Table Of ContentPersonal Perspective
“What Is It That I Don’t Know”
Learning with White Teachers
in Anti-Racist Eduation
Tianlong Yu
Introduction that challenges White privilege and the sys- author is a White man, some students still
temic oppression of racial minorities under believed the book reflects a larger minor-
Gary Howard (2006) starts his book,
White domination. My students greeted this ity-initiated racial conspiracy of “political
We Can’t Teach What We Don’t Know:
message with sheer resistance. correctness” which blames Whites only and
White Teachers, Multiracial Schools, with
In this article, I will share my reflec- favors minorities.
some revealing statistics about U.S. school
tions on this difficult learning journey. Entangled with these negative emo-
demographics. He indicates that the popu-
I will first describe the difficulties and tions and attitudes, the students demon-
lation of students of color in the United
resistance my students demonstrated in strated other pedagogical misconceptions.
States reached 30% in 1990, 40% in 2002,
understanding Howard in particular and The concept of “culturally relevant pedago-
and will continue to increase throughout
anti-racist education in general. Then, I gy” was a tough sell for these White teach-
the 21st century. At the same time, he says,
will share my attempt to understand such ers. Many of them genuinely wondered why
90% of public school teachers are White, a
student difficulty and resistance through they have to teach differently to different
figure that will remain high and possibly
an analysis of the social and educational kids. They felt their professional ability
grow in the next few decades. In addition,
contexts that situate and confine my stu- and credentials were under attack. They
about 40% of U.S. schools have no teachers
dents. Finally, I will discuss the pedagogi- claimed they had already learned much
of color in their classrooms (p. 4). Howard
cal efforts I made to help my students learn about what to teach and how to teach.
sums up: “For the foreseeable future, the
in anti-racist education. I’ll emphasize an They indicated they know their teaching
vast majority of teachers will be White,
autobiographical examination we adopted subjects well and they constantly work
while the student population will grow
which, I believe, has great potential to as- to improve their knowledge base through
increasingly diverse” (p. 4).
sist students/teachers to grow. graduate work and professional develop-
It wasn’t hard for the students in my
ment. They said they had learned a lot
graduate class (a social foundations of
“What Is It That I Don’t Know?” about child psychology, human learning
education class with a focus on anti-racist
Difficulties and Resistance in Learning process, teaching strategies, and classroom
education) to recognize these demographic
about Anti-racist Education management.
realities. After all, an overwhelming majority
Plus, they stressed that they have a
of them, practicing teachers in local public A few words on place and demograph-
passion for education and a love for children
schools, are White, and according to them, ics may be necessary. The university where
and that they strive to make a difference in
their students are becoming increasingly I teach is a typical U.S. Midwestern state
all children’s lives. Those are the personal
non-White. It was also not difficult for them college with a sizeable teacher educa-
qualities they were proud of talking about,
to share the sense of urgency in Howard’s tion program. My graduate students are
repeatedly, in the class. In addition, they
question: How can White teachers more ef- predominantly White, female, and lower
claimed to support the ideals of educational
fectively teach diverse students, especially middle class, and the majority of them
equality and fairness, even though they
students of color who are often caught on teach in public schools located in small
tended not to speak about them.
the negative end of the achievement gap? rural and suburban towns.
When pushed to elaborate on what ed-
However, that is as far they could go Original reactions to Howard’s book
ucational equality and fairness entail, they
with Howard’s analysis. My students stum- from these students showed a high-level
said it means that teachers have to treat
bled to accept the central message in his of emotional stress, some confusion, lots of
every child equally: teaching everyone
book. According to Howard, to successfully frustration, and incredible defensiveness.
the same material in the same way. One
teach diverse students, White teachers must “It wasn’t a pleasant read,” some students
student spoke well for all of them: “I don’t
develop a healthy White racial identity, one declared. Obviously they had not expected
see color; I see children.” You could hardly
to read such critical scholarship, especially
cast any doubts about the positive values,
on “controversial” race-related issues.
beliefs, and strong personal conviction and
Tianlong Yu The race talk simply made them
character these teachers demonstrated.
is Taishan Scholar Professor of Education uncomfortable, let alone Howard’s focus
You can easily identify the honesty and
at Shandong Normal University in China on critical White self-examination. Some
logic inherent in their questions: “What is
and an associate professor commented that the book represents
it that I don’t know about teaching? And
of educational foundations just another “White bashing” and part of
what is it that I don’t know about teaching
at Southern Illinois University, “minority people’s constant complaints.”
minority kids?”
