"Out of the Mouths of Babes": Black Male Kindergartners on Culturally Relevant Black Male Teachers

• In Event: Professional Development Through a Social Justice Lens

Abstract

Scholars have explored the culturally relevant identities and teaching practices of Black male teachers; however, few scholars have investigated specifically those identities and pedagogical practices of Black male kindergarten teachers. Further, the perceptions of Black students regarding the identities, the ability to support their success, and pedagogical styles of Black male (kindergarten) teachers have been missing from the extant literature. Using culturally relevant pedagogy and a counterstorytelling methodology, we explore the culturally relevant identities and pedagogical practices of three Black male kindergarten teachers as perceived by their Black male kindergarten students. Findings reveal that Black male kindegarteners perceive Black male kindergarten teachers to possess four pedagogical identities.

Authors

• Nathaniel Bryan, University of South Carolina - Columbia

• Toni M. Williams, University of South Carolina