Teaching Fiercely: Spreading Joy and Justice in Our Schools

by Kass Minor

Overview

Revolutionize the way you negotiate the realities of childhood education

In Teaching Fiercely: Spreading Joy and Justice in Our Schools, accomplished educator Kass Minor delivers an inspiring and practical exploration of what it means to be a just teacher in a system that actively incentivizes injustice. The author explains how to build joyful experiences even in the face of inevitable injustice and demonstrates how to accept the seemingly conflicting experience of joy in the face of heartbreak.

In the book, you'll learn to be a catalyst for change, unlearning the patterns of school that have marginalized children while becoming aware of tenets of justice as they manifest in educational spaces. You'll also discover:

• Strategies for creating human-centered care and joy, in which thoughts, actions, and decisions are drawn from within the school community
• Techniques for creating student-centered experiences within standards-based classrooms
• How to raise the level of family involvement in your students' education and improve communication between family and staff

An essential blueprint for K-12 educators, school support staff, and school administrators, Teaching Fiercely will also earn a place on the bookshelves of education policymakers, researchers, and students.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781119867678
Publisher:	Wiley
Publication date:	05/02/2023
Pages:	320
Sales rank:	671,140
Product dimensions:	9.90(w) x 7.70(h) x 0.80(d)

About the Author

KASS MINOR is an inclusive educator who has worked as a teacher, staff developer, adjunct professor, speaker, and documentarian. She is the co-founder of The Minor Collective, a community-based movement designed to foster sustainable change in schools.

Table of Contents

Work Alongs and Reflections xi

Author’s Note xiii

Foreword by Sara K. Ahmed xv

Introduction xvii

Acknowledgments xxxiii

Prologue: Anthem for a Teacher xxxv

Chapter 1: Building the Foundation: A Structured Generator of Hope for More Joyful and Just Schools 1

A Structured Generator of Hope 1

The Pedagogy of Justice 5

What Is Justice? 7

Justice for Whom? (In the Realm of School Integration) 17

Where is Joy Located in the Pursuit Toward Justice? 22

Dreams, Nourishment, Rituals: Toward Future Goodness 25

Historical Underpinnings: Exploring the Roots of Schooling 31

Chapter 2: Seeing and Feeling the Pressure of Injustice: Perspective Changes Everything 35

Dominant Culture: Perspective Changes Everything 38

Catalyst for Change: Knowing How to See and Feel the Pressure of Injustice 44

Identifying Layers of Perspective 49

Tools for Perspective Analysis: More than a Decade Later 52

Timeline Pedagogy: To Move Forward, We Must Look Back 62

Chapter 3: A Framework for Social Justice Work in Schools and Gentle Notes on Learning 75

Collaborate 77

Nurture 78

Build 81

Reflect 83

Connecting the Collaborate, Nurture, Build, and Reflect Framework 84

Teaching Fiercely: Spreading Joy and Justice in Our Schools ix

Gentle Notes on Learning: Rituals and the Beginnings of Our Thought Sanctuary 96

Somatic Literacy 97

Chapter 4: Pursue Joy by Thwarting Injustice: Develop Teacher Agency Through Reflective Practice and Collaboration 105

Points of Reflection 109

The Nature of a Curriculum-Making Journey 116

Embracing Teacher Intellect: Changing the Narrative About Teachers 133

Chapter 5: Moving Toward Joy: Student-Centered Experiences in Standards-Based Classrooms 141

To Teach Fiercely Requires Teacher Agency 145

Four Methods of Instructional Delivery 156

Curriculum-Making: Frameworks and Foundational Understandings 163

Chapter 6: The Joyful Work of Building Imaginative Capacities Matters: Know that Learning Predates School 175

“Do Schools Kill Creativity?” 179

Working Toward Justice: The Continued Conversation on Student Centeredness 183

Chapter 7: Beyond the Protest March: How to Design Justice-Oriented Learning Spaces, Experiences, and Curriculum That Is Immersed in Joy for Kids 205

Designing Justice-Oriented Learning Spaces 211

The Nuts and Bolts of Justice Designs 213

What Matters to Children 223

Chapter 8: Negotiating the Curriculum for Your Current Students in Today’s World 227

Three Paths for Considering Kids, Justice, and Curriculum Design 233

Epilogue: Redefining Ferocity 245

My Edu-Credo 247

Works Cited 249

About the Author 265

Index 267