Journal of a Black Teacher

by Don Allen, Ed.S., M.A. Ed., MAT (Journal of A Black Teacher)  Introduction      This article focuses on best practices and research-based strategies for teaching middle school students (ages 11–14) academic writing. As an educator working directly with these students, I encounter the daily reality of bridging gaps in their understanding, often starting with small, targeted chunks of knowledge. Adopting a constructivist approach, I aim to engage students in active learning experiences that scaffold their growth, fostering a mindset that sees improvement as achievable and writing as a skill they can develop. One core principle in this process is recognizing the importance of attention in learning. As Zaretta Lynn Hammond notes, “Attention drives learning. Neuroscience reminds us that before we can be motivated to learn what is in front of us, we must pay attention to it.” Applying this to middle school writing instruction means designing lessons that captivate students, making academi

Disclaimer: This article does not mention the vice president or former president by name, nor do I mention Black Greek organizations, community leaders, or celebrities. This editorial opinion is a practice of higher-order thinking, or what some might call ‘nuanced,’ meaning to look into blind spots for discovery, truth, and facts. By Don Allen, Ed.S., M.A. Ed., MAT (written for educational purposes) In the wake of Tuesday's presidential election, our communities are broken, far more than we will ever want to admit. A Black woman, an apex of feminism, strength, free will, and determination, was denied the top seat, in the top spot, in the top country in the world. This historic opportunity moment, pregnant with the promise of progress, was squandered, leaving in its wake questions about the fissures within the Black political landscape. While nobody has the answer, valid philosophical questions must be asked to understand the structures at play. In a period of increased racial con

By USA Radical Black - An Urban Educational Think Tank (columnist include Don Allen) When a human body expires, all that remains is a lifeless shell that once held the vibrancy and identity of an individual. Similarly, in many learning organizations, we witness a high “mortality rate” in leadership competence—leaders who, though physically present, lack the necessary vitality, innovation, and insight to drive positive outcomes for students and families. This stagnation comes at the expense of students and communities, who count on schools to be more than just custodians of their children’s time; they expect educational institutions to be engines of knowledge, growth, and preparation for future success. Yet, as data increasingly reveals, the systems entrusted with shaping young minds are often hollow, devoid of best practices, creativity, and effective output. Mortality Leadership Competence , a term introduced by Don Allen, Ed.S., M.A. Ed., MAT, challenges us to confront the sobering

By Don Allen, (Journal of A Black Teacher)  Teaching 11-14-year-olds academic writing presents unique challenges, as these students generally have no prior experience in academic writing and little reference for understanding the components involved. Research writing, poetry, narrative writing, biography writing, feedback writing, block letter formats, email etiquette, or even crafting action and adventure stories are unfamiliar territories for most of them. Unlike older students, they have few or no past examples to lean on, so everything from learning structure to finding their own voice has to start from scratch. There are many ways to teach middle school students academic writing, and middle school teachers hope that the previous grade teachers will have laid an introductory foundation that segways into middle school-level writing. In cultures of underserved communities and their school-aged children, a unique dynamic can be seen that provides data that children are not taught writ

By Don Allen -  Journal of A Black Teacher (2024) Random thoughts and reflections.  In the era of United States slavery, Black men and women ingeniously pursued the ability to read and write in defiance of prohibitive laws and life-threatening circumstances. More than the skill itself, literacy was an act of rebellion against the oppressive system that wished to maintain Black Americans in the United States in perpetual ignorance. Through ingenuity, bonds people used the most unlikely items for writing and reading classmates: sticks, rocks, string, flour-in particular, from kitchen workers' wood. In most instances, dirt was the "paper" on which to practice writing and spelling. These lowly resources became ways in which literacy would be interpreted as freedom, power, and a promise of a life worth living. Over the generations, Black families nurtured this tradition of knowledge and education, teaching their children to read and write and instilling values of intellectual

By Don Allen, Journal of A Black Teacher (2024) Lexile Level explanation  - parent guide (MDE) In fact, phonemic awareness development might be quite tough for underserved students in the Twin Cities and even within Black and Brown communities due to a generational achievement gap and inequity that exist in our educational systems. Many students in these communities come from generations of individuals who have not been in a place to support their own students due to socio-economic barriers: underfunded schools, large student-to-teacher ratios, and a lack of early childhood education opportunities. Often, this gap leaves parents unable to provide the resources needed for their children's literacy development. Phonemic awareness perhaps is the most critical requisite for early reading, dependent on rich, language-based environments that may not have been consistently provided to under-served students at home or via school experiences. Other disadvantages that can also counter these