In this episode, Kevin P. Chavous talks with Ahmoni Jones, a seventh-grade math teacher at Soulsville Charter School in Memphis, who’s part of that 1%. Jones grew up in a predominantly Black district, surrounded by teachers who looked like him—but never by a Black man at the front of the room. Now he’s changing that story.
They talk about what drew him to teaching, the influence of his parents—both behavior specialists—and the moment he realized the classroom was where he could make a difference. Jones explains how he keeps math alive for kids who usually hate it, why humor works better than fear, and how programs like Memphis Teacher Residency are helping young teachers of color stay in the profession.
It’s a conversation about identity, purpose, and the quiet power of showing up for the next generation.
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Transcript
Ahmoni Jones: We should start by talking about the beauty of education support systems like MTR programs that support, recruit, and retain educators, but also change the way we view education. It’s not just this tiring job that doesn’t get paid a lot.
Kevin P. Chavous: I’m not trying to state the obvious here. We always talk about how teaching changes lives. But who teaches matters just as much. How kids see themselves depends on who stands at the front of the classroom. Here’s something to sit with: Black teachers make up about 6% of U.S. teachers, but Black men account for just 1.3% of all teachers. That gap carries weight. It shapes influence, identity, and possibility.
Today’s guest has thought hard about this. He’s living it. Ahmoni Jones is a leader at Soulsville Charter School. He leads with disciplined belief and demands possibility. So I want to ask: Why should more young men of color become teachers? What changes when a child sees someone who looks like them leading the room? And what path has to shift for this to be a path people choose? Ahmoni, welcome to the show.
Ahmoni, I’m excited to have you on. I can tell you’re sitting in a classroom. There’s so much I want to talk about, but first, what are you teaching? What grade is that?
Ahmoni Jones: I’m teaching seventh-grade math.
Kevin P. Chavous: You’ve always been a unicorn. You’re a basketball player and a great one. Went to my alma mater. I thought I was good—then you passed me on the all-time scoring list. But that’s another conversation. You’re also a math savant. A true unicorn.
Let’s start with your experience. Talk about your schooling growing up. At some point you decided this is what you want to do. Did you always like school?
Ahmoni Jones: For the most part, yes, I always enjoyed school. I grew up in a predominantly Black school district, so elementary, middle, and high school were all Black. The culture was familiar and made me feel at home. I enjoyed school. Once I got to college, I started to enjoy it less, but overall, yes, I did enjoy school.
Kevin P. Chavous: A lot of people who grow up in all-Black districts know those schools can run hot and cold in terms of academics, teachers meeting challenges, and life outside the classroom. In your experience, I know there were folks who didn’t like school. What made you still like it—and also be one of the cool kids, which I know you were?
Ahmoni Jones: The connections I made with my educators. Most of my teachers were people of color, so the relationships felt strong and familiar. The discipline matched what I grew up with at home. Having teachers I could connect with—who pushed me to be the best version of myself—really shaped how I viewed school. It was the relationships, both with peers and teachers.
Kevin P. Chavous: How many Black male teachers did you have in elementary and middle school?
Ahmoni Jones: Zero.
Kevin P. Chavous: I had zero too. Wow. When did you decide you wanted to do this? Not many young people are flocking to the profession anymore, but you’ve always been consistent about wanting to teach.
Ahmoni Jones: I credit my parents. They’re both behavior specialists at an alternative school. I saw the grind they put in every day and the injustice students faced. I wanted to be part of changing that. Funny enough, I used to love playing “teacher school” when I was little. I wanted to see how it worked in real life—and I’ve found a lot of joy in it.
Kevin P. Chavous: You’re a math savant. Math is something a lot of kids struggle with across backgrounds. Was it always easy for you?
Ahmoni Jones: I don’t ever remember struggling with math. For whatever reason, it just clicked. My friends hated it, but it always came naturally to me.
Kevin P. Chavous: Let me jump in for a quick moment. For a lot of students, the traditional model just isn’t the right fit. That’s why more than 3 million families have chosen K12-powered schools—offering flexible, tuition-free learning with certified teachers and personalized approaches. You can head to k12.com/podcast to learn more. Alright, back to the conversation.
Ahmoni Jones: Math always came easy for me. I don’t know why, but it’s always been something I could pick up quickly.
