Black educators at Overbrook Elementary School echo importance of representation in the classroom
As the nation celebrates Teacher Appreciation Week, one school in West Philadelphia is offering a powerful lesson in how representation in the classroom can reshape a student's future.
At Overbrook Elementary School, literacy and social studies teacher Derrick Neal sees education as more than a curriculum. For him, it's a calling.
"It's not just literacy, social studies and arithmetic," Neal explains. "You are actually someone who knows what they are going through and that connection is made, you reach them on a holistic level."
Neal has spent 20 years in the classroom, a path he said was inspired by his earlier work in the prison system. Witnessing the cycle of recidivism, he noticed a common thread: lack of education.
"I realized a lot of the guys were having serious issues with education," he said. "I chose elementary education specifically for early intervention in my community."
At Overbrook, Neal is one of five Black male educators—an extraordinary number in a profession where Black men make up just 2% of teachers nationwide. The school's student body is 96% African American.
Their presence is more than symbolic. Studies show that having just one teacher of color between grades 3 to 5 can reduce dropout rates for students of color by nearly 40%.
Bryan Dearry, who teaches third and fourth-grade math, knows that impact firsthand.
"Growing up, I think about the Black male teachers who were an influence on me," said Dearry, now in his 11th year of teaching. "I wanted to be that beacon of light, that pillar for other students in my community."
For many students, it's not just about academics, it's about feeling seen and understood.
"Sometimes students feel more comfortable learning from people who look like them and have experienced similar things," Dearry said.
Third and fourth-grade teacher Khary Jacobs echoes that sentiment. "There aren't a lot of African American male teachers, so me being there makes them want to come to school and do the work," he said.
The influence stretches across grade levels. Seventh-grade math and science teacher Mr. Jefferson and full-time substitute, Kenechi Iwudyke, also serve as role models, with a focus on helping students recognize their brilliance.
"My hope is that they understand they are scholars; they're brilliant," Iwudyke said.
Overseeing this transformative team is Principal Dr. Kenneth Glover, who believes deeply in the power of representation.
"They are able to see themselves in us," said Glover. "I had one Black male teacher growing up in fifth grade, and I still feel his impact. It's important for our students to feel visible."
That mission of visibility, representation and impact is baked into the school's identity.
"We just want to make a big impact. That's our school slogan: 'Small School, Big Impact,'" Glover said.
