Second Year Success

      Looking back, my second year of teaching was full of amazing opportunities to grow and develop not only as a teacher, but as an individual and a leader. I was presented with the amazing opportunity to teach African American History, a course for which I have developed a deep passion. Although challenges still arose and the work was unbelievably hard, I can honestly say I enjoyed my 2015-2016 school year. Much of this enjoyment was derived from the fact that I had the opportunity to teach many of the students I taught in my first year, and as any teacher in an urban setting knows, 90 percent fo the classroom battle is developing strong relationships with students. With this momentous challenge tackled, my classroom was able to flow in a way I have never before seen. The conversations in my classroom were real; they were authentic and my students were never afraid to ask questions, challenge society, or even challenge me. They thirsted for knowledge and hungered for truth. Almost daily, I would have students come to my room during lunch or a study hall to ask about something they had seen on the news, or to share a new hope, fear, or revelation. Given the media attention around the murders of unarmed African Americans that our nation finally chose to recognize after centuries of the same, my class became the lifeline to staying grounded amidst the upheaval of what it means to be Black in America.

       The goal of my facilitation in my course last year was to ensure that every child who completed my course would be empowered to know, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that they are powerful beyond measure, and that they can and must be the change they desire to see. As I watch the alum of my class in the hallways of the school and hear other teachers talk about the confidence and the willingness to challenge and dialogue that these students bring to every classroom, I find peace in preparing to step out of the classroom at the end of this year. My students are not afraid to disagree with a textbook and say that Abraham Lincoln, in fact, did NOT free the slaves. My student are not afraid to speak their truth, putting pen to paper and letting the world know that they will not stand for less. Watching my students, I too have gained a new confidence. I see the power of empowering others and the power of  allowing "love to cover a multitude of sins." I continued in the same vein as my first year and had my students create a mixtape as their capstone project for the end of the year. The stories shared below are nothing short of amazing. And while yes, this was a school project, it was also so much more. The songs were fully created by my students: the beats, the lyrics, the flow, it's all them. I gave them a task and a few guidelines, and asked them to tell the story of their history, their struggle, their victories, their truth. Enjoy.