Exploring Black Men Teachers’ Pedagogies and Practices: Lessons for Broadening the Teaching Pipeline

Abstract This study examines the experiences of Black men teachers who teach within the secondary school setting. Teachers were identified from a multi-year longitudinal qualitative study with Black boys who reflected on their secondary schooling experiences. In talking with the teachers, they primarily drew upon Black boys’ possibilities to inform their pedagogy and praxis. In this approach, these Black men teachers used their teaching and praxis as tools to enhance Black boys’ schooling experiences, that could help position Black boys Proposal Information/Research/Questions and Theoretical Approach A number of studies have focused on teachers’ impact on student achievement by exploring teachers’ beliefs about Black students. These studies reveal how teachers’ perceptions inform how they engage with students (Howard, 2014) and their beliefs about Black students’ academic and intellectual abilities (Gushue & Whitson, 2006; Toldson, 2008); additionally, these studies examine the classroom practices that teachers engage in (Ferguson, 2000) and how they build relationships with Black youth, or not (Lynn et al., 2010; Rezai-Rashti & Martino, 2010). Studies have shown that teacher beliefs and expectations tend to be lower for Black boys and young men in educational environments (Allen, 2015; Brockenbrough, 2015; Rogers & Brooms, 2020;). Conversely, teachers who hold positive perceptions of their students’ ability to be successful are correlated with students’ academic efforts (i.e., completing class work) and their in-class participation. Even further, research indicates that teachers who demonstrate a commitment to the development of Black boys use a relational teaching approach to support this student population (Lynn et al., 2010; McKinney de Royston et al., 2017; Nelson, 2016). Bristol (2014) theorized that having more Black men teachers in schools could decrease the social distance between the organization and Black boys. Given these benefits and possibilities, exploring Black men teachers’ experiences and how they make meaning from their pedagogy and praxis in teaching and supporting Black boys is an important arena of study. Theoretical Framework: Possibilities Framework We frame our study in a Possibilities Framework (Clark et al., 2024). Clark and colleagues (2024) defined possibilities as “varied affirmations of and respect for Black life and humanity that allow for creative spaces of freedom for Black people to enjoy, produce, or even pursue self-interests, self-definitions, and personal development on their own terms” (p. 1721). They identify seven dimensions of the Possibilities Framework that can be used to enhance and empower Black boys’ development and educational experiences. These dimensions include caring, dreaming, belonging, enjoying, agency, protecting, and affirming and speak to the ways that educators can engage in practices and establish a culture within the environment to support and value Black boys. Methods A total of twelve Black men participated in this study, ten teachers and two staff/ administrators. These educators were selected through a purposive sampling technique. First, they were identified the most by the overwhelming majority of students in the study and, based on analysis of the student interviews, these teachers could be identified as “very effective” in supporting and meeting the needs of the Black boys they taught. Interviews with teachers examined their perceptions of Black boys, rationales and self-assessments of their pedagogical approaches, and their experiences teaching and supporting Black boys. Teachers averaged 9 years of experience as educators and averaged 35 years of age. The interviews lasted 2 hours on average and were audio-recorded to ensure accuracy. An inductive analytical approach (Bhattacharya, 2017) was used for data analysis, which included rereading transcripts, identifying essential excerpts related to pedagogy and praxis, and establishing themes through coding. Member checks were used to ensure accuracy of the data and to solicit teacher feedback. Conclusion & Findings, Scientific Significance Findings from this study indicate that these Black men teachers used a relational teaching approach in their pedagogy and praxis for educating Black boys. The findings are presented across two broad themes. First, findings reveal these teachers’ beliefs in Black boys’ possibilities. Thus, teachers recounted ways that they used their pedagogy and praxis to care for, affirm, value, and protect Black boys that (a) respected their boyhood and (b) focused on their future selves. Second, findings demonstrate that the teachers connected their in-class instruction to how they positioned themselves into close proximity with the boys—not only their time in school but their lives beyond their academic selves. By “teaching” to Black boys’ whole selves, and through their lived realities, educators can support Black boys in their developmental and through their personal and educational aspirations. REFERENCES Allen, Q. (2015). 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