The Influence of Hip Hop

Mutegi, J. W., Phelps-Moultrie, J. A., & Pitts Bannister, V. R. (2018). The snare of systemic racism and other challenges confronting hip hop based pedagogy. Teachers College Record, 120(11), 1-17.

(Full Text • Editorial Cartoon • Infographic)

One Thousand Words (The Harmlessness of Hip Hop)

To read more, consult...

• Mutegi, J. W., Phelps-Moultrie, J. A., & Pitts Bannister, V. R. (2018). The snare of systemic racism and other challenges confronting hip hop based pedagogy. Teachers College Record, 120(11), 1-17.

How to Teach an Infant to Read: Symbol Recognition

I'm of the mindset that it is never too soon to get our children moving in the right direction. There's a study by Anderson, Wilson and Fielding (1988)[1] which shows how an increase in reading corresponds to higher academic achievement. The figure illustrates that children who read an average of less than 1 minute a day score in the 20th percentile. That means that for every 100 students taking the test, these children score better than 20. This also means that 80 students score higher than them. By contrast, children who read 65 minutes a day score in the 98th percentile. That means that for every 100 students taking the test, these children score better than 98 other children. This also means that only 2 students score higher than them. So, we can give our children a tremendous advantage just by helping to foster in our children a love of reading and ensuring that they read each day.

Here are a few quick strategies that we can use with our infants to give them a head start on reading.

Recognizing and Identifying Symbols. Most of us easily identify the skull and crossbones or the bullseye as symbols. However, letters are symbols too. "D" is as foreign to a person who does not read English as "γ" is to a person who does not read Greek. Because children are not born English readers, the symbols that we call letters are foreign to them at some point.

When should we start? This activity is aimed at giving our children a head start on recognizing and identifying the symbols we call letters. If we wait until they get to school to start, it is too late. Once a child is able to open his eyes and follow the direction of your hand, you can begin. In my experience, this happens between the first and second month.

What do we do? Prepare 26 "flash cards" each with a single letter on it. The letter should be printed as large as possible. Although I call these flash cards, I recommend using a single sheet of 8.5" x 11" paper. Do not use fancy colors, fonts or graphics. Print black letters on white paper. The size and contrast is intended to help children to focus on the letters.

If your child is able to sit up facing you, then sit face to face. If not, then sit with your child in your lap. Go through each of the 26 letters one at a time. When reviewing each letter repeat the letter at least twice, and preferably three times. Trace the letter at least one of those times. For example: a mother might say "A" while tracing the letter. She repeats "A" while tracing the letter. She repeats a third time, "A" while tracing the letter. She then points to the letter and says, "This is the letter 'A'."

It should take no more than 10 minutes or so to work through all 26 letters. Repeat this 3-4 times a week for 3-4 months.

How do I know if it is working? When reviewing the letters, look for your child's responsiveness. Your infant will follow your hand as you trace the letters. He will look at the letters and look at you. As he gains dexterity with his hands, he will reach out towards the letters. Help him to trace them, if you would like. Over time, you will notice that your infant takes note of letters in other spaces. He may notice signage that is posted in public spaces. He may notice lettering on articles of clothing. These are all indications that he is recognizing these new symbols.

Most importantly... Enjoy this time and activity with your child. It is an important and invaluable use of time. It is also fun! You are working towards giving your child a gift that will put them in the 98th percentile of their peer group. It will also give you 65 minutes of quiet time every evening... And it is free! That’s what I call a win! Read more about the benefits of increased reading here.

And as always... Have Fun!


Jomo W. Mutegi, Ph.D. is an author of science-related children’s books, and an Associate Professor of Science Education at the Indiana University School of Education in Indianapolis. He is also Principal Investigator of the (ES)2 Research Program. To learn more about Dr. Mutegi’s books, visit www.JomoMutegi.com. To learn more about Dr. Mutegi’s research, visit www.ES2RP.org.



[1] Anderson, R. C., Wilson, P. T., & Fielding, L. G. (1988). Growth in Reading and How Children Spend Their Time Outside of School. Reading Research Quarterly, 23, 285-303.

Explorations with Stevia

My Problem. Two years ago, my wife bought a quarter sheet cake for my birthday. My birthday falls between the Christmas holiday and the New Year, so there are always a lot of food and dessert dishes around the house. For some odd reason, this year no one helped to eat the birthday cake. So in one week, I ended up eating a quarter sheet cake and two quarts of ice cream… by myself.

