They

are Japanese, Kosovars, Native Americans, African

Americans, U.S. natives and Indian Americans.

Students

attending Fayette County public schools represent

a broad cross-section of countries, cultures and

family backgrounds. A recent meeting of the

Fayette County NAACP focused on the need for

diversity training within the school system. This

week, three curriculum directors from the

schools' district office will attend a two-day

diversity training session in San Pedro, Calif.

The

program is called Teacher Expectations for

Student Achievement and is designed to equip

Cheryl Hilderbrand, Ann Richardson and Kay

Seabolt with the training skills to teach ninth

grade teachers from the district's four high

schools how to effectively help all students

achieve academic and personal success.

"Classroom

research results show us that TESA interactions

improve student academic performance, gender and

diversity awareness, attendance and classroom

climate, and reduces student discipline

problems," said Terri Gaspierik, staff

development coordinator for the Fayette County

school district.

According

to the summary of TESA'S objectives, participants

"learn 15 interactions designed to encourage

equitable interaction with all students. The

program is based on expectation theory and the

early research of Thomas Good and Jere Brophy.

TESA is designed to modify the way teachers

interact with students through heightened

awareness of how perceptions affect their

expectations."

Gaspierik

said several more teachers will attend the

seminar next year in order to increase the school

system's cadre of trainers.

<!--

-----------