Kevin P. Chavous: Let’s talk about college. When we met, you were determined to become a teacher. You played basketball, had a rigorous academic schedule, yet still found time to work with kids. Talk about that.
Ahmoni Jones: My basketball team at Wabash had a program called Books, Basketball, and Beyond. We’d visit local elementary schools and read to kids. Literacy is struggling in this country, so we wanted to help kids find joy in reading. We did it about once a month.
I also interned with the Memphis Teacher Residency while at Wabash. I moved to Memphis for that and worked with kids in math. That was my first real classroom experience, and it skyrocketed my passion for education.
Kevin P. Chavous: I wondered how you’d respond to that internship. A lot of people have ideas about what they want to do, then face reality and change course. But it seems like being in the classroom fueled your fire instead of putting it out.
Ahmoni Jones: Exactly. Standing in front of a classroom, seeing disparities firsthand—especially in math—motivated me. I wanted to close those gaps in math and reading. Seeing students struggle when it’s not their fault keeps me showing up. If no one wants to be in the classroom, how will students ever get the help they need? They need me. I need them.
Kevin P. Chavous: Many math teachers say part of the challenge is that a lot of teachers themselves never mastered math. The best ones tell me they try to make it fun and meet students where they are, not just focus on formulas. Is that how you teach?
Ahmoni Jones: You hit it right on the nose. My motto is: math will be hard, but it won’t be boring. We’ll find ways to make it engaging and fun. When students enjoy it, engagement skyrockets, and learning follows. I want to change how people perceive math—it’s hard, but it’s not boring.
Kevin P. Chavous: How have your students responded?
Ahmoni Jones: At first, they think I’m weird and goofy. They wonder why I have so much energy. Once they get used to it and see how I make problems relatable, they start enjoying class. After that, they love learning math and working together every day.
Kevin P. Chavous: You’re at a charter school in Memphis. How’s it been adjusting as a new teacher and working with experienced peers?
Ahmoni Jones: It’s been hard to balance creativity and structure. I have so many ideas but also guidelines to follow. My coworkers have been great—checking in, offering support, understanding what it’s like to be a first-year teacher. The admin team has been empathetic and encouraging.
Kevin P. Chavous: Through your experience, what can we do to excite more young African Americans, especially Black men, to enter teaching?
Ahmoni Jones: First, talk about the beauty of education. People always say teachers don’t make enough or kids are too difficult. But every day I get to teach something new, tell students they’re capable, and help them rewrite their own stories. That’s beautiful.
Programs like MTR help recruit and retain educators. We need more systems like that and to change how people view teaching—it’s not just a low-paying, exhausting job.
Kevin P. Chavous: My wife and I talk about this often. You can start your day with gratitude or grievance. When people talk about education, they often lead with the challenges instead of the opportunities. Great teachers talk about how emotional it is to see a child’s progress—to take them from point A to point B. That mindset of focusing on what’s possible matters.
Ahmoni Jones: Exactly. Mindset is everything. You can wake up saying, “Today’s going to be hard,” and it will be. Or you can say, “Someone’s going to learn something new today.” That’s the mindset I bring to teaching.
Kevin P. Chavous: Amani, it’s always good to see you. Thank you for all you do. Next time we’re back at college, I can’t go one-on-one, but we should play a game of horse.
Ahmoni Jones: I’m ready. Not backing down. We can do it.
Kevin P. Chavous: Love it. Ahmoni Jones, thank you so much for joining us on What I Want to Know.
Ahmoni Jones: Thank you.
Kevin P. Chavous: Thanks for listening to What I Want to Know. Be sure to follow and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite app to explore other episodes and discussions on the future of education. Write a review and join the conversation using #WIWTK on social media.
For more on Stride and online education, visit stridelearning.com. I’m your host, Kevin P. Chavous. Thanks for joining What I Want to Know.
Meet the Experts
Meet Ahmoni Jones
Ahmoni Jones is a seventh-grade math teacher at Soulsville Charter School in Memphis, Tennessee. A graduate of the Memphis Teacher Residency program, he is passionate about representation in education and creating engaging, inclusive classrooms where every student feels seen. Inspired by his parents, who are both behavior specialists, Jones uses humor, empathy, and real-world connections to make math meaningful for students who might otherwise tune out.