The Intervention. That same week, while preparing for my Spring Semester science methods course, I watched a documentary called That Sugar Film. Well, I didn’t need a documentary film to help me see that I had a problem. But it certainly didn’t hurt. After that week of hedonistic indulgence, I radically altered my diet. I avoided all foods with added sugar.

The Backslide. The no sugar diet was good as long as it lasted. Although others have gone much longer with greater success (see Shaub’s, Year of No Sugar), I made it for three months. Once March hit, my travel schedule made it very difficult for me to find alternatives to foods with added sugar. Before long my old habits took over, and while I wasn’t eating entire birthday cakes alone, I was eating much more sugar than I would have liked.

Explorations into Stevia. This is where my interest in stevia began. Stevia is different from artificial sweeteners (like saccharine or aspartame) in that it is a plant and it is regarded as a healthy alternative to sugar. In reading up on stevia, the first thing I learned was that stevia is much sweeter than sugar. On the low end are reports that stevia is 40 times sweeter than sugar. On the upper end are reports that it is 350 times sweeter. I have no idea how it could be determined how much sweeter stevia is than sugar. However, I did need some idea of how the two compared in order to accurately use stevia as a sugar substitute. The second thing I learned early on is that most of the stevia available in stores (e.g. Truvia, Purevia, or Stevia in the Raw) is more highly processed than table sugar. These substitutes often contain stevia mixed with non-natural sweeteners. What I wanted was the actual leaf from the stevia plant. But where would I find it?

If you are looking for the stevia plant in Walmart, you can forget about it. I visited 4 local health food stores before I finally found “dried stevia leaf” at the fourth store. The terminology is important. If you call a store and ask for “stevia”, you will very likely get a highly-processed sweetener that is made with stevia. If you want pure stevia (from the actual leaf), you should ask for “stevia leaf” or “stevia powder.” Stevia leaf is made by taking the leaf of the plant, drying and crushing it. It looks like dried basil or oregano. Stevia powder is made by taking the dried stevia leaf and grinding it into a powder with a pestle and mortar. This past spring I also found that nurseries sometimes carry seeds for growing stevia, and stevia plants. I now have two stevia plants growing in my garden. So there are a number of learning opportunities that I stumbled upon in my explorations with stevia. You may want to try some of them with your own family.

Summer Family Fun. One activity would be to develop a sweetness scale. Who determined that “stevia is 40 times sweeter than sugar.” The number (40 times) makes it all sound very official. But scales can vary. Work as a family to develop a sweetness scale. Then use the scale to measure foods you commonly eat.

Another activity would be to grow stevia from seed. Getting the stevia seeds to germinate is a big challenge. Stevia seeds are not as hardy as other seeds. So, it might require some experimentation to get them started. Vary the amounts of water and light used with different seeds and take good notes. This would be a fun study.

Use stevia to make a dish that you like. Although you might find some suggestions for a stevia-sugar substitution, is not always straightforward. Factors you will need to consider are (a) whether to use stevia leaf or stevia powder, (b) whether the loss of bulk from sugar will throw off the wet-dry balance of the recipe, (c) whether the stevia aftertaste will upset the dish. Pick a dish and make multiple versions of it until you get it right. The fun and learning is in the trial and error… and success!

And as always... Have Fun!


Jomo W. Mutegi, Ph.D. is an author of science-related children’s books, and an Associate Professor of Science Education at the Indiana University School of Education in Indianapolis. He is also Principal Investigator of the (ES)2 Research Program. To learn more about Dr. Mutegi’s books, visit www.JomoMutegi.com. To learn more about Dr. Mutegi’s research, visit www.ES2RP.org.

New Children’s Book on the Black Pioneer of Time Travel

A new children's book scheduled to be released this summer will chronicle the life of Dr. Ronald L. Mallett. Ronald Mallett is one of very few tenured, full professors of physics in the country. What makes him even more rare is that he is one of even fewer tenured, full professors of physics who is African American. 

While his credentials are impressive enough, what is truly newsworthy is that Dr. Mallett is one of the world leaders in time travel research. He currently has a patent on a time travel machine. Like many people, Ronald Mallett became fascinated by the idea of time travel as a child. However, his interest was surprisingly practical. Ronald's father died when he was very young. After learning about time travel through fiction, he thought that building a time machine would be a way to travel back in time and save his father's life. His childhood fantasy grew into a reality of sorts. While he is not likely to be traveling back in time to save his father, he has certainly advanced our understanding of time travel and substantially advanced time travel technology. 

