The racial achievement gap in literacy is one of the most difficult issues in education today, and nowhere does it manifest itself more perniciously than in the case of black adolescent males. Approaching the problem from the inside, author Alfred Tatum brings together his various experiences as a black male student, middle school teacher working with struggling black male readers, reading specialist in an urban elementary school, and staff developer in classrooms across the nation. His book, Teaching Reading to Black Adolescent Males: Closing the Achievement Gap' addresses the adolescent shift black males face and the societal experiences unique to them that can hinder academic progress. With an authentic and honest voice, Tatum bridges the connections among theory, instruction, and professional development to create a roadmap for better literacy achievement. He presents practical suggestions for providing reading strategy instruction and assessment that is explicit, meaningful, and culturally responsive, as well as guidelines for selecting and discussing nonfiction and fiction texts with black males. The author' s first-hand insights provide middle school and high school teachers, reading specialists, and administrators with new perspectives to help schools move collectively toward the essential goal of literacy achievement for all.
"Because African American adolescent males and face their own challenges, they must identify texts that mark their times and their lives. If we create opportunities for this to happen, they will not only begin to trust the texts, they will begin to trust us, too. Then maybe, we'll hear one of them say, Education is on our side, ' or, 'I used to keep it gutter, but now I am all good.' This is my hope." -Alfred Tatum No reading strategy, no literacy program, no remediation will close the achievement gap for adolescent African American males. These efforts will continue to fail our students, says Alfred Tatum, until reading instruction is anchored in meaningful texts that build academic and personal resiliency inside and outside school. In Reading for Their Life Tatum takes a bold step beyond Teaching Reading to Black Adolescent Males. He shows how teachers can encourage adolescent African American males to connect with reading by defining who they are through textual lineages-texts with significance, carefully chosen for instruction because they are useful to young black males and because they matter. With works ranging from Up from Slavery and Sounder to the contemporary Handbook for Boys, Tatum helps you: understand what adolescent African American male readers need select enabling texts that have worked in Tatum's own teaching build textual lineages by putting meaningful texts at the core of a challenging curriculum engage readers in the curriculum through essential questions, writing, and self-assessment. Click here to see Alfred talking about this book. "African American males are not engaged in a great conspiracy to fail themselves," writes Tatum. "They continue to underperform in school as they wait for educators to get it right." Join Alfred Tatum, use Reading for Their Life, and strive for "a way to squeeze enabling texts for every ounce of possibility they contain for advancing the literacy development of African American adolescent males." Get more information on the state of education for African American males, read Yes We Can: The 2010 Schott 50 State Report on Black Males in Public Education.
This book will help educators rethink their expectations of and practices for developing the literacy skills of Black boys in the elementary school classroom. Tatum shows educators how to bring students’ literacy development into greater focus by creating an early intellectual infrastructure of advanced literacy, knowledge, and personal development. He provides a strong conceptual frame, with associated instructional and curricular practices, designed to move Black boys from across the economic spectrum toward advanced literacy that aligns with the Black intellectual tradition. Readers will learn how to use texts from a broad range of potential professions, across academic disciplines, to nurture social and scientific consciousness. The text includes guidance for selecting texts, reading supports, prompts for analysis, and examples of student work. Teaching Black Boys in the Elementary Grades counters the current obsession with basic and proficient reading and argues for adopting an exponential growth model of literacy development. Book Features: A multidimensional model that supports reading and writing development.Student writing artifacts that can be used as a model for teachers.Sample lessons with texts for use across the academic disciplines.A strong conceptual and curricular frame to support educators in their text selection.
Drawing on personal insights and research-based knowledge, this important work facilitates understanding of the psychological struggles of young African American males and offers ameliorative strategies. Despite examples set by successful black men in all walks of life, the truth remains that a disproportionate number of black boys and young men underperform at school, suffer from PTSD, and, too often, find themselves on a pathway to jail. The two-volume The Psychology of Black Boys and Adolescents marks the first attempt to catalog the many psychological influences that can stack the deck against black male children—and to suggest interventions. Bringing together an expansive collection of new and classic research from a wide variety of disciplines, this set sheds light on the complex circumstances faced by young black men in the United States. Contributions by authors Kirkland Vaughans and Warren Spielberg contain insights from the groundbreaking "Brotherman" study, conducted over a ten-year period to report on the lives and psychological challenges of over a hundred African American boys and their families. Among the myriad issues studied in this set are the often-negative expectations of society, the influence of gangs, and the impact of racism and poverty. Of equal importance, the work explores culturally specific ways to engage families, youths, communities, and policymakers in the development of healthy, safe, educated boys who will become whole and successful adults.
