The Power of a Black Teacher! Featuring Erin Harden, Ph.D.
Written by Tamala Wiley
More and more my 13-year-old is beginning to inquire about college life and appears as though she's envisioning herself going to college. As an educator mom, I must say it makes my heart fill with pride to know that she's developing her own intrinsic motivation to pursue higher learning. In that moment of pride also comes moments of self-doubt for myself as a parent. I find myself wondering, “Have I done enough to prepare her?” Reflecting on my own school experience, I am keenly aware that it was not just my content knowledge that made me college ready but also critical opportunities throughout school where teachers shepherded me in participating and engaging in programming where I was able to develop college-level management and study skills.
Dr. Erin Harden, Program Manager at Teaching Lab
In this episode of The Power of a Black Teacher!, I sit down with Erin Harden, Ph.D., Program Manager at Teaching Lab, and discuss her thoughts on the high expectations for students of color, gaps in advanced course enrollment, and college readiness. In this interview, Erin answers:
How do school systems and structures create barriers for college and career readiness?
What opportunity gaps still persist for African American students that impact their selection and completion of advanced placement courses?
How does teacher bias and racial identity influence college and career readiness?
How do we create reflective professional learning experiences that center opportunities for teachers to understand how their racial and cultural identities influence their classroom practices that impact college and career readiness?
Listen to her describe how grappling with her own racial identity and experiences led her to understand how those experiences shaped and influenced interactions with students in the classroom and the importance of creating reflective professional learning spaces that nurture safe spaces to talk about race.
If you’re interested in some of the works Erin cited in her interview, you can find them in the following:
Ford, D. Y., Wright, B. L., & Trotman Scott, M. (2020). A matter of equity: Desegregating and integrating gifted and talented education for under-represented students of color. Multicultural Perspectives, 22(1), 28-36.
Freeman, K. (1997). Increasing African Americans' participation in higher education: African American high-school students' perspectives. The Journal of Higher Education, 68(5), 523-550.
Milner IV, H. R. (2006). The promise of Black teachers' success with Black students. Educational Foundations, 20, 89-104.
Moore III, J. L., Ford, D. Y., & Milner, H. R. (2005). Recruitment is not enough: Retaining African American students in gifted education. Gifted Child Quarterly, 49(1), 51-67.
Morgan, T., Zakhem, D., & Cooper, W. (2018). From high school access to postsecondary success: An exploratory study of the impact of high-rigor coursework. Education Sciences, 8(4), 191. https://doi.org/10.3390%2Feducsci8040191
Roderick, M., Nagaoka, J., & Coca, V. (2009). College readiness for all: The challenge for urban high schools. The Future of Children, 19(1), 185-210. https://doi.org/10.1002/jaal.443
Tierney, W. G., & Hagedorn, L. S. (Eds.). (2002). Increasing access to college: Extending possibilities for all students. SUNY Press.
Tamala Wiley drives Teaching Lab’s continued growth and impact by identifying and developing new clients and business opportunities for Teaching Lab to expand its professional learning services across the country. Tamala has 20 years of experience teaching, coaching, and leading. She is also the host of the “The Power of a Black Teacher!”
