9 THINGS EDUCATORS CAN DO TO LIBERATE THE MINDS OF BLACK CHILDREN
We must be about the business of liberating the minds of Black children. In order for that to occur, the minds of all Blacks who interact with them must also be liberated. There is no other way. – Bobby E. Wright
Recently, my mother and I were discussing the revolutionary psychologist, Bobby E. Wright, who spoke about the sacred role of educators of Black children, which led me to pen this blog.
I have previously written what I believe are some of the conditions Black children need in order to be successful in public schools. Warm demanders, crafters of the school-to-activism pipeline, and educators with high levels of self-efficacy, growth mindsets, and cultural contexts are at an absolute premium. We need educators with a revolutionary mindset to ensure our students are successful.
While there are plenty of people who espouse the need for students to have a mindset conducive to learning, far more important are the mindsets and actions of the educators who choose to lead classrooms full of Black and Brown children – today the majority of our pupils are students of color and are being taught by White educators and sometimes, educators of color with White mindsets engulfed in whiteness (white supremacy).
Over the past twenty-six years in public education, here are a few things that I found that are inextricably linked to the mindsets of educators who are successful with Black children.
- Love. A deep, intense, and unwavering love. An undying love for the people will yield benefits. Benefits that can’t be captured in organized, but inept powerpoint slide presentations, Excel documents, or endless CONTINUE READING: 9 Things Educators Can Do to Liberate the Minds of Black Children - Philly's 7th Ward
