Results of the Black History Month Celebration
Teacher Evaluation and Student Comments, February 2-9, 2001
Every teacher of the 50 classrooms that came to the educational component of the celebration was given an evaluation as they left the church. Ten days later we also sent a reminder about the evaluations. To date, we have only received 18 out of the possible 50 evaluations.
1. Was this a useful project?
All 18 teachers said "YES!". Many were very enthusiastic in their praise! One teacher wrote, "For me as a teacher, it helped the history I have been teaching in my class come alive for my students. Often, my students and I refer back to something we learned (on the field trip) while studying other lessons. To me this proves the usefulness of the presentations."
2. What will you do differently because of this program?
3. Would you recommend this program to others?
- Each student is doing a Power Point presentation on what was of most interest.
- We are writing editorials to the newspaper about the experience.
- It has enhanced my third grade thematic unit on Africa.
- I will incorporate the "Vision of Peace" idea into my curriculum.
- Five people said they will no longer focus just on MLK, Jr. and Harriet Tubman, but will expand their curriculum to include many of the people they learned about on the trip.
- This trip reminded me of the many other resources besides books we need to use as we teach Black history.
- I will explore new and interesting aspects of Black history .
- I feel more confident about teaching a unit on Black history .
- I will develop an interdisciplinary unit with a focus on Black history and the contributions of African Americans to our history .
- I now know where to go for information!
- I will spend time this summer building the information you gave us in the packets into many areas of instruction. I do not have a full picture of how I will do things differently, but I know I will.
- I plan to place more emphasis on the importance of treating everyone respectfully in all that I do as a teacher throughout the school year.
All teachers said they would, and many already have, recommended the program.
One teacher said, "Absolutely! It served an important purpose and gave many. teachers an opportunity to help students understand this part of our history.
4. What can we do to improve this program?
5. How will you make this palt of your curriculum?
- Several of the teachers wanted to have an all-day experience for their students.
- Five teachers wanted more time for questions.
- Eight teachers wanted more hands-on activities, such as dance and art. Many wanted the sessions to be longer in order to cover more material. .One teacher suggested better coordination between the presenters so repetition doesn't occur.
- Is it possible to put small pictures on Power Point for better visuals? .One teacher wrote, "I always want the kids to have an intensely packed field trip experience. They needed to see and experience everything available. I think some to them felt more disappointed than enlightened because they knew there were many interesting things they didn't see. Also, some of the adults talked too long leaving no time for the students to explore the exhibits. I would suggest longer time periods and a longer day to adequately cover everything."
6. Other comments:
- Three teachers said they will spend more time teaching Black history .
- I will remember to include the islands in my curriculum.
- I will do more reading and writing during Black History Month, and I want to come here again next year! It has enhanced my teaching.
- I will do more follow up, such as research projects on things we have learned here.
- Three teachers said they would do more with cultural awareness and integrate it into more of their curriculum.
- I will use the bibliography.
- I will look seriously at the information you gave me and will try to work it into any and all areas I can.
- Hopefully, every day at school, I will find opportunities to teach tolerance and diversity.
- Thank you, thank you, thank you for offering this to our community! .Some Trailblazer kids said we need these reminders even though we knew a lot! It's amazing how people coped. We need to treat
EVERYONE fairly and not stereotype - We REALLY LIKED IT, but we wanted MORE !
- Thank you for the opportunity you gave my third graders. We are very lucky to live in a community that values diversity and are willing to share - their experiences, expertise, and knowledge with the youth that will be the next leaders of our country .
- Thanks so much for letting us be a part of your celebration!
- I was very impressed: My students really enjoyed it and learned a lot! Thank you so much!
- I was very impressed by the amount of time and effort it must have taken to put this together. I hope it continues to be offered in the coming years.
- Thanks so much for being willing to expand it so more classes could participate!
- Continue to offer this program. Our experiences with this were incredibly positive!
- Although my Trailblazer students know a great deal of information from books about Black history , hearing Black people share their own personal experiences of discrimination and oppression made an emotional impact on them that they will not forget.
- All of the groups who worked to present these workshops for students in Cheyenne are to be highly commended. I think I was most impressed with the HEART that was present. Everyone who spoke or instructed the students felt deeply about what they were teaching and the students knew something of value was being given to them. All of the hands on workshops gave students a living history lesson. MANY THANKS!
Some Student comments from letters we've received:
- I really did like the movie you showed us. Now I know that you're supposed to be nice to everyone.
- I liked the Martin Luther King, Jr. speech because the person who said it, said it really good. The other reason I liked it is because Martin Luther King, Jr. had a very good dream.
- I liked making a mask and looking at all kinds of things at the museum.
- I liked learning about the Buffalo Soldiers and that they had to battle against other people and that they didn't have very good homes and I feel bad for them a lot. I really want to go back there again.
- Thank you for spending your time and money to show us so much about Black history , Buffalo Soldiers, presenting the Martin Luther King speech, helping us make our masks, and the gifts. I hope we can come again sometime.
- Thank you for the coloring books and for the pen and the magnet and the crayons and for the notepad and for the ruler. I had lots of fun making dolls out of paper .
- Thank you for being so, so, so, kind and letting us come. I think you impressed all of the kids, especially me. If you ask me, Martin Luther King, Jr. is probably looking and thinking that he is proud of you.
- My favorite program was when Ms. Byrd showed us all the dolls. I learned that black people had it really bad back then just because of their skin color.
- I learned that Black History Month is an important month!
- My favorite part was when we got to see all those instruments and pictures of all different kinds.
- Thank you for putting on this program. The film was very educational.The artifacts were lovely! Mrs. Mary Ann Tyler did a wonderful job with storytelling
- Thank you Mr. Carroll Jones for telling us more about Black history.
- I even thought some of those pictures were extremely interesting, but my favorite was the dolls. They were so cool especially the mountain man ones. Thank you for showing us that very inspirational movie, "A Time for Justice. I learned a lot more than I knew from it.
- Gracias for letting the people come in and talk about different things: Mrs. Mary Ann Johnson about African art-when it was made and how, then Liz Byrd, Mr. Charles Hall's speech and a guy who taught us about Buffalo soldiers, Mrs. Mary Ann Tyler taught us how folktales were read back in Africa, and then she read some stories to us. It was great being at the church and getting to know more about Black History Month.
- Thank you for letting use your church as the lesson place. I learned a lot. I wish other kids will learn and appreciate you guys like I did. p .5. Thank you for giving us the bags full of stuff!
- Thank you for showing me not to be prejudice. I won't be!
- I learned all about Black history , and the inventions were awesome! .The part I liked best was the very beginning movie. I think it is so sad that the Black children who were going to a white school, had to have the Army pick them up and take them to school!
- I really liked the "I Have a Dream" speech presentation. It sounded like Martin Luther King, Jr. on the movie. It made me feel like I was back when he was saying it himself. You looked like Martin Luther King, Jr. and I think it came from your heart. I never want to be a racist.
- I really enjoyed the presentation where we found out about many inventions created by Black people. I especially liked finding out about the brush, because I have very long hair, and I use one everyday-
- I will never judge people by their skin color. You all have taught me a valuable lesson which I well remember always.
- The part I liked best about the presentations was the spider book because it showed how the spider had faith in himself and it showed how the spider worked.
- My favorite room was the Rainbow Room, because I just loved the way the lady in the room talked to us about how it was back then when the black people were slaves. I'd hate being a slave. I also liked the houses.
- I learned that history is kind of cool. I liked best of all when we got the yo- yo! Thank you for inviting us.
- Thank you for inviting us. I enjoyed it. I had fun. It was awesome. I liked it so much, I wish I was Black. I love it there. I want to go back.
- I really liked making my African mask! I gave my mask yellow and orange earrings. My mom put it up in our living room I also liked the spears and knives up on the wall.
- I thank you for taking the time from your life to treat us with your knowledge .
- I just loved those costumes. They were beautiful and looked like they were made out of real gold.
- I learned that people are the same. They are people.
- I loved everything that I did. What I liked best was everything. It was one of the coolest places I have ever seen in my whole life!