A real-world how-to manual for talking about race in the classroom
Educators and activists frequently call for the need to address the
lingering presence of racism in higher education. Yet few books offer
specific suggestions and advice on how to introduce race to students who
believe we live in a post-racial world where racism is no longer a real
issue. In Teaching Race the authors offer practical tools and
techniques for teaching and discussing racial issues at predominately
White institutions of higher education. As current events highlight the
dynamics surrounding race and racism on campus and the world beyond,
this book provides teachers with essential training to facilitate
productive discussion and raise racial awareness in the classroom. A
variety of teaching and learning experts provide insights, tips, and
guidance on running classroom discussions on race. They present
effective approaches and activities to bring reluctant students into a
consideration of race and explore how White teachers can model racial
awareness, thereby inviting students into the process of examining their
own white identity.
Racism, whether evident in overt displays or subconscious bias, has
repercussions that reverberate far beyond the campus grounds. As the
cultural climate increasingly calls out for more research, education,
and dialogue on race and racism, this book helps teachers spotlight
issues related to race in a way that leads to effective classroom and
campus conversation. The book provides guidance on how to:
- Create the conditions that facilitate respectful racial dialogue by
building trust and effectively negotiating conflict
- Uncover each student's own subconscious bias and the intersectionality
that exists even in the most homogenous-appearing classrooms
- Help students embrace discomfort, and adapt discussion methods to
accommodate issues of race and positionality
- Avoid common traps, mistakes, and misconceptions encountered in
anti-racist teaching
Predominantly White institutions face a number of challenges in dealing
with race issues, including a lack of precedence, an absence of modeling
by campus leaders, and little clear guidance on how teachers can
identify and challenge racism on campus. Teaching Race is packed with
activities, suggestions and exercises to provide practical real-world
help for teachers trying to introduce race in class
