"Playing School": Storying the Early Childhood and Imaginative Play Experience of Black Male Teachers

• In Event: Sheraton Roundtable Session 6
  In Roundtable Session: Accounting for Race in Teacher Preparation and Retention

Abstract

Black males are underrepresented in the teaching profession and strategies are being sought to increase the paltry 2 percent of teachers who are currently in classrooms. Research studies often ignore the play experiences of Black boys and label them as ‘dangerous’ and ‘destructive.’ There are some Black boys who enjoy ‘playing school-’ an imaginative play process during which children imitate the schooling practices of teachers. The authors sought to determine whether early childhood play experiences shaped the aspirations of Black males to become teachers. Drawing from Lortie’s apprenticeship of observation and life history methodology, the authors share the life histories of three Black male teachers who reflect on their early childhood experiences ‘playing school’ as young boys.

Authors

• Nathaniel Bryan, University of South Carolina

• Toni M. Williams, University of South Carolina