (smaller)
Trusting relationship (teacher & student)
Proper discipline options that don’t involve
removing students from school
Discipline to improve and correct behavior,
not to punish
Role models
Get kids involved in solutions
We need dedicated teachers
Good trusting relationship in the classroom
for / with every individual child
World Café Ideas: At School, Needs
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We need to look at how we discipline our
children. Kicking kids out of school is what
they want
Do not confuse discipline with punishment.
Teach to change behavior
Affirmation and advocates
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Good / strong relationship between school /
home/ child
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“Tired” teachers who don’t have 100% to
give
Good trusting relationships
o Mentors
o Advocates
Identify student role models
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Crowded – more space needed
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Dress code?
Appointed advocate
Incentives for better teacher
Good trusting relationships
Discipline
Having kids develop solutions
Youth viewing role models
Need parents writing curricula
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Better teachers
Cultural competency
Relationship building
More teachers
Role models
Books and materials
Responsibility for your actions
CARE program expanded
The civics and civility
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Adults need to be praised for effort
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Adult learning courses
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Change of attitude among black teens that it
is ok to succeed
Communication
Role models
Give teachers back the control of classroom
Hold parents accountable
More minority teachers
Volunteers to administer after school
programs
Good study skills
Teach school behaviors
Alternative
Smaller class sizes are essential
Parents involvement and education on
school success techniques – Parental buy in
Teachers, staff, principals need to build
relationships with parents
All schools should have after school activity
buses so children who are younger can
participate in events
Students of color aren’t in science classes
Public transportation
More black educators
More involvement in schools by community
members from the African American
Community
Ability to involve parents
Communication Era – continue to evaluate
best ways to communicate with various
needs
Transportation – not all schools have city
bus stops close to schools
Lack of African American Teachers and
Role Models:
o Minority Interns, MAC Scholars
o Lincoln University producing future
teachers
World Café Ideas: At School, Needs
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Safe route to school (especially those who
walk)
Social skills taught
Study skills taught
Small class sizes (K – 3)
Parental involvement
All school have activity buses to take kids
home after school activities.
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More home school coordinators
Resources
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Adults with positive attitude toward student
Small ratio of teacher to students
Need advocates
Diversity training
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High expectations
Positive attitude and nurturing environment
Strengths based
Personal connection
Small class size
Routines, rituals, respect
Recognition
Accountability of children and teachers
Speak Up!
Diversity
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High Expectations
Nurturing environment
Attitude that they can meet you expectations
Teacher – patience
Cultural understanding
Speak Up – Adults
Preschool
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High expectations
Nurturing adults teachers, mentors,
groups
Routines/Rituals
Common respect
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Positive relationships with adults
Home School Communicators
Transportation
High expectations
Positive attitude about students
Team concept among students
Positive peer pressure
Home School Coordinators
Students don’t feel like they fit it
Kids are at disadvantage if there’s no
computer at home
Transportation for after school tutoring,
sports, etc.
Stereotypes – e.g. No blacks in AP classes
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High expectation
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Teachers that can teach students of a variety
of needs …. Poverty, ELL, etc.
Don’t skip class just because the way they
act and look
Don’t skip school because people bully you,
try to avoid it
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Evaluations of teachers
Help outside of school
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Teachers who make a difference
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Are some teachers who judge students – sets
up entire tone
Teacher and parent expectations can set you
up for success
Need to be able to tell when teacher isn’t
doing well – listen to students
After school activities
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Effective teacher
Diversity
Positive groups
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World Café Ideas: At School, Needs
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Faculty/staff encouragement (train /
supervise)
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Adult Literacy to parents of young children
Build confidence in partnering
Give teacher back control of classroom
Opportunities
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Community Support
Continue exploring best ways to
communicate
Minority teachers needed
More interventions
Smaller class
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Give teachers back control of the classroom
Hold parents accountable
Minority teachers
Motivate students to stay in school – find
ways like extra curricular
Get community adults to volunteer to work
after school to provide extra curricular
Programs for extra curriculum – outside of
athletics
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Relationships
Positive feedback
Adults who believe they can
Education and self study for staff
High expectations
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All parents support the school with their
words and actions
Ways to break peer pressure to be “dumb”
Teacher support (peer support included)
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High expectation
Teacher build relationships
Peak interest
Need to know they have strengths
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Access to food throughout day, even after
school day
High expectation
Need to provide enriching experience for all
kids
Focus on skills that kids have and can build
on
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High expectations
Peer pressure
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Keep parents informed
Invite parents
Listening to parents
Money
Surveys to kids
School counselor are not
Mental health
Encouragement that you can succeed!
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Creative classes/educators
Try different models to find which one will
work better for this community
Teachers need and inspire and care about the
kids
Access to teachers
Surveys for students
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Give parents ways to support learning at
home
High expectations for all kids. Must
building relationships with kids
Teachers re-examining their biases
How do we make being smart cool?
Change culture of school?
Kids need to know they have strengths –
leadership roles – kids in those roles in our
schools
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Curriculum oriented – awareness of students
Accountability
Teacher willingness to reach out
Tell the kids that they have strengths
Opportunity for diverse leadership roles
Flexibility in schools
Ultimately comes down to engaging, caring
teachers
Technology
Must reach out to parents and keep them
informed
Must evaluate grade 1 students first month
of school (reading, etc)
World Café Ideas: At School, Needs
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Failure is not an option, but don’t assume
we all agree what failure and success is
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Parents feeling included
Getting parents engaged in being included –
feeling important
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Respect
Learning environment at home
Transition from grade school to junior high
More diversity and engagement training for
teachers
Top honor honesty and culture to promote
learning
More parental support
Higher expectation
Involve families
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Co-curricular activities: exposure to
opportunities
Parents must participate at the beginning of
school
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School not genuinely “welcoming” to
minority students
Lack of respect for minority children
Diversity understanding
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Better transition
Diversity training for teachers
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Kids need to feel they belong to a “group”
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Well-defined expectations and established
accountability (compare CPS to CIS – CIS
has much clearer expectations)
Redefine the mission of PSTA – parents
need to know it’s there for them
Better engagement of families
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More teachers
More mentors
More support for parents
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Perception change to encourage community
support
Parent and teacher help
Extra Human Resources
More staff, esp. math, science, assistant
principals…..small classes, counselors
Teachers need resources – use own money
Mentor, support, adults that believe in a kid
and can hold up an excellent future
Parent support
Need empathy factor
To teach students how to make the right
decision – learn for mistakes and be
accountable
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Access to more resources
Support system for parents
Counseling services to help students and
parents
Central location where parents can go get
support
Utilize counselors to serve as knowledge
hubs for faculty and families to find
resources
Mental health services
More minorities in gifted program
Clear communication
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Change leave No Child Left Behind rules
Shouldn’t be same # level across the board
Some students are not capable. Should have
different levels for different learning
abilities
Make it a stretch but not impossible
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Cut backs on staff
Math/science resources for teachers
Support parents
Family counselors within the school settings
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Have same expectations for all students
Lack of ‘social expression” i.e. creative
outlets (oral tradition, art, poem, etc)
Teachers competent who will tailor lessons
to students individually
Black history/women’s issues NOT valued
in classroom so kids not invested;
disconnected
NEED more community-based teaching,
lesson, etc.
EXPERIENCE GAP!
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High expectations
Break down color barrier…
Understand everyone as individuals
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Create outlets
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Teachers need help to help our kids
How to interact with all walks of life?
Teachers communicating with teachers and
families
A focus on the positive not the negative
High expectations
Small class sizes
Cultural proficiency training
More specialists
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To focus on the positive
Structure
Smaller class sizes
World Café Ideas: At School, Needs
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Page 7 of 9
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Not enough kids who could be reached
Elementary school leave but not same kinds
of extrinsic motivation
Spread the resources among
Education programs on Business and
Personal Finance, Economics and work
readiness
Loss of math, reading
Need more staff at schools
Support for parents
Comfortable place for parents to go if need
help  respectful place
Teachers and parents need to be advocates
for students when need to be identified as
gifted
Gifted services need to be “advertised” as
available
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Focus on the positive – the I Can
Feel loved, safe, capable
Small class sizes
Strong value for education
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1. Strengths:
a. Highly educated teachers
b. Excellent community support
2. Weaknesses
a. Larger classroom sizes
b. Not as much community support
for some schools
3. Opportunities
4. Threats/Blamers
a. Perceptions
b. Mobility rate
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Need more support from teachers
Possibly start at elementary (MAC scholars)
Understand what drive
Students to act and do the thing they do
Students need cultural diversity programs
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World Café Ideas: At School, Needs
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Distribute successful programs to all schools
Need diversity training for students and
teachers
Need more male teachers (African
American)
Communication from teachers from K – 12
– Keep the agenda to where everyone is
moving to one final goal
Dress code enforced
Better educators
Better curriculum – more diversity
Parent teacher plus kid teacher relationships
Better cultural understanding and training
More access to MACC Scholars
o Some sort of program at the
elementary level (extend high
potential programs to regular year)
More outlets for expression
Teachers trained to help multi-learning
styles
More curriculum examples including
African American Heroes
Structure
Discipline
Some kind of metric to gauge achievement
of students
More teachers who care about at-risk kids
More teachers of color
More community members involved with
schools
Schools encourage the high level students
like MAC Scholars but leave behind
minority students who don’t excel
Dress Code – Enforce
Programs – social expressions (poetry) –
low budget, no time
Attendance
Get kids to school
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Parent/teacher relationship
Cultural understanding
Teacher/ parent relationship
Non-supportive parent
More male teachers (within MAC Scholars)
Club at elementary level
World Café Ideas: At School, Needs
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