Publishers Weekly
01/18/2021
Cushman (Fires in the Bathroom), cofounder of the nonprofit What Kids Can Do, and educators Zenkov and Call-Cummings examine how today’s “social, political, economic, and climatic crises” are stressing students in this well-intentioned yet familiar account. In interviews, public high schoolers across a wide range of demographics convey their search for belonging and their complex social identities. Answering the students’ call for the “genuine interest and supportive actions of teachers” who will make learning relevant to their lives, the authors provide tool kits for preparing students “to act as civic agents” on such issues as climate change, gun violence, immigration, and voter engagement. These guides include advice on how to calculate one’s carbon “foodprint,” conversation starters for debating gun control, prompts for exploring the connection between politics and math, and guidelines for using plural pronouns to refer to gender nonbinary people. Unfortunately, the authors don’t provide much analysis of how the education system (rather than individual teachers) can change to better meet students’ needs and foster their engagement in real-world issues. Still, this is an accurate and useful snapshot of what today’s teenagers are up to and up against. (Mar.)
From the Publisher
Praise for Fires in Our Lives:“The authors provide many resources and activities to facilitate social-emotional development and inquiry.”—Booklist“A carefully crafted and concisely arranged assortment of diverse interviews of high school students in which they attempt to explain the challenges of circumnavigating a rapidly transforming world where unimaginable change, socioeconomic inequalities and cultural barriers are causing them extreme anxiety and how their teachers can better help.”—New York Journal of Books“An accurate and useful snapshot of what today’s teenagers are up to and up against.”—Publishers Weekly“For anyone interested in inspiring students and helping them develop their full potential as global citizens.”—Library Journal“Once again, Cushman and her colleagues turn to the experts we are least likely to hear from––kids––to inform us about what’s working in schools and what’s not. As you read about their experiences and perceptions I hope you will feel as compelled as I do, to take action to support them.”—Pedro A. Noguera, PhD, Emery Stoops and Joyce King Stoops Dean, Rossier School of Education, University of Southern California“We now know how desperately students and educators yearn to be with, to be incommunity, to learn and teach in intimate relations. This volume may be the lantern we need to carve new paths in the history of education, refusing to ‘go back to the normal’ that was deadening all of us––students and teachers, and democracy alike.”—Michelle Fine, Distinguished Professor of Critical Psychology and Urban Education, The Graduate Center, CUNY
Library Journal
02/01/2021
In this update to the groundbreaking Fires in the Bathroom, which shed light on what high school students wanted from their teachers, academics Cushman, Kristien Zenkov, and Meagan Call-Cummings report that the student population has become more diverse in terms of culture and language while societal pressures have resulted in increased mental health issues. Teacher demographics, however, have remained stable and thus many students encounter educators who do not resemble them in terms of race or culture. Nevertheless, in this stirring work, the authors stress that students have a strong interest in their education and how it can prepare them for future success. Students hunger for a safe learning environment, a sense of belonging, the ability to connect with those of differing backgrounds, and support as they find their voice and hone their talents. Readers will be roused by eye-opening accounts from students grappling with climate change, community violence, voter engagement, immigration, gender identity, and other issues. The authors provide resources such as lesson plans, websites, and organizations enabling teachers to meet curriculum requirements while also imparting knowledge and skills desired by students. VERDICT For anyone interested in inspiring students and helping them develop their full potential as global citizens.—Lydia Olszak, Bosler Memorial Lib., Carlisle, PA
