Robert Simmons III

This paper offers a student-centered conceptual model to consider in evaluating peer mentoring interventions
for Black male community college students to expand understanding on how Black male students make meaning of peer mentoring and related mentoring experiences, and whether or not this meaning-making aligns with the intended goal of mentoring programs.

This report measures and analyzes the work being done to advance Black Male Achievement across cities nationwide. The Promise of Place report utilizes the Black Male Achievement (BMA) City Index, which scores 50 cities according to their level of engagement and committed action on behalf of Black men and boys. The 10 cities with the highest scores are highlighted and in-depth profiles of how the top 3 cities – Detroit, MI; Oakland, CA; and Washington, DC – are improving the lives of Black men… Show more

This report measures and analyzes the work being done to advance Black Male Achievement across cities nationwide. The Promise of Place report utilizes the Black Male Achievement (BMA) City Index, which scores 50 cities according to their level of engagement and committed action on behalf of Black men and boys. The 10 cities with the highest scores are highlighted and in-depth profiles of how the top 3 cities – Detroit, MI; Oakland, CA; and Washington, DC – are improving the lives of Black men and boys are included. The Promise of Place also details the three areas where all cities must measurably do better to improve life outcomes for Black males :

-Mobilizing a Black male achievement stakeholder community
-Reimagining how we perceive Black men and boys and
-Developing and implementing a Black Male Achievement agenda to improve life outcomes for Black men and boys Show less

Upon arriving at my Jesuit high school in Detroit I became acutely aware of my positionality in a school populated by Whites, affluent African Americans, and students with two parents at home. Being neither White nor affluent, and being emotionally incarcerated while my father was physically incarcerated, my emotions oscillated between anger, hostility, and confusion. As such, I am called to reflect on recent conversations with African American males similarly positioned at Jesuit high schools.… Show more

Upon arriving at my Jesuit high school in Detroit I became acutely aware of my positionality in a school populated by Whites, affluent African Americans, and students with two parents at home. Being neither White nor affluent, and being emotionally incarcerated while my father was physically incarcerated, my emotions oscillated between anger, hostility, and confusion. As such, I am called to reflect on recent conversations with African American males similarly positioned at Jesuit high schools. In fact, their stories, situated alongside my own, ground this autoethnographic paper within two theoretical frameworks—resilience theory and critical race theory. By utilizing these frameworks, it is my intention to move beyond a language of crisis that framed my experiences and locate my experiences and those of the students within the juxtaposition of the possibilities associated with a Jesuit education and the resilience and centrality of interracial and intraracial relationships that frame being the “other” in Jesuit schools. Show less

To overcome the common fear of discussing race, of saying “something wrong”, this book brings together over thirty contributions by teachers and students of different ethnicities and races who offer their experiences, ideas, and advice. With passion and sensitivity they: cover such topics as the development of racial consciousness and identity in children; admit their failures and continuing struggles; write about creating safe spaces and the climate that promotes thoughtful discussion; model… Show more

To overcome the common fear of discussing race, of saying “something wrong”, this book brings together over thirty contributions by teachers and students of different ethnicities and races who offer their experiences, ideas, and advice. With passion and sensitivity they: cover such topics as the development of racial consciousness and identity in children; admit their failures and continuing struggles; write about creating safe spaces and the climate that promotes thoughtful discussion; model self-reflection; demonstrate the importance of giving voice to students; recount how they responded to racial incidents and used current affairs to discuss oppression; describe courses and strategies they have developed; explain the “n” word; present exercises; and pose questions.

For any teacher grappling with addressing race in the classroom, and for pre-service teachers confronting their anxieties about race, this book offers a rich resource of insights, approaches and guidance that will allay fears, and provide the reflective practitioner with the confidence to initiate and respond to discussion of race, from the pre-school and elementary classroom through high school. Show less

A first person essay that discusses the author’s childhood experiences in Detroit of learning about the Civil Rights Movement from people who had either participated in it or benefitted from it. Using his life as a starting point, Simmons discusses how he works with teachers and students to create oral history projects that focus on local communities. He stresses the importance of partnering with the community to expose the students to living legacies. In his lesson plan, he provides a detail… Show more

A first person essay that discusses the author’s childhood experiences in Detroit of learning about the Civil Rights Movement from people who had either participated in it or benefitted from it. Using his life as a starting point, Simmons discusses how he works with teachers and students to create oral history projects that focus on local communities. He stresses the importance of partnering with the community to expose the students to living legacies. In his lesson plan, he provides a detail guideline for how teachers can teach their students how to collect, store, and analyze first person narratives. Show less

African American males from urban communities have been attending Jesuit high schools in urban spaces for many years, yet little to no literature exists that explores their experiences while attending these elite private schools. This qualitative study of 10 African American males from an urban community attending a similarly positioned Jesuit high school on the East Coast revealed their struggles with both inter- and intra-racial dimensions of their experiences. This paper explores their… Show more

African American males from urban communities have been attending Jesuit high schools in urban spaces for many years, yet little to no literature exists that explores their experiences while attending these elite private schools. This qualitative study of 10 African American males from an urban community attending a similarly positioned Jesuit high school on the East Coast revealed their struggles with both inter- and intra-racial dimensions of their experiences. This paper explores their challenges with racist comments within the interracial context and their understandings of ‘acting White’ within the intra-racial context. Show less

Using a qualitative framework, researchers explored urban African American
male students’ perceptions of their school counselors and the ways to
improve school counseling services. While participants reported positive
feelings toward their school counselors, they identified specific services
school counselors can offer them to optimize academic and personal/social
performance. The authors discuss the findings’ implications on urban school
counseling service delivery.

How would students teach someone who doesn't want to learn? Here's what a few 9th graders we talked with at South High School in Minneapolis, Minnesota, had to say:

"I don't believe that there are kids who 'don't want to learn.' I do believe though, that some kids have trouble learning or don't understand what the teacher is saying or teaching."

"I think what motivates kids to learn is different for each individual student."

"Well, first of all, I'd address the problem in a… Show more

How would students teach someone who doesn't want to learn? Here's what a few 9th graders we talked with at South High School in Minneapolis, Minnesota, had to say:

"I don't believe that there are kids who 'don't want to learn.' I do believe though, that some kids have trouble learning or don't understand what the teacher is saying or teaching."

"I think what motivates kids to learn is different for each individual student."

"Well, first of all, I'd address the problem in a good way and find out the reason they don't want to learn."

As teachers, there are many things we can't control: district budgets, state legislatures' attitudes toward education and financing, No Child Left Behind and how it's interpreted, and inequality of wealth and educational privilege. But these 9th graders mentioned some things teachers can control. By focusing on what we can do, we can reach many learners who appear to have given up. Show less