The book discusses why black boys often fail in public schools. It argues they face struggles that teachers, parents, and students need to understand in order to provide support, direction, and encouragement to help black boys reach success. The book is meant to be used in classrooms by students and teachers to study the issues black boys face and develop solutions together. The author argues black students, especially boys, need caring relationships with educators who understand their culture in order to be effectively taught.
Dr. William Allan Kritsonis, PhD - Editor-in-Chief, NATIONAL FORUM JOURNALS (Established 1982). Dr. Kritsonis earned his PhD from The University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa; M.Ed., Seattle Pacific University; Seattle, Washington; BA Central Washington University, Ellensburg, Washington. He was also named as the Distinguished Alumnus for the College of Education and Professional Studies at Central Washington University.
Chandra FarmerEDUC 6358-Strategies for Working with Diverse Ch.docxbartholomeocoombs
Chandra Farmer
EDUC 6358-Strategies for Working with Diverse Children
September 6th, 2022
Week 1/Post 1: Formulating Goals
1.
The two professional goals you developed related to anti-bias education and your work in an early childhood setting.
· Goal 1: Developing relationships to form inclusive communities in the classroom
· Goa1 2: Develop an awareness of how unconscious bias can impact the classroom.
2.
The ways in which the readings and media segment from this week have influenced the formulation of your goals. Be sure to support your comments with specific references to and/or examples from the Required Resources.
According to Walden University (2011) “The world today is a world in which children are going to grow up side-by-side with people who are very, very different from them. The notion of growing up in a community of people very much like you is gone” (pg. 1). I also came across a website “
Teaching Tolerance,” where it discussed critical practices for anti-bias education and teacher leadership. This article was about the importance of valuing and embracing multiple perspectives to reach the best and most comprehensive approach to leadership. The author suggests teacher leaders reflect on what they still don’t know and need to learn about something to seek out professional development for growth in those areas; the author really promotes the idea of having self-awareness to diminish bias and become culturally aware in teacher leader practices (Learning for Justice, 2022). Both the “Walden and Teaching Tolerance” sources are about the road and progression to becoming an anti-bias educator.
3.
The ways in which the implementation of these goals will help you to work more effectively with young children and families.
I aspire to be an anti-biased channel in which students will experience culture in a vast and more comprehensive way. Children’s experiences in education should teach the four goals of anti-bias education (i.e., identity, diversity, justice, and activism) and promote the ultimate goal of equality and social equity for all (NAEYC, n.d.). I am, the compilation of everything experienced in my life. With this, we are constantly growing, changing, adapting new view and discarding others. Each experience builds on the last to continue to reinforce the structure you are each day. As future educators, it is our job to be the future of knowledge. What we say, do, actions we take directly reflect what our students see. Choose your curriculum wisely, but choose your words even more carefully. Take the wealth of knowledge you and only your life has accumulated and share it with each class you have the chance to influence. Be the spark of change and the advocate to every child that walks through your door.
4.
Challenges you might encounter on your journey to become an early childhood professional who understands and practices anti-bias education.
Cult.
Structural racism in schools creates harm for students of color—especially black and brown young men. Their resistance is read as “behavior problems;” they are labeled “angry,” “defiant” or “under-achieving.” Efforts both to discipline and support these young people focus interventions on individuals (e.g. suspension, anger management classes). Scant attention is paid to the ways that adult school staff participate in structural racism and harm the young people we pledge to serve. This workshop highlights one effort to enlist teachers in the struggle to transform our schools to more effectively love, teach and reach our students of color.
Dr. William Allan Kritsonis, PhD - Editor-in-Chief, NATIONAL FORUM JOURNALS (Established 1982). Dr. Kritsonis earned his PhD from The University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa; M.Ed., Seattle Pacific University; Seattle, Washington; BA Central Washington University, Ellensburg, Washington. He was also named as the Distinguished Alumnus for the College of Education and Professional Studies at Central Washington University.
Chandra FarmerEDUC 6358-Strategies for Working with Diverse Ch.docxbartholomeocoombs
Chandra Farmer
EDUC 6358-Strategies for Working with Diverse Children
September 6th, 2022
Week 1/Post 1: Formulating Goals
1.
