Tag Archives: African American Teachers

Grammy-winning music icon Roberta Flack is a former English teacher

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Music icon and Grammy-winning singer Roberta Flack was once an English teacher. Photo Credit: IMDB

Many people have heard of Grammy Award-winning songwriter and singer Roberta Flack. Her best-known songs are “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face,” “Killing Me Softly With His Song,” and “Where Is the Love?” But did you know that this celebrated jazz, folk, and R&B icon was once a public school teacher?

Roberta Cleopatra Flack was born February 10, 1937, in Black Mountain, Buncombe County, North Carolina. She was raised in Arlington, Virginia. Her mother was a church organist, so of course Roberta grew up in a musical household. At the age of nine, Roberta began to study classical piano, and by the time she was fifteen, she’d earned a full scholarship in music from Howard University. Howard is a traditionally Black college located in Washington, DC.

Roberta completed her undergraduate work, and then her student teaching at an all-white school near Chevy Chase, Maryland. She was the first African American student teacher to work at that school. After her college graduation, Roberta accepted a position teaching music and English in Farmville, North Carolina, a gig which paid her only $2,800 per year. She also taught in Washington, DC, at Browne Junior High and Rabaut Junior High School. While she was teaching, she took a number of side jobs as a night club singer. It was there that she was discovered and signed to a contract for Atlanta Records. The rest, as they say, is music business history.

Over the course of her music career, the former teacher has been nominated for a Grammy 13 times, winning on four occasions. On May 11, 2017, Roberta received an honorary Doctorate degree in the Arts from Long Island University. In 2009 she was inducted into the North Carolina Music Hall of Fame, and in 2022, she was honored with the Women in American History War by the Daughters of the American Revolution.

In recent years, Roberta continues to contribute to education came when she founded an after-school music program entitled “The Roberta Flack School of Music” to provide music education free of charge to underprivileged students in the Bronx borough of New York City. The program is offered through Hyde Leadership Charter School. You can learn more about this program at this link: Roberta Flack School of Music.

 

Chicago teacher Dwayne Reed greets kindergartners with a song

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While watching Today on television this morning commentators were doing a story on Dwayne Reed, an amazing teacher from Chicago, Illinois. He has written a “Welcome to Kindergarten Song” to share with students as they enter their classroom on their first day. I found the video on You Tube, and just had to share it with you, so here it is! And just in case you would like to read more about him, check out this link to a story about him on his website, Teach Mr. Reed.

 

NY educator Ayanna Emanuel receives 2022-2023 Big Apple Award

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Educator Ayanna Emanuel, who teaches junior high school math, has been named a recipient of a Big Apple Award for 2022-2023. Photo Credit: New York City Department of Education

It is always my pleasure to share stories about outstanding educators. One of these is Ayanna Emanuel, a junior high school math teacher from New York. Ayanna has been named a recipient of a Big Apple Award for 2022-2023.

Ayanna says the driving force behind all of her instructional plans is creating an environment of equity where students develop a genuine appreciation of mathematics. She strives to know each and every one of her students as individuals, and has been able to build a rapport with each one that is based in trust.

Ayanna declares she prioritizes critical thinking over procedural or mechanical work. In her classroom, she begins each lesson asking students what they “notice.” She believes this practice incites curiosity and critical thinking. She says students often notice things that go beyond the mathematical intention behind the questions.

In addition to her work in the classroom, Ayanna is also a member of her school’s Instructional Leadership Team, and she has led a PTA meeting about standards-based grading and the positive impact of growth mindset. In addition, she has initiated vertical alignment of Math Department grading, and works with her District’s Math Equity Group. Furthermore, Ayanna is focused on providing Algebra for All access for all her eighth grade students.

As if all this were not enough, Ayanna created a step dance group as part of an after school program. Step dance gives the students an opportunity to express themselves freely while building community.

This is the tenth year that the Big Apple Awards have honored outstanding educators for their leadership, dedication to students, and contributions to their school communities. Each year, 20 educators across New York City are recognized. They represent all five boroughs and teach a range of subject areas and grade levels.

