Good professional development for teachers is vital to the success of the School District’s new mandated high school course in African American history.
“We have numerous teachers whose educational experience didn’t include African American history as preparation for teaching history and social studies,” stated Nancy Hopkins-Evans, the School District’s high school curriculum specialist, explaining the thinking behind the District’s professional development strategy.
“Deep content knowledge is critical because for some …this is really a first opportunity for them at an academic level,” she added.
This year’s twice-monthly, District-sponsored professional development sessions focus on developing teachers’ content knowledge about African American history.
“Trainers are experts in the field. They are some of the best we can get, and the teachers are responding magnificently,” added Melvin Garrison, an American history specialist in the District’s Office of Curriculum and Instruction.
On a recent Saturday morning at the District’s central office, 25 teachers congregated for a morning session. The District-sponsored sessions are voluntary, but teachers here are regulars. The group was diverse – some veterans, some new teachers, male and female, 14 of whom were African American, most of whom taught history or social studies.
As one African American teacher stated, “The big turnout has shown us that teachers have wanted this course all along.”
Source: thenotebook.org
by Clarisse Mesa
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This is a great initiative! I am anticipating a rollover effect from Philadelphia’s action into more school systems across the nation.
However, as this occurs we know all too well the resistance from those that fear us gaining knowledge. Especially if it is the knowledge about us, from us. This resistance is met with the true educators that will find creative ways to infiltrate and give all their students the thorough information needed to become true citizens of the world.