Stifling the Teaching of Critical Race Theory Is Not an Option
Insights from Educate, 17th Edition
Photo by Isaiah Rustad on Unsplash
Welcome to Insights from Educate, a curated weekly newsletter of professional learning and inspiration from authentic voices in education.
My newsfeed has been filled to the brim with updates regarding initiatives to ban critical race theory in schools across the U.S. Adrian Florida at NPR notes that at least six Republican legislatures have advanced, or are planning to advance, bills that will effectively end the race conversation with our students.
Critical race theory is “an academic approach that examines how race and racism function in law and society.” Conservatives are deeming the teaching of critical race theory as divisive and unpatriotic.
As a former high school English teacher, I taught To Kill a Mockingbird and other supposedly controversial texts almost every year. These texts naturally elicit discussions of race, justice, and inequality.
The effect of these legislative decisions will ultimately create scenarios where teachers feel threatened or worried about covering certain topics in class. Our global history is rife with stories of injustice. It is our responsibility to teach our students the circumstances surrounding these injustices while also actively discussing the “why” behind some of the worst parts of our history.
Legislatures are dipping their toes into a pool where they certainly do not belong. Instead of engaging in a conversation with educators about how we can cover topics of inequality in the classroom, lawmakers are instead putting their foot down in an effort to simply stamp out any alternate opinions or ideas that conflict with their own biased ideologies.
I am hopeful that educators will continue to engage with their students and carry out our responsibility of creating civic-minded citizens that are equipped to advocate for the rights of all.
Professional Learning and Inspiration
Trust-Based Observations for Teacher Learning and Growth
Craig Randall, an experienced U.S. and international school leader, counselor, and teacher, is transforming the teacher evaluation process. In his book, Trust-Based Observations: Maximizing Teaching and Learning Growth, Randall discusses the need for an evaluation process that encourages risk-taking and innovation. By building relationships with teachers, educational leaders can cultivate a positive school culture where teachers feel valued and heard. Utilizing a strengths-based approach to teacher evaluation, Randall models the behaviors that as teachers we strive to model for our students. Just as our students deserve individualized approaches to learning, our teachers also deserve to be recognized for what they individually contribute to the school. Craig was one of the leaders I worked with overseas, and I highly value his contributions to the education industry.
How to Talk to Children About Violence
Authors Alvin Buyinza and Jamaal Abdul-Alim at The Conversation suggest four essential reads to help navigate conversations about violence. Topically, the readings cover resiliency, critical thinking about systemic inequality, validation of feelings, and understanding possible exposures to violence. Although these conversations are difficult, it is important for parents to discuss how violence surfaces in our lives before children form their own impressions or seek guidance elsewhere.
Create a Mistake-Friendly Classroom
Meghan Laslocky writes for Edutopia:
“In a mistake-friendly classroom, teachers can use errors as opportunities to assess how students are understanding course content and to support their critical thinking skills.”
Without question, we learn from our mistakes. But somehow our students are worried about making mistakes that will result in a lower grade or classroom standing. Most people dislike getting an answer wrong and will actively avoid scenarios in which they might feel embarrassed when offering an incorrect solution. Students are no different. The key is to create an environment where mistakes are expected and embraced as part of the natural process of learning. Laslocky suggests creating opportunities for “good” or “expected” mistakes by building in activities that require productive struggle or guesswork. Using real-time feedback, teachers can encourage discussions with students about how to critically think about our mistakes and how we can use them to further our knowledge.
Education News and Research
Nick Morrison, a contributor for Forbes, discusses the need to flip the narrative about pandemic learning loss. Morrison writes that instead of focusing on what has been lost, we should instead be focusing on the powerful lessons we have learned through the implementation of remote and hybrid learning. There has been a noticeable uptick in the use of technology across the globe, including for teacher professional development. As schools scrambled to jump online, there was an opportunity for more collaboration amongst schools and districts to share lessons and insights that ultimately can benefit students.
On NPR’s podcast Short Wave, Rhitu Chatterjee and Rebecca Ramirez, dive into the mental health crisis facing our students as we continue to grapple with the effects of a lingering pandemic. In this 13-minute listen, psychiatrist Dr. Nicole Christian-Brathwaite discusses the mental health ramifications and suggestions to help students cope.
Michael Hansen, at the Harvard Business Review, writes: students are not being taught the skills they need for a contemporary work force. The problem is two-fold: education must directly teach skills that are needed by employers and companies must seek employees who don’t necessarily have the standard four-year degree. Hansen notes two main issues: a bias against vocational degrees and the expectation that all students must pursue a four-year (or more) degree despite the fact that this is sometimes (often) unaffordable. He concludes:
“Now is the time for employers to increase credibility for skills-based hiring, to remove stigmas around vocational education, and to move forward to create equal opportunities for all students.”
The Latest Articles from Educate.
Is Your Child’s IEP Unintentionally Useless? by Jillian ADHD 2e MB
Let’s Be Careful How We Judge “Learning Loss” by Dave Smith
Thinking Outside the Box: Challenging the Status Quo by Jillian ADHD 2e MB
Racism is written through the heart of every school hallway, not just every American street by Ira David Socol
Write for Educate.
We would love to share your voice. Educate features research-driven articles focused on the education industry. Please review the submission requirements below.
Send questions to educate@jenniferosbornewrites.com
About the Editor
Jennifer Osborne is an experienced educator with graduate degrees in Educational Leadership and Guidance and Counseling. She has taught in five countries across a wide variety of classrooms and schools. Jennifer is passionate about authentic education for students and personalized professional learning for teachers.
Read her Educator’s Bio at Jennifer Osborne Writes.