The Development of an African-Centered Urban High School by Trial and Error

Abstract

As part of the Small Schools movement in Chicago Public Schools, a high school dedicated to African-centered education was chartered. The virtues of Ma’at and the Nguzo Saba, otherwise known as the seven principles of Kwanza, were the foundational principles of the school and were to be integrated into all of the practices and policies of the school. What the teachers faced was student resistance to participate in school rituals, school-wide violence, teen pregnancy, truancy, and student drug and alcohol use. These factors led the teachers to the decision to experiment with changes to the curriculum and instruction. The teachers thought that modeling and direct instruction of the virtues and principles would create a school culture reflected in the virtues. Student work provided evidence of some change in individual students; however, students continued to struggle with violence and at-risk behaviors.