PODCAST · education
Black Teacher Matters
by Abdel Shakur
Abdel Shakur is a writer and teacher concerned with telling the stories of Black teachers. A Catalyst Chicago Classroom Story Slam winner and 14 year veteran in the classroom, Abdel and his guests reflect on an essential question: Why are Black teachers so important to the lives of children?What do you think about what you heard? Leave me a message: https://anchor.fm/abdel-shakur6/message
Episodes
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Mr. Davis III: Learning to teach from Mom and the importance of capturing student imagination.
In part three of our interview, my high school teacher Hodari Davis talks about what he learned from being in his mom's class in elementary school, and what educators taught him about the role of the imagination in the classroom. Also features a clip from a KQED feature on Young Gifted and Black...
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Hodari Davis Part II: When Grief is the Bee in the Classroom
In part 2 of the @mrdavis510 interview, I ask about his "bee in the classroom" moment-- , when something uncontrollable thing enters the classroom space. Mr. Davis talks about how he helped his students grieve from the death of a beloved classmate, Yaheem King, and what led him to retire from…
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Hodari Davis Part I: School Colors
Hodari Davis was an icon not just at Berkeley High when I went there, but nationwide after the release of the Frontline documentary Berkeley High: School Colors. In part one of this interview, I talk to Mr. Davis about what it was like to be a young Black teacher in the eye of that storm, doing...
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Mr. Davis on arming students for intellectual battle
Are y'all ready to battle? Mr. Hodari Davis on the School Colors documentary that flipped his life upside down, arming students for intellectual and spiritual battle, and creating space for Black celebration and grief at Berkeley High. Full episode debuts next week. #BHS #blackteachermatters
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Dr. Micia Mosely on letting history guide our movement.
Dr. Micia Mosely talks about the importance of understanding this moment, and what we need to do next, in a historical understanding.
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Teaching under Trump: Liberating classrooms in an Authoritarian Era
Dr. Micia Mosely of the Black Teacher Project talks about the ways imagination and collaboration can help teachers promote healing, liberation, and learning in classrooms even during the authoritarian era.
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Black boys and The Circle of Goodness
Teaching at a summer camp taught me how important it is to discover the Good in the children I care for.
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Tim Seibles reads a poem and talks about the benefits of being naive.
What does it mean to be naive? What does it have to do with being a Black child, with being a Black teacher? Tim Seibles reads his poem "Naive", Originally published in Poem-a-Day on March 19, 2024, by the Academy of American Poets.
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Alexs Pate on Black teachers, Liberation, and Innocence
The special opportunity and challenge that Black teachers face when teaching Black students. Excerpt from Episode 2.
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Ep 21: Sunni Ali and The Public School System Got Me F'd Up
Historic times call for historic perspectives. Dr. Sunni Ali's new book, The Public School System Got Me F'd Up helps to put the current chaos into context. Not to be missed. Find his book here: https://www.amazon.com/Public-School-System-Got-Me/dp/1965683479
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Ep 20: Teaching Post-Election 2024 and Poet Tim Seibles
The country has voted Orange, again. What's it like the day after? Also, Award-winning poet Tim Seibles talks about his mother's classroom, loving ferocity, and what it was like to teach high school for ten years. #blackteachers #blackteachermatters
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Kristen Gentry on Teaching, Generosity, and her Grandma
Kristen Gentry talks about how her grandma's generosity reflects, and doesn't reflect, her own approach to teaching.
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Justice Ford on hierarchy in the classroom
Excerpt from Episode 19 Justice Ford on how hierarchy works (and doesn't) in classroom spaces. Full episode here: https://spotifyanchor-web.app.link/e/B0BpWWroxNb
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Ep 19: Remembering attendance and a chat with Crystal Arrington and Justice Ford, former students
Taking attendance seems like the easiest and most important thing a teacher can do. Ironically, when I struggle to be present, attendance is the first thing I forget. Plus, I talk to two fantastic former students from my days at #ChiArts High School, Crystal Arrington and Justice Ford about what…
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Ep 18: Freeing the books and Ayanna Evans on connecting with students.
I took Elsa's advice and let it go--most of my classroom books, that is. Just gave them away to students. And why that was good for me. My colleague Ayanna Evans talks about the Black teachers who looked out for her and what it's like to be a Black parent and teacher. #teaching #blackteachers
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Icebreakers for Humanity! (Part III)
Want a fun, flexible icebreaker that you can use with kids and adults to establish norms of attentive listening? Let me introduce you to the Mirrors icebreaker and explain how I use it in my class. #icebreakers
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Icebreakers for Humanity! (Part II)
Here's why the Pass the Clap icebreaker is an essential team building exercise that's fun and models the way we will build student leadership and share power throughout the year.
