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The art of teaching is something that I have grown to mature in over the last 17 years of my life. Each year, regardless of what capacity I serve in, I am always focused on providing better educational outcomes for my students and their families.
I love teaching because I believe — in fact, I know — children are our future, and I want to teach them how to reach their fullest potential in life.
Reflecting on my journey, I have always taught children who public schools have purposely left behind, have overlooked, counted out and given up on in many respects. Growing up, I saw teachers as activists speaking out against these atrocities in our school PTA meetings and in the community.
Their advocacy inspired me as a student leader. We don’t tell the stories of Black teachers who have dedicated their lives to efficiently educating Black children and being activists for change against an oppressive public education system. As a teacher, I now write about their stories and have created the EdLanta Student Coalition, empowering my students to be leaders for change and young activists.
Black students deserve to have teachers who will inspire, empower and help them become productive citizens.
Every day I’m in a school or teaching virtually, I’m inspiring, empowering and modeling what citizenship looks like for my students. Our work as teachers impacts our students in and out of the classroom. This is one of the reasons why I love teaching. I get to inspire, empower and help my students become productive citizens.
Last year, during the onset of the pandemic, I still managed to have a 93% homework turn in rate online. Strategies that I learned and got to share through Profound Gentlemen’s impact program helped me achieve that accomplishment.
However, this came to a sudden end when I lost my fight against the state regarding their certification program requirements. It was not completely a total loss, considering that my activism as an educator of color helped to end the mandatory edTPA test and program.This didn’t stop my advocacy or my ability to teach. We have to create spaces for teachers who are educational activists as well.
I’m currently working on my Masters in Special Education. Recently, I’ve become a part-time Teacher/Instructor at 7 Pillars Career Academy. Christian Guillen, Founder and Head of Schools, is one of the most innovative educational leaders of our time. Last school year during the pandemic, I was a founding teacher at the school. Returning back to being a full-time student took me away from teaching, but didn’t take me away from being an activist for social justice.
In January, Ms. Guillen created a space for me to teach a journalism class part-time, through the school’s Passport Program that focuses on social justice. This type of innovation, educational leadership and cultural inclusion in curriculum is why I love teaching.
It also helps elevate the voices of the next generation to dismantle the systems still oppressing Black and brown people. Support our call to action here to protect Black lives in Georgia public schools, and contact a local school board leader today.
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Jason B. Allen is a Special Education Teacher in Clayton County, Georgia. He is a member of the Association of American Educators (AAE) and an AAE Foundation Advocacy Fellow.
