Shop by Topic
Shop by Product
ExchangeEveryDay Past Issues
<< Previous Issue
| View Past Issues | | Next Issue >> 
The Genius of Black Children
March 28, 2016
Personally, I’d be thrilled if some policy makers and advocates would quit pitting child care against early education (preschool). Good care is always educational. Good education is always caring. (I think that pretty well sums up 60 years of developmental research.)
-Walter Gilliam, Professor of Child Psychiatry and Psychology, Yale University
-Walter Gilliam, Professor of Child Psychiatry and Psychology, Yale University
In Cultivating the Genius of Black Children, Debra Sullivan describes the commonalities of programs that have been successful in educating Black students to high levels of academic achievement. A few examples:
- Focus on learning more than teaching
- Let children move!
- Embed culturally relevant or Africentric curriculum, pedagogy, and engagement.
- Let children talk!
- Have high expectations
- Respect Black children, their families and their communities.
For Black children, defined as those of African descent, there is a disconnect between learning preferences and learning environments that must be bridged before the achievement gap can be closed. This hands-on resource is filled with effective strategies and best practices to help early childhood educators expand their "toolbox" to include strategies and approaches specifically directed to supporting Black children.
Increasing our cultural intelligence will allow us to work across many cultural differences in our classrooms. As our schools become more diverse, cultural competency will be an increasingly important skill for teacher efficacy and children's success. By cultivating the individual genius of each child and meeting them where they are today we can invigorate the education system and provide children high quality early education experiences.
ExchangeEveryDay
Delivered five days a week containing news, success stories, solutions, trend reports, and much more.
What is ExchangeEveryDay?
ExchangeEveryDay is the official electronic newsletter for Exchange Press. It is delivered five days a week containing news stories, success stories, solutions, trend reports, and much more.
Comments (4)
Displaying All 4 CommentsHouse of Neuville Jewels
Dallas, Texas, United States
I taught Milwaukee Public Schools preschool and kindergarten for 14 years, and they were all black children, except for one Hmong boy. My children were poor only in material things. We sang, we danced, we read stories, and we spent many days outside, discovering and exploring. And being a white man, having no experience initially with the black culture, I had to learn their language, their customs, and their community took me in as their son, and I will always be grateful for my experience with them.
None
Teaneck, NEW JERSEY, United States
HOW do articles like this get published?! ALL children like to learn creatively and to be engaged and talk during learning. Children have multiple intelligence and teachers are responsible for creating lessons to reach diverse learners. ALL parents deserve respect. Bifurcating children by race is not steering us in the right direction.
CSBC
Denver, CO, United States
I would add two recommendations to the list. although one is implied; 1) Have high expectations for family involvement and support, and 2) be extra careful before beginning procedures for special needs identification. Minority children, especially boys, are over-represented in special education.
Creativity in Learning
Cumberland, ME, United States
I completely understand the need, today, to pay close attention to community, context and culture when considering children's learning. And yet, we move about in our world so easily at present--I dream of a day that children (people) will be described without naming their "color". I don't think this will happen in my lifetime.
Post a Comment