THENCE Editorial Team
Our social media feeds are filled with recommended lists and materials for Black History month, and had planning not begun sooner, many educators may feel that there is no time to review new materials for the classroom.
But, there is something aside from classroom materials that may greatly improve educators’ approach this year, and that is micro doses of professional development specifically presented by these black thought leaders for education and pedagogy.
In her recent post on THENCE.us Ashley Causey Golden, THENCE contributor, school founder and advocate for a strong culturally responsive classroom calls on all educators to consider the works of two authors before embarking on curricula this Black History Month. These authors and the recommended media include:
Dr. Gholdy Muhammad, author of “Cultivating Genius: An Equity Framework for Culturally and Historically Responsive Literacy”
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, “The Danger of a Single Story”
If you have not seen, read or heard about the 2009 TED talk from Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, it’s never too late to watch this poignant presentation and reflectively ask yourself: What dangerous single stories have I been told as a child, or what single stories do I still believe about Black History?
We read or watch these authors and discuss their work not because they are presenting new material for our classrooms, but because these great works, and philosophies support our personal and professional development. We need these authors. We need their books and their ideas to foster our analytical skills and sharpen our metacognitive thinking.
Teachers live busy lives, so if we can manage reviewing one text book and a video presentation in the month February, that is an achievement. Give yourself credit for getting the book downloaded, or sent to your door. Offer yourself incentives for reading and considering the concepts and how they relate to your everyday teaching. If you can only spare a few minutes tonight, start with the recorded 2009 video presentation by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, “The Danger of a Single Story”.
Once you have a copy of Cultivating Genius: An Equity Framework for Culturally and Historically Responsive Literacy, set aside the time to page through Dr. Gholdy Muhammad’s textbook. You may even consider first jumping to page 58, where Dr. Muhammad poses key questions around exploring identity, skills, intellect and criticality. These questions offer a great path to exercise reflective thinking about teaching practices, particularly during Black History month. These materials are quintessential guides for continual reflection on the how and the why of teaching practices every single day that you find yourself in a classroom with students.
