White Teachers, Black Students by Hines Mack T. III;

Author:Hines, Mack T., III; [Hines, Mack T. III]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Incorporated
Published: 2017-07-13T00:00:00+00:00

5

A Behavioral Passport to Black Student Achievement

The introduction marked the initial discussion of discipline and African American students. In particular, statistics were used to highlight the ways in which African American children are categorized in accordance to behavior. What I have found is that much of these behavioral issues occur in classrooms with White teachers. As such, this chapter presents a framework for White teachers to use to establish a positive disciplinary relationship with African American children.

The Principle

What Must White Teachers Be Mindful of toBuild Positive Behavior within AfricanAmerican Students?

White teachers must realize that Black children’s responses to authority (redirection) are highly influenced not just by the position of the person—but the person in the position.

Why Is This Understanding Specific toAfrican American Students?

African American students’ emphasis on the person is related to the Afrocentric theme of harmony. As mentioned, harmony is African Americans’ need to be harmoniously united with their environment. Drawing from this perspective, I purport that discipline for Black children is more than the issuance of consequences from teachers to students. Discipline is a highly personal negotiation of harmony between two people.

The presence of White teachers adds a significant cross-racial dynamic to this equation. Race influences White teachers’ responses to disciplinary situations pertaining to African American students. In due regard, African American students hold race-based perceptions of White teachers’ approaches to addressing them during disciplinary situations. As a result, White teachers’ personal characteristics will influence African American students’ responses to disciplinary situations.

The Approach

How Can White Teachers Translate ThisMindfulness into Building Positive Behavior withinAfrican American Students?

To build positive behavior, White teachers must understand power and authority through the eyes of African American students. Power is the ability to redirect the behavior of African American students. As certified figures of authority, White teachers wield the power to make commands and directives toward African American students.

Authority is the legitimacy to influence and shape the behavior of African American students. For White teachers, this level of authority is legitimated by how well they negotiate trust, respect, and understanding with African American students. To fully understand this negotiation, White teachers must consider the following questions:

TrustDo Black students trust that my use of discipline is designed to make them better people?

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