The Black Male Teacher: An Endangered Species

One day a friend of mine forwarded me a discussion blog. The question asked was how do we get more Black male teachers? Current dialogue among Black Congressional members state the scare numbers of Black male teachers in public schools. As a new Black male teacher I felt that I would shed some light to the reasons why I became a teacher here is my response.

This is a very passionate topic for me since I,myself have embarked on the journey of teaching the youth of the District of Columbia. There is a deficiency of Black male teachers everywhere, that is a very true and real statement. It is not to say that Black males do not exist within the educational system but their role is not in the classroom instructing it is either administrative or coaching. The power of the presence of Black males in urban schools can make a world of difference. Time and time again you hear about the achievement gap and how wide its spreading. Our Black and Hispanic children are the ones who are suffering because, one: there are ineffective teachers who do not create a culture of achievement or set rigorous academic goals due to stereotypes or negative past interactions; and secondly, there is no mirror image of them standing in the front of the classroom.

Most of my students read below their grade level and have a math computation level equal to 6 and 7 graders. Question is are they at fault for their lack of gateway skills? The answer is to some degree yes due to other circumstances, but the bulk of the failure falls upon their previous teachers!

As educated Black men sometimes we forget the struggles we had to overcome in order to get where we are, especially in the classroom. Why not give back and help another brother achieve as well? There is a difference between being a mentor and being a teacher. A mentor is a wonderful resources but they are not the ones who are in the trenches 5 days a weeks 6-7 hours a day. That is a lot of time to influence the lives our young children. A teacher is more than a teacher, sometimes we act as a mentor, counselor,a social worker, a shoulder to cry on, and even a cheering squad and we have to balance all of that while trying to create rigorous, engaging, standard-based lessons, follow the protocol of school bureaucracy and deal with our own personal lives. Teaching is not easy but it is rewarding and most rewarding for our Black males when they can see another Black male spitting knowledge other than the hottest rap song and modeling a culture of professionalism and achievement.

So why become a teacher? One reason is to train the future’s next critical thinkers who are committed to life-long learning; who embrace multiculturalism and tolerance for all individuals no matter what socioeconomic, educational, or geographic background they may come from or encounter. Another reason is to be a positive consistent force in our Black students' life. Another reason is to reclaim our youth and redirect them to something better than the perils of the street. But more importantly, there is nothing greater than feeling like you are needed, that you have made a difference in the lives of not just 1 but dozens and maybe even hundreds of dozens. You have the ability to mold another productive son, daughter, brother, sister, cousin, uncle, aunt, father, mother and citizen of the United States.

There are programs who are recruiting highly qualified men to teach. Currently I am DC Teaching Fellow which provides me with a network of resources ranging from professional development to even paying off my debts. There are teaching programs like that everywhere in the U.S. (Baltimore, Philadelphia, Chicago, New York, Miami, Houston) Also schools across the country are paying for teachers to increase their credentials and earn degrees at little to no cost. There are award programs, incentives, and resources for teachers. Teaching is one of the world's oldest and most respected professions. I encourage you to seriously think about it. You never know what you are capable of doing.Time and chance come to us all, the time is now to make a difference. The classroom is the foreground in which chance and change meet, all that remains is one question; are you willing to accept the challenge? My answer with steadfast confidence is yes, I am ready to accept the challenge.

In the words of Roland Martin, "That's my perspective, what's yours?!?!?"