Black History Institute

I had the BEST January!! I participated in a virtual Institute which ran across three Saturdays with two of my favorite educators – Dr. Sonja Cherry-Paul and M. Colleen Cruz. Teaching Black History All Year Institute. They are running it again, same time, next year and registration is open now.
The cost is only $99 for 12 hours of top-notch PD.

This institute was the kind of PD I used the very next day in my classroom. The kind that fed my teaching soul. The kind that provided me with space to learn and relearn Amercian history as it relates specificaly to Black American History. And thanks to Sonja and Colleen, I am set now to teach Black History all during February, as well as, all year long.

I HIGHLY recommend signing up now for next January, click HERE!!
Or consider inviting them to your school district for training. They are THAT GOOD!!

Thanks to my participation, here is what the opening of my Reading class sounded like, using just one lesson from the institute:

Today our Quick Write is about a man named Dr. James West. We will view it twice. First, we’ll view to hear the story. On the 2nd view, I’d like you to take notes about what you view using this handout:

The handout are the 4 question framework shared during the institute.
Then I had my students view this video and take notes. We ended with a lively discussion.

Colleen and Sonja curated MANY black inventors and innovators’ videos and articles I can use as I teach. I’m looking forward to taking time (probably come summer) to decide all the many ways I can share all I learned from these two great ladies.

Last Thursday, I did use a few things they shared to help my school celebrate the 64th anniversary of integrating the first secondary school in the state of Virginia on the very site of my school. It happened on Feb. 2, 1959 after Dorothy Hamm, now my school’s namesake, advocated for the integration so her black son could attend this then all-white public school.

We hosted the community last Thursday evening in an event called: Come Walk With Us.

I made these slides and about 100 from the community came and walked the Five Stations seen in the slides. At the last stop in our makeshift “history walk” was the chance to shake hands with one of the first four – Mr. Michael Jones. Now in his 70s, Mr. Jones honored the school with his presense.

I also made these slides for my staff to use to celebrate how Dorothy Hamm, John Lewis and the Greeenboro Four all got into Good Trouble.

As you celebrate Black History Month, feel free to teach and reteach American history and be sure to proudly speak of Dr. West, Dorothy Hamm and John Lewis. Discuss ways to support Black-owned businesses in your neighborhood and ways to read more books by black authors.

And consider treating yourself to learning from Sonja and Colleen!

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