Product Description

In Learning While Black Janice Hale argues that educators must look beyond the cliches of urban poverty and teacher training to explain the failures of public education with regard to black students. Why, Hale asks simply, are black students not being educated as well as white students?

Hale goes beyond finger pointing to search for solutions. Closing the achievement gap of African American children, she writes, does not involve better teacher training or more parental involvement. The solution lies in the classroom, in the nature of the interaction between the teacher and the child. And the key, she argues, is the instructional vision and leadership provided by principals. To meet the needs of diverse learners, the school must become the heart and soul of a broad effort, the coordinator of tutoring and support services provided by churches, service clubs, fraternal organizations, parents, and concerned citizens. Calling for the creation of the "beloved community" envisioned by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Hale outlines strategies for redefining the school as the Family, and the broader community as the Village, in which each child is too precious to be left behind.

"In this book, I am calling for the school to improve traditional instructional practices and create culturally salient instruction that connects African American children to academic achievement. The instruction should be so delightful that the children love coming to school and find learning to be fun and exciting." -- Janice Hale

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #429225 in Books
• Published on: 2001-10-11
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 256 pages

From Publishers Weekly
In a wide but welcome swing of the pendulum, Hale (founder of a school for facilitating the intellectual development of African-American preschool children and author of two books on educating black children) fixes her gaze directly upon schools the teachers and the children. Here is a fresh and feisty look at the miseducation of African-American children by a knowledgeable practitioner (and Wayne State University professor of early childhood education), a "call for action directed to the organizations controlled by middle-class African Americans, not to beleaguered individuals themselves." Relying to some extent upon the Waldorf School Movement (an approach that emphasizes children's individuality), Hale offers a solution that recognizes the school as the impetus for inner-city African-American children to achieve upward mobility, relying on help from parents, churches, community volunteers and teachers. Her model attends to those differences between "Afro cultural" themes and "mainstream" ones, which influence the varying academic achievement of African-American children compared with white children's achievement. Cognizant of religion's role in African-Americans' lives, Hale, who holds a master's in religious education, envisions a major role for the African-American church in enriching children's lives. Although the metaphoric basis of her program ("the Family," "the Village" and "the Beloved Community") and the detailed account of her own parenting experiences are occasionally distracting, both add substance to her theory the former by the grandness of its scheme, the latter by attending to nuts and bolts. (Dec. 4)Forecast: Professional educators in urban areas and parents of black children are this book's primary audience. Although the cover (depicting a symbolic African scene of people walking toward the sun) suggests an Afrocentric philosophy and curriculum, booksellers will want to inform buyers that Hale's focus, while totally on the education of African-American children, is not Afrocentric.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist
Hale, author of Black Children: Their Roots, Culture, and Learning Styles (1986) and Unbank the Fire: Visions for the Education of African American Children (1994), offers a heartfelt and forthright assessment of the all-too-often daunting task facing parents of black students. She parallels the racial profiling of law enforcement with current educational assumptions that put black children at a decided disadvantage, facing educators' low expectations and indifference. Educational reform efforts that focus on parental involvement are doomed to failure when so many parents of children attending public schools lack the education, time, energy, and resources to effectively monitor the school and advocate on behalf of their children. Hale relates her own frustrating experiences with her son's private school and not being part of the "club" that knows the ins and outs and how to get around the rules. Hale offers a detailed strategy that focuses on the classroom and advocates coordinated community-support services and enhanced leadership roles for principals. An innovative and important book for parents and educators concerned about educating black children. Vanessa Bush
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Review

"A heartfelt and forthright assessment of the all-too-often daunting task facing parents of black students. Hale parallels the racial profiling of law enforcement with current educational assumptions that put black children at a decided disadvantage, facing educators' low expectations and indifference. Educational reform efforts that focus on parental involvement are doomed to failure when so many parents of children attending public schools lack the education, time, energy, and resources to effectively monitor the school and advocate on behalf of their children. Hale relates her own frustrating experiences with her son's private school and not being part of the 'club' that knows the ins and outs and how to get around the rules. Hale offers a detailed strategy that focuses on the classroom and advocates coordinated community-support services and enhanced leadership roles for principals. An innovative and important book for parents and educators concerned about educating black children." -- Booklist

"In a wide but welcome swing of the pendulum, Hale... fixes her gaze directly upon schools -- the teachers and the children. Here is a fresh and feisty look at the miseducation of African-American children,... a 'call for action directed to the organizations controlled by middle-class African Americans, not to beleaguered individuals themselves'... Hale offers a solution that recognizes the school as the impetus for inner-city African-American children to achieve upward mobility, relying on help from parents, churches, community volunteers and teachers. Her model attends to those differences between 'Afro cultural' themes and 'mainstream' ones, which influence the varying academic achievement of African-American children compared with white children's achievement.'." -- Publishers Weekly

"In this challenging book, Hale cites persistent teacher shortages, inadequate materials and facilities, and the lack of accountability among administrators as factors contributing to continual academic failure among low-income children in predominantly black public schools. To counter this situation, she proposes the concepts of 'being in the family, creating the village, and striving for the beloved community.'." -- Library Journal

"I have never read a book that has had as much impact on me as a parent and educator as did Learning While Black." -- Deborah Godwin Starks, ET Clark Academy

"Hale's well thought out suggestions put Learning While Blackat the forefront of discussions around educational reform." -- Jenny Lee, Black Parenting Today

"Hale's work not only can serve as an 'educational bible' for teachers and administrators who are serious about equalizing education between black and white students, but it can also assist parents and members of the community... a profound text that raises many issues legislators, administrators, educators, parents and the like fail to notice." -- Robbin L. Melton, Frost Illustrated

"This is an important book that should be read by teachers and all those concerned with education policy." -- Sage Race Relations Abstracts

Customer Reviews

Must read for Black Parents
Janice Hale writes about her experiences being a single mother and an educator by profession who was trying to ensure that her son was not only treated fairly, but taught in such a way as to ensure his success since she wasn't able to spare the time to do it herself. Although a lot of what she writes about is ethnically-specific (i.e. dealing with her son's teachers pre-concieved ideas about Black youth), there's one part that is applicable to children of any ethnicity: Parents who have the time or the resources to tutor their children had kids who were better students.

A Great Tool For African-American Parents
I am the parent of an African-American male entering kindergarten this fall, and this book is an excellent tool to help me deal with the school system. Thank you, Dr. Hale!

Thank you Dr. Hale!
Thank you Dr. Hale for an excellent text on an issue of critical importance! This is a great text for teachers, administrators and parents.