Teaching Tips

Marquette: ... I looked around me and realized there was a wealth of  afro-centric material at my fingertips. Many of the trade books and textbooks I used as an adult were afro-centric in theme. So I began modifying these books for my children.   For example: I would get a university textbook on African American history, highlighters, and a pen. I would highlight in one color, say yellow, the parts of the text I thought were appropriate for my son at his stage of development. I would use another color, pink, for issues and info I thought should be addressed later. I would write notes in the margins as I went about any points I thought of I wanted to discuss,  definitions to words or terms used, etc. Then, I would simply read the text with my son, allowing for free-form discussion of the material as we went. I focused on discussion and thinking, not memorization. It's just as important for a child to learn to think as to learn information. What good is information if you can't process it and use it? As he grew older we would revisit the book using the yellow and pink parts. Eventually he used the books on his own in their entirety. Along the way the books were also used for my daughter.

Teaching Afrocentric History Course Syllabus

Shakitta: http://www2.h-net.msu.edu/~afrteach/ . There is also a database that has hundreds of reviews about books on Africa for elementary, middle and high school students. The link I have is broken, but will try and find it. Z's currently using "The Encyclopedia of African-American Heritage" along with "The New York Public Library Kid's Guide to Research" to write up research papers. We don't follow the classical method exactly, but we do use many of the suggestions that are outlined in "The Well-Trained Mind". She has a notebook divided in to several categories including History, Science, Mathematics, Art, and Music. We have a timeline running across the top of each category made from different colors of construction paper. She has not studied Africa in a chonological order. But she has studied several countries. She usually places what every information she finds in the appropriate section during the time it occurred. This helps *us* to see what was going on when. We are some what limited to what books our library carries (which is a great deal) and the books I can afford to buy for our bookshelves. We try to use the internet for maps, art projects, recipes, pictures, booklist, and what ever else we can find that will enhance our studies. Shakitta: What we're doing: My daughter is currently recording a tape that she will send to each one of her cousins with the Swahili words she has learned. She's also making index cards to go along with the tape. Because she is not please with her writing she will use the computer to print out a word list. We are looking for African clip art we can use with the words to make a coloring book. We are also developing a memory card game, where my daughter will match the Swahili word with a picture. This, and word games like scrabble will help her retain the words she has learned. We are also making good use of post-it notes. Placing them on items around the house. Websites: http://call.lingnet.org/resource/language/swalr000.htm Swahili Language Learning Resources. Another language to learn is Arabic. http://humanities.byu.edu/aata/whyarabic.html This site gives information on why you should learn Arabic, also it includes a brief history of the language. http://call.lingnet.org/resource/language/aralr000.htm Arabic Language Learning Resources Wsir: 1. I use standard European historical data based of any school curriculum. The African books I use Introduction to African Cilvilizations by John Jackson, African Cilvilization revisted by Basil Davison, the whole series of Unesco's General history of Africa, etc. not to mention Diop. The time line I just put up the dates on butcher paper and significant dates etc. 2. Mel Bay music on the net has the music/ CD book. I play drums from around the world (with a focus on Africa drums and folk instruments (balaphone, kora etc.). I try to follow art and music of a culture because that is where you can find early meaning. Also drums are found on every contienet so that's easy. 3. You know cooking is one of the best ways as well and enjoyable I might ads yum! We collect cookbooks from around the world (mainly Africa disaporan type). The pictures, the food, and the education. I believe food is even more valuable. There is a book called, Traditional foods are your best medicine and Consuming Culture. [...] (using a 'timeline', very important) at European history. This way we can see our influence on Europe before getting in to Greek-centric western reality. In music, I'm having then learn a few Afro-Uruquayan rhythms.[...] makes teaching them Spanish easier (they are learning about the Africans the Latin American) when they can see themselves etc. The book I like to read is John Jackson's "The Destruction of African Cilvilization". One of the the profound works about why the people of African heritage always fall for what Gil Scott Heron said, 'Trickology'. With teaching principals, they ask the question why are their so many prisons and why so many Black males occupy them (I have three boys). Well they need to know about politics, lobbyist, the economics of prison to society and how to avoid the odds. Alot for so small a youth but I teach it as a game on thier level. I love playing board games as a learning process with them. I don't have a living room I created a working library instead.