“The Genius Life of Students: Past and Present”

• In Event: Unforgetting Deficit Depictions: Disrupting Education Systems of Injustice to Unlock the Hidden Geniuses

Abstract

Genius is the intelligence, special qualities, creativity, uniqueness, knowledge, individual power, skills, and light that every student holds. Historically, “genius” has not been a word used to refer to all students, especially Black and students of color who have been identified in deficit ways such as at-risk, challenged or unmotivated (Muhammad, 2023). Through historical artifacts such as book titles, newspapers, and literary writings from the 1800s, this paper defines and explores genius as an identity marker and the ways genius has been used to honor the collective identities of Black ancestors. Using the metaphor and genius of plants, the importance of “watering” and cultivating genius among youth is discussed, leading to an ancestral model for teaching genius in schools. When we understand the historical precedence of genius and use it as a model to educate all students, educators can honor every student, including the special gifts and the brilliance they carry.

Author

• Gholdy Muhammad, University of Chicago