Responses from the Teachers

Abstract

I wrestled with the question Gloria Lee asked me: Do you think of yourself as a teacher who happens to be African American or an African American teacher? The question, I believe, presents a false distinction. I am not going to minimize my professional identity as a teacher, but I am an African American teacher. I am first an African American, and I happen to be a teacher. I could be a doctor or a lawyer, or whatever, but I am an African American first and a teacher. Being an African American, as a matter of fact, has enhanced my teaching. I bring my experiences, my prior socialization, and my background to my classroom. I share these experiences with my students.