Black Girl in the Middle: Five Transformative Practices to Make Schools Better for Black Girls

Take your opportunity to help her soar. During the critical developmental period of the middle school years, Black girls-who sit at the intersections of racism and sexism-often face unique challenges that can hinder their academic and personal growth.Revealing the systemic barriers Black girls experience, Black Girl in the Middle equips teachers with research-backed practices to foster meaningful connections, address biases, and advocate for their students' holistic development.Drawing on research and years of experience as an award-winning educator, author Melody Hawkins introduces five core practices that have been shown to catapult middle school students toward greater confidence and success.This guide enables middle school educators to: Foster inclusive classrooms and genuine empathy rooted in an understanding of Black girls as whole individualsDefine goals, apply evidence-based practices, and measure impact using the BELIEF Framework Advocate for the unique needs of Black girls wh