Teaching Black Students
By: Gabrielle Wright
Embedded Files
Learning Targets:
Readers will be able to identify the importance of teaching Black Students
Readers should be able to describe an successful teaching environment for Black Students
Readers will be able to understand how teaching Black history is essential
Introductory Video Relating to Teaching Black Students
This video discusses the concerns teachers have over the new state standards for teaching Black history. New state standards are trying to clean up the real truth of Black history by saying slavery was beneficial for African Americans, which is not the case at all.
How Teaching Black History is Essential
Teaching Black history is important for Black students especially because without knowing what happened to Black people in the past, how are Black students to know how to move in today's world outside of school? (Crawford, 2022). As teachers, we need to prepare our Black students for the true reality of how Black people are seen in the world and how they are treated because in some cases, its not always acknowledged at home. Teaching Black History will also teach their peers/classmates the importance of it as well and to support one another regardless of what has happened in the past or even in today's media.
An Successful Learning Environment for Our Black Students
This is a Voki I created named Smiley that explains what an ideal learning environment for Black students should look like. Also sourced by (Howard, 2002).
Our Black Students need an successful learning environment so that they're able to engage in our lessons and activities comfortably.
The Importance of Teaching Black Students
Teachers must show diversity. This is vital to create a sense of identity for Black students so that they feel represented in the classrooms and not looked at as stereotypes (Watts, 2021). Celebrate Black history by teaching our students about Black leaders like Martin Luther King Jr., who promoted diversity and equality, to make Black students feel more connected with the lesson. Prove to them that representation does matter. Showing our Black students that we care for them and want them to strive, whether that's through our lessons, activities, or our own words, will make our Black students feel important just like any of their classmates/peers.
Speaking from experience, those things are needed when teaching Black students. Not all teachers take the time to learn about different backgrounds, especially when not everyone was raised the same. Also, not all teachers take the time to voice the importance of how Black people are being treated in today's world, even if they are Black themselves. That's why us as future teachers need to make it known the actual reality of this world, and not to be afraid to speak on something because its too "cruel", or its too much. As teachers, we are there to teach them basic life skills, like reading, math, writing, etc. Though, we also serve as mentors being that we want all of our students to make an impact in the world just how we are.
Conclusion
Teaching Black Students not only serves them a purpose, but us as teachers as well. We build a connection with our students, and they are able to build a connection with us in return. Seeing us as their teachers telling them how much we support them academically and outside of school, will push them to want to do well. There are people larger than us teachers trying to get us to shield the importance of Black history and Black people from our Black students as shown in the video from earlier in this lesson. How can our Black students realize their worth or importance if we are not teaching them what they need to be taught or twisting it up with lies that never happened? People may get upset for teaching our Black Students the truth, but we aren't there to please these people or even teach them. We as teachers are only there to please OUR students, the best way we can at that. I just hope this new generation of teachers in the making take the time to learn about the importance of teaching Black students, along with all of our students being that everyone comes from a different background.
What can make our Black students feel the most comfortable in our classroom?
A. Representation in our lessons and classrooms
B. Showing Diversity
C. Teaching Black History
D. All of the above
Mrs. Sunshine is teaching the class about Rosa Parks, and how she stood up for what she believed in by not giving up her seat in the front because she's a Black woman being that only White people could sit in the front, while Black people had to sit in the back. What does this lesson teach our Black students?
A. To fight for our beliefs non-violently
B. How to be a leader
C. Civil Rights Movement
D. Desegregation
Correct Answers: 1. D, 2. B
References List
Crawford, A. (2023, February 24). Making space for black history in the classroom: ACLU. American Civil Liberties Union. https://www.aclu.org/news/free-speech/making-space-for-black-history-in-the-classroom
10 Tampa Bay. (2023, July 25). Teachers Express concern over New State Standards Teaching Black History. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mx3Wj3rKntY
Wright, G. (2023, October 17). Smiley Speaks About Successful Learning Environment for Black Students. VOKI. https://www.voki.com/site/pickup?scid=19775031&chsm=0dddbbb9e2513b2983149a342daebefd
Howard, T. C. (2002). Hearing footsteps in the dark: African American students’ descriptions ... https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1207/S15327671ESPR0704_4
Watts, R. (2021, June 11). 5 strategies to help black students feel at home in school. Edutopia. https://www.edutopia.org/article/5-strategies-help-black-students-feel-home-school/
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