Edwardsville, Illinois. Even though reminded repeatedly that the
SUMMER 2012
47
Personal Perspective
A positivistic notion of education was election eve, former New York City mayor American history have Whites, by and
salient in my students’ thinking as there Rudy Giuliani noted: “We’ve achieved his- large, believed that folks of color were
was little to no contextualized understand- tory tonight and we’ve moved beyond . . . getting a raw deal” (Wise, 2009, p. 34).
ing of teaching. A socio-cultural analysis the whole idea of race and racial separation Then it is not surprising that we continue
of education was particularly missing. and unfairness.” The day after Obama’s to experience White rejection of racism
Differences in human learning and educa- 2008 victory, a Wall Street Journal editorial as whining, as “playing the race card.”
tion based on race, ethnicity, gender, socio- commented: “One promise of his victory is Such rejection was well demonstrated in
economic status, etc. were not emphasized that perhaps we put to rest the myth of my class, indicated by the comments my
in their preparation to become better racism as a barrier to achievement in this White students made, such as: “Haven’t we
teachers. This positivistic understanding splendid country.” In another Washington heard enough [about racism and minority
of teaching and learning was further Post article, columnist Richard Cohen said: struggles]?”; “We will never move forward
entwined with deeply-entrenched beliefs “It is not just that he [Obama] is post-racial; unless we stop these race talks”; and “We
of meritocracy and color-blindness. so is the nation he is generationally primed already have a Black president. If he could
Together this powerful combination to lead. . . .We have overcome.” make it, everyone can!”
made Howard’s central argument extreme- Anti-racist educator Tim Wise (2009) On the other hand, unfortunately,
ly foreign and hostile for these students. would equate the above conclusion that the Obama’s own tendency to de-emphasize
According to Howard, for Whites to become victory of one person of color signifies a vic- racism and on-going social injustices feeds
effective multicultural teachers, culturally tory over racism aimed at nearly 90 million the mainstream White denial. During his
relevant and socially competent, they must as lunacy. As he pointed out, what White campaigns, he consciously and carefully
become racially educated; they must under- America has apparently missed, despite catered to the White public’s desire not
stand the larger racial histories, struggles, all the Black History Month celebrations, to talk about race. When he had to talk
injustices, and the role Whites play in is that there have always been individually about it, he chose to gloss over the ongoing
them; and they must further understand successful persons of color and that the present-day racial inequities and promote
issues such as White dominance, White triumph of individuals of color cannot, in a narrative of meritocracy and colorblind-
privilege, and White racism and how these itself, serve as proof of widespread systemic ness, a narrative he knew was much pre-
realities have underlined the entrenched change (p. 29). ferred by White folks.
value systems and conceptual framework The outrageous claim of the death of For example, when forced to address
which directly or indirectly influence their racism reflects the historically entrenched race in the wake of White America’s col-
philosophy and practice as teachers. White denial of racism and institutional- lective denouncement over remarks of his
ized racial inequalities. The Wall Street former pastor, Jeremiah Wright, Obama
Understanding Student Difficulty Journal’s charge of racism as myth certainly talked about how the historic legacy of
and Resistance reflects public opinion. A 2008 Gallup poll racism had shaped the contours of racial
A Contextual Analysis indicates: (a) more than three in four Whites inequity and had fed the Black anger ex-
say that Blacks have just as good a chance pressed by Wright.
