Showing Students their Intrinsic Value

By Ms. Tammie Vinson, Diverse Learner Teacher at DePriest Elementary School

One of the biggest issues I see with the way Black History Month is celebrated is that some individuals still act like Black people in America are separate from other people. It’s a mindset that has persisted long past the days when being separate was literally ingrained in our country’s culture.

And we still see glimpses of the belief that the parts of history that do not center on white people are a problem. But not in my classroom. My students are taught that all people have value and all people are relevant to shaping our future.

This year, my early childhood cluster students are currently working through a unit on buildings, so I made sure to show them a video on Black architects, interspersing it with music and other classroom resources that my students would find interesting and visually stimulating.

I’ve been teaching since 2001, always in predominantly Black schools on Chicago’s West Side, and the top way that I’ve found to show my students that they have value is by providing them with a quality education. I live on the West Side as well, so this mission is personal to me.

Black History Month makes me think of the writings of James Baldwin and the genius of Dr. Gladys West, whose mathematical work led to the creation of GPS. Mostly, I think about how there are too many influential Black heroes to know every fact about each of them.

As an educator, my students will get to know me very well, and that’s why I have a responsibility to bring different resources to the table that will meet each of their needs. I’m also never punitive. Instead, I want my students to think about the “why” behind their actions and use that reflection to grow socially and emotionally.

When you’re working with students, especially diverse learners, it can be easy to make assumptions about them or fall into treating them all the same. Being an impactful educator starts with seeing each student’s needs as individuals, keeping an open mind, and rooting your instruction in fairness and equity.

By doing that, you not only build a relationship with the student, you are also able to support their family. Historically, educators have been able to forge some of the strongest relationships within Black communities. Disinvestment has tried to disrupt those connections, but I always try to show my families that because my livelihood is tied to their children, I am on their side.

Education is often stratified, and we’ve normalized that. We’ve normalized Black kids and poor kids always being on the bottom. How can our students know that they are valued and important when that is the case?

Thus, I focus on creating a more culturally competent pedagogy so my students know that they are more than capable of achieving success. Growing inside of my classroom won’t mean anything to them if I’m only drawing from resources that have nothing to do with their lives outside of the classroom in our larger community. They need to come face-to-face with topics that interest them and people who look like them.

And, since I work with students who are just beginning their journeys in elementary school, my students know that I will continue to be a resource—or even just a friendly face in the hallway—for many years to come. 

As February winds down, my fellow Black educators should always remember that helping our students discover their inherent value starts with recognizing that we have value for all students, regardless of their race, socioeconomic status, or background. We chose this profession because we care, and we are going to continue to keep our classrooms moving forward so that our students can reap the benefits of a quality education.

Ms. Vinson is also passionate about exposing students to all subject areas and incorporating technology into her students’ learning. She has been teaching in CPS since 2001.