African American Juvenile Justice Project

 

Educational Program

R.A.C.E.

(Reading. Arithmetic. Culture. Extracurricular)

 

READING

Parents are encouraged to read to their children and let their children read to them.  Parents are encouraged to engage their children through comprehension and composition (write their understanding of what they read or what was read to them).

 

Start your own reading program.

​

1.      Get a list of recommended reading for your children at and above grade level.  If your child is not reading at his/her grade level, do NOT be discouraged and do not discourage the child.  Rather, start reading at their level of comprehension and create a vocabulary list of words for them to define.  Work on their phonics. 

2.      Read for fun and not for competition. Therefore, do not create an environment for your child that if she/he reads X number of books, then they will win an award or take a family trip, etc.  Reading is best enjoyed and more beneficial when children learn the power of reading and comprehension through building their imagination.

3.      Award systems often sets children up for failure and that is not the goal.  That said, you can plan for the child to read X number of books and plan activities around their reading. 

4.      Reading activities could include field trips, shopping trips, a walk in the park, and playing on the playground, etc.  Cookbooks are also good reading and activity tools.  Fixing a car and reading the mechanics guide is a great way to engage parents and children, too.  Hair care also involves reading and activities, and the child may read the direction for hair care, etc.  Asking the child to make the grocery list and then shop.

5.      If you are unable to read to your child, then there are several online resources that are available to read.  Also, your local library, call about book mobile in your area, as well as borrowing books from school or teachers. AAJJP will be reading to children as well.  So, check our site for books and updates.

​

Start a community book club.

(Even if you live in an apartment community, you can start an online, library, or books on loan book club with people on your floor or in your building, etc.).

​

Recommended Reading

1. Hair Love by Matthew A. Cherry and Vashiti Harrison

2. Last Stop On Market Street by Matt Pena and Christian Robinson

3. Teach Your Dragon About Diversity by Steven Herman

4. Juneteenth for Mazie by Llyod

5. Brown Girl Dreaming by Jaqueline Woodson

6. Little Leaders Bold Women in History by Vashti Harrison

7. Dream Big Little One Vashti Harrison

8. Sulwe by Lupita Nyong

9. Little Leaders Exceptional Men Vashti Harrison

10. Undefeated by Alexander and Nelson

11. Sitting Thoughts Or Memories in Ashes by Malcolm Fidel Jefferson

12. Ghost Boys by Powell Parker Rhodes

13. One Crazy Summer by Rita Williams Garcia

14. Piecing Me Together by Renee Watson

15. ADA Twist Scientist by Beaty and Roberts

16. DOC MeStuttins Pet Vet by Disney

17. Full, Full, Full of Love by Cooke and Howard

18. Who Was Harriet Tubman by McDonough

19. What Was the Underground Railroad by McDonough

20. The Houses That Raise Our Girls by Jefferson

21. One Love by C. Marley

22. Henry’s Freedom Box by Kadir Nelson

23. Merging Magic by Malcolm Fidel Jefferson

​

Many, many more books to read! Plus, feel free to share book titles and activities with AAJJP. 

​

ARITHMETIC

 Parents can make math fun!  Simply use what is around you to aid your child(ren) to comprehend and apply mathematics.

​

Activities:

Make a grocery list and itemize or list each item by cost.  Then, let your child add the cost of the groceries.

Let your children help you with your bills.  Yes!  Engage them in understanding the cost of living. How much is paid for mortgage or rent, utilities, groceries, credit cards, loans, and insurance, etc.  Let them help you calculate your income vs. your debt and liabilities. 

​

You can use a deck of cards to teach children numbers and math.  Making your Jack, Queen, King and Ace count for 10 points; use the cards to teach addition and subtraction or division and multiplication. Add 3 of clubs to 9 of diamonds and let them count the total or balance.

​

Use coins or change around the house as counters to teach math.

​

Use your groceries to teach math.  For example, ask your child if you had 10 apples and he ate on per day, how many will be left over at the end of a 7-day week?

​

You can use paper and create your own money system to teach children how to spend money?  For example, give your child or each child $20.00.  Then, create a grocery list.  Then, put prices on the items in the house.  Then, let them shop and total their purchases.  This method can be used with big ticket items, too.  This depends on the age of your child.  You may do the same thing with the odometer in the car.  Ask the child to calculate daily mileage, etc. Activities keep the children engaged and families connected.

 

CULTURE (Social Studies. History. Composition)

​

Teaching culture is a great way to share history – Black American History and Pre-Slavery History Before the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade.  It is also a way to explore other cultures. From the comfort of your home, a child can explore the world around him/her.  Develop a topic of interest, then explore the topic, then let the child write about what you shared and/or give an oral recital of what he/she learned.

​

Field trips are a great and inexpensive way to learn history.  Get out of your comfort zone and by train, bus or car, travel around your town or state and explore.  Go online and pull tourist attractions.  Most Americans do not have the time to explore their own town or state.  Most major tourist attractions are free. 

​

An example, do an assignment about Black Lives Matter.  Travel to a protest.  Go online and read about the protest.  You can even create your own protest at home.  Let your children make signs and posters.  Let them write or recite their own speech why Black Lives Matter.  Let them be genuine to their understanding.  This is not the time to force learning of what BLM should look or sound like.  Rather, allow the child to express what it means to them.   

​

Then, if you are on social media, film them and upload the video with the #BlackLivesMatter #Protest and look for local or statewide hashtags Anyone can participate in this assignment.

​

Assignment is easier when you use a WHO, WHAT, WHEN, WHERE, WHY AND HOW approach: KISS - Keep It Short and Simple! 

​

Talk about racism and bigotry and hate, but NOT in a way that makes a child feel inferior.  Rather, explain that everyone does not love everybody.  This is how you may have to deal with people who do not love you or care about you!  Let us minimize the power of the word ‘HATE.’ By focusing on why people chose not to love or embrace or celebrate others.

Cultural assignments include preparing meals or listening to music that represents a race, religion, or ethnicity.

 

EXTRACURRICULAR

This area is open to your wildest imagination for learning, comprehension and development.  It includes puppet show, Dress Up, Talent Show by having each family member display their own talent or invite community to your home or family and friends, field trips, family outings, Make mask for COVID19, creating community based activities like writing a letter to your Congressman/woman or member of a political party; It means calling the media (T.V., Radio, or Newspaper)  to report stories of interest to you; It includes creating an online social media platform on a subject that is important to your child; It includes developing a plan to help address racism in America and explaining to your child why racism exist, but not teaching him/her to live in fear. 

​

The Show and Tell game allows your child to find something around the house, that they think is important to them and asking them to show it to you and explain why it is important.  Alternatively, let them draw a picture or maintain a journal of what the pandemic (COVID19 aka Coronavirus) and BLM protest, police brutality, or death of a loved one means to them.  Let them show you a picture of someone or something and share what it means to them.

 

Everyday, engage your child!  Tell them that they are loved and are somebody special!