Self-Esteem: Uplifting Young Black Females Using African American Poetry

Vashti A Mosby, Language Arts, Northridge Middle

Curriculum Unit (PDF)

Synopsis

As educators. can we raise our Black female’s self-esteem in the classroom? Black females face many forms of discrimination such as gender and self-esteem whether it is through social interactions or from the media. Teaching black poetry in a diverse classroom can help Black girls understand their emotions regarding their gender and race. These poems will allow students to express themselves freely in a safe environment while learning about themselves. Great African American poets use poetry to tell about achievements by black leaders, inventors, athletes, and other known artists who are inspirations. The focus of these poems, have changed the misconceptions that African Americans have about their history. Using these poems often address the discrimination that Black females face preventing them from achieving academically and exhibiting positive behaviors in the classroom. By implementing black poems into the curriculum that focuses on their heritage, it takes them on a journey where they will develop self- love and discover who they are as a Black female. We are not changing the curriculum, just modifying it to change the way Black females think in order to raise their self-esteem.