Connie Michael

Teaching Leader Institue 2019

Perspective and Perception

We may encounter many defeats but we must not be defeated.

-Maya Angelou

Equality is not equity.

YOU CAN'T FIX EDUCATION IF YOU DON'T FIX INEQUITY

Through out my capstone work I have learned what I already knew, I do not hold biases against others due to race, socio-economic status, physical disabilities, sexual preferences, or gender. Thankfully due to my educational history, I had the opportunity to be surrounded by very open-minded educators and learn we are all the same when it comes to our need to be educated but vary in the way that can successfully happen.

Where I do possess biases are for individuals who believe there are pockets of students who do not deserve the curriculum to be bent to meet unique needs and believe one size fits all. For Individuals who see their jobs as teachers as one of grades and disseminating information instead of learning together and helping all to succeed.

Giving everyone the same access to the same curriculum and instruction is not equity.

What I do have biases for are educators who decide who will succeed and who will fail before they are given the chance to figure it out for themselves.

What I do have biases for are individuals who use Charter schools to shield their intent to segregate our schools.

The haves and have nots is not equity.

Who I am and who they are...

I currently am the fifth grade teacher at a rural school on an Indian Reservation in Montana. My school population is 100% Native American.

"The United States once used schools to try to exterminate Native language and Culture." Teach for America, One Day Magazine, Why Are Native Students Left Behind?

Radical and Culturally insensitivity and incompetent educators continue to be a problem for Native American students. Graduation rates of American Indians have been on a downward trend since 2008 and analysis of the socio-economic reasons driving it is ongoing. Punitive discipline, inadequate curriculum, and declining federal funding create an education crisis. Indian Country Today, Native American Students Face Ongoing Crisis in Education by Lisa J Ellwood, Sept 3 2017

Graduation Rates for Students in Crow Agency/Hardin Public Schools:

Hardin High School is ranked within the bottom 50% of all 563 schools in Montana (based off of combined Math and Reading proficiency testing data) for the 2014-15 school year.

· Grades: 9-12

· Students: 462 students

· Student:Teacher Ratio: 14:1

· Minority Enrollment: 80%

· Graduation Rate: 70-74% (Btm 50% in MT)

· Overall School Rank: Bottom 50%

· Math Proficiency: 6-9% (Btm 50%)

· Reading Proficiency : 30-34% (Btm 50%)

· Diversity Score: 0.51% (Top 10%)

*The percentage of students achieving proficiency in Math is 6-9% (which is lower than the Montana state average of 40%) for the 2014-15 school year. The percentage of students achieving proficiency in Reading/Language Arts is 30-34% (which is lower than the Montana state average of 48%) for the 2014-15 school year.

*Hardin High School placed in the bottom 50% of all schools in Montana for overall test scores (math proficiency is bottom 50%, and reading proficiency is bottom 50%) for the 2014-15 school year.

STUDENTS BY GRADE: Why Do The Numbers Go Down

LET'S GO BACKWARDS TO SEE WHERE IT ALL STARTED

MIDDLE SCHOOL

Grades: 6-8
Students: 446 students
Student:Teacher Ratio: 15:1
Minority Enrollment: 86%
Overall School Rank: Bottom 50% in MT
Math Proficiency: 13% (Btm 50%)
Reading Proficiency : 20% (Btm 50%)
Diversity Score: 0.40% (Top 20%)

*The percentage of students achieving proficiency in Math is 13% (which is lower than the Montana state average of 43%) for the 2015-16 school year. The percentage of students achieving proficiency in Reading/Language Arts is 20% (which is lower than the Montana state average of 50%) for the 2015-16 school year.

*Hardin Middle School placed in the bottom 50% of all schools in Montana for overall test scores (math proficiency is bottom 50%, and reading proficiency is bottom 50%) for the 2015-16 school year.

*Minority enrollment is 86% of the student body (majority American Indian), which is higher than the Montana state average of 21%.

CROW AGENCY PUBLIC SCHOOL

Students by Grade:

Kindergarten: 61
First: 51
Second: 50
Third: 51
Fourth: 42
Fifth: 53
302 Native American Students
Policy for retention at Crow Agency Public School: Students are regularly retained in the Primary grades due to maturity and attendance. Students can then continue attendance issues in the intermediate (3-5) and fail classes without repercussions. This does not prepare students for the future of Middle School and the accountability they will have.
Crow Agency Elementary School is 100% Native American but their fifth graders will transition into a heterogenious school in middle school. For many of the students this will be their first experience in a school with students of races other than Native American.

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