Team Work Brings Restoration to Jefferson

When I think of the way our INSPIRE teams work together, I am reminded of a television show I watched as a child. Earth! Fire! Wind! Water! Heart! When the five powers combine, they form Captain Planet and save the world! While UrbanFUTURE teams might not be saving the world (yet), when each part of the team works together, they can make quite an impact in the life of a child. Our INSPIRE teams at Jefferson Elementary are making huge strides to restore the bonds between schools, families, and communities!

Through the support of her mother, mentor, and teacher, DeAnyai, a fifth grader, has improved this year, both academically and as a person.

From the parent…

I see more growth in DeAnyai’s academics and participation in class. Mary (the mentor) is wonderful and very informative. I appreciate the program and the very committed teachers and mentors! I pray over my children every day, and I know that UrbanFUTURE is one of God's answers to my prayers.

From the mentor…

I decided to volunteer with UrbanFUTURE because I was looking to get more involved in the community. DeAnyai seems to bring a positive attitude to our sessions every week, regardless of outside circumstances. My biggest success with DeAnyai is the relationship we’ve developed, and because of this, she seems very open to listening, learning, and sharing during our mentoring sessions. We always spend our time working on the UrbanFUTURE character and goal-setting curriculum, but we do it together, making it more enjoyable and exciting.

Ms. Spivey (DeAnyai’s mom) always thanks me for working with DeAnyai and tells me how much she loves and appreciates UrbanFUTURE. She is very trusting of me and open about DeAnyai’s strengths and weaknesses. This past week, I got to go with Ms. Spivey to parent teacher conferences, so I have a better idea of what to work on with DeAnyai. Ms. Spivey not only praises UrbanFUTURE, but also continually expresses her appreciation for what I am doing; my biggest success with Ms. Spivey is that I have begun to build an open, trusting relationship with her.

From the Teacher…

I think that D's relationship with her mentor has started to impact her sense of accountability and her internal motivation. She knows there's someone else she's going to see and tell about her goals and her progress in class, so she's asking questions, and monitoring herself, and will occasionally even say things like "I am going get all of my work finished so I can show her what I did today." Deanyai's mentor just recently gave her a planner, and now Deanyai is writing in her homework assignments and checking them off as she goes. The excitement to engage and improve, knowing she has someone who is rooting for her one on one, is a huge benefit to Deanyai. And because they're working on goal setting together, being very explicit about HOW you set real goals and action steps, I can see Deanyai internalizing that- when she sets goals for herself in class they are concrete, achievable, and meaningful to her.

In UrbanFUTURE tutoring, Deanyai is getting the individual extension work that we don't always get to in class, to help challenge her. I know this is happening because when she participates in class (which is often, and confidently) she offers higher level answers; that is, she explains her thought process and can apply new knowledge more readily, which is evidence of the one-on-one coaching tutoring in which she's asked to do that in depth.

Part of Jefferson's mission (and what's just plain necessary for student success) is greater parent involvement, and UrbanFUTURE really brings that to bear. I think that sometimes there's a sort of divide set up between school and home, or there's communication, but it's needs-based (i.e. only when something goes wrong) and can be less frequent. UrbanFUTURE, with its mentors regularly contacting parents, with parents knowing they can contact Stephanie or a mentor as well as a teacher, with parent chaperoned field trips, and family events (like the ice cream party to celebrate student test scores!) is a very positive, student centric gathering place for all of those who are working towards the success of a student- parents, mentors, and teachers. It's not about the school, or the teacher, or the parent, but about what is happening with the student. I personally have found it easier to get a hold of my parents who are UrbanFUTURE parents, and I think those parents are more actively aware of what is happening with their student's progress, since they communicate with me AND mentors. UrbanFUTURE INSPIRE mentors helped get parents up to school for conferences, and came to conferences to meet with parent's about what students are working on. 

It's reassuring to me as a teacher to know that some of those individual attentions that I can't give to students during the day (enrichment to excelling students, extra support and individual coaching for struggling students) is being given to them after school. EVERY STUDENT at our school needs more positive love and attention, and the fact that 4th, 5th, and 6th graders, who are coming into adolescence, one of the most challenging times for development of self-image and attitude towards school and the future and other people, are getting that CONSISTENT, POSITIVE attention and support (not to mention role models), is hugely beneficial.