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Icebreakers for Humanity!
Everyone does them, so why do they so often feel so unsatisfying? Because we're setting ourselves and our children up for failure. Here's some tips on having fun, humane icebreaker experiences that can put you on the path to having a great year. Plus, I'll give you a quick and easy one you can play.
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Black Teacher Shorts: Dillin Randolph on a teacher helped him be himself in AP English.
Dillin Randolph talks about his English teacher, Janice Jenkins, who encouraged him to be himself in AP English class. .
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Ep #17: Golden Handcuffs and an interview with Doug Cobb
The story of why I'm leaving Evanston Township High School and moving to Maryland to teach seventh grade. I also talk to one of my oldest homies, Douglas Cobb, about how Berkeley High School helped make him be the counselor and teacher he is today.
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Black Teacher Shorts: Dr. Sunni Ali on bee protocol in his class.
"I refer to the bee as a small farmer...he's a worker!" Dr. Ali talks on how he copes with invasive bees, birds, and squirrels come into his spaces.
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Trash-talking at the park with a boy who shares my name.
It's rare that I meet anyone with my name, even more rare when it's a little kid that can hoop and talks a ton of trash. He wasn't as impressed. Excerpt from Episode
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Black Teacher Shorts: Lacey Robinson on how discovering a hive outside her class became a learning opportunity.
Lacey Robinson, CEO of UnboundEd, talks about how she didn't let her fear of bees keep her from helping her students explore their curiosity. And how teachable moments are a part of an educator's journey. Excerpt from Episode 14
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Justin Fields, Pushouts, and Coaching Without Comfort
Justin Fields gets a coach who won't allow comfort to get in the way of teaching.
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Black Teacher Shorts: Sunni Ali on keeping it real with students.
"The kids know when something's wrong with you!" Sunni Ali talks about about the importance of listening and being authentic with students.
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My class flies farther when I focus less on fuel and more on reducing friction.
When we have problems with people, we tend to see fuel as a solution, but I fly farthest when I reduce friction.
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Black Teacher Shorts: Steven Speight on his bee in the classroom protocol.
"How do we encounter the wildnesses that enter our space?" Steven Speight talks about helping students deal with both literal and figurative bees that enter his classroom community. Excerpt from Episode 13.
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Hello, my name is Abdel and I'm a correction addict.
How do you get over an addiction to correction in order to create space for students to actually be their best selves?
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Episode #16: Be in the Classroom with Kristen Gentry
How do you get a class full of nervous teenagers to write poems and share said poems with the entire class? Also, the brilliant Kristen Gentry, takes some time to talk about her amazing short story collection, Mama Said, and share her teaching wisdom.
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Black Teacher Shorts: Alan Miller and the importance of sharing your creative self with students
Alan Miller, my high school English teacher, talks about the importance of maintaining a creative life while in the classroom. An excerpt from my interview in episode #1.
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Black Teacher Shorts: Tamie Holmes on Black AP students who take care of each other in her class.
"I'm even more honored by the way they take care of each in their space." Tamie Holmes talks about how her Black AP students make community in her class. Excerpt from Episode 11
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Episode 15: Be in the classroom with Dillin Randolph
Passing out papers? Turning out the lights? Running errands? Remember those cool jobs from elementary school? Let me tell you how class roles in my high school class build community and make my job easier. Plus, I talk to a brilliant young educator English teacher, Dillin Randolph, about his…
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Black Teacher Shorts: My uncle, Bill Jeter, on his father as a positive and negative teacher.
My uncle, Bill Jeter, on his father as a positive and negative teacher.
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The story of me getting over my Whiteness to give a Black girl a chance to be innocent in my class.
"The secret to teaching Black girls does not involve solving their mystery like a puzzle. The secret to teaching Black girls is working on your internal puzzle, your internal Whiteness that causes you not to hold space for their Innocence for their questions."
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Black Teacher Shorts: Ross Gay on the time his basketball coach told his dad to calm down at a game.
