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The Power of One

How You Can Help or Harm African American Students

By: Gail L. Thompson

Combining first-person narratives, personal growth exercises, and informational text, this staff development resource helps educators address the mind-sets that can impede their progress with African American students.

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Product Details

Grade Level: K-12
ISBN: 9781412976763
Published By: Corwin
Year: 2009
Page Count: 200
Publication date: December 07, 2009

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Description

"This is the book I have been waiting for—a workbook filled with stories, data, and the latest research. In clear, beautifully written prose, Gail Thompson asks us to examine our own preconceptions and perceptions. By completing the exercises and keeping a journal, we can discover our strengths and our challenges. We are encouraged to make real changes in the way we teach and in our relationships with our African American students. This book is for all of us: new teachers, experienced teachers, administrators, mentors, community workers, and anyone who wants to help rather than harm these brilliant, hopeful, marvelous young people in our care."
—Julie Landsman, Writer, Teacher, Consultant
Minneapolis Public Schools and Art Teachers FACET Program

"A comprehensive, definitive resource for educators and all those responsible for enhancing equity, excellence, and educational achievement for African American students. Thompson has produced an engaging, solutions-oriented workbook that artfully integrates well-documented research and the right, rich blend of theoretical insights. The absence of jargon, the clarity of the writing, the substantive content, and the personal accounts of educational experiences of an array of diverse education stakeholders contribute to making this work understandable, engaging, appealing, and imaginative. Thompson's own compelling experiences as a student and successful experience as a researcher and an educator inform the work. If I could choose only one resource, The Power of One would be number one."
—Audrey P. Watkins, Associate Professor of African American Studies
Western Illinois University

YOU have the power to make a difference with your African American students!

This interactive staff development resource helps educators deal with the main barriers—often personal assumptions or mind-sets—that can impede their progress with African American K–12 students. Calling upon readers to embark upon a personal journey to address these issues, the author skillfully combines moving first-person narratives, personal growth exercises, and informational text, and shows educators how to:

Deal with obstacles to successful classroom management
Foster positive interactions within the classroom
Prepare African American students to succeed on standardized tests
Build positive relationships with African American parents

Gail Thompson discusses her books. Video courtesy of Claremont Graduate University.

Key features

Calls upon readers to embark upon a personal journey designed to help them uncover and address mindsets that can impede their efficacy with African American students
Combines moving, real-life vignettes and classroom scenarios, personal growth activities, and informational text in a manner that touches hearts and minds
Includes unique chapters on working with families and preparing African American students to suceed on standardized tests
Suitable for staff development with both individuals and groups

Author(s)

Gail L. Thompson

Dr. Gail L. Thompson, Founder & CEO of Inspirations by Gail LLC, is a critically acclaimed author of many articles and books; former secondary school teacher; and former Executive Director of Equity at Illuminate Education. During her years as the Wells Fargo Endowed Professor of Education at Fayetteville State University, she created and served as Director of the Black Men Teaching (BMT) Program, and supervised doctoral students.

In addition to creating and implementing “The Literacy Club,” an afterschool reading incentive program for struggling readers at several schools, Dr. Thompson has appeared on numerous television and radio programs, including PBS Television’s “Tony Brown Journal.”

Dr. Thompson books include the award-nominated The Power of One: How You Can Help or Harm African American Students; Through Ebony Eyes: What Teachers Need to Know but are Afraid to Ask About African American Students; and Up Where We Belong: Helping African American and Latino Students Rise in School and in Life.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments

About the Author

Introduction: Why Alarm Bells Should Be Ringing in Our Heads

Part 1. Beliefs, Mind Sets, and Baggage

1. Identifying the Personal Benefits of Increasing Your Efficacy With African American Students

2. That Baggage Is Too Heavy: Uncovering Negative Mind Sets That Can Undermine Your Work With African American Students

3. "You Can't Help but Talk About Race": Examining Your Beliefs About Racism and Racial Problems

4. "To Be Honest, I Can't Stand His Mama": Facing Your Personal Issues About the Parents of African American Students

Part II. The Curriculum, Classroom Management, and Testing

5. A Hard Knock Life: How Teachers Can Use the Curriculum to Empower African American Students

6. Only the Strong Survive: Dealing With Roadblocks to Effective Classroom Management

7. Using Wisdom in Assessing Students in Spite of the High-Stakes-Testing Mania

8. Learning From Classroom Scenarios and Other Problems That Concern Educators

Conclusion: A Work in Progress: Committing to Ongoing Personal and Professional Development

Appendix

References

Index

Reviews

"This is the book I have been waiting for. It is filled with stories, the latest research, data, and a workbook all in one. In clear, beautifully written prose, Gail Thompson asks us to examine our own preconceptions and perceptions. By completing her exercises and keeping a journal as she suggests, we can discover our strengths and our challenges. We are encouraged by Thompson to continue this exploration and to make real changes in the way we teach and in our relationships with our African American students. This book is for all of us: new teachers, experienced teachers, administrators, mentors, community workers, and anyone who wants to help rather than harm these brilliant, hopeful, marvelous young people in our care."

Julie Landsman, Writer, Teacher, Consultant
Minneapolis Public Schools and Art Teachers FACET Program

"Gail Thompson is one of the few scholars around who actually can help teachers increase their efficacy with African-American students. In this terrific follow-up to Through Ebony Eyes, Thompson provides specific strategies and useful exercises to help teachers understand their own power to be positive forces in the lives of children."

Deborah Appleman, Professor and Chair of Educational Studies
Carleton College

"A comprehensive, definitive resource for educators and all those responsible for and interested in enhancing equity, excellence, and educational achievement for African American students. I congratulate Thompson for producing such an engaging, solutions-oriented workbook, which artfully integrates well-documented research and the right, rich blend of theoretical insights. The absence of jargon, the clarity of the writing, the substantive content, and the personal accounts of the educational experiences of an array of diverse education stakeholders contribute to making this work understandable, engaging, appealing, and imaginative. Thompson’s own compelling experiences as a student and her successful experience as a researcher and as an educator inform the work. If I could choose only one resource, The Power of One would be my number one choice."

Audrey P. Watkins, Associate Professor of African American Studies
Western Illinois University

"A much-needed contribution to the field of education. This book eloquently discusses the impact that one educator can have on the lives of African American students. From the discussion of the 11 ways this book can help the reader to the productive exercises within each chapter, this book is a must-read! I definitely endorse this book for anyone who is interested in the effective education of our African American children."

Chance W. Lewis, Endowed Chair and Associate Professor of Urban Education
Texas A&M University

"Thoughtfully engages readers on the power of challenging mindsets to help provide positive outcomes for all students."

P. S. Arter
CHOICE magazine, October 2010 (Vol. 48, No. 12)

Other Titles in: Teaching Strategies for Diverse Students | Cultural Competence | At-Risk

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Review Copies

This book is not available as a review copy.