From the Student…

My mentor is helpful because she is teaching me how to be more patient. I like my mentor because she’s fun and she helps me with a lot of things, like my self control which I really need to work on. I know she cares about me because when I’m sad or my head hurts, she asks me what’s wrong and lets me take a break. When I wasn’t keeping up with my homework, she bought me an agenda . Doing all of my homework was one of my action steps for my reading goal, so my agenda is helping me reach my goals. My goals are helping me get better as a student, like some of my action steps and goals are affecting my report card and my grades are improving. I know she cares about me because she took me to Crown Candy and we got ice cream and a BLT. My favorite part of UrbanFUTURE is mentoring and the field trips.

We may not be saving the world Captain Planet style, but we are working to change communities, schools, families, and most importantly, the lives of our students!

UrbanFUTURE's Solution to Eliminating the Academic Achievement Gap

The following post is text from a recent grant request that UrbanFUTURE submitted for the Bank of America Neighborhood Builder's program. This represents UrbanFUTURE's strategy and vision for solving the academic achievement gap in urban schools.

Poverty is an age-old problem in our nation’s urban communities. In order to solve this problem, the educational achievement gap must be bridged—one community cluster at a time. UF defines the community cluster according to the public school system’s geographical zoning. Each “community cluster” revolves around a hub middle school and the elementary schools that feed it. Utilizing the community cluster approach, UF reaches every school-aged child in a given zip code who shares a common educational path.

Once the cluster is defined, UF approaches supplemental education by recognizing the isolation that exists between three primary groups – the home, the school and the community. Our key initiative is the UrbanFUTURE Restoration Model, which seeks to repair the traditional bonds between home, school, and community that poverty has broken. UF staff brokers these connections and is housed within the school building, allowing the school to serve as a center for these groups to connect through our innovative mentoring and tutoring programs. Through this community-cluster based restoration model, we are addressing generational poverty at individual, institutional and community-wide levels.

The primary objective of the Restoration Model is to ensure that 4th through 8th grade students possess the academic acumen to master high school as well as the mindset to see and believe in their possibilities. To achieve this vision, UF focuses on five key outcomes: literacy, academic growth, character formation, parental involvement, and career preparation. The combination of these focal points creates a formula for success in eliminating the achievement gap.

This is what UrbanFUTURE believes will solve the academic achievement gap and in turn help communities out of poverty.

Parent Leadership As a Solution

In Wednesday's St. Louis Post Dispatch, this story ran about the plight of under-performing schools in the St. Louis area. While the story has relevance to UrbanFUTURE's work in eliminating the achievement gap in the urban core, it is a string within some of the comments from readers that really resonates with what we are doing. Here a just a few of the comments.

"It does not matter what you do to the school. If education is not valued in the home; these schools will not perform at the level of districts with an educated parent population that stress the importance of lifelong learning." - w. champion

"As others have commented, educational failure is not all on the teachers. If parents* don't care at the original school, why would they suddenly care when their offspring is put in a new "high achieving" school?" - crissyboo

"That's right, champion: the success of the school depends on the commitment of the family....Most of my students NEVER hear the words, "is your homework finished?" or "Have you raised your grade up to a "B" in History?". These and the countless other words of encouragement from PARENTS make the difference in whether I, the student, will re-read the chapter, or re-write the essay, or review my class notes." - LGL

The last comment comes directly from a self-identified, St. Louis Public School teacher. These comments highlight exactly what UrbanFUTURE identifies as the key to helping students in under-resourced communities achieve: engage the parent as a leader.

That's why UrbanFUTURE requires parents and mentors to speak on a weekly basis to discuss goals, achievements, challenges. It's why UrbanFUTURE staff hold meetings for parents to learn the things they can do to help their child by working with them at home. It's why we ask parents to get involved at their child's school and stop by to see their daughter or son's teacher, not just at conferences, but throughout the year.

These things happen where resources are, but in areas where resources are lacking, the family is isolated from the community and the school. The Restoration Model provides a construct for parents to connect with teachers, community volunteers and each other. At UrbanFUTURE, we share in the sentiment of some of these commenters, because we know parent leadership is a major part of the remedy in turning around under-performing schools and re-invigorating neighborhoods.

Note: UrbanFUTURE does not endorse comments made on the highlighted article that are of a divisive nature. We only wish to comment on a common theme around parents' role in solving the issue of failing schools.

Parent Leadership - Our Keystone to Success

What is it that differentiates UrbanFUTURE from other organizations that providing mentoring? The biggest difference is our emphasis on involving the parent. In fact, we believe that without engaging the parent as a leader in their child's education, we will see mediocre results that are less likely to be lasting. That's not to say a child cannot benefit from having an adult mentor, but generally, to have a sustainable, lasting impact in that child's life, the parent or some other responsible adult has to be involved and leading the change.