A starting point for us to help students as Whites to get any job for which they
learn on the difficult journey of anti-racist are qualified; (b) 80% of Whites say Blacks By speaking in terms of past injuries and
the lingering grievances generated by the
education is to understand the causes of have just as good a chance as Whites to get
same, Obama deftly managed to speak
their difficulties and resistance. Multiple a good education; and (c) 85% of Whites about racism without forcing white folks
factors make student learning difficult and claim Blacks have just as good a chance to confront just how real and how present-
contribute to their psychological resistance to get any housing they can afford. In ad- day the problem is. (Wise, 2009, p. 36)
to anti-racism. It must be recognized that dition, according to a survey conducted by
Consider another example. On Father’s
many of these factors exist and function CNN, only one in nine Whites believe racial
Day, 2008, in a Black church in Chicago,
outside of students’ personal lives and thus discrimination against Blacks is still a very
Obama delivered some harsh criticism to
students have little control over them. A serious problem at all.
Black families and Black fathers especially.
critical contextual analysis of these factors This present-day White denial is just
Embracing a long-established tradition
is therefore needed. a continuation of a historical pattern.
of social thought that says Black fami-
According to Wise (2009), in 1963 roughly
lies are largely responsible for their own
The Social Context: two-thirds of Whites told Gallup pollsters
troubles, Obama urged his own people to
Racism and White Denial in the Age of Obama that Blacks were treated equally in White
get self-salvation through strong values
My class coincided with the historic communities. In 1962, nearly 90% of Whites
and hard work. Of course, he was adding
presidential campaign and election in said Black children were treated equally
to the stereotypes about negligent Black
2008. These extraordinary events provided in terms of educational opportunity. Going
fathers, stereotypes that have little basis
us with a unique social background against back in history even further, in the 1930s,
in reality.
which we launched our learning. One issue few Whites saw racism and the oppression
Research by Boston College scholar
that emerged prominently from this back- of Black people as a major concern. Even at
Rebekah Levine Coley has revealed a
ground was race. The election of Barack the height of overt White supremacist rule,
complex view of the causes of absentee-
Obama as the nation’s first racial-minority during the 1890s, when massive White
ism among Black fathers: far from being
president signaled, for many people, the violence against post-emancipation Blacks
irresponsible, it is the failure to live up to
end of an era. Charges of racism suddenly reached its zenith, White newspapers all
expectations to provide for their families
reached a new level of unpopularity. around the South still proclaimed how well
due to the severe lack of economic and
In fact, many White folks were ready to Whites and Blacks got along.
educational opportunities that drives poor
declare the struggle against racism over. On It is pretty clear that “at no point in
MULTICULTURAL EDUCATION
48
Personal Perspective
Black men into despair and away from ongoing institutionalized racial problems. larger meaning of a social construction,
their families. In addition, as shocking as His presence and his ideas don’t represent after all: it has walls. (Williams, 2010, p. 9)
it is, Coley found that Black fathers not a threat to White America’s way of life. He
Race and racism are increasingly
living at home are actually more likely to makes White America quite comfortable.
denigrated, and a new “innocence” of self-
keep in contact with their children than Therefore White America has accepted
identification seems to push us toward an
fathers of any other ethnic or racial group him, on its own established terms.
official narrative that glosses over and
(cited in Dyson, 2008, p. 38). Of course, White America’s acceptance
downplays the significance of racial dif-
Obama’s rebuff of Black fathers and of Obama is still very vulnerable. Take
ferences. A discourse of equality-sounding
his firm insistence on personal responsi- notice of the general unease and anxiety
“we are all alike” takes charge. But such
bility might have been calculated to win White America shows towards Obama as
a “we are all alike” message is essentially
over socially conservative Whites who President! Since day one into his presiden-
transferrable to “we are all alike, like me.”
were turned off by criticisms of persistent cy, he has had to deal with unprecedented,
It conveys an entrenched desire not to
White racism, such as those voiced by the and unfair, pressure to deliver on his prom-
change the firmly established racial hier-
Rev. Wright. His rebuke may have scored ises. The fact that he was forced by White
archy with Whiteness as its standard and
politically for him, but it certainly didn’t America to declare, repeatedly, that he is
framework. This is the larger social context
and won’t help solve the real problems a Christian, not a Muslim, speaks to the
in which we attempt to learn about critical
plaguing the Black community, such as deeply-embedded White distrust of Black
concepts in anti-racist education.