Ross Gay on the time his basketball coach told his dad to calm down at a game. An excerpt from Episode 5
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Black Teacher Shorts: Lacey Robinson on helping her grandmother learn to read
Lacey Robinson talks about how helping her grandmother learn to read helped her find her path to teaching. Excerpt from Episode 14
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Episode 14: Be in the classroom with Lacey Robinson
When is a seating chart more than a seating chart? I tell a story about internalized seating charts at the beginning of the year. UnboundED President and CEO Lacey Robinson talks about her new book Justice Seekers and the historical connection between Black self-determination and literacy.
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Black Teacher Shorts: Matthew Kay on the Black Church as teacher training.
How does Sunday school prepare Black folks to lead children in classrooms? Author and teacher Matthew Kay talks about how it influenced him. Excerpt from Episode 9.
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Black Teacher Shorts: Tamie Holmes on Black learning in the community of Maywood
Evanston Township High School teacher Tamie Holmes reflects on the supportive learning community in Maywood, Il that helped her grow.
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Black Teacher Shorts: Alexs Pate on Innocence and the liberation of Black Teachers
Alexs Pate talks about how the journey to find a child's innocence can be liberating for Black teachers. "Your freedom is connected to their freedom." Outtake from episode 2:...
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Episode 13: Steven Speight be in the classroom
I swear I was about to lose my job, but then a student helped me not lose my purpose. Plus, I talk to my ETHS colleague Steven Speight, a chemistry teacher who talks about an essential element to good science: community.
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Black Teacher Shorts: Dr. Sunni Ali on Dr. Frances Cress Welsing and his Black scholar teachers at Howard University.
Dr. Sunni Ali discusses how he was influenced by the Black scholar teachers at Howard University. From episode 10 https://spotifyanchor-web.app.link/e/WAcrvpGOuBb
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Black Teacher Shorts: Ross Gay talks about his Aunt Butter and Uncle Bennett
Ross Gay grew up in a family of teachers, some in the classroom, some outside. He shares the lessons he learned in visits to his father's family in Youngstown, OH. From Episode 5 https://spotifyanchor-web.app.link/e/29Tbi60HaBb
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Black Teacher Shorts: Dear Black Child in the Hallway (without a pass)
A poem about what it means to mind your business in the hallway. From episode 11. https://spotifyanchor-web.app.link/e/bg57EwF9TAb
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Black Teacher Shorts: My dad, chess, and the constellation of possibility.
My dad, Gilgamesh, taught me how to love chess, but even more importantly how to love possibility.
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Episode 12: Be in the classroom with Carlos Thomas
It's the end of the year and I talk about the most important job a Black teacher has around this time: landing the daggone plane. Plus, I talk to Carlos Thomas, a fellow English teacher and phenomenal basketball coach, about the importance of standing on your square and helping students find…
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Black Teacher Shorts: Crystal Wilkinson on a White student who has a major shift on race.
Crystal Wilkinson talks about using Toni Morrison's Beloved to help a White student in Kentucky shift his view on race.
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Black Teacher Shorts: Ganae McAlpin on the meaning of (d)emocratic Classroom Leadership
How do you use your authority to share power with your students so they can grow their own authority? Ganae talks about the Democratic Classroom Leadership philosophy. Find out more here: https://fullcircleleadership.org/democratic-classroom-leadership/
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Episode 11: Be in the classroom with Tamie Holmes
Why Black children are our business. In the classroom or in the hallway. And I talk to my colleague Tamie Holmes about creating organic communities of care in her classroom.
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Black Teacher Shorts: I got punched by a teacher after I got kicked out of English class.
Exiled from Ms. Agawa's class, I visit on-campus suspension. And get punched by a teacher.
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
Abdel Shakur is a writer and teacher concerned with telling the stories of Black teachers. A Catalyst Chicago Classroom Story Slam winner and 14 year veteran in the classroom, Abdel and his guests reflect on an essential question: Why are Black teachers so important to the lives of children?What do you think about what you heard? Leave me a message: https://anchor.fm/abdel-shakur6/message
HOSTED BY
Abdel Shakur
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Black Teacher Matters have?
Black Teacher Matters currently has 50 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Black Teacher Matters about?
Abdel Shakur is a writer and teacher concerned with telling the stories of Black teachers. A Catalyst Chicago Classroom Story Slam winner and 14 year veteran in the classroom, Abdel and his guests reflect on an essential question: Why are Black teachers so important to the lives of children?What do...
How often does Black Teacher Matters release new episodes?
Black Teacher Matters has 50 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
Where can I listen to Black Teacher Matters?
You can listen to Black Teacher Matters on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Black Teacher Matters?
Black Teacher Matters is created and hosted by Abdel Shakur.
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