Journal of a Black Teacher

For some African American-run charter schools, the mission of a learning organization is sometimes an in-depth lesson in school site survival (teacher shortages, payroll, leadership changes, founders syndrome, community branding, internal organizational communication, and cultures inside of workgroups resisting change); resources are available, but to use the resources, we need to have resources. As I move forward in my mission to share educational strategies for charter schools, I am documenting instructional practices in leadership to assist our K-8 scholars in middle schools break into the 70 proficiency mark, shortly thereafter, 90 to 100 with Gifted and Talented scholars fully identified and immersed on multiple levels. The theory is great - but practice, failures, and new beginnings make for rising to perfect (almost). By Don Allen, M.A. Ed./MAT Charter schools have emerged as a viable alternative to traditional public schools, offering innovative approaches to education and pro

 “There are no hard distinctions between what is real and what is unreal, nor between what is true and what is false. A thing is not necessarily either true or false; it can be both true and false.”  ~ Harold Pinter This is part one in an eight (maybe 10) part series on Twin Cities charter schools, human capital, organizational communication, problem-solving, and nuanced leadership to assist me in answering my dissertation question, “Why are Twin Cities charter schools failing Black Students? Is it a characteristic of charter schools in general, or is it something about how these particular Twin Cities charter schools are being run?” Photo: RAT.  By Don Allen - Editorial Opinion (Sunday, November 5, 2023 | Written for The Independent Business News Network-IBNN)      For anyone who knows me you know I enjoy looking into the blind spots. I have found in these blind spots a place to look at how school systems can coexist to achieve the maximum daily growth for students, parents, teachers,

  In the Fall of 2023, at the beginning of the new academic school year, I am asking all of my students to make a video for their parents by reading this letter; also, I'm collecting data (see the bottom).  by Don Allen, M.A. Ed./MAT  Dear Parent: You Are The Key To My Success At School. Can We Partner? Students read : As a student, the key to my success at school lies in the partnership between you, me, and my teachers. You undeniably play a crucial role in shaping my educational journey, and your involvement can greatly impact my academic performance. Your involvement provides me with a strong support system. When you take an active interest in my education, it sends a powerful message that education is important and valued in our home. This encouragement motivates me to strive for excellence and gives me the confidence I need to succeed. Furthermore, I become aware of my strengths and weaknesses when you are involved in my education. This knowledge allows me to provide targeted

There are many reasons why students don’t write well in college; the first of these reasons is that secondary school systems in the Twin Cities have watered-downed writing curricula and students that make it to advanced placement classes or take university classes in high school are an elite few creating another disparity; but still, they struggle too - ask any local university program - some of our scholars in college have 2.0 G.P.A.s simply because they did not learn academic writing in high school.     By Don Allen, M.A. Ed./MAT  (Editorial Opinion) (Inserted photo is my Grammarly overview from June 18-25)      Academic writing is essential for success in college and beyond. However, Twin Cities students often face significant challenges when it comes to mastering this skill. There are several reasons why students struggle with academic writing in college, including limited access to resources, inadequate preparation in high

  “Education must begin with the solution of the student-teacher contradiction, by reconciling the poles of the contradiction so that both are simultaneously teachers and students.”  ― Paulo Freire The class text reminds me of Herbert Kohl’s I Won’t Learn From You: and Other Thoughts on Creative Maladjustments as it pertains to exemplars of learning scenarios tied to family status and in-school academic performance; see the story about “Barry” (Kohl, 1995, p. 8).  Although not assigned this week, I liked Chapter One because it explores the importance of culturally responsive teaching practices in promoting student engagement and success; the authors highlight the need for an education system that recognizes the interconnectedness of social justice and environmental sustainability. They argue that traditional approaches to environmental education often ignore issues of power and privilege, perpetuating systems of oppression. In Culturally Sustaining Pedagogies , Chapter 2, You Ain'

By Don Allen, M. A. Ed./MAT      The Twin Cities public schools are supposed to be the foundation of education for our children, but unfortunately, they are committed to and incentivized to pursue mediocrity. This is a serious problem that needs immediate attention. One of the reasons why this is happening is because of leadership and funding. The schools are not getting enough money to provide quality education to students, and some in district leadership have dismissed talent for partisan politics.      As a result, teacher-eco systems are not motivated enough to put in extra effort, and students are not receiving the education they deserve; the data (Minnesota School Report Card) clearly shows the generational down spiraling.  Another reason is that there is no accountability for poor performance. Leadership and teachers who do not perform well are not held accountable, and there are no consequences for their actions. This leads to a culture of mediocrity where everyone settles for

  By Don Allen, M.A. Ed./MAT - Entry: J ournal of a Black Teacher May 26, 2023 Today, I am frustrated.      I’ve worked for the last seven years to understand the data-driven defeat of some of our most reputable educational institutions. When I write ‘defeat,’ it does not mean the system is not functioning at some level; you have buses, students, passing bells, teachers, social workers, counselors, administrators, and such with an output that might not meet the core ethics of society’s expectations for a well-rounded education system (creating Minnesota’s Best Workforce ). I could be wrong. Maybe people don’t care? I don’t hold any of the power; if I did, the conversation would look different. To be honest, I do not understand the current rules about being just fine with less and inefficient with what you have. Processing the Twin Cities' educational information for understanding and critique is very different from simply blaming the school systems for the recent uptick in teenage