huge unemployment, racist mortgage people and White racism in general. Then,
practices, weakened childcare support, and there were the ugly Tea Party protests and
The Educational Context
lack of training programs for blue-collar the “birther” nonsense manufactured by
NCLB and the Denigration
workers (Dyson, 2008, p. 38). Donald Trump. Let’s be honest: many of
of Critical Education
Obama’s political ascent may repre- these oppositions to Obama’s presidency
sent the rising power of minorities; how- are racially charged. Racism is well and What about the educational world
ever, it reflects much more the power of alive; the very racism his election and re- these teachers are most intimately con-
Whiteness. Given the fact that systemic ra- election helped little to end. nected to? It is equally antithetical to
cial discrimination and profound inequity Race talk in the age of Obama is cer- anti-racist education. A revealing example
of opportunity continue to mark the lives of tainly more unpopular than ever before. about this counterproductive culture in
persons of color (Tatum, 2003; Wise, 2009), The norm of Whiteness his campaigns and current schools is manifested in how “mul-
Obama’s success certainly does not signify elections helped to uphold gains strength ticultural education” is conceptualized and
the death of White racism as a personal or every day and the efforts of minorities practiced by teachers.
institutional phenomenon. and their White allies to challenge White In our early class meetings students
Rather, it may well signal the inten- privilege are increasingly difficult. My were asked to talk about their understand-
sifying of a more subtle form of racism, classes showed the high-level nervousness, ing of multicultural education. In response,
“racism 2.0,” as Tim Wise (2009) terms frustration, and defensiveness of the racial they described multicultural education as
it, which “allows for and even celebrates majority about breaking normality and en- teaching “multiple cultures or ethnic dif-
the achievements of individual persons tering into an unknown terrain. Like much ferences.” Some of them were genuinely
of color, but only because those individu- of the majority public, these White teach- puzzled why we wanted to discuss gender,
als generally are seen as different from a ers were even squeamish about describing class, and sexual orientation; most were
less appealing, even pathological Black or themselves in racial or ethnic terms. certainly unprepared for the study of
Brown rule” (p. 9). Early in the semester, I used a simple historical dominance of Whites and their
From this perspective we may conclude exercise Beverly Tatum (2003) introduced. systematic subjugation of minorities.
that 43 percent of Whites voted for Obama I asked my students to complete the sen- When asked to give examples of their
in 2008 not because they genuinely ac- tence “I am----------” with as many adjective specific teachings in multicultural educa-
cepted his Blackness or looked beyond race descriptors as possible. Not surprisingly, tion, they all came up with things such as
altogether, but because he successfully my White students overwhelmingly chose celebrating ethnic holidays, showcasing fa-
eased White fears and transcended his not to use “White” or “Caucasian” in their mous people from a minority racial group,
still-problematic Blackness. Remember own description of themselves, while the or exhibiting unique cultural forms or life
how regularly “transcending race” and few minorities in the class all began their styles involving food and arts.
“moving beyond race” was used to describe sentences with “I am Black” or “I am James Banks (1999) would categorize
Obama during the 2008 campaign? These Asian.” Minorities, who appear phenotypi- this dominant approach to multicultural
expressions are basically saying he is dif- cally “Black” or “Yellow” or “Brown,” enjoy education in American schools as a “contri-
ferent from most Black folks. neither the privilege nor the inclination to butions approach” or “heroes and holidays
He certainly looks not as Black as most play around such race issues. In contrast approach.” It is not an empty approach, of
blacks. He speaks standard English with to their White counterparts, minorities course. It does emphasize teaching ethnic
even more eloquence than many Whites. experience race and racism every day. differences and cultural tolerance which
He holds degrees from the finest and also are indeed important lessons for every
You are fingered, inescapably tagged—
most White institutions. Most importantly, American child.