The two professional goals you developed related to anti-bias education and your work in an early childhood setting.
· Goal 1: Developing relationships to form inclusive communities in the classroom
· Goa1 2: Develop an awareness of how unconscious bias can impact the classroom.
2.
The ways in which the readings and media segment from this week have influenced the formulation of your goals. Be sure to support your comments with specific references to and/or examples from the Required Resources.
According to Walden University (2011) “The world today is a world in which children are going to grow up side-by-side with people who are very, very different from them. The notion of growing up in a community of people very much like you is gone” (pg. 1). I also came across a website “
Teaching Tolerance,” where it discussed critical practices for anti-bias education and teacher leadership. This article was about the importance of valuing and embracing multiple perspectives to reach the best and most comprehensive approach to leadership. The author suggests teacher leaders reflect on what they still don’t know and need to learn about something to seek out professional development for growth in those areas; the author really promotes the idea of having self-awareness to diminish bias and become culturally aware in teacher leader practices (Learning for Justice, 2022). Both the “Walden and Teaching Tolerance” sources are about the road and progression to becoming an anti-bias educator.
3.
The ways in which the implementation of these goals will help you to work more effectively with young children and families.
I aspire to be an anti-biased channel in which students will experience culture in a vast and more comprehensive way. Children’s experiences in education should teach the four goals of anti-bias education (i.e., identity, diversity, justice, and activism) and promote the ultimate goal of equality and social equity for all (NAEYC, n.d.). I am, the compilation of everything experienced in my life. With this, we are constantly growing, changing, adapting new view and discarding others. Each experience builds on the last to continue to reinforce the structure you are each day. As future educators, it is our job to be the future of knowledge. What we say, do, actions we take directly reflect what our students see. Choose your curriculum wisely, but choose your words even more carefully. Take the wealth of knowledge you and only your life has accumulated and share it with each class you have the chance to influence. Be the spark of change and the advocate to every child that walks through your door.
4.
Challenges you might encounter on your journey to become an early childhood professional who understands and practices anti-bias education.
Cult.
Structural racism in schools creates harm for students of color—especially black and brown young men. Their resistance is read as “behavior problems;” they are labeled “angry,” “defiant” or “under-achieving.” Efforts both to discipline and support these young people focus interventions on individuals (e.g. suspension, anger management classes). Scant attention is paid to the ways that adult school staff participate in structural racism and harm the young people we pledge to serve. This workshop highlights one effort to enlist teachers in the struggle to transform our schools to more effectively love, teach and reach our students of color.
1. Why Black Boys Fail in Public Schools
The book is one of a kind that speaks to the heart of the issues that face
schools around the country - the plight of black boys. The author provides
the reader with a clear view on why black boys fail in public schools. After
reading the book, teachers, parents and the students are encouraged to
know that with support, direction and encouragement black boys have the
God- given potential to reach success. This book is unique because it was
designed to be in the student’s hand in the classroom. This book can be used
as a current textbook that provides insight to them about their struggle. So
often teachers study the concerns of the students they serve, but there are
few times when the student and teacher can study the issues together and
later come up with possible solutions. This book offers such opportunities
for the teacher and the student.
Dr. Hitchens provides the direction, the dream and the drive these children
desperately need. It is obvious that Dr. Hitchens is passionate about serving
students who are at-risk for failure.Dr. Hitchens has done an excellent job
of describing the mindset, values, and needs of at-risk youth. His book gives
needed insights for understanding and addressing these youth and their
circumstances. He demonstrates both logic and passion in identifying the
dynamics of their behaviors and the advocacy that is essential in helping
to break the destructive cycles of behavior. I commend Dr. Hitchens for
his approach of applying both “head and heart” in confronting this urgent
matter, of intervening in the lives of “at-risk” black youth.
Reverend Timothy T. Shelton
Pastor City of God Church - Fishers, IN
I wholeheartedly agree that African American students and especially black
Melvin Hitchens, Ed.D
males must have relational capacity with educators and other stakeholders
who teach them on a daily basis. Effective educators motivate and inspire all
learners first by building postive relationships using a cultural competence
approach”.
Dr. Sullie Wright, Sr., School Administrator, Grand Rapids, Michigan
