Educating African American Students: And How Are the Children?

Description

This straightforward and reader-friendly text provides strategies for P-12 educators who are interested in ensuring the cultural and academic excellence of African American students. It presents a careful balance of published scholarship, a framework for culturally relevant teaching, and research-based cases of teachers who excel at teaching Black children. Examples from multi-ethnic teachers across P-12 grades and content areas (e.g., ELA, science, mathematics, social studies, arts) are presented so that others can extrapolate in their respective educational settings. This book explains Black culture, anti-Black racism, African Diaspora Literacy, African American Language, and pro-Black and actionable steps that educators can adopt and implement. Examples of culturally relevant family and community involvement are provided. As with the previous edition, readers will appreciate a multitude of resources. After reading this book, educators will view educating African American students as exhilarating and rewarding and Black students will flourish. Cover Half Title Endorsements Title Page Copyright Page Table of Contents Foreword Preface Overview of Chapters Chapter 1—And How Are the Children? Seeing Strengths and Possibilities Chapter 2—Liberty and Justice for All—Breaking the Code Chapter 3—Critical Literacy: Providing Mirrors and Windows for African American Students Chapter 4—African Diaspora Literacy: Helping African American Students Become Literate About the African Diaspora Chapter 5—We Be Lovin’ the Language (African American Language) Chapter 6—Culturally Relevant Teaching: Views From Classrooms Chapter 7—Communalism: Thinking About Families and Communities Inside and Outside of Schools Chapter 8—Revisioning the Teaching of African American Students Support Materials Notes References Acknowledgments 1 And How Are the Children?: Seeing Strengths and Possibilities And How Are the Children? What Does All of This Mean for Educators? Guidelines for Processing Information and Activities in This Book Terms and Definitions What Percentage of School Populations Is African American? Why Do We Need a Book Or Course(s) About African American Students? Hypothetical Test Question What Are the Educational and Social Landscapes for African American Students? Moving Beyond Limited Views and Negative Stereotypes: Seeing Brilliance and Strengths How Many Models of Successful Schools Do We Need to See Before We Are Convinced That Black Children Can Succeed? What Is African American Culture? What Major Instructional Strategies and Approaches Are Stressed in This Book? Culturally Relevant Pedagogy African Diaspora Literacy Critical Literacy Contrastive Analysis Pro-Blackness in P–12 Classrooms Elementary School Middle School High School Conclusion Key Points From the Chapter Activities Resources Notes References 2 Liberty and Justice for All?: Breaking the Code So, What Is a Conceptual Framework? Levels of Oppression Individual Level of Oppression Institutional Level of Oppression (Structural Inequities) Societal/Cultural Level Intentional and Unintentional Oppression Social Identities So How Did It Come to Be This Way? Conceptual Frameworks: Models/Theories That Explain Structural Inequities in Schools and Society Conquest Divide and Rule Manipulation Cultural Invasion How Can Oppression Be Interrupted? Conclusion The Bad News The Good News Classroom Connections Key Points From the Chapter Activities Resources Notes References 3 Critical Literacy: Providing Mirrors and Windows for African American Students Critical Literacy and Books and Literature Assumptions of Critical Literacy Critically Conscious Book Collections—Windows Into the World Critically Conscious Collections for Elementary Grades Middle and High School Recommendation for Middle/High School Book Lists Examining Biases and Ideologies in Texts Providing Multiple Perspectives Cartoons, Music, Television, Movies, Internet, Social Media, and Other Media Cartoons Television Shows Handling Challenges to Books Case Study Steps to Take When Faced With a Book Challenge Key Points From the Chapter Conclusion Activities Resources Notes References 4 African Diaspora Literacy: Helping African American Students Become Literate About the African Diaspora African Diaspora Literacy A Vision Teaching About Diaspora Literacy in Schools Commentary On Decolonizing Language Adinkra Symbols General Tips for Teaching African Diaspora Literacy Ancient Africa Teaching About the Enslavement of African People Reconstruction Era Jim Crow Era Black Nationalist/Civil Rights Era Contemporary