When We See Us: How Black Female Teachers Make Black Girls Visible

• In Event: The Struggles, Resistance, and Transformative Possibilities of Teachers of Color

Abstract

As early as preschool, Black girls are punished at alarming rates. Throughout their educational
trajectory, they are increasingly pushed out of school, stripped of their childhood, and ignored. This paper uncovers a pedagogical agenda for the education of Black girls that draws upon research on the best practices of Black women teachers and educators. We look to Black women teachers’ instruction of Black girl students and the role of these teachers in developing the girls’ sociopolitical consciousness. We found that these teachers implemented engaged pedagogies that focused on critical race feminism, exemplified care and kinship for their students, and incorporated students’ personal experiences into classroom instruction.

Authors

• Aaminah Norris, California State University - Sacramento

• Diamond Howell-Shields, University of Wisconsin - Madison

• Krystal L. Williams, University of Georgia - Athens