ABSTRACT
In this chapter, the author enlightens the realities of his work as a black male teacher educator (BMTE) at the end of his first quarter of teaching a teacher education course at a large university in the Midwest. As the student stammered to talk about the firsts of having a Black male professor, in teacher education no less, it became apparent that there was an undercurrent dialogue about my positionality as a BMTE. One of the issues that are queried when examining issues of race and gender in teacher education is whether or not there are certain skills, knowledge, and dispositions that the author possess as a BMTE that his colleagues who are not Black male do not possess. The work of teacher education can be deeply personal and reflective, wherein candidates have to build on their experiences as learners, and of teachers who made an impact on their lives.
