Journal of a Black Teacher

Oh, STEM and STEAM …the magic buzzwords that every underserved school district has been chanting like a spell for the last twenty years. Walk into any school brochure, PowerPoint, or grant application, and you’d think kids in underfunded communities are basically building Mars rovers between lunch and sixth period. Administrators proudly point to a donated 3D printer gathering dust in the corner, or a “ STEM Day ” that happens once a year, right between standardized testing and whatever crisis comes next. Yet after two full decades of promises, slogans, and colorful STEAM posters taped to cracked walls, what do we really have? Students who can’t take home a functioning laptop. Classrooms with broken microscopes. Robotics teams that never got off the ground because the coach quit after the second week. Teachers who get “training” that amounts to a YouTube video and a prayer. If this is STEM, then no wonder Black America isn’t preparing for orbit; we’re still trying to get working Wi...

“With gratitude, optimism is sustainable. If you can find something to be grateful for then you will find something to look forward to - and you carry on. ” ~Michael J. Fox  By Don Allen, M.A. Ed./MAT      While only a few Twin Cities public schools try to educate our children, charter schools have high potential advantages for our Black, Hispanic, Native American, and Asian children; it's essential to recognize that charter schools vary widely in their approaches, quality, and outcomes. It's crucial for parents to thoroughly research and visit specific charter schools to assess their academic performance, teaching methods, student support services, and overall fit for their child's needs and aspirations. Parents should consider all available options and make an informed decision based on what they believe is best for their child's education and well-being.      In recent years, charter schools have become a popular alternative to traditional...