Late this winter, just before the world turned upside down, we sat down with two people we admire. Sharif El-Mekki, 26-year veteran educator, founded the Center for Black Educator Development. Mario Shaw, newer to the game but...
Tag - Black male educators
Teaching is one of my greatest gifts. Seeing my mother’s life’s work as a teacher in Dekalb County created my blueprint for what the life of a “game-changer” looks like, and the many influential teachers I experienced...
My first day in the classroom is one I’ll never forget. I was given a room of curious sophomore students — 43 of them. I could feel the lump in my throat and every drop of sweat on my body. I was used to public speaking...
Over the years, I have written ten books and about fifty articles and blog posts for educators. This is by far the shortest, but probably the most important piece that I have ever written. Black men comprise between 1.2 to...
When it comes to Black male teachers, the question shouldn’t be, “Do we need to hire more?” We know Black teachers, both men and women, are vital; they are particularly critical to the education of Black and...
All that is good and accomplished in the world takes work. Everything else is jive. -Haki Madhubuti We launched the Center for Black Educator Development (CBED) to humbly and courageously address local and national needs:...
The experience of having a conscious Black principal who demonstrates socio-political solidarity with Black and Brown communities can have a profound effect on the careers of Black teachers. Gemayel Hazard writes in...
A couple of years ago, Noor, a young high school student who was interning at a local radio station, reached out to me for an interview. She was researching topics that she wanted to delve into and became intrigued about the...
Hello Nos, it is me, I mean you. Your older self. I know you are mad right now because you will be in the 7th grade for the second time. P.S. you get left down again in 9th grade too. You will struggle with reading all throughout...
In the 1860s, Black Codes, including vagrancy and loitering laws, were established to prevent black people, particularly black men, from coming together. These Black Codes were used to vilify and cement a distinct and racial...