Thursday, September 25, 2014

The Danger of Silence

Hi folks,

Per our conversation(s), I thought you would appreciate this short TED talk from an amazing teacher/poet, Clint Smith.  Worth your 4 minutes and 22 seconds.

Have a good week!

See you Wednesday...

LB :)


Wednesday, September 24, 2014

Notes on Armstrong and Wildman


Key Take Aways:


  • (68) We have to notice.  Don't be afraid to see race.  This article gives us permission and language to use when talking about race. This article gave concrete examples about HOW.
  • (67, 73) Not enough to Notice but also to acknowledge the privilege associated with it
  • (68)  Provides vocabulary for teaching across racial lines.
  • (73) Looking for the Me -- helps build bridges
  • (66) Not the responsibility of students of color to talk about race
  • (76) No magic wand here
  • (71) White people have race (cooshball)
  • (69)  Notice race for 24 hours
  • (69) Silence is a privilege
--> Intersectionality -- seeing oppression as connected (just need to be careful not to derail the conversation and avoid the very conversation about race we are trying to have)




Other resources to think about:

Dear White Moms

Tim Wise: Between Barack and a Hard Place

Tuesday, September 16, 2014

Thinking about Delpit

I really enjoy reading the dialogue you all are engaging in our blog space.  And am happy that reading each others’ blogs offers you new insights about the parts of our texts that might now click on first read.  It is so engaging for me to see you play with the metaphors and ideas we are struggling with in class from one week to the next.  I, too, find Delpit insightful, personal and challenging to me a white, middle class educator.  And I have also come to think of her as the most important teacher I have ever had.  I stalk her at conferences, and while I haven’t ever met her face to face, I think I might stammer and blush like a 12 year old if I did.  There is a t-shirt hanging outside my office door that one of my students made me a decade ago:  What Would Lisa Delpit Do?


Here are some of the major themes I heard you raise this week, themes I hope we will talk about tomorrow in class.
  • Good intentions
  • Knowing is half the battle
  • Learning rules and codes at home
  • Role of SES vs. race: what constitutes the C of P?
  • You talkin’ to me??
  • Communication across cultural lines
  • Veiled commands
  • Doing what is best for ALL students
  • What does teaching the rules and code of power look like?
And this is a great keynote address that Delpit gave in 2013.  Worth the 20 minutes if you feel inspired:



Wednesday, September 10, 2014

Notes on Johnson Discussion



Is Johnson an "idealist" in that he thinks that we are capable of change?
How have things changed in the past 15 years?

SAY THE WORDS
... but work to find ways to make sure there is no hate speech

Spread the word to end the word -- Special Olympics
"Intent" vs "impact"

people of color vs. colored people
https://www.google.com/search?q=colored+people&es_sm=91&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=HMIQVLzFGcPOggSxxoLIAg&ved=0CAkQ_AUoAg&biw=1416&bih=615&dpr=0.9

Jose becomes Joe
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/09/02/jose-joe-job-discrimination_n_5753880.html

*Individuals vs. individual
Living in a rainy climate and not getting wet (38)
Will "the problem" end when more people have umbrellas?  How do we stop the rain?


Wednesday, September 3, 2014