Black Educators’ Work as “Something Sacred”
For many Black educators, the teaching profession is synonymous with historical progress; we view it as an act of social justice and something sacred. As part of our Participatory Action Research (PAR) project, we interviewed Black teachers in Philadelphia and Detroit. During an interview, a Black teacher shared, “what Black educators are fighting for is […]
“The ones they do see don’t stay”: Why Black Students Reject the Teaching Profession
“You would be a great teacher,” I have said several times to students who show leadership in the classroom and in the school. I am often met with very similar responses, “You’re crazy!” “No way, I can’t deal with these kids,” or “Why would I do that?” In twelve years of teaching, I have only […]
Black Teacher Challenges, Disrespect, Lack of Pay, Support, and More
One of the many rewarding aspects of participating in RFA’s participatory action research (PAR) pilot cohort in 2023 was the opportunity to deeply explore Black educators’ commitment to teaching. As a Black teacher myself, I was actually wonderfully surprised to discover the extent to which Black teachers truly love their jobs despite the many challenges […]