The Teachers Black Students Need

Who are the teachers Black students need? In this thought-provoking book, award-winning superintendent Zachary Scott Robbins considers this question and the impact its answer has for Black students everywhere. Through stories and practical solutions, Robbins helps us re-imagine possibilities on what schools can be for their Black students.

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Who are the teachers Black students need? In this thought-provoking book, award-winning superintendent Zachary Scott Robbins considers this question and the impact its answer has for Black children everywhere. Robbins articulates the heartfelt concerns of an educator and father raising children in public school—some unsafe, some mired in racial unrest, and some defined by inequality. He shares what teachers can do to mitigate the imbalance of resources and educational opportunities available to Black students and to establish relationships with Black students that are foundational for sustainable, positive academic outcomes.

Throughout the book, Robbins gives readers a roadmap to provide Black students with high-quality education. Topics include helping Black students see schooling as useful and relevant; affirming their strengths and interests; believing in students and celebrating their growth; helping Black students who experience racial discrimination, violence, and microaggressions in schools; using diverse learning materials to mitigate biases; avoiding academic grading bias and behavioral grading bias; making your classroom an academically and psychologically safe space; and using your voice to advocate for Black students.

Through a combination of stories and practical solutions, Robbins helps us re-imagine possibilities—and take action—on what schools can be for the Black students we serve.