When it comes to having male teachers in the classroom, let alone African-American teachers, Travonte Graves, junior Elementary Education major, said, “You don’t see them.”
He’s absolutely right. African- American male teachers only make up 2% of the nation’s 4.8 million teachers, reported the U.S. Department of Education.
“You turn on the TV, and you see African-Americans. Usually we dominate the sports, and music industry and other random forms of entertainment, but to see just the common profession of being a teacher, little boys will be able to identify with them [male teachers] from that point, and then African- Americans, they tend to have more problems in class and get labeled with having disorders, but you take the time, patience with them, the male connection is going to help them going on the right path.”
Graves is one of many members of the Call Me MISTER program at Longwood University. The “MISTER” stands for “Men Instructing Students Toward Effective Role Models.” This program is a national teacher leadership program targeted to under-served, socioeconomically disadvantaged and educationally at-risk students who are pursuing careers in education.
The program further develops the skills of its members to be better prepared in the workplace through training seminars, networking opportunities, scholarship opportunities and teaching experience. The program is intensive and challenging, and it is not until graduation that one is officially a MISTER.
The program is open to all students, and one of the many goals of the program is to diversify the pool of available teachers within the school system.
The process for admission into the program includes an online application, a high school diploma and final transcript or General Education Development (GED) certificate, two letters of recommendation, an essay entitled, “Why I Want to Teach” and an essay entitled, “How do you believe the Call Me MISTER program will benefit you as a student?”
The program began at Clemson University in South Carolina in 2000. The program was brought to Longwood University in 2009 by previous Dean of the College of Education & Human Services Dr. Deneese Jones.
Dr. Maurice Carter works as the Director of the Call Me MISTER Program. His experience includes 26 years in Education with experience as a high school teacher, a guidance counselor, a dean of students, a principal and a superintendent.
“I’ve run the gambit of just about every position you can work in K-12,” he said.
Carter emphasized the importance of having a diverse workforce. He said, “They provide a different perspective ... Learning how to work with people with diverse backgrounds is important. It’s vital. In some communities, students may not get an opportunity to get a diverse perspective. So, if you’re dealing with a teacher that grew up in a poor neighborhood ... and that teacher can share his or her story, how enriching that’s going to be for that student. The more diverse your workforce is, the better it is going to be in continuing to melt the pot in America.”
The Call Me MISTER program provides a resource to students because, according to Carter, “Leaders are not born. They’re developed.”
Carter spoke highly of the students who are currently in the Call Me MISTER program, saying, “They’re going to be superintendents. They’re going to be college professors. They’re going to be the leaders of research and method. There is no doubt in my mind.”
Dwayne Morris, Jr. is a Saint Paul's College alumnus who graduated in 2008 with a degree in Elementary Education. Morris’ passion for teaching was in part influenced by the director, himself. “I always watched him growing up, so I thought, ‘Wow, he can do it. I can do it,’” said Morris.
Cainan Townsend, junior Elementary Education major, said, “My initial reason for why I got into the program was to keep men out of prison because if they’re not raised with the proper education, that’s eventually where they’ll end up ... Now it’s grown into that it’s for the greater good of everybody.”
As a member of the Call Me MISTER program, Townsend attended a trip to a prison for a Black History Month ceremony.
He said, “I expected to be terrified and in a corner behind a guard the whole time, but there were really, really bright guys in there ... but they were all in prison for life.
“I think it’s a shame that some of our brightest minds have to go to jail to realize the value of a book or the value of sitting down and writing something, and being creative and expressing oneself. I know it’s
combination of bad experiences and bad raisings, but if I can help the world by helping more people be able to contribute rather than rot behind prison walls, then that will be a good enough experience for me,” Townsend continued.
Many of the members of Call Me MISTER commented that as African-American male teachers, one of the biggest obstacles they will have to overcome are stereotypes that come with their gender and race.
Orlando Baker, freshman Kinesiology major, said, “There are plenty of us out there who are educated, and dress nice and actually will help others out in life and influence others.”
Morris further commented on this issue, saying that what contributes to so few African-American male teachers is that people search “top dollar jobs” and believe teaching is “a woman’s job.”
Morris said, “A lot of times, you’re the only one. First of all, a lot of times, you’re the only man in the building, and then you’re the only African- American male. So, there are not a lot of people who you’re working with who are like you.”
He added, “I feel like a lot of our children, especially African-American children, they’re growing up without fathers in the home. So, we’re in the classroom to give them a positive role model to look up to that they can pattern themselves after and that in turn helps them to go work in life.”
Jalen Jackson, sophomore Elementary Education major, said, “I feel as being an African-American male minority teacher, I can relate to the African- American population that may be on the street, selling or dealing drugs or may already be in jail ... I feel I can give them a different perspective on what they can do.”
Baker commented that having the Call Me MISTER program available at Longwood University motivated him to choose to come to this university.
Baker added, “This program is a brotherhood. We all look out for one another, and we’re all pushing forward to make changes throughout many lives that we may come across. We all feel like this program is bigger than ourselves. We’re doing things for the bigger picture.”
Graves said, “I had a teacher who helped me realize that ‘aha’ moment and grasp the concepts ... That teacher made it simple, easy to understand – they made a connection with me. I realized that teachers have that kind of power, and I want to have that kind of power and do the same.”
Freshman Elementary Education major Bryant Winbush said that going into the program has helped him transition easier into the college life.
Baker said, “For me, I have had countless teachers who have taught me many life lessons, and at the time when they were being taught to me, I didn’t appreciate them whatsoever, but as I got older, I look back at it, and I realized it really changed my life.”
“It would be way harder to adapt to college because you don’t have an older person to help lead you. Being in the program, you understand obstacles.” Winbush said, who added that he sees his peers as his mentors.
Graves added that being in the Call Me MISTER program has benefited him by keeping an open mind to different cultures and perspectives.
Jackson said, “It showed me the real troubles with an African-American being a teacher, and what we have to go through to be a teacher. Our role is going to be a lot harder than a Caucasian- American because of stereotypes.”
Winbush said, “This program will push me to exceed the limits ... Everyone here has the same goal that I want to reach, and it’s a good program to be a part of.”
Since the Call Me MISTER program began at Longwood, “The enthusiasm continues to thrive,” stated Morris, one of the first MISTERS in the program.
Morris said, “I feel like anybody who is really serious about education, and continues to hone in on their craft and be the best – that the program is definitely available for them.”
