Brothers RISE Initiative

Brothers RISE (Rallying to Inspire and Shape Education) is an initiative designed to strengthen public education by recruiting students, particularly African American males, into Teacher Education. While African American students make up 16.8% of the student population in Ohio, less than 1% of their teachers are African American males. African American male teachers are needed to serve as culturally relevant teachers who are able to acknowledge and support the academic success, cultural competence, and sociopolitical awareness of all students, especially students of color.

Learn more from the podcasts below:

Brothers RISE OHIO Podcast

Dr. Jason Rawls, the coordinator of Brothers RISE at Ohio University, gives a brief history of how Brothers RISE started, and he shares its mission and standards.

Education Matters Podcast

Ohio Education Association interviews Dr. Jason Rawls about why the Brothers RISE program is needed.

The vision of Brothers RISE is to Nurture Outstanding Brothers for Leadership in Education. Key aspects of Brothers RISE include a weeklong Brothers RISE orientation; academic and social support at each level of their teacher preparation; focus on psychosocial and racial identity and ethnic development of each student; opportunities to engage in research, professional development, and mentorship; and tuition assistance when possible.

Literature supports the benefits of learners having role models in their community who look like they look. This notion is just as important in the school environment. Students of color need to see teachers who share their racial or cultural identity.

Hip-Hop OHIO Patton Education (HOPE)

The Patton College’s HOPE program aligns with Brothers RISE as an innovative and progressive program that prepares pre-service teachers to incorporate culturally relevant pedagogy into their own teaching styles. Using theoretical constructs from Hip-Hop Based Education (HHBE), the program teaches the value of hip-hop-based education, culturally relevant pedagogy, and relational pedagogy. Students will learn how they can use the aesthetics of hip-hop culture to build healthy and affirming relationships to facilitate learning and student engagement.

Needed: A few good men to teach

Learn More about the HOPE Program