PSV: Black History From a Decolonized Perspective (6th-8th)

This African American studies course is designed to develop an understanding of the causes, character, and consequences of the African American experience and its influence on the world, the United States, and the African American community. Beginning with a historical, geographical, social, political, economic, and cultural understanding of the African continent, the course will provide a descriptive and corrective overview which will introduce the student to the study of the African and African American experiences. By teaching students about history pre-slavery, you build a deeper respect and self-confidence in black children who learn this early. 

The sources used in class come from widely respected scholars/professionals in the field including Darlene Clark Hine, William Hine, and Lisbeth Grant-Britton (All African American Educators and well respected authors, writers, and leaders in their fields. This class is structured to promote engagement, curiosity, and creative thinking among learners -- slides, videos, discussions, and games to interact with learners will be used. 

Typical class structure: 15 minutes reviewing homework & 30 minute lesson with discussions (may include a video on the topic not to exceed 5 minutes). There is a lot of discussion in this class. Oral discussion is a research backed way to help students build comprehension skills as well as develop and helping to retain information. The instructor asks a lot of questions and may gently call on students to help build rapport and confidence.

Regarding Homework: It will be reviewed during class time. It's expected to take students 15-20 minutes to complete homework assignments.

About the Class Instructor: Iman Alleyne -- I currently teach students throughout grades Preschool to 5th including students who have special needs. Over the past 4 years I started a Waldorf, Reggio, and Montessori inspired nature based program for kids under the age of 5 and have also started homeschool programs for kids over 5 years old called Kind Academy. I have homeschooled my own 3 children ages 4, 6, and 9 years old over the past few years as well.   I recently co-authored a book called African Americans: Why We Homeschool and How To Homeschool in Florida. I love helping families transition to homeschooling so they can feel confident in their abilities as a homeschool parent. You can see more about what our organization does at www.kindacademy.org.  I earned my Master's in School Counseling and my Bachelor's in Interdisciplinary Studies with a major in Education. My educational philosophy is one of using project based learning as well as place based education to enhance learning across subject matters. I am a strong believer in children having choice and voice in how they learn and encourage self-directed learning among my students. I like to motivate my students using goal setting and playing educational games to keep learning fresh and fun.  My favorite hobby is riding a scooter around my neighborhood with my 3 boys!  I am sure I look kind of silly riding around, but it is so much fun to feel the wind as I zoom by! I am also an avid Tik Tok Teacher! I absolutely love to dance and love teaching dance to students. It is such a great way to bond with them and build relationships.

Note: Cameras required to be turned on during the class; Homework should be submited prior to class start; Discussion based with light homework. Class size limited to 15. PSV Cost: $65/student (normal cost is $120/student on Outschool; full/partial scholarships available to PSV students based on need).