Starting Young: Meeting the Needs of African American Children by Listening to African American Male Teachers

• In Event: Moscone Center West Roundtable Session 12
  In Roundtable Session: Supporting Black and Latinx Teachers: Influences of Teachers of Color

Abstract

Young children enter into Kindergarten excited, ready and eager to learn; however, by the time they leave kindergarten, many of their joys and excitements have diminished. This is especially true for young African American children (Davis, 2006; Copple & Bredekamp, 2009), particularly African American boys (Cleveland, 2011; Kunjufu, 1990; Noguera, 2008).
This participatory action research study was conducted with seven African American male teachers who were part of an organization called the Literacy Lab, which is based in Washington, DC. The study aimed to explore their perceptions for the causes and the solutions for promoting academic excellence during the early years with African American children.

Author

• Bweikia Tynise Steen, George Mason University