Does American society want to educate all of its children? An optimist would respond that of course it does, but it just can't seem to provide equity in its distribution of resources and educational outcomes. Others would argue that social, political and economic forces create hurdles which slow or completely retard the flow of positive educational goods and benefits into certain communities.
But such forecasters sit on the periphery of actual classrooms and schools and hurl their ideas, theories and statistical models. The end result is often a neatly packaged and publicly distributed report that blames the victims for their own educational demise.
On the other hand, how would that initial question be answered by the infantry who monitor the front lines of the educational landscape, who wage war in classrooms and communities against overwhelming odds, and who seek to mold the lives, hopes and dreams of generations of Black youth?
Their answers are contained in Michele Foster's book, Black Teachers on Teaching, which serves as a narrative scorecard of America's educational success with children of color. Foster, a professor of education and a consultant, has gathered life-history interviews from twenty teachers who are drawn from a diverse pool. They vary in age, in background, in years of teaching, in type of school, in disciplines taught, and in other demographic characteristics. They were selected through a "community nomination" process which identified them as some of the most committed and effective instructors.
The interviews are categorized according to the length of teaching experience of the speakers. Ranging from elders and veterans to novices, their words span more than fifty years of tireless dedication. Black teachers are part of a long tradition with a definite mission and nowhere is this more evident than through the pages of this book of narratives The book's purpose is quite evident: It is to serve as a testimony and realistic guide to one of America's most demanding jobs - teaching Black youth within an educational and social system that is unforgiving and unprepared to meet the needs of these kids.
