Educators taking the next step improving Black outcomes

The education system in America is lackluster, and many factors play a role in the variation of student scores. But two scores have been constant for some time now, and it’s low math and literacy tests for kids and teenagers. California has the second lowest scores in English, besting New Mexico by .6 percent in literacy and ranked 38th in math scores. Educators in Socal have noticed the student scores and are taking matters into their own hands outside of the school district curriculum by attending the Skoolturf Math Summit.
The Skoolturf Math Summit was created by Dr. Kimi Wilson and his team Equation 2 Success, as educators, wanted to create a better learning culture for mathematics. “ I had an amazing time being an educator of Black kids, and one thing I focused on was finding the genius in them.
“I pulled kids out of classes that weren’t conducive to their learning and placed them in classrooms and environments that help them excel in their studies,” Wilson added. Wilson has been an educator for over 20 years, helping kids see and do better regardless of what their environment may tell them.
Equation 2 Success was founded in 2019 by Dr. Kimi Wilson, a visionary educator committed to transforming the educational landscape. Dr. Wilson’s passion for innovation in education was fueled by the challenges children face in outdated learning environments, particularly the Black and Brown second-grade students.
Skoolturf Summit was created to empower 3rd- to 8th-grade educators through cutting-edge math strategies, interactive sessions, and immediate classroom tools to drive academic excellence. The summit was hosted on Sept. 21 at the Portofino Hotel in Redondo Beach.
The first thing they intend to focus on is the well-being of the teacher. “We want to arm teachers with wellness skills and with our in-house therapist, Dr. Boykins. She is going to teach our educators to take care of themselves as you can’t teach and be there for Black and Brown kids properly if you aren’t well.” Wilson wants to encourage educators to be innovative in their lessons and adjust the curriculum to fit the kids and not the other way around.
“We need teachers to understand and create an effective learning environment for all students, no matter their issues. We are setting teachers up for success by walking them through successful lessons that my team and I created.” Wilson said, explaining what educators could expect from the summit. “ Our pedagogy is making our lessons and workshops interdisciplinary and push teachers to take math out of precise-based learning and make teachers think about a mass activity that engages all students and helps them master the lesson.”
Wilson knows the challenges teachers and kids deal with and wants to do his best to help create an experience that benefits both parties. He understands it starts with the educator first. “As an educator, we’re tasked with wearing multiple hats for our students, and it can be draining. We have to uplift, encourage, and support our educators, so they are better equipped to help our kids.”