Sundale Elementary Teacher celebrates, educates on Black History Month in creative way
TULARE COUNTY, Calif. (KFSN) -- As part of Black History Month, we are celebrating a Tulare County teacher who is sharing pivotal moments in African American history with his students through YouTube.
Brandon Dodson is a 4th grade teacher at Sundale Elementary in Tulare. For the past two years, he has been creating videos through the month of February to celebrate Black History Month.
Each video focuses on stories of triumph, covering different people, events, and culture. Mr. Dodson was raised in Tulare and says it feels good to serve the community he grew up in.
"Being an African American male, as well as a teacher and an educator, it is important to give back, kind of just pay homage and respect to individuals that made it possible for me to be here today," says Brandon.
Mr. Dodson says even he has learned more about our country's history, but he says the real success is the curiosity displayed from his students.
"They are really intrigued to find out as much as they can about the different people in their classroom. They are asking where they are from, where their family is from, which I think is very important."
Celebrating diversity at Sundale Elementary goes beyond the classroom. Each year, they have a Multi-Cultural day, where they celebrate worldly cultures.
Mr. Dodson says, "I think that is what makes American great and stand out from other countries, is that we are just a melting pot of people from absolutely everywhere."
Mr. Dodson is also a coach and holds weekly meetings with his fourth grade boys. He teaches them how to be young gentlemen. The goal he says is to build a society where character counts.
"Being a student and a person of character, loving people, loving your neighbor. Doing what you can to help the world." says Dodson.
He says he will continue creating videos and hopes to celebrate other heritage months in the future.
If you would like to watch Mr. Dodson's videos you can click this link.
