Preparing children for critical race consciousness: A resource for parents and teachers

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Elfordby guest blogger Dr. Elford Rawls-Dill, PhD 

I can still remember reading the words penned by Paulo Freire, “…No one is born fully-formed: it is through self-experience in the world that we become what we are.” I first read these words during my sophomore year of college, when my life compared to now, could have been defined as simple. But even during my simpler years without a wife, children, and the responsibilities of family hood, I tussled with the idea of self-identity and the concept of understanding how the “little me” existed in the “big world.” I mean, haven’t we all wondered:

  • “What’s my place in this world?”
  • “How do I matter?”
  • “How do others see me?”

As a husband, father, son, brother, teacher, and administrator, I have asked myself time and time again, “Who am I?” And it was through my lived experiences coupled with a critical self-reflection protocol that I began to truly understand myself, and how the world fit around me. It is this experience that I want for my children and the students and teachers I engage with each day.

Based on lived experiences germane to race, culture, and self-identity, my wife and I made the decision to raise our children, Laila and Little El, to be critically and culturally conscious. We thought it would be beneficial for each of them to possess the background knowledge, vocabulary, and analytical tools necessary to conceptualize the complex social norms they would encounter as children living in America. In fact, as a teacher, I utilized this same approach to construct curricula and instructional practices relevant to critical and culturally responsive pedagogical practices.

For parents and teachers, the thought of nurturing critically race conscious children/students can be intimidating. Here in America, the concept of critical consciousness can be a complex structure for most adults. However, throughout my child rearing and teaching experiences, I have constructed a concise and age- appropriate method for providing teachers and children a framework to better understand the value of critical consciousness in the classroom & home settings. The framework is:

A.R.A.

  • Awareness
  • Reflective/Reflection
  • Activism

This sequential A.R.A. Model provides a structured approach to engaging children in healthy dialogue germane to their own identity while also encouraging them to be self-reflective and active participants in their learning and development.

Awareness is the foundational element in the process of nurturing critically conscious children. During this stage self-identity and group identity is introduced to the child.  Within the Awareness phase, children learn to embrace their unique attributes (social/emotional/physical/talents) while also learning to identify the distinctive attributes of their peers. It is important that parents/educators utilize a vast array of culturally responsive literature, arts, games, informational texts, current events, and other forms of appropriate media to engage children in discussions germane to their Awareness as it relates to their critical consciousness.

Reflection is the second element of A.R.A. Model.  The Reflective process requires the parent/teacher to engage the child in a self-to-self discussion guided by a set of formalized questions. The basic questions for the Reflective process include:

  • What do I feel/think about the ____________(concept from Awareness)?
  • How does ________________(concept from Awareness) impact me?
  • How might/can ______________(concept from Awareness) impact someone else?
  • How can I relate/identify with __________________ (concept from Awareness)?
  • If it were up to me I would change _____________________ (concept from Awareness).
  • _____________________ (concept from Awareness) is not fair/equal/just because_________________.
  • Are/Is ______________________(concept/character/person from Awareness) different or like me? If so, how so? If not, how not?

These prompts are designed to stem the self-to-self discussion as a meta-cognitive practice. After extensively going through such a process, the Reflective protocol will become more organic.

Activism is the final stage of the A.R.A. Model. It is during this stage that the parent/teacher asks the child what she/he can do to change, resolve, report, or chronicle an event or occurrence. During this critical stage of the framework, the child/student begins to exert her/his power and dialogue relevant to the topic/content. Since this portion of the model is designed to empower the child/student, it is important that the parent/teacher allow the child creative freedom. Thus, the teacher is not to “assign” a mode of student communication/publication.

The only guidelines for the Activism stage is that the child/student must:

  1. Select an audience/receiver of the communication/publication.
  2. Review and Discuss findings from the Awareness
  3. Summarize their Reflective
  4. Explain potential resolutions or practices that might improve a concept discovered during the Awareness/Reflective

Recently, my daughter, Laila, brought home a book from her school library for an independent reading assignment. The book highlighted the various living quarters of diverse populations across the globe. Each continent was represented by an illustrative example of a “home” and its inhabitants. Most of the illustrations not only depicted the “home” but the “family” or inhabitants were depicted, as well.

Laila is an actively engaged 2nd grade student. Both she and my son, El, a kindergarten student, have been taught to be racially conscious using the A.R.A model. Here is a conversation that occurred between the three of us after Laila and El read the book, “Different Homes Around the World.”

Laila: Daddy I have to show you something.

Dad: Sure, what’s up Laila?

Laila: This book isn’t fair (opening the book).

Dad: Really? Why not?

Laila: Look, the boy in Africa looks dirty and his house has dirt floors. The other houses look better than his (shows pictures of other homes).

Dad: That’s pretty interesting. Is there anything else that concerns you?

Laila: Yes, he doesn’t have any parents in his picture. And you showed me other pictures of places in Africa that are really nice. But this place in the book doesn’t look nice.

Dad: How does that make you feel?

Laila: It makes me feel sad. The boy looks sad in the book.

Dad: Well, what can you do about that?

Laila: I can make a better picture of an African house.

Dad: Yes, that’s a start. I want you to reflect and think about other things you can do, too. Think about people you could speak to about your concerns.

The contents and illustrations in the book sparked Laila’s empathy for a group that is often marginalized in the media. Her awareness is critical in this situation; without my prompting, Laila had “discovered” a misinterpretation in the text. She moved from Awareness to Reflection with very little prompting and this is a result of her previous training in the A.R.A model. In this instance, the next step for Laila is Action.

My probing questioning technique queued her thinking; “well, what can you do about it?” Laila’s first response was basic. She wanted to “right” what she thought was wrong by recreating an illustration that she deemed appropriate. This initial response is noble but it fails to constructively confront the source or creator of the misinterpretation. Thus, I asked Laila to engage in further “reflection”, and to consider whom she could speak to regarding her concerns.

After two days, I revisited the conversation with Laila:

Dad: So, did you think about whom you could talk to about your concerns?

Laila: Yes, I could talk to my teacher and the librarian. That book shouldn’t be in the library.

Dad: That’s a great place to start. Is there anyone else?

Laila: The author? (Unsure)

Dad: And how can you do that?

Laila: I can write a letter.

Our dialogue above, prompted Laila to move into the “Action” stage of A.R.A. She is currently working on crafting a letter to the author of the book, making her concern a reality to the book’s author. This engaging experience helped to further awaken a sense of agency and power in Laila, a critically race conscious 2nd grade student.

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Dr. Elford Rawls-Dill is a life-long learner. Over the last 15 years, Dr. Rawls-Dill has devoted his life to teaching, mentoring, coaching, and leading both students and staff in the New Jersey private and public school sector. Dr. Rawls-Dill has successfully led the charge to increase student achievement at the school and district level as a school administrator. In addition, as a school principal and district administrator, he has worked to implement culturally responsive educational practices with a high level of fidelity.

During his school administrative tenure, he has successfully led student-centered educational reforms replete with rigorous academic standards and relevant 21st Century learning models designed to enhance the learning experiences for all students. Dr. Rawls-Dill earned his PhD in Educational Leadership at Northcentral University in Prescott Valley, Arizona. He also earned a Masters Degree in Educational Leadership at Monmouth University in West Long Branch, New Jersey.

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