The forthcoming children's book, Ronnie's Great Idea, is a biographical fiction that presents key events in Dr. Mallett's life through a fictionalized story. The book begins with Ronald as a young child and ends with him as a university professor. The story describes challenges faced by the main character. In the face of these challenges, it is his drive to create a time machine and the support of his family that help him to persist. 

Stories like that of Dr. Mallett are too little known. It is difficult to see the power and potential we have as a race when our heroes are not shown and their stories are not told. Ronnie's Great Idea is a powerful departure from the norm. It is a valuable resource for Black children and adults alike.

Ronnie's Great Idea is scheduled to be released this summer. Parents and educators who are interested in this and other titles can visit www.BlackKidsRead.com and sign-up to join the Black Kids Read family. Members of the Black Kids Read family can also choose to receive the Blacks in Science Mini-Course on Dr. Ronald L. Mallett. The mini-course is free of charge. It includes: word puzzles, coloring pages, interviews with practicing scientists, and articles that can be used to help children of all ages learn more about Blacks in science.

Jomo W. Mutegi, Ph.D. is an Associate Professor of Science Education at the Indiana University School of Education in Indianapolis. He is also the author of Ronnie’s Great Idea. To learn more about this or other science-related books and educational material for Black children, visit Black Kids Read at: www.JomoMutegi.com.

Courage, Dignity and the Parenting of Black Children: Part Four

Reason #4: We are often ashamed of our condition as a people.

“I am flawed”
“I am weak”
“I am ugly”
“I am evil”
“I am not good enough”
“I am insignificant”
“I am unwanted”
“I am worthless”

These are the types of statements that reflect a mindset riddled with shame. These statements also reflect the constant messaging that we as parents (and our children) receive about ourselves as African people.

Guilt is the emotion most people feel when they believe that they have done something bad. Shame is the emotion most people feel when they believe that they are something bad. In the world we live in currently, shame is deeply implanted in our psyche as people of African descent. We are constantly told how inadequate we are: how we are poorer than everyone else; how we are less educated than everyone else; how we are more criminal than everyone else; how we have fewer marriages than everyone else. Even so-called compliments are many times little more than veiled insults. “Oh, I just love Edward. He’s so articulate.” Translation: “Edward is Black, and he can speak English.” What this also means is that we cannot speak as well as everyone else.

The reality is that we should feel neither guilty nor ashamed, in response to these half-truths. If we are poorer than anyone, it is because in the job market we are constantly exploited. We are not hired at the same rates, neither are we paid the same amount as others, even when we are more qualified.

If we are less educated than anyone, it is because in the public school system we are constantly exploited. Our schools are funded at lower rates than others even when they draw from the same tax base. Our children are suspended and expelled more frequently even when they commit less egregious offenses. Our children are given fewer educational opportunities, even when they demonstrate the same academic potential.

If we are more criminal than anyone, it because in the criminal injustice system, we are constantly exploited. We are more likely to be victims of police brutality, and we are more likely to receive excessively harsh sentences.

The complete truth is that whites have created a world that is structured to make us poor, keep us uneducated, criminalize us, and in many other ways stifle our potential. And as an additional indignity, they convince us that we are at fault for the condition that they have created. However, in spite of their misdeeds, we still survive and a few of us even thrive. We have agency. We are not helpless people. Just as hard as others work to keep us poor, we can work to reclaim our wealth. Just as hard as others work to keep us uneducated, we can work to realize our inherent genius. Just as hard as others work to criminalize us, we can shine the light of truth on the real criminals.

If there is one thing that I could impress upon you (and one thing that you should impress upon your children), it is that we should not internalize these negative criticisms. We should hold our heads high, with the knowledge that our circumstances do not define us. We should hold our heads high, with the knowledge that if we are not watchful, the evil-doers are always ready to do evil.

Knowing that there are others working to instill a spirit of shame in our children, we should work that much harder to instill them with a spirit of dignity and pride. We cannot sugarcoat the reality of racism. Tell the truth and shame the devil. Otherwise, our children will be the ones living with shame.

And as always... Have Fun!


