Joyce Abbott, seated, who inspired the television show “Abbott Elementary,” at the conference.
Photo: Constance Garcia-Barrio
By Constance Garcia-Barrio
The annual Black Men in Education Conference (BMEC), held Nov. 21- 23 at Loew’s Hotel in Center City, featured talented teachers, including Joyce Abbott, a marquee name in urban education. Abbott, a retired schoolteacher born and raised in West Philadelphia, inspired, in part, the hit television series, “Abbott Elementary.”
Sharif El-Mekki, CEO and founder of the Center for Black Educator Development (CBED), a nonprofit that seeks to recruit and retain Black teachers, launched the conference nine years ago to share effective practices, note accomplishments and provide mutual support. More than 1,200 educators nationwide and abroad attended this year’s multi-generational gathering.
Sharif El-Mekki, founder of BMEC, at the 2024 conference.
Photo: Constance Garcia-Barrio
Tony Watlington, Ph.D, superintendent of the School District of Philadelphia, and Mayor Cherelle Parker warmly welcomed the conferees. Conference leaders urged participants to speak honestly, not be “echo chambers,” even when their views conflicted, and to act boldly on what they learned after returning home. BMEC panels ranged from “A Different World: How HBCUs [historically Black colleges and universities] are Leading in Innovations in P-12” to “Empowering Students to Own their Futures through the Entrepreneurial Mindset.”
One panel included legendary activist/educator Angela Davis, Ph.D, Ericka Huggins, and Hamid Khalid, former members of the Black Panther Party (1966-1982), an anti-racist, educational, Black power political movement headquartered in Oakland, California.
Davis, a teacher, author and pedagogical theorist, spoke of issues in the U.S. and abroad.
“I would like to reflect on what’s happening in Gaza,” she said. “The Palestinian people have long supported the Black Liberation Movement.”
Black people have made enormous strides, Davis said, adding that much remains to be done. For example, she spoke of abolishing the prison system. Davis also noted heartening innovations such as formerly incarcerated people going into schools to teach children how to avoid prison.
Huggins emphasized re-educating ourselves to become more effective agents of change.
Khalid focused on instilling activism in children and taking a positive stance.
“Don’t be compliant, don’t be depressed, don’t fight [for change] alone,” he said.
On a different panel, award-winning journalist and cultural critic Michael Harriot spoke about taking charge of our history.
“Enslavers sought [to kidnap] Africans with certain skills, [for example] in horticulture and blacksmithing,” said Harriot, author of “Black AF History: The Un-Whitewashed Story of America.” “Africans didn’t learn those skills here. That’s a wild story.”
In addition to panel discussions, workshops offered food for thought. Maritza Guridy, a community educator and advocate for parents, led a session on “Collaboration between schools and the community.” She noted that the anxiety educators feel when they greet the community mirrors the anxiety many parents feel when they enter their child’s school. She suggested ways to build bridges and dispel that uneasiness.
Often teachers call only when something is wrong, Guridy said. However, if they also call with good news, it establishes a positive relationship that makes it easier to tackle problems. Guridy also suggested that teachers take a walk through the neighborhood with children.
“They know everything that goes on,” he said. “Also, if children from a family of a different culture or one whose primary language is other than English start school, she recommends connecting them with families of a similar background already settled in the school to smooth the newcomers’ entry. Sometimes, community groups can help strengthen bonds between parents and schools.”
Individual conferees, when buttonholed, also had advice for parents. Ryan Wilson, an administrator at Washington University in St. Louis, suggested starting a 529 Plan, a tax-advantaged plan that helps parents save for college when a child is born. He also encouraged parents to enroll children in summer STEM and arts programs held at many colleges and universities. He said that children not only gain knowledge in specific fields, but also become accustomed to being on a college campus.
Armando Tolliver, Ph.D., an award-winning teacher in the School District of Philadelphia, urged parents to see themselves as educators and to take advantage of everyday events to teach their children. For example, he noted that when water boils, parents can discuss how matter goes from a liquid to a gas.
“Talk about what happens to oil in the microwave or what happens when a child sticks his finger into an electric socket,” Tolliver said. “Use those moments to teach.”
Larry Friend, school leader at Fred Fifer III Middle School, Dover, Delaware, suggested reversing roles and letting children teach their parents something they’ve learned. It boosts children’s self-confidence and tells them that their learning matters to their parents, Friend said.
Stephanie Joy Tisdale, Ph.D., lead instructional coach in the Urban Teaching the Apprenticeship Program in Penn’s Graduate School of Education emphasized the need to have big dreams for our children.
Conference founder Sharif El-Mekki suggested asking children open-ended questions about their school experience such as when they feel most respected and most cherished. El-Mekki also advised parents not to rely on grades alone to gauge a child’s progress. If a teacher sets a low bar, a high grade may mean little, El-Mekki said. Likewise, he recommends observing how children respond to a low grade.
“Does the child seek feedback from the teacher?” he asked.“Is the child invested in improving that grade? Is the teacher invested in the student’s learning?”
Parents can also inquire about a teacher’s reputation through sources like PTA meetings and conversations with children’s friends and their parents.
“I don’t rely on a single source [of information]” El-Mekki said.
El-Mekki also stated that Black children need Black teachers to flourish.
“Research shows that when Black children have one Black teacher by third grade, they’re up to 13% more likely to enroll in college,” El-Mekki said. “With two Black teachers, they’re up to 32% more likely.”
Yet, he said Black enrollment in educator preparation programs continues to plummet. To address this crisis, the Center for Black Educator Development has opened pathways to recruit and retain African-American teachers. The center attracts future culturally responsive Black teachers through high school courses, paid apprenticeships with mentoring, and fellowships and bonuses.
To learn more about CBED and its programs, visit: www.TheCenterBlackEd.org.
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