Full Description
Approximately 45% of young black children in the United States (under the age of six) live in poverty. It is well documented that education and economic security are inextricably linked and that early learning and early reading are undisputed contributors to a successful education. This book presents both the challenges and opportunities that exist for addressing the critical needs of black children, who have been historically underserved in the U.S. education system. This book explores the language, cognitive, social-emotional, and health development of black children from birth to age 8. The chapters approach this in three ways; first, they tackle why it is problematic to only characterize Black children's accomplishment in terms of "academic achievement." Second, they discuss the importance of the home-school environment connection. Lastly, they discuss the changes that need to be in teacher preparation in order to ensure that the workforce can practice racial equity in the classroom. These issues are woven together by a call to close the education opportunity gap via 'equity adjustments' that can target educational and health disparities facing the black community.
Contents
Part I: Striving for Educational Equity
Chapter 1. Introduction; Iheoma U. Iruka, Stephanie M. Curenton and Tonia R. Durden
Chapter 2. Ring the Alarm: Moving from Educational Gaps to Educational Opportunities for Black Students; Marisha L. Humphries and Iheoma U. Iruka
Chapter 3. Pathways to Excellence: What We Know Works for Nurturing Black Children's Success; Tonia R. Durden and Stephanie M. Curenton
Chapter 4. Historical Analysis: Tracking, Problematizing, and Reterritorializing Achievement and the Achievement Gap; Justin Olmanson, Zoe Falls and Guieswende Rouamba
Chapter 5. Cultivating Genius: Black Children and Gifted Education; Debra R. Sullivan
Chapter 6. Viewing African American Children's Oral Language Skills as a Strength; Nicole Gardner-Neblett, Stephanie M. Curenton and Kimberly A. Blitch
Part II: Home and School Environmental Contexts
Chapter 7. Home-school Partnerships in Support of Young Children's Development: The Intersection of Relationships, Rurality, and Race; Lisa L. Knoche and Amanda L. Witte
Chapter 8. The Experiences and Effects of Toxic Stress on Young African American Children; Brenda Jones Harden, Brandee Feola, Colleen Morrison, Shelby Brown, Laura Jimenez Parra and Andrea Buhler Wassman
Chapter 9. Father Involvement and Early Childhood Development in African American Families: Implications for Research, Practice, and Policy; Claire E. Baker
Chapter 10. African American Fathers' Mental Health & Child Well-being: A Cultural Practices, Strengths-based Perspective; Erika L. Bocknek, Marva L. Lewis and Hasti Ashtiani Raveau
Part III: Preparing Teachers and Improving Practice
Chapter 11. Teaching about Racial Equity Issues in Teacher Education Programs; Gloria Boutte
Chapter 12. Teaching Children to Fail: How Early Education Is Failing Black Youth; Tunette M. Powell and Ryan Syrek
Chapter 13. The Economic Realities of Early Childhood Education in the United States and the Policy Implications for Economically Disadvantaged Children, Families, and the Child Care Workforce; Melissa K. Van Dyke
Chapter 14. Afterword: Working toward Better Outcomes for Children and Their Families; Carla D. Thompson Payton
