Incorporating Afrocentric Curriculum for K-12 African ...

Afrocentric Curriculum

INCORPORATING AFROCENTRIC CURRICULUM

FOR K-12 AFRICAN AMERICAN STUDENTS

By

Brett H Stewart

A Project Submitted to the Faculty of

The Evergreen State College

In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements

for the degree

Master in Teaching

2003

This Project for the Master in Teaching Degree By

Brett H. Stewart Has been approved for

The Evergreen State College

By

\ Dr. Ratna Roy, Ph.D.

Dr. Therese Saliba, Ph.D.

March 3,2003

Afrocentric Curriculum

Abstract The historical legacy of racial discrimination in the United States points to the need for continued recognition of cultural diversity. DuBois (1935), Woodson (1933). Karenga (1980) and Asante (1987) pointed to the failure of the public school system and challenged African Americans to develop a new system for themselves. For many African American educators and parents, the Afrocentric multicultural curriculum has been a viable option. A review of literature was conducted to answer the research question: "What is the feasibility of incorporating an Afrocentric curriculum in K-12 public school systems, which provides instruction geared toward African American students' learning styles?" As addressed in the study, an Afrocentric curriculum is viable if Afrocentric instructional materials are adopted that address African culture and history (Hilliard, 1990); the learning styles of African American students are considered to facilitate learning (Giddings, 2001); Constructivist and culturally relevant pedagogical approaches are adopted to facilitate intellectual development (Pasteur and Toldson, 1982); teacher training is given high priority (Irvine, 1992); a positive school culture exists (Fullan, 1990); and parents are involved (Smith-Maddox, 1999). The premise of this study was that the curriculum of the school and the instructional materials should convey a message of equal educational opportunity and inclusion of all students. Training teachers to facilitate an Afrocentric curriculum requires the exploration of new materials, ideas, and perspectives that recognize the culture of African American students. Asante predicts, "Future historians will write that no intellectual idea has been so maligned in the 20th century as Afrocentric theory, the idea that African people are agents and actors in history" (Asante, 1996, p. 31). Based on the findings in this study,

Afrocentric Curriculum implementation of an Afrocentric curriculum is feasible and necessary because it assures greater success for African American Students.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS:

CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION

1

The Recognition of Diversity: The Salad Bowl of the U.S.

1

Statement of Research Question

2

Relevance/Importance of Question

3

Rationale

4

CHAPTER TWO: HISTORICAL BACKGROUND

7

American Education History: A Eurocentric Legacy

7

Cultural Pluralism: Multicultural Education

10

Forerunners of Afrocentricity

11

The Emergence of African American Independent Schools

14

Development of an African American Value System

17

The Emergence of Afrocentricity

19

Conclusion

20

CHAPTER THREE: REVIEW OF LITERATURE

22

Introduction

22

Principles of Afrocentricity

22

Afrocentric Textbooks

25

Arguments For and Against Afrocentric Curriculum

29

African American Learning Styles

33

Pedagogical Approaches for Facilitating Intellectual Development

40

Constructivist Pedagogy

40

Culturally Relevant Pedagogy

42

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