Elem teacher Constance Clayton: Philadelphia trailblazer

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Trailblazer Constance Clayton, an elementary school teacher, became the first African American and the first woman to become the Superintendent of the School District of Philadelphia. Photo Credit: The Philadelphia Tribune

There are many fine teachers who go on to positions of leaderships within their districts. They may even become trailblazers in the profession! One of these is Constance Clayton, who became the first African American and the first woman to become the Superintendent of the School District of Philadelphia.

Constance was born in Philadelphia in 1933. As a youngster, she attended the city’s Girls’ High, Jay Cooke Junior High School, and Paul L. Dunbar School. After her high school graduation, she went on to earn her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from Temple University in 1955 and her PhD from the Graduate School of Education at the University of Pennsylvania in 1981.

Once she earned her degrees, Constance inaugurated her career in education when she accepted a position teaching fourth grade at William H. Harrison Elementary School in North Philadelphia. She spent 16 years in the classroom. Next, between 1971 to 1972, she worked for the US Department of Labor in Washington, DC, she became the director of the Women’s Bureau for the Middle Atlantic States. Her work there involved improving the status of employment equity for women. In 1973, she returned to Philadelphia, where she became the first Director, and then the Associate Superintendent, of the Early Childhood Program for the school district.

In 1982, Constance was selected for the position of Superintendent of Schools for Philadelphia. With this selection, the former classroom teacher became the first African American and the first woman to become the Superintendent of the Philadelphia schools. She served in this role for 11 years before her retirement in 1993.

In Philadelphia, the influence of this Chalkboard Champion still goes far and wide. “She has a big heart, and there are children that still remember her from when she was a teacher, an educator, and principal,” declares colleague Howard C. Stevenson, who has known Clayton for more than 20 years. “We still hear about her contributions in that regard.”

To read more about Constance Clayton, click on this link to a story about her published in the Philadelphia Tribune.

Retired South Carolina teacher Jennifer Clyburn Reed still serves community

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Retired middle school teacher Jennifer Clyburn Reed still serves her community. She was appointed by Pres. Joe Biden to serve on a federal committee that explores economic and poverty issues in South Carolina. Photo Credit: Southeast Crescent Regional Commission

It is always a privilege to share stories about hardworking educators who continue to serve their community, even after they leave the classroom. One of these is Jennifer Clyburn Reed, a retired middle school teacher who now serves on a committee that explores economic and poverty issues for her home state of South Carolina.

Born on Aug. 16, 1970, Jennifer is the middle child of three girls. She is the daughter of Jim Clyburn, who currently serves as the House Majority Whip in the US House of Representatives. Her mother, now deceased, was Emily (England) Clyburn.

After her graduation from Keenan High School in Columbia, South Carolina, in 1987, Jennifer earned a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science in 1991, a Master’s degree in Education in 1992, and a certification as an Education Specialist in 1994, all from the University of South Carolina. She earned her PhD in Educational Leadership in 2015 from Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Jennifer’s career as an educator spanned 28 years. She worked for 25 years at Richland County Middle School. There she served as a teacher and coordinator of her school’s AVID program. AVID is an acronym that stands for Advancement Via Individual Determination, a high school program that prepares minority and under-represented students for success at college. Jennifer next served as an Education Specialist for the South Carolina State Department of Education. In this role, she worked as an English teacher and literacy coach for the South Carolina Reading Initiative.

In 2017, Jennifer moved to the university level, where she served as the Director of the Center for the Education and Equity of African American students at the University of South Carolina. While there, she helped design the Apple Core Initiative (ACI), a program that works toward teacher recruitment, enrollment, and retention. She also served on the selection committee for the the Emily Clyburn Honors College Scholarship at South Carolina State University. She retired from the teaching profession in 2020.

In Aug., 2021, the former teacher was nominated by President Joe Biden to be a Co-Chairperson of the Southeast Crescent Regional Commission, a federal organization that works on issues related to poverty and the economy in the Southeastern United States. The US Senate confirmed her appointment in Dec., 2021. Her Co-Chairperson is South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster.