role of the African-American teacher: Why it's essential in the school system, The

Black Collegian, Oct 2000 by Brown, Gilbert

According to Hanks and Rose, African-American teachers also play the role of boundary spanner, an individual who is able to share concerns with different constituents while interacting with different groups.

This is a role that is much appreciated by African-American parents whose children attend predominately white schools, says Rose, who has observed firsthand how minority parents tend to seek out minority teachers for help and advice. "I have a lot of parents who call me with questions instead of their classroom teacher," she says. "I serve as an informal trainer of the way a school society works and give them a vocabulary that they don't have. I tell them what to do to help their child, how to communicate their concerns to white teachers and how to ask the right questions to get the information they need."

Service to the Community

Educator, mentor and liaison between parents and schools are just three of the roles African-American educators play in the public school system. There are also encourages, supporter, guidance counselor and too many others to name. All of them amount to a strong argument for why teachers like Rose bothered to pursue such a career in the first place and continue to return to the classroom each school year. "Teaching is a great job," reiterates Rose. "I spend my whole day sharing and then I collect a paycheck. It's spiritual, creative and emotional. There are paperwork and E-mail, and there are great days and bad days. It challenges me completely and engages me intellectually in a way that making sculptures and paintings does not."

A Beginning Teacher's Salary and Benefits

The American Federation of Teachers data reports the average beginning teacher salary of $26,639 in 1998-99 rose 3.6 percent from the previous year with a high of $32,884 in Alaska to a low of $19,136 in North Dakota. The benefits of teaching in most states include a 10-month contract, personal and sick leave days, retirement and healthcare packages, holiday and summer vacation time, professional development and family medical leave. When you evaluate career choices, consider the rewards of the entire benefit's package for teachers, not just the salary.

Dr. Gilbert 0. Brown is the assistant dean for the University Division and adjunct assistant professor in Higher Education at Indiana University-Bloomington. He is the author of the publications' "Helping AfricanAmerican Children Attend and Graduate from College" and "Debunking the Myth: Stories about African-American College Students. "