Recently, our school, 7 Pillars Career Academy partnered with an organization called Young Men Rising. This organization was presented on our platform at the beginning of the school year for middle schools in Clayton, Dekalb and Henry county. Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms made a call for mentors earlier this year for Black boys in the City of Atlanta. She urged…
Author: Jason B. Allen
Requiring Students to Walk in Straight Lines; A Punitive Measure or Effective Management?
Recently in a teacher training the topic of walking in straight lines came up during the discussion about classroom management. I was very surprised at the responses. Traditionally, teachers have been champions of having children walk in a straight line. “We’ve been under a long impression of tradition and knowledge of what works with “managing” children,” says one veteran teacher…
The Divide Between Atlanta Communities Is Bad News for Black Boys
Just recently the Atlanta Board of Education announced that at the end of her contract the ABOE will be going in a different direction. On the brink of change, many are calling the decision the cause of a great divide between City of Atlanta residents, which is now gaining national attention. The aftermath of the decision has inspired many notable…
We Need More Black Male Educators Running for City Council!
We don’t just need more Black males in the classrooms—we also need them running for public office. Recently inspired by Davion Lewis, local Metro Atlanta educator, running for City Council Ward A in the City of East Point, I decided to do a call to action to fellow Black male educators who want to impact the community outside of the…
Change is Coming to APS Which Gives Hope to Georgia
Recently, the Atlanta Board of Education decided to go in a different direction from current Atlanta Public Schools Superintendent, Meria Carstarphen. Naturally, there are mixed emotions from Atlanta residents and the business community. However, the focus now should be on how is Atlanta going to move forward with this change in leadership. Equally important, Atlanta residents and leaders must decide…
Black Boys are Breaking Barriers That The News Doesn’t Cover
AFRICANGLOBE – At age six, most young children are entering first grade, but not for the extraordinary Joshua Beckford. Joshua is breaking barriers and is a role model for Black boys across the world. Living with high-functioning autism, the child prodigy from Tottenham was, at the age of six, the youngest person ever to attend the prestigious Oxford University. He…
School Districts That Empower Teachers Will See Student Success; It’s Really This Simple!
There’s a lot of talk about how we can improve schools, from various turnaround strategies to school choice community partnership programs, but I think one of the most critical areas is the need for professional development in order to empower our teachers. The question brings me back to a quote about failing schools and school turnaround from former Interim APS…