boxed in not by the form [such as a
he avoids discussing race and racism as Census form or a class survey], but by However, this is a fundamentally
Whites often do and when he has to discuss collective presumptions and cultural inadequate approach. While celebrating
them he takes a typical White view—see- prejudgments—about beauty, criminal- inclusion and stressing sensitivity train-
ing racism in historical terms and calling ity, intelligence, manners, articulateness, ing, it fails to adequately analyze unequal
for personal responsibility to address the merit, health, and contagion. That is power relationships in society and leaves
SUMMER 2012
49
Personal Perspective
structural injustices unchallenged. In ad- idiosyncratic process separated from wider Driven by a job-preparation orienta-
dition, it is an essentialist model which social and environmental contexts. While tion and competition for students, teacher
defines cultural identities in static and suggesting that educational improvement education programs are radically reform-
fixed terms, failing to grasp the dynamic, can be effectively pursued independent of ing themselves. Across the nation social
complex, and changing nature of ethnic/ra- external material realities and emphasiz- foundations of education courses, courses
cial/cultural identity. ing academic competition among schools designed to help teachers conduct critical
Moreover, it tends to focus only on and individual students, policymakers social analysis and cultural studies, are
making students aware of the racial or seriously ignore the social conditions of increasingly being marginalized. Fewer
cultural others, not touching upon who schooling and disregard the close correla- and fewer programs offer independent
they are as gendered, classed, and raced tion between school outcomes and social courses in philosophy of education, history
persons. This directly speaks to the need problems such as poverty and racism. of education, multicultural education, or
for White self-examination that Howard Freeman (2005) argues that as color- other courses that are not subject-based
highlights in his book as so necessary for blindness permeates educational polices, or practically oriented.
meaningful anti-racist education, yet it is the salience of race, along with other criti- The limited number of classes remain-
something so resented and so resisted by cal issues of ethnicity, social class, gender, ing in social foundations constitute a sur-
my students. religion, language diversity, etc, is rendered vival crisis, struggling to avoid the increas-
The simplistic, inadequate, and po- invisible. This leads to a fundamental prob- ing danger of being completely eliminated.
tentially misleading multicultural educa- lem of the current school reform, namely, In fact, traditional schools of education
tion practices readily found in American the marginalization of the pursuit of social are under siege, facing the competition of
schools are perhaps a by-product of a high- justice and educational equality. “alternative paths to teaching.” According
speed accountability race, marked by tough Such uncritical education now prevail- to an April, 2010 New York Times story,
academic standards, high-stakes testing, ing in the public schools naturally leaves its the rising popularity of alternative certi-
and punitive school choice mechanisms impact on teacher education at colleges and fication programs is precisely due to their
aimed towards the privatization of public universities. Consistent with the positivist grounding in practical training, presum-
education. This accountability movement understanding of teaching and learning ably in contrast to traditional schools of
owes its rising to the landmark Bush leg- dominating the school reform agenda, a job- education that are “mired in theory.”
islation, No Child Left Behind (NCLB), a preparation orientation permeates teacher Offering a quicker path for people
bill the Obama administration has moved education programs. Courses designed for who don’t have to study education in
very slowly to reform. pre-service and practicing teachers are college to become teachers, and allowing
Under the auspices of NCLB, educa- overwhelmingly focused on “content meth- them to begin teaching without substan-
tion is increasingly defined in economic ods” or “teaching strategies.” tial coursework in non-practical subjects,
terms. Schooling is viewed as a business No wonder teacher candidates come to these alternative programs threaten to
and students as consumers. Business view teacher education largely in terms of make education schools lose their fran-
principles reign supreme: efficiency and skills development and techniques training. chise. Such programs, not surprisingly,
cost-benefit analysis becomes the rule; These programs do little to engage students have received approval and support from
consumer choice and free competition are in critical reflections on racism and other stakeholders and policy makers such as
the norms. While radical voucher plans social oppressions and structural problems. Obama’s Secretary of Education Arne
are promoted by right-wing Republicans, Actually the dominant teacher education Duncan and even some of our own educa-
charter schools are hailed by Democrats. culture has created such backlash that tion academics.
