Cultivating the Genius of Black Children: Strategies to Close the Achievement Gap in the Early Years

Cultivating the Genius of Black Children: Strategies to Close the Achievement Gap in the Early Years

Debra Ren-Etta Sullivan
$29.95
Publication Date: March 29th, 2016
Publisher:
Redleaf Press
ISBN:
9781605544052
Pages:
184
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Description

There has been much attention given to the achievement gap between white and minority students, especially African American children. Through research and years of experience, the author breaks down the cultural influences on children's learning styles and provides a practical approach to helping black children thrive in the classroom.

For black children, which Sullivan defines as those of African descent, there is a disconnect between learning preferences and learning environments that must be bridged before the achievement gap can be closed. This hands-on resource is filled with effective strategies and best practices to help early childhood educators expand their toolbox for supporting children.

Increasing cultural intelligence will allow us to work across the many differences in our classrooms. As our schools become more diverse, cultural competency will be an increasingly important skill for teacher's efficacy and children's success. By cultivating the individual genius of each child and meeting children where they are today, we can invigorate the education system and provide children high-quality early education experiences.


Age focus: 3-9

About the Author

Debra Ren-Etta Sullivan, EdD, is the Dean of Applied Behavioral Science at Seattle Central College and the President of the Seattle Affiliate of the National Black Child Development Institute. She is the cofounder of the Praxis Institute for Early Childhood Education. She has more than twenty-five years of experience in higher education as a teacher, researcher, and administrator. Debra holds a doctorate in educational leadership, and a master's degree in curriculum and instruction. Currently, Dr. Sullivan serves on Washington State's Early Learning Council, the Foundation for Early Learning Advisory, the Families and Education Levy Oversight Committee, the National Association for the Education of Young Children Professional Development review panel and nominating panel, and the ParentMap Magazine editorial board. She is the author of Learning to Lead: Effective Leadership Skills for Teachers of Young Children, Second Edition and coauthor of Learning from the Bumps in the Road: Insights from Early Childhood Leaders.