Learning Environments that Promote Positive Youth Development and Success for African American Male Students

What learning conditions, organizational structures, and school climate factors are necessary to nurture the positive development of African American male students?

In his book Walking the Equity Talk, A Guide for Culturally Courageous Leadership in School Communities, Dr. Browne has defined the components of school environments that nurture positive youth development, and the seven major actions that culturally courageous leaders must take to create and maintain such environments. Dr. Browne will draw from his book to describe those learning conditions, organizational structures, and factors within the social and cultural climate in schools that nurture the positive development of African American male students. His presentation will address the following:

• Specific learning conditions, organizational structures and climate factors in many schools that mitigate against improved academic outcomes for African American male students
• Policies, conditions, and strategies that can help produce a nurturing school climate
• Political constraints that may be experienced along the way and
• The leadership needed to overcome such constraints

This webinar is designed for district and school administrators, teachers, and other educators interested in improving academic opportunities and outcomes for African American male students. It will be hosted by Dr. Rose Owens-West, Director of the Region IX Equity Assistance Center at WestEd.

"Learning Environments that Promote Success for African American Male Students" is the last of three webinars in the series, "Improving Academic Outcomes for African American Male Students," addressing equity concerns for African-American males in K-12 public education settings. The series includes two additional webinars that address topics related to high quality instruction, rigorous learning opportunities, and supportive learning environments that improve achievement outcomes for African-American male students in K-12 settings:

• Discipline that Does No Harm: Improving Academic Outcomes for African-American Male Students
• High Quality Instruction that Promotes Learning and Achievement for African American Male Students