Jomo W. Mutegi, Ph.D. is an author of science-related children’s books, and an Associate Professor of Science Education at the Indiana University School of Education in Indianapolis. He is also Principal Investigator of the (ES)2 Research Program. To learn more about Dr. Mutegi’s books, visit www.JomoMutegi.com. To learn more about Dr. Mutegi’s research, visit www.ES2RP.org.

Courage, Dignity and the Parenting of Black Children: Part Three

When my son was in pre-k, his mother and I made the mistakes of enrolling him a very expensive (mistake #1) all white (mistake #2) school. His time there was horrible for all of us. He was regularly accosted by his 4- and 5-year-old peers. They teased him about his complexion, about his hair texture, and about the way he spoke. His teachers offered no support whatsoever. He fought often, only to be chided by the teachers for not “using his words.” On one occasion he told his teacher that, “those words aren’t working.” All I could think when I learned of that response in a parent teacher conference was, “Good for you!” Needless to say, we made a hasty exit from that hot mess of a so-called school.

For a number of years after that experience, my son would often ask, “Why did the kids at ‘Hot Mess of a So-Called School’ make fun of me?” This is the point at which many parents fold. This is also reason #3 that many of us as Black parents do not teach our children about racism.

Reason #3: I don’t know what to tell them.
The reality is, we do know what to say. We are just afraid to say it. Remember, ultimately most of us avoid discussion of racism out of fear and shame. We should not be ashamed of the truth. These are our children. We owe them truthful representations of the world in which we live. Fortunately, we have a number of resources that we can use to help us say what we are uncomfortable saying.

First, there are documentary and film resources. There are a few films that all Black parents should watch with their children. Here are five of these must watch films.

• Roots – I can speak definitively about the version with LeVar Burton as Kunta Kinte. I have not yet seen the new version.
• Ethnic Notions – This is a documentary narrated by Esther Rolle, which reviews the popular archetypes that are used to misrepresent people of African descent in media.
• Marcus Garvey: Look for Me in the Whirlwind
• Black Wall Street – Tulsa Oklahoma
• Racism: A History – This is a three-part BBC documentary series that originally aired in 2007.

There are many more good films, but these five provide a nice start. As you watch these films with your children resist the temptation to justify the misbehavior of the white antagonists. These are factual retellings of history. Help your children to become familiar with these historical figures and events. This will give them a context for understanding the racism that they are likely to see in their own lives.

Second, there are book resources. Here again there are too many books to list them all. So, I will suggest five that will give parents a start.

• The Autobiography of Malcolm X – Alex Haley
• Black Spark, White Fire – Richard Poe
• Negroes with Guns – Robert F. Williams
• The Irritated Genie – Jacob H. Carruthers
• The Miseducation of the Negro – Carter G. Woodson

These books are written in straightforward and easy to understand styles. I have read at least 3 of these books with middle school-aged children. As you read these with your young readers, be sure to encourage questions. Also, stop and take time to talk through particular details of the text.

Third, there are museum resources. My wife and I like to visit museums. When we travel, we often look for local museums to visit. We have visited the Underground Railroad Museum in Cincinnati on at least two occasions. When we were there, we could not find one mention of Nat Turner or Harriett Tubman. You cannot credibly talk about the history of enslaved Africans fighting for freedom without at the very least covering the work of Nat Turner and Harriett Tubman. I say this to emphasize that many “African American” history museums are set up as propaganda tools against us. So here are a few that we have found, which provide a consistently accurate and useful presentation of African people.

• The Great Blacks in Wax Museum – Baltimore, MD
• Lest We Forget Black Holocaust Museum – Philadelphia, PA
• DuSable Museum of African American History – Chicago, IL
• Muhammad Ali Center – Louisville, KY

If you know of any other good museums, let me know. I will work to visit them and add them to the list. As you begin to have these discussions with your children, write back and let me know how things go. Also, be sure to visit the Black Kids Read Bookstore. Take a look at our growing library of books written specifically for Black children.

And as always... Have Fun!


Jomo W. Mutegi, Ph.D. is an author of science-related children’s books, and an Associate Professor of Science Education at the Indiana University School of Education in Indianapolis. He is also Principal Investigator of the (ES)2 Research Program. To learn more about Dr. Mutegi’s books, visit www.JomoMutegi.com. To learn more about Dr. Mutegi’s research, visit www.ES2RP.org.