Cultivating Servant Leadership in High School Students of African Descent the Freedom Schools Way
Genre
Thesis/DissertationDate
2011Author
Mickens, Kelli Nicole SparrowAdvisor
Davis, James EarlCommittee member
Jordan, Will J.Norment, Nathaniel
Hunt, Portia L.
Cucchiara, Maia Bloomfield
Department
Urban EducationSubject
EducationAfrican American Studies
Social Work
African Centered Schools
Chain Mentorship
Charter Schools
Freedom School
Intergenerational Learning
Liberatory Education
Permanent link to this record
http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12613/1917Metadata
Show full item recordDOI
http://dx.doi.org/10.34944/dspace/1899Abstract
This study elucidates the history and program structure of an urban out of school time program designed for liberatory education for K-16 students. This study aims to define the Catto Freedom Schools Way and examine the extent to which it is being followed at the Hamer-Still Freedom Charter School. This study contributes to what we know about school design and ethnic studies as a strengths-based approach to educating youth of color. A review of the literature reveals that Freedom Schools have been in existence since African people came to the Western hemisphere and The Freedom Schools Way has meant different things to each entity over that time (Countryman, 2006; Du Bois, 1903; Garvey, 1923; Payne & Strickland, 2008; Williams, 2005; Woodson, 1933). Findings suggest that The Catto Freedom Schools Program (CFSP) Way is a combination of two complimentary elements: learning about Black history and culture (Asante, 1980; Carr, 2009; Diop, 1996; Gay, 2000; King, 2005; Murrell, 2002; Myers, 1997; Nobles, 1976) and chain mentorship (Andrews, 2001; Olson, 2008; Welty, 2000). Learning about Black history and culture consists of reading and writing about Black history and culture and assuming African values and customs. Chain mentorship consists of looking up to older people for direction and guidance as well as stepping up in service to give younger people guidance. Hamer-Still Freedom Charter School (HSFCS), a school designed on the CFSP model, is experiencing the most success in implementing reading and writing about African history and culture and having accessible adult role models on whom the students, also known as Servant Leader Scholars, can rely on for academic and personal support. In order for HSFCS to embody the CFSP Way, it needs to strengthen opportunities for its students to step up and provide service for younger children as well as fully develop a spirit of positive peer pressure throughout its upper school.ADA compliance
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