Obama has repeatedly asked states to it makes what we try to teach in critical At an appearance at Teachers College
remove caps on charter schools, pushing multicultural education look so very odd. Columbia in 2009, Duncan charged: “Many,
charters as the solution to help impover- I have had students who asked why if not most, of the nation’s 1,450 schools,
ished children and make declining schools a book emphasizing race issues has to be colleges, and departments of education are
work. The judging of school success, of read by teachers. Some other students doing a mediocre job of preparing teachers
course, relies on standardized tests based wondered why a critical discussion on for the realities of the 21st-century class-
on uniform academic standards. To pass 9/11 or the psychology of war is necessary room.” To supplement Duncan’s unfounded
the tests and meet the standards, schools for those who simply want to teach math, charge, David Steiner, Dean of the Gradu-
fall prey to a teaching-to-the-test mania. science, or language arts. Coming from ate School of Education at Hunter College,
In addition to the competition-driven elementary and secondary schools where City University of New York, criticized
choice programs, virtue-centered character their daily lives are swamped with teach- required course readings at a number of
education is pushed to restore traditional ing to the test, teachers don’t often find, elite education schools, claiming that col-
morality in schools, imposing discipline, and don’t expect to find, a much different leges still devote too much class time to
order, and a religiously-inspired work ethic atmosphere in their teacher certification “abstract notions about ‘the role of school
on students. or degree program courses, which mostly in democracy’” and to “the view by some
This school reform agenda has been teach them about schools as they are, not that schools exist to perpetuate a social
under serious challenge by thoughtful as they should or might be. hierarchy” (Foderaro, 2010, p. 19).
critics since its origin (see Apple, 2001; As for the busy teachers in my classes,
Nichols & Berliner, 2007; Noddings, 2007 after a day of exhaustive teaching, they Learning about Race and Racism
for example). One of the major problems often come to me intellectually drained, An Autobiographic Exploration
of the reform movement is its individual- certainly not in a mood to think out of the
ist orientation. Freeman (2005) points out box and tackle critical and “unpleasant” Needless to say, it is a great challenge
that NCLB keeps school reform a largely issues such as race. to engage students/teachers in meaningful
MULTICULTURAL EDUCATION
50
Personal Perspective
and critical learning about multicultural class) were moved by her story. During the reflect on personal experience of encoun-
education, especially issues of race and class discussion, they showed their heartfelt tering racial differences and how they
racism, within such a counterproductive, sympathies with her sufferings and their have become conscious of their own racial
even reactionary, social and educational admiration for her strengths and ultimate identity in the context of understanding
environment. In this last section, I will success. They saw being poor and being a racial others.
discuss my pedagogical efforts to make the woman as the two largest barriers in An- To help students understand their
impossible possible. I will focus on the use gelou’s life journey and they were inspired identity development, I asked them to
of autobiography in my teaching. by the fact that she triumphantly overcame make reference to theories of White iden-
I started with engaging students in both and achieved a fulfilling life. tity development introduced by Tatum
reading autobiographies. In several early Here, issues of gender and class (2003) and Howard (2006) and encouraged
classes I emphasized this method (see loomed large. A humble woman struggling them to take a critical look into their own
Wang & Yu, 2006, for a reflection on this against sexism and poverty, Angelou was racial growth and becoming.
effort). I had students read autobiographic identified and accepted as one of them; Another emphasis was that I encour-
works that depict the lived experiences of her life was celebrated and admired. She aged them to reflect on the intersections
individuals who took on the task of fight- became their role model. Angelou’s mes- of race, gender, and class as they were
ing for social justice and equality and their sages of dedication, hard work, faith, and experienced and lived during their own life
struggles and triumphs with racism, sex- perseverance found strong repercussions journey. The point here was for them to see
ism, classism, and other oppressions. in my students. and comprehend the interrelatedness of
My intention was to engage students Evidently my students learned a oppression and the complexity of identity
with their own identity-searching as per- lot from Angelou, but they also missed politics. Understanding their own often-
sons and educators. I particularly hoped something obvious and important. They oppressed gender and class identities as
to examine the self situated in social con- didn’t—or refused to—see color. They women and members of the lower middle
text and help students understand how didn’t—or refused to—see race. Yet, we class, they began to become cognizant of
personal identity is constructed socially, know that Angelou being a woman and be- the subordination of other minorities due
culturally, economically, and politically. ing poor are inextricably tied to her being to race and their own resistance to recog-
The reading of influential autobiographic Black. Being Black is an integral part of nizing White privilege and dominance.
