A White Teacher Talks About Race

Rachel, Kathleen, Christina, Michele, Ari

Link to glogster handout:

http://christina91.edu.glogster.com/awhite teachertalksaboutrace

The Author and Purpose

Author Julie Landsman is a veteran teacher at an alternative school in Minneapolis She reflects on issues of race, poverty, institutional responsibility, and white privilege Shares from her own experience in classrooms where 60-80 percent of students are not of European descent Speaks honestly about her thoughts, her biases, and how her background has shaped her view of her students and teaching She tells specific stories of students and their lives Provides critical reflection on how the education system is designed for the success of white students Overall message white teachers can provide inclusive classrooms by reflecting critically on their own lives, the lives of their students, and how they are teaching.

Reflective Questions
Some questions she raises throughout a typical day of teaching:

Why is academic success seen as a white thing? In whose interest was a thing done, a book published, a law passed? (what are we teaching and why, is it relevant to our students?) How can we teach students in a way that they can succeed in a white power culture and also provide culturally relevant education? How are we setting expectations for ALL of our students?

Appealing to the different learning styles of all of your students

creating a comfortable learning environment

Main Ideas

Understanding that each childs personal life affects their student performance The difference between knowing and understanding p.12 To know is to understand as fact or truth, to apprehend clearly and with certainty; to have established or fixed in mind or memory To understand is to perceive the meaning of, grasp the idea of, comprehend, to be thoroughly familiar with, apprehend clearly the character, nature, or subtleties of, to be conversant Landsman realized that all of her memories were white. Therefore she can never know what it means to be any other color. This also ties into if you were never poor, bullied, lived in an urban community, and more. Because you have never experienced these things, accordinging to Landsman you dont actually know what it means to be these things. She states that, I am convinced that if I can imagine, I might be able to understand. Because she can imagine, she may be able to understand what it means to be these things.

Incorporating real life situations into the classroom

Main Ideas

Having the willingness and knowledge to challenge all of your students according to their level of ability Being able to first recognize the presence of white privilege, examine how it plays a role in your thinking, and use it to benefit the classroom learning Straying away from covering topics of diversity through quickfixes Is it enough to merely talk about the diversity present in your class? What efforts can be made to make sure we dont try to quickly fix the problem

We need to be aware of such controversial topics and not be afraid to make the first step in talking about it
preconceived notions about certain groups white privilege

Julie Landsmans influence on our teaching...

-The teachers role in the classroom -The importance of knowing who we are and who our students are. -Landsman reflects on her own life. -Landsman knows her students. -Landsman never professes to be perfect.

How we will adjust our teaching...

-Focus on Classroom Environment -Making an effort to know students and build curriculum around their needs. -Open classrooms with conversations -Become advocates for our students in and outside of the classroom

How The Book Will Influence Our Practice

Getting to know the students individually and their community Including role models and people in lessons that they can relate to; including multiple perspectives Creating a welcoming classroom environment

Influencing our Practice Contd

Having the opportunity to discuss controversial topics Personal reflection on our own opinions, biases, etc. Celebrations and praise; personalized
motivation