More than casual concern: critical Black pedagogical excellence and the Asa G. Hilliard, III teacher preparation framework

Abstract

With a tenure in education of more than 30 years prior to his physical transition in 2007 and experience working in various school settings throughout the United States and on the African continent, Dr. Asa Grant Hilliard, III (Nana Baffour Amankwatia) is recognized as an eminent historian, psychologist, researcher, critical Black pedagogue, and teacher educator. Using his work on cross-cultural teaching, inter/multicultural imperatives, leading in teacher education, and African American perspectives of teacher education, I propose the Hilliard Teacher Preparation Framework (HTPF) and model emphasizing the importance of the teacher preparation context, content, and clinical experiences. I outline the impetus for incorporating critical Black pedagogues in teacher preparation and describe my positionality as influenced by Hilliard’s work and mentoring. I conclude with suggestions for applying the HTPF to teacher preparation to transform, restructure, or construct rigorous programs that adopt and encapsulate Hilliard’s critical Black pedagogical excellence.