Culture Drives Equity
Culture is the most important force for creating and maintaining equity- centered schools. By definition, culture is the aggregation of beliefs,...
What Boys can learn from Will: How to Reset.
While the rest of the world talked about Will Smith from the lens of a celebrity meltdown, I’m reflecting on what our young boys are taking away...
Tis the Season’ for advocacy, belonging, and culturally responsive teaching.
I recently had an interesting experience while doing professional development with a group of educators. As I entered the zoom platform, the group...
Humanize and Educate | 3 principles educators should follow to ensure that every Black boy can perform well
I’ve focused on the ongoing disproportionality in Black boys’ outcomes throughout my more than 20-year career. And I am still making calls for Black...
Do you consider yourself a culturally responsive educator? You’re needed now more than ever.
To say that 2020 has been quite a year would be an understatement. We can try to deny it but in every home and virtual space across America, people...
Stop Talking in Code: Call Them Black Boys
My life’s work in education has been broad. Yet one particular focus has held a priority over others: the education of Black boys. I read, write,...
Teaching My Teen to Lead with SEL
Recently, I got the news that my daughter won the coveted chairperson position of a leadership organization for girls at her school. My thoughts...
Just Like Cops, Teachers Often Refuse to Address the ‘Bad Apples’ in Their Profession
I’m here to say that all police officers aren’t bad. However, troubled by the obvious, and most recent, “bad practice” in policing, I needed...
My Black Boys told me to tell you…
Lessons on Learning, Feeling, and Acting This weekend I had the opportunity to zoom with my mentoring group of all black boys. Although we were...
Teen Boys and COVID: How our boys may feel and how we can help.
In my twenty plus years in education, not a day has gone by where I don’t think about black boys and education. As you may have expected, I’ve been...
Put your own Oxygen Mask on First: How tapping into SEL can help you to help others
I needed to get myself together. I’ve always considered myself to be productive, efficient, and constantly seeking to achieve at high levels in new...
Do you have an Equity Mindset?
As educators, we approach every school year with the desire to be our very best. When thinking of our profession, we understand that it is never...
Social-Emotional Learning Won’t Happen Without a Culturally Relevant Start
Educators have the unique responsibility of delivering content as well as helping students to move in the direction of personal growth and...
My Barbershop Taught Me Social Emotional Learning and Now I’m Sharing That With My Students
I remember growing up and my father would give me a haircut in our basement. Other times, he would take me to the barbershop. Now some might ask why...
The BOND White Paper
Recruiting, Developing, and Retaining Male Educators of Color by Bolstering Teacher Efficacy and Creating Culturally Engaging Networks. Daryl C....
Want to Fix the Achievement Gap? Reconsider How You Teach.
There seems to be a sentiment amongst some educators that culturally responsive education is merely an optional “best practice.” Well, of course,...
Martial Arts & Me: Movement Towards An Unattainable Perfection.
For those that don't know what a bucket list is, it is a list of all of the things that one desires to accomplish before they leave this earth....
An Act of Protest: Reflections on the National Black Male Educators Convening
Last weekend I had the opportunity to attend the inaugural National Black Male Educators Convening (BMEC) hosted by The Fellowship, a Philly group...
NFL 2017: Black Folks, Boycotts, and Business as Usual.
In the words of rapper Rick Ross, “I’m Jerry Jones, you just a running back”, a power imbalance is being highlighted that demonstrates what NFL...
Versions of Truth: What Charlottesville reminds us about American Symbols.
You know what stood out to me most in the aftermath of the ugly events in Charlottesville? It was not that we are a divided country but the fact...
Hello… Again.
Hello Writing, it’s been a while. Thanks for having me back. I never meant to be away from you for this length of time. When we reunited I thought...
Celebrity POTUS: Ethics, Norms, and the “Make America Great Again” Show.
In America, we are at our best when life feels normal. Social norms help guide our behavior and make us feel safe. The absence of norms provokes...
An Educator’s View: American Politics, Students, and Coping with Loss
I’ve had long, tough stretches before as an educator - but this time its different. This week I’ve had to engage high school kids, my college-level...
Honor OUR Flag: The Challenge of Colin Kaepernick
Colin Kaepernick has done it now. His recent acts of protest – as expected – have many “patriotic” Americans going mad. In an effort to call...
My Ideas, My Action.
I had to do this. I owe it to the people. More importantly, I owe it to myself. Since finishing Complex People, I have felt the need to create a...