Identity-Conscious Educator: Building Habits and Skills for a More Inclusive School

by Liza A. Talusan

Overview

Learn powerful, practical strategies for creating an inclusive school community. The Identity-Conscious Educator provides a framework for building awareness and understanding of five identity categories: race, social class, gender, sexual orientation, and disability. Connect with vignettes and personal stories from the author that illuminate how to address identity topics in your personal and professional life. Then, develop skills in engaging in meaningful interactions with students and peers.

• Discover how identity affects both personal and professional lives.
• Review a framework for building habits and skills of identity-conscious teaching and learning.
• Build knowledge of five different identity categories and experiences—race, social class, sexual orientation, gender, and disability—and then act for positive change.
• Reflect with end-of-chapter questions.
• Review practical, research-based strategies, and activities for having difficult conversations and creating more inclusive communities.

Contents:

• Preface
• Introduction
• Part I: Getting Ready for Identity Work
• Chapter 1: The Journey to Identity Awareness
• Chapter 2: The Shift From Avoiding Conflict to Inviting Challenge
• Part II: Building Your Identity-Conscious Practice
• Chapter 3: Race
• Chapter 4: Class
• Chapter 5: Sexual Orientation
• Chapter 6: Gender
• Chapter 7: Disability
• Part III: Turning Planning Into Action
• Chapter 8: From Ally to Abolitionist
• Chapter 9: The Role of Failure in Identity Work
• Chapter 10: Tools for Extending Your Learning
• Chapter 11: From Practitioner to Facilitator
• Chapter 12: Beyond The Identity-Conscious Educator
• Epilogue
• References and Resources
• Index

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781952812712
Publisher:	Solution Tree Press
Publication date:	03/03/2022
Pages:	248
Sales rank:	90,663
Product dimensions:	6.90(w) x 9.90(h) x 0.70(d)

Table of Contents

About the Author xiii

Preface 1

Introduction 5

Talking About Identity in School 6

Getting Started Exploring Identity 7

Bringing People Together 8

Reading This Book 9

Part I Getting Ready for Identity Work 13

Chapter 1 The Journey to Identity Awareness 15

Reflecting on Your Identity 17

Opening the Door to Difficult Conversations 19

Activities for Developing identity Awareness 21

Chapter 2 The Shift From Avoiding Conflict to Inviting Challenge 27

Interrupting Your Avoidance Patterns 28

Inviting Difficult Conversations 30

Activities for Shifting From Avoiding Conflict to Inviting Challenge 33

Part II Building Your Identity-Conscious Practice 37

Chapter 3 Race 39

Shifting From Color Blind to Color Conscious 41

Creating a More Inclusive Curriculum 43

Talking to Students About Race 44

Noticing How Race Intersects With Other Identities 46

Activities for Building Awareness of Race 48

Chapter 4 Class 51

Identifying How Class Shows Up in School 52

Cultivating Equitable Practices 55

Talking to Students About Class 57

Noticing How Class Intersects With Other Identities 59

Activities for Building Awareness of Class 60

Chapter 5 Sexual Orientation 67

Defining Sexual Orientation 68

Ensuring a Safe Environment for All Students 69

Talking to Students About Sexual Orientation 72

Noticing How Sexual Orientation Intersects With Other Identities 73

Activities for Building Awareness of Sexual Orientation 75

Chapter 6 Gender 83

Recognizing the Gender Binary in Schools 84

Designing Gender-Inclusive Classrooms and Communities 87

Talking to Students About Gender 90

Noticing How Gender intersects With Other Identities 91

Activities for Building Awareness of Gender 94

Chapter 7 Disability 99

Accommodating for Disability in the Classroom 101

Welcoming Students of All Abilities 104

Talking to Students About Disability 105

Noticing How Disability Intersects With Other Identities 109

Activities for Building Awareness of Disability 112

Part III Turning Planning into Action 125

Chapter 8 From Ally to Abolitionist 127

Awakening to Inequity 129

Becoming an Ally 130

Acting as an Accomplice and Co-Conspirator 133

Striving for Abolitionist Teaching 135

Committing to Action 139

Activities for Moving From Ally to Abolitionist 141

Chapter 9 The Role of Failure in Identity Work 147

Embracing Failure as Part of the Identity-Conscious Practice 150

Recognizing Harm 151

Noticing When Comfort Is a Distraction 155

Recovering From Failure 157

Activities for Engaging With Failure 162

Chapter 10 Tools for Extending Your Learning 169

Staying Organized 170

Having Courageous Conversations 172

Understanding That Every Practice Is Unique 174

Moving Through Discomfort in Community 174

Preparing for Difficult Encounters 177

Activities for Extending Your Learning 180

Chapter 11 From Practitioner to Facilitator 185

Noticing Participant Cues 186

Responding to Challenges 188

Activities for Moving From Practitioner to Facilitator 196

Chapter 12 Beyond The Identity-Conscious Educator 203

Laying the Groundwork 204

Building Knowledge 205

Engaging in Reflection 206

Moving to Action 207

Refreshing Your Perspective 208

Epilogue 211

References and Resources 213

Index 225