HOW CAN FORMING ACADEMIC PEER GROUPS BE USED TO REINFORCE POSITIVE ATTITUDES OF ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT IN THE FACE OF NEGATIVE PEER PRESSURE?

The failure of our nation’s schools to effectively teach minority students could be described as a national tragedy. It is an undisputed fact that nationwide, African American students do not perform as well as their White counterparts. Jefferson Middle School, in Madison, Wisconsin is no different. Average test scores of the two groups routinely have a gap of approximately 30 percentage points. Schools must find a solution to this problem. I am determined that as an administrator, I will be a part of the solution. Within some minority groups, there is often conflict. At Jefferson, high achieving African Americans are often faced with an attitude of ethnic betrayal because academic success is often seen as conforming to White behavior and attitudes. As these middle school students are struggling to form their identity, conflicting messages such as these can make it difficult for these students to maintain their high academic standards. In order to form their identity, minority teenagers must find the right balance between “transcending one’s background and immersing oneself in it ” (Berger, 1991). I often feel like these students are swimming in the deep end, and must tread water all day long, just to keep their head above water. I am driven to find a way to support students during thi