Culture, Ethnicity and Race – Page 2 – Psychology Benefits Society

July 6, 2018July 10, 2018Administrator

[CROSS-POST] Fostering a Growth Mindset Through Culturally Responsive Teaching

When a teacher is able to instill a growth mindset in his or her students, it can help temper the impacts of poverty, and lead to a lifetime love of learning. This common goal, however, is not as easy to achieve in our urban communities when some of our children cannot see beyond their current struggles. When 80% of America’s teachers are white and 26.3 million students are of color, students have less access to role models that look like them, and have less opportunity to be empowered through their education. Limited resources limit horizons, but the influence of culturally responsive teaching is able to encourage the development of a growth mindset in our urban children, bridging the exposure gap between urban students and their more affluent peers.

June 29, 2018Administrator

Children Are Not Colorblind: 4 Ways to Talk to Young Children About Race

This post continues our blog series regarding racial/ethnic socialization practices, programs, and approaches. APA is putting together a clearinghouse of resources to help parents/caregivers to protect youth of color and themselves from the psychological damage of discrimination and racism. For more information regarding APA’s new initiative and to provide feedback as we continue to engage […]

June 29, 2018June 29, 2018Administrator

Depression in Black Boys Begins Earlier Than You Think

From 2001 to 2015, the suicide risk for Black boys between the ages of 5 and 11 was two to three times higher than that of White boys, according to a new research letter in JAMA Pediatrics (Bridge, 2018). This concerning trend continues through adolescence as reported by the Nationwide Youth Risk Behavior Survey (Kann et al., 2017). The rates of attempted suicide, including attempts that resulted in an injury, poisoning, or overdose, are 1.2x higher among Black males compared to White males.

May 4, 2018May 4, 2018Administrator

A Dream Deferred: Reflections on the 50th Anniversary of the Kerner Commission Report

March 2018 marked the 50th anniversary of the Kerner Commission Report (1968), which investigated the causes of race riots in U.S. cities in the mid-1960s. This groundbreaking federal study raised awareness of the negative effects of segregation and discrimination on black urban communities.

May 2, 2018May 25, 2018Administrator

Black Panther and the Power of Representation

It is important for identity development and self-concept for children and adolescents of color to see positive examples of people who look like them represented in the media and popular culture. Black Panther is doing that for millions of children of color.

April 30, 2018April 30, 2018Administrator

Wholeness and Hope in Education: This is What a Professor Looks Like

It was 2003. I was a first-year doctoral student attending my first research conference. I remember her as if it was yesterday. Except her findings. I was too consumed by the way she looked; her skin color, her tone, the way she looked at her students. At the end of her presentation I waited for my turn to speak to her – although I did not know what I wanted to say. All that came out was “Hi, I’m a student here. Thank you”, as tears ran down my face.

April 6, 2018April 6, 2018Administrator

Finding My Passion: To Be Young, Gifted, and Black

While attending a public-school deemed a “School of Excellence,” I was initially identified as gifted in the third-grade. After scoring in the 99th percentile on the Iowa Test of Basic Skills (ITBS), which is a national standardized test, I was referred for gifted testing and subsequently placed in the gifted program at my school. I was the only Black student in the program, and always felt as if I did not quite belong in the program. Being “smart” came naturally for me, and it was something my parents, teachers, and even I recognized at a young age; however, being in this environment was a bit intimidating and created feelings of competition, a fear of failure, and a desire to be perfect.

March 28, 2018March 29, 2018Administrator

We Achieve What We Believe: How to Encourage African American Students to Believe in Their Academic Abilities

For too long educational stakeholders including researchers, administrators, teachers, parents and even students placed value in the notion that African American students have less interest and capacity in education. What is most troubling is that African American students may themselves hold these beliefs. This could lead to a self-fulfilling prophecy, so to speak, contributing to achievement at standards below actual capabilities. Parents and teachers must be sure that they are instilling positive beliefs around African American students and high levels of academic achievement.

March 9, 2018March 19, 2018Administrator

What Does A Professor Look Like?

As a child of poor immigrants from rural Philippines, I often heard about how my parents grew up without running water and limited electricity. They told my brothers and me stories about the things that they didn’t have while growing up, and how they overcame traumas of war and poverty. These anecdotes made me feel equally grateful and guilty, while also motivating me to strive for success. In fact, it is through these stories that I learned the importance of attaining a college education as a way of fulfilling our parents’ American dreams and somehow compensating for the historical trauma that my family had overcome for centuries.

February 20, 2018February 20, 2018Administrator

This is What Psychology Looks Like: Dr. Celeste Malone

As a current student in the school psychology program at Howard University. Dr. Malone has served as an instructor and advisor to me over the last three years. She is an assistant professor and coordinator for the school psychology program. In this role she has guided many students in their pursuit of finding their passion in school psychology related research.