Life in the US and in the African Diaspora Classroom Examples Classroom Example: Teaching About Africa and the Enslavement of African People Classroom Example: Interrupting Curriculum Violence (Negative and Incomplete Curricular Stereotypes of Black People) Classroom Example: Teaching About Contemporary Issues in Africa Summary Comments About Diaspora Literacy Liberation Literature Elementary Level Middle/High School Level Key Points From the Chapter Conclusion Activities Resources Notes References 5 We Be Lovin’ the Language (African American Language) First Example: Loving the Language Second Example: Loving the Language Assumptions for This Chapter African American Language—What It Is African American Language Is a Parallel Language System to Standardized English Linguicism Examples of Linguicism Example 1: Personal Conversation With an African American Professor Example 2: Personal Communication During a Seminar On African American Language Example 3: Written Journal Reflection By a White Female Teacher Example 4: Comment By a Filipino Professor in a Seminar About Writing A Classroom Example of Linguicism Responses to Linguicism African American Language Features of African American Language Phonology Syntax Semantics Pragmatics Linguistic Parallels Between AAL and Other Languages Educational Implications Getting Started Contrastive Analysis Written Activities/Assignments That Can Be Used Oral Activities That Can Be Used Code-Switching Code Meshing: Moving Beyond Assimilation and Color-Evasive Language Strategies Conclusion Key Points From the Chapter Activities Resources Notes References 6 Culturally Relevant Teaching: Views From Classrooms CEEEAAS’s Model Teachers What Do Teachers Need to Effectively Teach African American Students? Commonly Asked Questions About CRP Examples From Elementary School Afros, Waves, and Razorblades—If Schools Were Like Barbershops—Mr. Edward Hill, Third Grade Teacher The Rationale for Focusing On Black Barbershops Description of Mr. Hill’s Classroom Standards Taught in the Barbershop Unit Social Studies: IV. Production, Distribution, and Consumption Interview Questions Devised and Asked By Students Questions for Barbers Questions for Customers Commentary “Even When She Sick, She Want to Come to School”—Nichole Folsom, Second and Third Grade Teacher Description of Ms. Folsom’s Classroom Commentary Teaching and Caring for Our Children—Jennifer Strickland, Preschool and Kindergarten Teacher Commentary Examples From Middle School No Bad Hair Days—Cassandra Tyler, Middle School Art Teacher Artwork Used By Ms. Tyler Books Used By Ms. Tyler Books Addressing Other Related Concepts Covered By Ms. Tyler Extending the Discussion to Related Science Concepts Extending the Focus to Mathematics Extending to the Study of History and Social Studies Other Related Topics Commentary Other Examples of Middle School CRP in the Academic Literature High School Examples Simply the Best! Mr. William Lenard, High School Mathematics Teacher Commentary Yo—Whassup? William Boyles, High School Science Teacher Commentary Charlease Kelly-Jackson, College Instructor and Teacher for a Summer Program for African American High School Students Ms. Kelly-Jackson—Example 1: Science Vocabulary Commentary Ms. Kelly-Jackson—Example 2: DNA Extraction Activities Commentary Ms. Kelly-Jackson—Example 3: Integumentary System Commentary Problematizing Science as “Factual” and Uncovering Scientific Racism Overall Commentary About Ms. Kelly-Jackson Social Justice in Secondary Science Classes—Stephanie Bailey Illuminating Counternarratives Conclusion Key Points From the Chapter Activities Resources Notes References 7 Communalism: Thinking About Families and Communities Inside and Outside of Schools Using Communal Africancentric Classroom Management Families and Communities Assumptions Ideas for Parent and Community Involvement Micro-ethnography First and Second Weeks of School Things to Learn About Students’ Family Lives Community Exploration An Example of Community Exploration and Using Information in Classroom Instruction Family Literacy Book Club Community Mirrors in the Classroom On Open-Door Policies Other School Personnel PTA, Open Houses, and Large Group Meetings Parent–Teacher Conferences Using Technology to Communicate With Parents Advocating for Black Parents Engaging Community Sages Photo Elicitation Conclusion Key Points From the Chapter Activities Resources Notes References 8 Revisioning the Teaching of African American Students Next Steps Freedom Dreaming Conclusion When and How Will We Know the Black Children Are Well? Key Points From the Chapter Activities Resources References Index