Thank you for bringing your ears right here for episode 16 of CALM Conversations about Learning where we lean in to re-envision our children’s education with and for the folks who matter most: teachers, parents and of course, our babies, big and small!

This episode kicks off a 2-part conversation series dedicated to teaching and learning while Black, wherein you’ll hear from two professors who have quite a bit to say on the subject. 

This week, Black Studies Professor Donna J. Watson (aka dj watson) joins us. I've known dj for over 20 years, first as  my professor then my mentor. I remember sitting in her classes then later working as her teaching assistant and just being in awe of how brilliant, funny and serious she was about her students becoming critical thinkers, which she referred to as “playing intellectual ball."  And for the first time ever in my school life, I thought, “I wanna be like that when I become a teacher.”    

Over the years, dj and I have written, performed, and published creative works together and we’ve even run a community writer’s workshop with other brilliant Black writers.

She is one of my most cherished friends and though we are now on opposite coasts, she continues to inspire me as an educator, intellectual and artist. 

In this conversation, we discuss teaching and learning while black within the context of nature, land, art, perfectionism and why Black Studies matters, which is timely as California just made Ethnic Studies mandatory for high school graduation. I have a feeling that it’s going to be a wild ride!

Anyway, I’ve learned so much from this wise woman and I trust that you’ll take away some nuggets to chew on from this conversation with Professor Donna J. Watson!

Chunks & Nuggets Worth Summarizing: 

• Trees, like humans, speak a language and possess the capacity for friendship and community.
• Making mistakes is a part of being human. Striving for perfection is a European construct.
• Growing and harvesting food for oneself= personal power and community power.
• Grownups need encouragement and positive feedback, too.
• Art is everywhere.
• Go to school but know what school is and know what it means to be educated.

Synthesizing and Internalizing:

• Nature helps teach us how to become better humans. Let's take the children outside as much as possible so that they learn to love-- not fear nature.
• Everyone, both children and adults must remember that to err is human. So, let’s begin with ourselves so that we can model self-compassion for the babies! 
• Pay attention to the constructs that are rooted in racism and fear. In school, children of color are often taught to go against their culture of collectivism to compete in unhealthy ways. The message becomes "be better than" instead of "be excellent." When we believe that there is enough for everybody, we believe that we are enough. And this is where the brilliance begins. 
• Let’s  grow some food then share some food. 
• Make art, find art and make space for our children to do the same so that they know that they are creators for life.
• Let’s decide to think critically and creatively about what it means to educate our children. 

Follow DJ Watson on Instagram @mudrunink and check out her exquisite paintings!

References from the Conversation:

1. Three- time Kentucky Derby winner: Isaac Burns Murphy (1861-1896)

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