Highly Effective Teachers: Black Males Reflect on Their K–12 Experiences

• In Event: How Highly Effective Teachers Create Equitable Educational Opportunities for Historically Marginalized Youth

Abstract

This study sought to examine the K-12 experiences of 20 Black males who are currently enrolled in college through interviews asking them to reflect on their time in school and describe significant relationships, their personal journeys through school, and how they accessed higher education. Participants in this study were selected using a purposive and convenience sampling approach (Weiss, 1994). The major theme that emerged from the interviews was the critical role of “care” in the young men’s educational experiences. Jackson et al. (2014) defined an ethos of care as “an intangible spirit of personal interest in and responsibility for others” (p. 7). Similarly, the students in this study collectively defined caring as the teacher’s personal investment in their students’ well-being both inside and outside of the classroom. The students described caring teachers as individuals who held high standards in the classroom; inquired about their personal challenges and experiences; validated them as scholars; and took the time to explain challenging concepts. Interactions with teachers who cared had a profound impact on the educational trajectory of the students in this research. These teachers helped students believe they could perform well in school and encouraged their aspirations about future possibilities.
The young men in our study who had caring teachers attributed their eventual success to multiple interactions with different teachers throughout their K-12 experience. Collectively, students described different teachers who provided invaluable support at key moments in their educational journeys. The accumulation of positive interactions with caring teachers culminated in the students developing the confidence to achieve academically and contributed to them maintaining high expectations for themselves. Ultimately, this led to students graduating from high school and choosing to pursue higher education. This process of interacting with caring teachers throughout their educational experiences speaks to the significance of having multiple of caring educators. As the students in our study described, Black males are often faced with a multitude of challenges including, but not limited to, low socioeconomic status, negative portrayals of Black males in society, racism, and limited exposure to positive role models. Therefore, having caring teachers at critical stages in their development was vital to their academic success.
During the interviews, participants offered teachers advise for helping other Black males succeed in school. The collective advice from students spoke to the importance of teachers getting to know Black males, understanding their challenges, and inspiring and supporting them. Furthermore, the participants described their educational journeys as a process. Therefore, they believe it is important for teachers to never lose hope with a student because, as one student put it:

you may think you are not getting through, but it will happen, you’re gonna be appreciated, even if they don’t remember your name or remember what grade that they met you in, they’ll at least remember the stories that you told them and the advice that you’ve given them because it’s going to help guide their path and build that layer of what their eventual futures gonna end up looking like.

Author

• Matthew Smith, Claremont Graduate University