To UrbanFUTURE, parent leadership is parents leading the child's goal accomplishment process, holding a child accountable for his/her (in)actions, encouraging the child to succeed and acting as an advocate for the best interest of the child. Parents who fulfill these roles, will likely see their son or daughter develop into a good student and a good person.


There are many barriers that exist in engaging parents. In some cases a cultural and language barrier exist for parents. While a parent may wish to help a child with homework, a lack of English may prevent that from happening. A similar situation exists for parents who have to work in the evenings and are unable to provide homework help for the child despite their desire to do so. Other parents may not have the necessary skills themselves to help on difficult math, science or writing assignments. Still others may be operating under a veil of ignorance in which they don't know of their child's deficient skills due to satisfactory grades (another topic for another day, perhaps). Finally, there are some who are well aware of their child's struggles, but don't know what they can do to help. The combination of many of these can lead to parents who appear apathetic to their child's education.


UrbanFUTURE turns that apathy on its head. By telling parents that they can not only help their child, but they can lead their child's education they re-gain control of the situation. We do this by setting high expectations for parents and challenging them to step up their efforts. We offer opportunities for them to network with other parents. We provide trainings for how they can work on goals with their child, help them improve their literacy and even how to better communicate with an adolescent child. We encourage them to come to the school to help out, sit in the classroom and talk with teachers. As parents become more comfortable in their role as a leader, their child in turn will see how much the parent truly values a good education.


It's when the parents come to see and believe in their own possibilities as parents that their child sees and believes in their possibilities as person.

UrbanFUTURE Parents Raising the Bar

Last week, St. Louis Public Schools held 3rd Quarter Parent-Teacher Conferences. One of UrbanFUTURE’s outcomes is to increase parent engagement. A key measure of that is parent attendance at conferences. Between Fanning and Mann, 60% of INSPIRE parents attended conferences. Only 20% of non-INSPIRE parents attended their child’s conference. In other word, INSPIRE parents are tripling the norm in attendance at parent-teacher conferences! In fact, they are holding up the curve at both schools

Why is this important? Studies have shown that increased parental involvement in a child’s academics will lead to increased performance (Epstein & Sheldon, 2006). Through conferences, parents can learn how they can assist their child succeed in the classroom. Greater parent-teacher interaction also sends a message of a united front between the classroom and the home to the child. Further, it helps parents feel more comfortable and confident in speaking with a teacher about their child’s education, a significant barrier at times for under-resourced families. As parents continue to build a relationship with the teachers, we can expect students will see an improvement in grades and test scores.

UrbanFUTURE is proud of all the parents who made it out for conferences. This is one step forward in taking leadership. Keep up the great work!

UrbanFUTURE Framework

UrbanFUTURE helps 4th through 8th grade urban students prepare to succeed in high school and beyond by:

• Supporting parents in taking a leadership role in their child's education
  
• Restoring an educational collaboration between the home and the classroom
  
• Positioning the community as an integral part of the educational process
  

Primary Objectives

All UrbanFUTURE (UF) students will possess the academic acumen to master high school along with the mindset to see and believe in their possibilities.

Parent Leadership

• Institute an individualized plan for student educational growth and enrichment which the parent leads (One on One INSPIRE Mentoring)
  
• Offer a parent association called UPAC (UrbanFUTURE Parent Advisory Council)


• Operate with a philosophy of individual dignity and understanding of poverty and and its hidden rules (mindset/behaviors)


• Connect families to resources in their community to remove potential obstacles to effective education.
  

Home/Classroom Alliance

• Implement INSPIRE program (parent/guardian/caregiver, teacher, mentor collaborative)


• Align goal-setting, academic achievement, literacy and character formation


• Observe students in the classroom and report on goal achievement


• Provide IMPACT tutoring programs (certified by the State of Missouri)


• Align around communication arts, math and homework help


• Celebrate student achievement throughout the year


• Deliver quarterly newsletters showcasing successes at school and home

Community Participation

• Recruit, train and support volunteers from diverse backgrounds and experiences (INSPIRE & IMPACT)


• Provide core subject remediation and homework help utilizing the services of university/high school students and adult volunteers (IMPACT)


• Involve local businesses, institutions and service sector organizations in teaching and enriching youth (Explore! Community Program)

If you would like more information about how you can get support UrbanFUTURE go to our website at http://www.urbanfuturestl.org/ or call (314)776-3434.