Professional Development Day at Harvey Milk Civil Rights Academy
San Francisco, CA
January 16, 2007

[SF Freedom School] [SFFS Planning Process]

1. Teachers took the Myth Busters Quiz and then were given the answers

2. Lively discussion followed over how surprised the teachers were at how many answers they got wrong.

3. Teachers shared past activities they had done and realized that there was no record, no binder, no resources to fall backon or use to develop new lessons at their school. Realized need to create a reference binder.

4. Sande, the principal, shared resources she had with the teachers, including information she gained from attendance at the 2006 SF Freedom Summer School Saturday Sessions (SFFSSSS??).

5. Lively discussion: Why start black history with the Civil Rights Movement? Where do you go after teaching CR History -- forward, backward? What is the purpose of teaching black history?

Some comments from the discussion: The purpose of teaching CR History is to point out that it was made by everyday people, not just the heroes. It was an organizing movement which meant that they had to create activists. You create activists, in part, by teaching the history of successful activism. If you start with CR history, then you can go back to slavery or forward to today. Starting with slavery is too humiliating for African American students. Starting with CR, even with showing the violence down to the freedom fighters, is very uplifting because they overcome it.

6. Sande presented the CA history standards that relate to CR History

7. Teachers were told to hand in two lessons plans dealing with CR history in a month.