Autobiography of Malcolm X Imparts Important
Lessons About Teaching and Learning
By Eugene V. Gallagher
The last two decades have seen an explosion of research into teaching and learning, including issues about diversity in the classroom. Though there is much to be learned from that literature, a fresh look at some classic texts can also yield important insights into the learning process. Even 40 years after his death — on Feb. 21, 1965 — the Autobiography of Malcolm X ranks among the best books about learning I’ve ever read. Here are a couple reasons why I say this.
Teachers Matter A Lot
The autobiography contains arguably the single most terrifying vignette about teaching. Early on in the book, Malcolm recalls a conversation with his seventh-grade English teacher, who told him that aspiring to be a lawyer was “no realistic goal for a n*****.” That passage should be required reading for anyone who ever enters a classroom. It shows with brutal clarity how even casual comments can have far-reaching consequences. It highlights teachers’ often-unacknowledged abilities to deter student learning, even when they’re trying to help. It shows that students remember not necessarily what teachers want them to, but what deeply affects them.
Fortunately for him, Malcolm had several other teachers who helped him develop his analytical and expressive abilities. Yet none of them
were part of the conventional educational establishment. When he started his career as a petty thief, for example, Malcolm was “schooled” in everything from hair care to proper apparel to petty scams by his fellow Boston criminal, Shorty. Later, in jail, a prisoner named Bimbi motivated Malcolm to begin a project of self-education. With nothing but time on his hands, Malcolm set out to copy the entire dictionary in longhand. While the design of that task was inefficient, the dedication it demanded is unquestionable. Malcolm thus began to arm himself with one of the most effective weapons in the battle against racism and ignorance — a comprehensive command of the English language.
Teachers Don’t Matter at All