This much-needed book will help schools and, by extension, society to better understand and identify the promise, potential, and possibilities of Black boys. Drawing from their wealth of experience in early childhood education, the authors present an asset- and strengths-based view of educating Black boys. This positive approach enables practitioners and school leaders to recognize, understand, and cultivate the diversity of social skills of Black boys in the early grades (pre-K–3rd grade). Each chapter begins with a vignette to illustrate what is lost when Black boys are prevented from participating freely in boyhood, having to instead attend to adult and peer interactions and attitudes that view them as “bad boys” and “troublemakers.” This accessible book provides teachers with classroom strategies to help young Black boys achieve their highest potential, along with other resources for supporting their social-emotional development, such as a reading list of authentic multicultural children’s books with Black boys as protagonists. “The Brilliance of Black Boys claims new ground to advance knowledge and practice that can change the narrative about Black boys and their early schooling.” —From the Foreword by James Earl Davis, Temple University “Wright’s uncommon insight into the world of Black boys unveils a new narrative and gives educators a formula for turning opportunity into advantage.” —Carol Brunson Day, past president, NAEYC “The Brilliance of Black Boys provides counter-stories, theories, paradigms, and resources to skillfully illustrate the strengths of Black boys. Readers will not be disappointed.” —Donna Y. Ford, Vanderbilt University
"Secondary teachers will find that this superb resource informs the teaching and learning of their students and provides many research-based strategies to enhance reading comprehension and written language in every area." —Johneen Griffin, Director of Secondary Pupil Services Olentangy Local Schools, Lewis Center, OH "Sejnost and Thiese address the national literacy crisis with a practical guidebook that meets the needs of adolescent learners by focusing on the literacy skills needed for the 21st century. The strategies engage learners and create independence in content-area reading." —Rusti Russow, Director of Teaching and Learning Kankakee School District, IL Increase adolescent learners′ success in all content areas! Responding to the challenges associated with teaching middle and high school students, this resource offers specific strategies teachers may use to incorporate reading, writing, and critical thinking throughout content instruction to increase learning. With step-by-step instructions, a wealth of examples, and numerous student reproducibles, the book presents an approach that secondary teachers can implement across all content areas. Roberta L. Sejnost and Sharon M. Thiese focus on research-based practices that increase comprehension and learning while meeting standards, including: Techniques that foster the acquisition and retention of specialized and technical content vocabulary Processes to help students better comprehend narrative and expository texts Approaches to help students use writing and speaking to process their new knowledge and make it their own Techniques for promoting the literacies needed to effectively use various media sources Methods for scaffolding instruction for students with special needs Building Content Literacy is an ideal resource for delivering developmentally appropriate learning experiences and strengthening adolescent′s academic achievement in every content area.
The authors, two noted psychologists who are parents themselves, provide simple yet effective strategies for problem-solving, improving communication, and instilling a positive racial identity in African-American boys.
How to Raise Black Kids in a Racist World #1 New Release in Teacher Resources and Student Life Raising Confident Black Kids includes everything Black and multi-racial families need to know to raise empowered, confident children. From the realities of living while Black to age-appropriate ways to discuss racism with your children, educator M.J. Fievre provides a much-needed resource for parents of Black kids everywhere. It’s hard to balance protecting your child’s innocence with preparing them for the realities of Black life. When —and how —do you approach racism with your children? How do you protect their physical and mental health while also preparing them for a country full of systemic racism? On the heels of Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria and “Multiplication Is for White People” comes a parenting book specifically for parents of Black kids. Now, there’s a guide to help you teach your kids how to thrive —even when it feels like the world is against them. From racial profiling and police encounters to the whitewashed lessons of history taught in schools, raising Black kids is no easy feat. In Raising Confident Black Kids, teacher M.J. Fievre passes on the tips and guidance that have helped her educate her Black students, including: How to encourage creativity and build self-confidence in your kids Ways to engage in activism and help build a safer community with and for your children —and ways to rest when you need to How to explain systemic racism, intersectionality, and micro-aggressions If you found guidance and inspiration from books like The Unapologetic Guide to Black Mental Health, Mother to Son, or Breathe, you’ll love Raising Confident Black Kids.
Empower black boys to dream, believe, achieve Schools that routinely fail Black boys are not extraordinary. In fact, they are all-too ordinary. If we are to succeed in positively shifting outcomes for Black boys and young men, we must first change the way school is "done." That’s where the eight in ten teachers who are White women fit in . . . and this urgently needed resource is written specifically for them as a way to help them understand, respect and connect with all of their students. So much more than a call to call to action—but that, too!—The Guide for White Women Who Teach Black Boys brings together research, activities, personal stories, and video interviews to help us all embrace the deep realities and thrilling potential of this crucial American task. With Eddie, Ali, and Marguerite as your mentors, you will learn how to: Develop learning environments that help Black boys feel a sense of belonging, nurturance, challenge, and love at school Change school culture so that Black boys can show up in the wholeness of their selves Overcome your unconscious bias and forge authentic connections with your Black male students If you are a teacher who is afraid to talk about race, that’s okay. Fear is a normal human emotion and racial competence is a skill that can be learned. We promise that reading this extraordinary guide will be a life-changing first step forward . . . for both you and the students you serve. About the Authors Dr. Eddie Moore, Jr., has pursued and achieved success in academia, business, diversity, leadership, and community service. In 1996, he started America & MOORE, LLC to provide comprehensive diversity, privilege, and leadership trainings/workshops. Dr. Moore is recognized as one of the nation’s top motivational speakers and educators, especially for his work with students K–16. Dr. Moore is the Founder/Program Director for the White Privilege Conference, one of the top national and international conferences for participants who want to move beyond dialogue and into action around issues of diversity, power, privilege, and leadership. Ali Michael, Ph.D., is the co-founder and director of the Race Institute for K–12 Educators, and the author of Raising Race Questions: Whiteness, Inquiry, and Education, winner of the 2017 Society of Professors of Education Outstanding Book Award. She is co-editor of the bestselling Everyday White People Confront Racial and Social Injustice and sits on the editorial board of the journal, Whiteness and Education. Dr. Michael teaches in the mid-career doctoral program at the University of Pennsylvania’s Graduate School of Education, as well as the Graduate Counseling Program at Arcadia University. Dr. Marguerite W. Penick-Parks currently serves as Chair of Educational Leadership and Policy at the University of Wisconsin, Oshkosh. Her work centers on issues of power, privilege, and oppression in relationship to issues of curriculum with a special emphasis on the incorporation of quality literature in K–12 classrooms. She appears in the movie, "Mirrors of Privilege: Making Whiteness Visible," by the World Trust Organization. Her most recent work includes a joint article on creating safe spaces for discussing White privilege with preservice teachers.
