From From ““Air Force 1sAir Force 1s”” to to ““AND1 Mix TapesAND1 Mix Tapes”” Cultural Aesthetics and Teacher Improvisation: The Cultural Aesthetics and Teacher Improvisation: The

Knowing That Comes From DoingKnowing That Comes From Doing An Epistemology of Providing Culturally ResponsiveAn Epistemology of Providing Culturally Responsive

Conflicting Curriculum Dr. Roland MitchellLouisiana State University

Improvisation as a Cultural Improvisation as a Cultural Aesthetic Ella Fitzgerald-First Lady Aesthetic Ella Fitzgerald-First Lady

of Songof Song

Improvisation as a Guide for Improvisation as a Guide for TeachingTeaching

A. Improvisation holds potential for enhancing learning for African-American students

B. Improvisation grounded in African-American experience is not essentialist in nature, but is eminently grounded in the collective histories associated with being black in America

C. Improvisation is at the heart of the practice of some educators that have had documented success at teaching African-American students.

Limited Representations of Black Limited Representations of Black Men and BoysMen and Boys

The popularized representations of The popularized representations of being black and male are extremely being black and male are extremely narrow. narrow.

What about Preachers and TeachersWhat about Preachers and Teachers—Leaders and Followers?—Leaders and Followers?

Why not emphasize the aspects of Why not emphasize the aspects of this culture of improvisation that are this culture of improvisation that are reflected in educational pursuits?reflected in educational pursuits?

Why Hip-HopWhy Hip-Hop

““ItIt’’s culturally relevant for them as well as myself s culturally relevant for them as well as myself because we share the same cultural space. Theybecause we share the same cultural space. They’’re a re a part of the hip-hop generation Ipart of the hip-hop generation I’’m also part of that m also part of that generation. Therefore itgeneration. Therefore it’’s a way to connect with them s a way to connect with them and Iand I’’m connecting on a cultural level and then we can m connecting on a cultural level and then we can begin to draw other connections for example how hip-begin to draw other connections for example how hip-hop music and its free-style relates to jazz. An idea of hop music and its free-style relates to jazz. An idea of improvisation that ties into spirituals, gospels and field improvisation that ties into spirituals, gospels and field hollers and so on. Ithollers and so on. It’’s a way to connect with them and s a way to connect with them and maybe to other kinds of cultural and social spaces. Itmaybe to other kinds of cultural and social spaces. It’’s s a pedagogical way to connect that is meaningful to a pedagogical way to connect that is meaningful to them on their terms. But then you can re-write the them on their terms. But then you can re-write the terms and take it to different spaces. I think thatterms and take it to different spaces. I think that’’s the s the goal of my pedagogy. Trying to find a cultural space to goal of my pedagogy. Trying to find a cultural space to connect and then using that to open up other kinds of connect and then using that to open up other kinds of questions.questions.””

What do the Experts SayWhat do the Experts Say Teaching is political and must be Teaching is political and must be

transparenttransparent

I think one of the biggest problems that we face as I think one of the biggest problems that we face as a society is apathy a level of social cowardice. We a society is apathy a level of social cowardice. We feel like if we just do our little minimal expected feel like if we just do our little minimal expected function that the whole of the system will function. function that the whole of the system will function. History has shown that is just not the case. We History has shown that is just not the case. We have to have voices that will raise positions that have to have voices that will raise positions that needs to be heard and dealt with. The willingness to needs to be heard and dealt with. The willingness to bring to light truth as you understand it that may bring to light truth as you understand it that may not shine so positively on those who are in positions not shine so positively on those who are in positions of power. Itof power. It’’s important to model in our work as s important to model in our work as teachers a principal of engagement with society. teachers a principal of engagement with society.

What do the Experts SayWhat do the Experts Say

You Must make the topic You Must make the topic relevant to the lives of studentsrelevant to the lives of students

Driving while Black impacts both Driving while Black impacts both White and Black students White and Black students

What the Experts SayWhat the Experts Say

AAll students bring important insights ll students bring important insights to the classroomto the classroom

It is my assumption that all of my students It is my assumption that all of my students have knowledge to bring to bear and have knowledge to bring to bear and subsequently in the case of my African subsequently in the case of my African American male students it means making American male students it means making connections to African American cultural connections to African American cultural discourses helping them to see that they discourses helping them to see that they have relevant knowledge to bring to have relevant knowledge to bring to bear…connections to whatbear…connections to what’’s being s being discussed in the classroom.discussed in the classroom.

What Have We LearnedWhat Have We Learned

The resulting conception of culturally The resulting conception of culturally responsive practice has specific responsive practice has specific implications for:implications for:

• Teacher education practice Teacher education practice • Policy concerning targeted hiringPolicy concerning targeted hiring• Professional development for all educators Professional development for all educators • The potential scope of data collection and The potential scope of data collection and

analysis in such teacher knowledge analysis in such teacher knowledge researchresearch