The Instruction of Youth Is Like Engraving in Stone: The Instructional Praxis of a West African Queen Mother Working with Junior High School Students

<h3>Abstract</h3> In this article, Kofi LeNiles presents a critical examination of the educational approach of an <i>Ohemma</i> (West African Queen Mother) who taught in a three-week science, technology, engineering, and mathematics summer program in the United States. Drawing on African-centered theory, LeNiles9s article examines how an Ohemma utilizes African ways of knowing to enhance the educational experiences of Black children. Employing Africology as the methodological approach, the article draws on African perspectives and ways of knowing to guide the collection, coding, and analysis of data. The findings illuminate how educators who utilize an educational approach that is anchored in deep knowledge of African culture can connect Black children to culturally specific ideas while advancing critical thinking and academic engagement. The article concludes by calling for the education of all children to be inclusive of culturally diverse approaches to teaching and for African-centered education to be a chief focus in the education of Black children.