TeachingInColor FINAL DIGITALPages - Flipbook - Page 24
As a teacher of color what are some of your biggest
challenges? How have you overcome them?
Imposter syndrome. There is honestly, no other way to
define the feeling of working hard to be sure of myself
in the educational setting. I currently teach in higher
education and also work with high school students. I have
D
r. Leslie Locklear, originally from
Hoke County, NC , is the Director of
Educator Engagement and Student
Success at the University of North Carolina at
Pembroke in Pembroke, NC.
a strong Lumbee dialect and I have fought hard to find
comfort in bringing that language to the class when I have
been colonized to believe that my language and dialect are
not welcome or professional. I am often transparent with my
students and share this struggle in hopes of encouraging
them to maintain their voice and bring it to all spaces.
What is some advice you receive that has helped you in
When did you know you wanted to be a teacher?
your teaching career?
This is such a great question. I don’t know if I ever knew as
Never stop learning. I have altered my syllabus each
much as was born with a certain skill set that I had to figure
semester not only to keep it new for myself but also
out how to use it and in what career. I have been playing
because I seek to continue to grow and learn and
“school” for as long as I can remember. Even as a freshman
shape the work around my students. I enjoy growing
in college, I was not considering education as a career until
and changing. I also really really like trying new things. I
an advisor who knew me well helped me identify a good
enjoy trying “hard” things that are outside of the normal
match for the skills that I have, and it was education!
assignments but really push my students to have a different
experience.
When did you have your first teacher of color and how
did that teacher shape your learning experience?
What is one thing you would tell an aspiring teacher of
While my first teacher of color was in first grade, I did not
color?
have an American Indian educator until my senior year of
In the words of Nas, read more, learn more, change the
high school and it was in an elective course. It was in this
globe. I love to learn and read and grow as an educator.
class that I saw myself. I was allowed to research my name,
When I first entered this field, there were so many things
my culture, my family and my people. I knew that moving
missing when it came to representation, data and theories
forward I wanted to develop this same space for others that
related to people that looked like me. Thankfully, that is
looked like me.
not always the case now. I am able to explore what works,
what does not work, what I like, and what works for my
As a teacher, what is one thing you can’t live without?
community. This allows me to have individual impact in
I am torn between sticky notes and sticky chart paper. My
every class with each student.
courses are extremely interactive and we spend a lot of
time up moving around and I use these two manipulatives.
What does your dream classroom look like?
My teaching bag is stuffed with sticky notes that I use as
THIS IS MY GOLDEN QUESTION. So, hear me out. It’s
exit tickets, quick data tools, or simply to allow my students
9:00am, we just spent an hour breaking bread together
to interact with each other.
and checking in. We are in an open format classroom.
There is a huge corner for literacy and bean bag chairs,
a full functional, sized-to-fit kitchen with a middle island
where we work on math skills related to cooking southern
delicacies. There is a garage door that rolls up to a full
garden that is co-owned by the community and the school
and helps the students foster responsibility and supports
