ERIC Number: ED556735
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 2006-Dec
Pages: 112
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
An Africentric Rite of Passage Program and Its Impact on Adolescent African-American Male Attendance, Discipline, and Achievement
Ford-Little, Monica
Online Submission, Ed.D. Dissertation, Clark Atlanta University
The purpose of this study is to examine an Africentric rite of passage program's impact on African-American male high school students. It is intended to determine whether a rite of passage program will affect attendance, discipline and achievement. The study also investigates the development of a school-based Africentric program as well as its outcomes. This intervention utilizes the principles of the rites of passage movement within African-American communities to focus on developing the participants' sense of self as a precursor to academic performance. It is proposed that the variables of school culture, extra curricular activities, teen culture and the rites of passage program are correlated to the African-American males academic performance, discipline, attendance, and teacher opinions. The dependent variables will be impacted by the African-American males' individual self-esteem as well as their attainment of self-actualization via the rites of passage program. The use of qualitative and quantitative methodology for this research was deemed essential. All mixed method designs use triangulation techniques. Surveys, observations, quasi-experimental techniques and hard data collection gave a clear view of the results. Demographic data attained from the surveys gave insights into the lives of the participants and teachers surveyed. The quasi-experimental technique also adds some validity to the research. Overall, a higher percentage of students in the experimental group rated themselves as "not having discipline problems" and improving in attendance as compared to the control group. In other respects the control group reported higher percentages as compared to the experimental in terms of class grades, completing assignments on time, team members working equally hard for success. The analysis of the percentages of teachers' responses to the Mighty Men of Valor program indicated that a majority of the teachers did not perceive the program as achieving the objectives. The following are appended: (1) Mighty Men of Valor Constitution; (2) Lithonia High School's Mighty Men of Valor; (3) Activities for Promoting Skill Components; and (4) Initial Participants in Study.
Descriptors: Afrocentrism, African American Students, Males, High School Students, Culturally Relevant Education, African American Culture, Attendance Patterns, Adolescents, Discipline, Student Behavior, Academic Achievement, Program Development, Intervention, School Culture, Extracurricular Activities, Mixed Methods Research, Surveys, Observation, Quasiexperimental Design, Popular Culture, Program Evaluation, Factor Analysis, Correlation, African Culture, Underachievement, Teacher Attitudes, Mentors, Self Esteem, Grade 9, Grade 10, Grade 11, Grade 12, Hypothesis Testing, Control Groups, Experimental Groups, Comparative Analysis
Publication Type: Reports - Research; Dissertations/Theses - Doctoral Dissertations
Education Level: High Schools; Secondary Education; Grade 9; Junior High Schools; Middle Schools; Grade 10; Grade 11; Grade 12
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A