Methods of Teaching African-American Studies to Young people: 9-12 Grade

• In Event: Black Educational Experiences in the Crosshairs

Abstract

With the current, acrimonious discussion around the curriculum and teaching of the College Board’s AP African-American Studies course in Florida, the relevance of teaching African-American studies to a younger demographic has come center stage. The presenter has worked as a professor of English and African American Studies for 17 years at the college level and for the past two years has taught both Standard Track, AP, and Honors sections of African American studies to Juniors at Southland College Preparatory Charter high school located in Richton Park, IL.

This presentation will seek to share instructional strategies for teaching adolescents African-American studies —focusing on ways to engage students in not only African American, but African and African Disapora history, and how to integrate the other disciplines of Black studies including literature, history, anthropology, sociology, fine art, creative writing, and African-Centered mathematics in the 9th-12 grade African-American studies classroom. The goal of the presentation is to contribute to the further formalization of consistent methodology and pedagogy for the field of African-American/Africana studies.

Author

• Arthur Amaker, Southland College Prep Charter High School