works such as those by Maya Angelou her identity. Race relations constituted the Most importantly, writing autobiogra-
(1991) and Paula Rothenberg (2000) indeed determining background of her personal phy provided these students with a sense
opened my students’ eyes, and their minds struggle and White racism was essential of agency. It helped them realize they are
to some extent. in causing her suffering. the owner of their own lives and they have
However, one challenge in engaging Denying this critical context inevitably a choice and a voice. Continuing reflection
students with reading autobiography is caused a partial and problematic under- of their choices and speaking for their
that many students refused to read se- standing of her story. My students’ read- voices is important. Writing autobiogra-
lected autobiographic works in a way that ing of Angelou echoes Christine Sleeter’s phy represents a “working from within”
would interrogate their own identities. (2005) findings about how White teachers (Pinar, 1994) approach, which is key for
Even though they could come to agreement construct race generally. Descendents of meaningful multicultural education, and
with the central messages the authors European immigrants, White teachers for particularly anti-racist education.
address, including those of anti-racism, could easily draw on their own family his- We must analyze and challenge
anti-sexism, and anti-classism, the experi- tories to understand how social mobility our own perceptions, attitudes, and un-
ences students read about remain largely has been and is achieved in North America. derstandings as social beings who are
irrelevant to their own personal lives. They themselves have attained upward gendered, raced, and classed. With such
They were reading other people’s sto- mobility by earning college degrees and critical reflection, we can possibly work
ries, not their own. They often found the becoming professional teachers. Therefore, to improve our skills as anti-racist and
social contexts and life events which situ- both family and personal experiences seem transformative educators.
ated those authors were not equivalent with to clearly justify individual dedication
their own. They sometimes doubted the and hard work, a message my students References
motives of those authors and their potential accepted from Angelou, also a message at
Apple, M. W. (2001). Educating the “right” way:
political agendas, especially when they read the core of the colorblind approach to race
Markets, standards, God, and inequality.
works by minority authors and those with relations.
New York: Routedge.
strong political/ideological leanings. Thus, In response to the above challenges
Banks, J. A. (1999). Introduction to multicul-
there is still a considerable gap of under- related to students reading autobiography, tural education, 3rd edition. Boston: Allyn
standing and an emotional disconnect. I began to emphasize the need for students & Bacon.
In addition, the students’ reading and to write their own autobiographies as Dyson, M. E. (June 30, 2008). The blame game.
understanding of the assigned autobiogra- a supplement to reading other autobio- Time, p. 38.
phies turned out to be very selective. Stu- graphical works. In addition to encourag- Foderaro, L. W. (April 19, 2010). Alternative
path for teachers gains ground. The New
dents tended to identify with the authors ing students’ self-reflection during class
York Times, A 1 & A 19.
on some messages but reject others. This discussions, in which I asked them to find
Freeman, E. (2005). No Child Left Behind and
was demonstrated by my students’ reading connections between their lives and the
the denigration of race. Equity & Excellence
of Maya Angelou. Despite the resistance of lives they read about, I assigned an auto- in Education, 38(3), 190-199.
some students, overall the class’s reaction biographical paper as their final project. I Howard, G. R. (2006). We can’t teach what we
to Angelou was quite positive. Most of the asked students to write about their own life don’t know: White teachers, multiracial
students (female, White, and lower middle journeys. I especially encouraged them to schools. 2nd edition. New York: Teachers
SUMMER 2012
51
Personal Perspective
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