Teachers Black Students Need

Who are the teachers Black students need? In this thought-provoking book, award-winning superintendent Zachary Scott Robbins considers this question and the impact its answer has for Black children everywhere. Robbins articulates the heartfelt concerns of an educator and father raising children in public school, some unsafe, some mired in racial unrest, and some defined by inequality. He shares what teachers can do to mitigate the imbalance of resources and educational opportunities available to Black students and to establish relationships with Black students that are foundational for sustainable, positive academic outcomes.

Throughout the book, Robbins gives readers a roadmap to provide Black students with high-quality education. Topics include helping Black students see schooling as useful and relevant; affirming their strengths and interests; believing in students and celebrating their growth; helping Black students who experience racial discrimination, violence, and microaggressions in schools; using diverse learning materials to mitigate biases; avoiding academic grading bias and behavioral grading bias; making your classroom an academically and psychologically safe space; and using your voice to advocate for Black students.

Through a combination of stories and practical solutions, Robbins helps us re-imagine possibilities – and take action – on what schools can be for the Black students we serve.

Zachary Scott Robbins has “turned around” schools in Boston, Las Vegas, and Washington and was honored to be the 2022 Nevada High School Principal of the Year. Dr. Robbins was the 2021 City of Las Vegas African-American Trailblazer in Education Award Recipient, and in 2021, he was the President-Elect of the Secondary School Principals Association of Nevada. Dr. Robbins was educated at Howard University in Washington, DC, and he earned his PhD in Education Administration at the Boston College Lynch School of Education. You can find Dr. Robbins on Twitter/X at DrZacRobbins.