Motivating African American Males to Excel in the Classroom and Beyond

Principal Baruti KafelePrincipal Baruti Kafele

What do you think?

He who cannot dance will say, “The drum is bad.”

After three days without reading, talk becomes flavorless.

Vision without action is a daydream. Action without vision is a nightmare.

Why?1. Why does he appear to be disinterested in school?

2. Why does he appear to lack focus in class?

3. Why is he under-performing?

4. Why does he exhibit at-risk behaviors?

5. Why doesn’t he seem to care?

Two Questions Relative to Meeting the Classroom Needs of Your Black Male Students

1. What do I know about him as it relates to me?

2. What do I know about me as it relates to him?

What do I know about him as it relates to me?

(The teacher’s relationship with his/her Black male students)

1. What do I know about keeping him inspired about learning and motivated to excel?

2. What do I know about his learning style?

3. What do I know about his goals and aspirations?

4. What do I know about his needs and interests?

5. What do I know about his experiences and realities?

6. What do I know about his challenges, obstacles and distractions?

7. What do I know about his peers?

8. What do I know about his neighborhood?

9. What do I know about his parents?

10. What do I know about his history and culture?

What do I know about me as it relates to him?

(The teacher’s attitude toward his/her Black male students)

1. Do I see myself as the number one determinant of his success or failure?

2. Do I have a passion for my role as his teacher?

3. Do I have a purpose for teaching him?

4. Do I treat teaching him as a mission?

5. Do I have a vision for what I expect him to achieve?

6. Do I set incremental and long-range goals for him to achieve?

7. Do I plan each day thoroughly toward his success?

8. Do I have high expectations and standards for him and believe that he will reach them?

9. Do I see myself as a role model for him and therefore always conduct myself as a professional?

10. Do I conduct daily self-reflections and self-assessments of my practice of motivating, educating and empowering him?

IT TAKES A VILLAGE TO RAISE A CHILD

Village Crisis

Family Crisis

“Self Crisis”

MANIFESTATIONS OF A “SELF CRISIS”

Self-Image - How do I see myself?

Self-Esteem - How do I feel about myself?

Self-Discipline - Am I in control of myself?

Self-Respect - Do I bring honor to myself?

Self-Actualization - How am I maximizing my potential?

EVIDENCE OF A “SELF CRISIS”

Symptoms vs. Problems

CAUSE OF A “SELF CRISIS”

Self-Identity

Who am I?

How Did It Go From This…

…And This…

…To This?

This Must Be Their Reality…

…To Prevent This From Becoming Their Destiny!

Self-Identity - Who am I?

As it relates to their self-identity, how would your Black males answer the following questions?

Who are you? What are you? Why are you? What is your purpose? What is your vision?

What have you read in this area lately?

Educators of Black males must expose themselves to literature and professional development that specifically addresses the learning, cultural and social-emotional needs of their Black male learners.

Dr. Jawanza KunjufuCountering the Conspiracy to Destroy Black Boys Vol. II - 1986

You cannot teach a child you do not love. You cannot teach a child you do not respect.

You cannot teach a child you do not understand.

Dr. Alfred TatumTeaching Reading to Black Adolescent Males - 2005

For Black adolescent males, in order to offset resistance that occurs because of cultural differences and to help develop their identities, it is essential to establish culturally responsive instructional practices and infuse the curriculum with culturally relevant materials.

Dr. Amos N. WilsonAwakening the Natural Genius of Black Children - 1991

For the Black man to be in the position he is today, he has to be out of his mind….and one of the major instruments for putting people out of their minds is education.

Dr. Asa G. Hilliard, IIIThe Reawakening of the African Mind - 1997

We do not know who we are, cannot explain how we got here, and have no sense of our destiny beyond mere survival.

Dr. Na’im AkbarKnow Thy Self - 1998

The major premise of effective education must be ‘self-knowledge.’ In order to achieve the goals of identity and empowerment, the educational process must be one that educes the awareness of who we are.

ADDRESSING THE “SELF CRISIS”

Classroom instruction and learning must be culturally responsive.

1. All male empowerment assemblies / meetings with Black male guest speakers (POWER MONDAYS)

2. All male empowerment classroom meetings with Black male guest speakers

3. Small group sessions led by Black men4. One-to-one mentoring with a Black male mentor5. Opportunities to meet and spend time with Black male college

students6. Opportunities to meet and spend time with successful Black men

in their work environment7. Opportunities to meet and spend time with Black men in political

leadership8. Dress for Success Days9. Male retreats10. Father - son programs11. Male study groups12. Rites of Passage Programs

DEVELOPING A “YOUNG MEN’S EMPOWERMENT PROGRAM” IN YOUR

SCHOOL

A CLOSER LOOK AT “POWER MONDAYS”

1. What does a young men’s empowerment meeting look like?2. There are not many male teachers in our school. What can we do?3. How will we go about bringing men into our school to speak at our

empowerment meetings?4. What kind of follow up will we have for the speakers to engage in?5. Will the meetings be comprised of single grade levels or will grade

levels be combined?6. If combined, what would be the most appropriate combinations?7. How frequently will the meetings occur?8. What would be the duration of the meetings?9. Would the meetings be held in the morning, afternoon or both?10. What do the girls do during the male empowerment meetings?11. Which staff members should be involved?12. What topics will be discussed?13. What are some of the activities that we’d engage our students in?14. What are the goals of the male empowerment meetings?15. How would we measure the success of the program?16. What are the possibilities of partnering with corporations, businesses

and other agencies?

HISTORICAL BLACK MALEINVENTORS AND INVENTIONS

(An example of history not commonly taught)

Lewis LatimerCarbon Filament (contained in light bulbs)Electric LampWrote first book on electric lightingWrote blueprints for the first telephone

HISTORICAL BLACK MALEINVENTORS AND INVENTIONS

(An example of history not commonly taught)

Granville T. Woods Electric Railway System (Third Rail) Induction Telegraph System (Railroad) Automatic Air Brake

HISTORICAL BLACK MALEINVENTORS AND INVENTIONS

(An example of history not commonly taught)

Jan MatzeligerAutomatic Shoe Lasting Machine

HISTORICAL BLACK MALEINVENTORS AND INVENTIONS

(An example of history not commonly taught)

Norbert Rillieux Sugar Refiner (Evaporating Pan)

HISTORICAL BLACK MALEINVENTORS AND INVENTIONS

(An example of history not commonly taught)

Frederick M. Jones Refrigeration Unit for trucks and trains Ticket Dispensing Machine Portable X-Ray Machine

HISTORICAL BLACK MALEINVENTORS AND INVENTIONS

(An example of history not commonly taught)

Elijah McCoy Automatic Lubrication for Machines

HISTORICAL BLACK MALEINVENTORS AND INVENTIONS

(An example of history not commonly taught)

Garrett A. MorganAutomatic Traffic SignalGas Mask

HISTORICAL BLACK MALEINVENTORS AND INVENTIONS

(An example of history not commonly taught)

Dr. Mark Dean (contemporary)3 of the original nine patents of the PC

QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER DURING LESSON PLANNING

1. Are my lessons culturally responsive?

2. Do my lessons take into consideration all of the learners in my classroom?

3. Have I read enough in this area toward making my lessons culturally responsive for all of the learners in my classroom?

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