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By Ismael D. Fortunato<\/strong><\/p>\n In my interview with Lindsa McIntyre, the headmaster of the Burke High School in Dorchester, we discussed a few techniques that could be applied to prevent disengagement brought on by living in impoverished communities infested with gang violence and other things that can affect community learning in the classroom. “…one of the biggest things that a school can do is create and foster the opportunity for students and teachers to develop meaningful relationships built on mutual trust and respect of each other\u2019s\u2019 diverse needs.”- Lindsa McIntyre, Headmaster of the Jeremiah E. Burke High School<\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote><\/div><\/p>\n Ismael<\/strong>: So how do you think student-teacher relationships influence academic success?<\/p>\n Lindsa<\/strong>: I think that teacher-student relationships are not just the instructional core around how people learn, but\u2026the heart of the learning experience. And so one of the biggest things that a school can do is create and foster the opportunity for students and teachers to develop meaningful relationships built on mutual trust and respect of each other\u2019s\u2019 diverse needs.<\/p>\n Ismael<\/strong>: That was beautiful. Second question: What does it take for teachers who are not from the same background [as their students]\u2014let\u2019s say, from a student from Dorchester, a teacher from Brooklyn or whatever\u2014to understand where students are coming from? What do you think\u2014what would it take?<\/p>\n Lindsa<\/strong>: So there\u2019s this term called culturally-proficient leadership, or culturally-proficient teaching and learning. And what the term means is that, if I am to be effective as a teacher, then I must understand the manner in which race, ethnicity, linguistics and poverty interact with learning. And if I am the teacher, then I need to be cognizant of how to build opportunities for students to learn hinged upon those qualities, right? And so culturally-proficient teaching and learning is the key to effective schools, especially schools that are in urban areas, schools that are poor, schools that are diverse. You have to have people who are culturally-proficient at the helm, cause here\u2019s what happens: number one, if I understand and respect your traditions, your culture, and your relationships, then I have nothing to do but to engage and love you. And you\u2019ve nothing to do but want to return, reciprocate, that same opportunity.<\/p>\n Ismael<\/strong>: What you\u2019ve received, right?<\/p>\n Lindsa<\/strong>: Right. And it opens you up to learn, right?<\/p>\n Ismael<\/strong>: Right.<\/p>\n Lindsa<\/strong>: Now then if I differentiate the instruction, because I understand that you learn better this way, because I know you, I want to know you, and I understand your individuality, and I may understand that this person learns that way\u2014 as a teacher, I can navigate and facilitate and mediate all of these learning opportunities for multifaceted learners.<\/p>\n Ismael<\/strong>: Right…there\u2019s a lot of stuff that happens when a student goes home that could intrude in his learning and it\u2019s like, get[ting] into the core of how we can get teachers to understand these problems? Because as you walk into the classroom, that\u2019s a community within itself, you know? And I think that\u2019s one of the problems that I\u2019m trying to answer.<\/p>\n Lindsa<\/strong>: Okay, let me say this to you, and I think leaders have to maintain personal attention around their community. So I know that the learners who come here, what they deal with in their lived experiences. And I know that because I\u2019ve visited their homes. I know that because I\u2019ve experienced life in their community. I know that because I\u2019m open to learn about how we are alike but how we are different, right? And so I can cultivate a climate in a community that accounts for who they are. Let me give you a good example. There is a large degree of poverty in our community. Almost 85% of the students here are impoverished. They live below the poverty line. And because they live within two miles of the school, they don\u2019t get a Boston Public School bus pass, which would mean that they have no access to UMass Boston or the Museum of Science or their best friends\u2019 houses, or after-school jobs.<\/p>\n Part of my responsibility is to create and enhance their achievement opportunities and so I have to provision for them. And what I do is I write grants, I create partnerships with people, and I say hey, I\u2019ve got 20 kids, they need to get to UMass Boston, and I need to buy them a bus pass. And I need this much money to do it. Or I figure out a way to make sure everybody has access to opportunities after school.<\/p>\n Ismael<\/strong>: Looking toward the future, does having teachers who are from Boston affect student learning?<\/p>\n Lindsa<\/strong>: So, I think it\u2019s advantageous, on some level, to have teachers that, you know, know the neighborhood and area, but I don\u2019t think it has to be the only place we have teachers come from. I think the more important thing to do, nationally speaking, is, as we raise teachers to go into the workforce, to provide them with pre-Service learning opportunities where they can explore and learn the vast diversities that rest amongst us.<\/p>\n Ismael<\/strong>: Right.<\/p>\n Lindsa<\/strong>: So they\u2019ll have an understanding when they get into the job of the implications of poverty, or understandings around race. Some people think that, oh, I\u2019m colorblind, all kids are the same and I love everybody equally. Well, if you are colorblind then you don\u2019t see me. And if you don\u2019t see me, you can\u2019t validate my identity. And if you can\u2019t validate my identity, you can\u2019t teach me, and I can\u2019t learn from you. And so we really have to think more broadly. It\u2019s nice to have them come from the local community, but you know we have a global economy now, and the world is vast and great, and so no matter where the teacher comes from, they need to come with a set of competencies and skills and understandings that serve our diverse students.<\/p>\n Ismael<\/strong>: How would you incorporate knowing the students, how would you use that in order to improve the lecture, or the material that you\u2019re going to teach, or the curriculum?
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