Teaching When the World Is on Fire

by Lisa Delpit (Editor)

Overview

A timely collection of advice and strategies for creating a just classroom from educators across the country, handpicked by MacArthur “genius” and bestselling author Lisa Delpit

Is it okay to discuss politics in class? What are constructive ways to help young people process the daily news coverage of sexual assault? How can educators engage students around Black Lives Matter? Climate change? Confederate statue controversies? Immigration? Hate speech?

Lisa Delpit's Other People's Children, a classic text on cultural slippage in classrooms, has sold over a quarter million copies. In Teaching When the World Is on Fire, Delpit now turns to a host of crucial issues facing teachers in these tumultuous times. Delpit's master-teacher wisdom tees up guidance from beloved, well-known educators along with insight from dynamic principals and classroom teachers tackling difficult topics in K–12 schools every day.

This honest and rich collection brings together essential observations on safety from Pedro Noguera and Carla Shalaby; incisive ideas on traversing politics from William Ayers and Mica Pollock; Christopher Emdin's instructive views on respecting and connecting with black and brown students; Hazel Edwards's crucial insight about safe spaces for transgender and gender-nonconforming students; and James W. Loewen's sage suggestions about exploring symbols of the South; as well as timely thoughts from Bill Bigelow on teaching the climate crisis—and on the students and teachers fighting for environmental justice.

An energizing volume that speaks to our contentious world and the necessary conversations we all must have about it, Teaching When the World Is on Fire is sure to inspire teachers to support their students in navigating the current events, cultural shifts, and social dilemmas that shape our communities and our country.

Table of Contents

Introduction
Lisa Delpit

Politics Matters

I Shall Create!
William Ayers

Teaching Politics in the Age of Trump
Justin Christensen

The Three Illusions
Julia Putnam

Standing Up Against Hate
Mica Pollock

Yes, Race and Politics Belong in the Classroom
H. Richard Milner IV

Safety Matters

Cops or Counselors?
Pedro A. Noguera

How Hurricane Harvey Altered My Perspective as a Teacher
Jeff Collier

I Was Raised to Believe Education Could Keep Me Safe
fredrick scott salyers

Calling on Omar
Carla Shalaby

School Justice
T. Elijah Hawkes

Race Matters

Don’t Say Nothing
Jamilah Pitts

Black Teachers, Black Youth, and Reality Pedagogy
Christopher Emdin

How One Elementary School Sparked a Citywide Movement to Make Black Students: Lives Matter
Wayne Au and Jesse Hagopian

The Fire
Sarah Ishmael and Jonathan Tunstall in conversation

Engaging and Embracing Black Parents
Allyson Criner Brown

Who Do I Belong To?
Natalie Labossiere

To My Sons' Future Teacher, Colleague, Sister/Brother, Co-madre, Maestra, Comrade, Friend
Crystal T. Laura

Gender and Sex Ed Matter

Sexual Harassment and the Collateral Beauty of Resistance
Camila Arze Torres Goitia

Believe Me the First Time
Dale Weiss

Nothing About Us, Without Us, Is for Us
Hazel Edwards and Maya Lindberg in conversation

Climate Matters

Climate Science Meets a Stubborn Obstacle: Students
Amy Harmon

Teachers vs. Climate Change
Bill Bigelow

Culture Matters

Teaching Middle School Students to Advocate
Carolina Drake

Why I Teach Diverse Literature
Noah Cho

Love for Syria
Cami Touloukian

Correct(ed): Confederate Public History
James Loewen

Creating Inclusive Classrooms for Muslim Children
Deborah Almontaser

Appendix: Books on Immigration for Young Readers
Jay Fung

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781620974315
Publisher:	New Press, The
Publication date:	09/17/2019
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	384
Sales rank:	1,081,167
Product dimensions:	5.60(w) x 8.60(h) x 1.00(d)

About the Author

MacArthur Award winner Lisa Delpit is the Felton G. Clark Professor of Education at Southern Universityin Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The author of Other People's Children and "Multiplication Is for White People," and co-editor (with Joanne Kilgour Dowdy) of The Skin That We Speak (all published by The New Press), she lives in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

Table of Contents

Introduction Lisa Delpit xi

Politics Matters 1

I Shall Create! William Ayers 3

Teaching Politics in the Age of Trump Justin Christensen 16

The Three Illusions Julia Putnam 20

Standing Up Against Hate Mica Pollock 26

Yes, Race and Politics Belong in the Classroom H. Richard Milner IV 33

Safety Matters 39

Cops or Counselors? Pedro A. Noguera 41

How Hurricane Harvey Altered My Perspective as a Teacher Jeff Collier 51

I Was Raised to Believe Education Could Keep Me Safe Fredrick Scott Salyers 54

Calling on Omar Carla Shalaby 57

School Justice T. Elijah Hawkes 61

Race Matters 79

Don't Say Nothing Jamilah Pitts 81

Black Teachers, Black Youth, and Reality Pedagogy Christopher Emdin 86

How One Elementary School Sparked a Citywide Movement to Make Black Students' Lives Matter Wayne Au Jesse Hagopian 95

The Fire: Sarah Ishmael and Jonathan Tunstall in conversation 108

Engaging and Embracing Black Parents Allyson Criner Brown 119

Who Do I Belong To? Natalie Labossiere 128

To My Sons' Future Teacher, Colleague, Sister/Brother, Co-madre, Maestra, Comrade, Friend Crystal T. Laura 133

Gender and Sex Ed Matter 143

Sexual Harassment and the Collateral Beauty of Resistance Camila Arze Torres Goitia 145

Believe Me the First Time Dale Weiss 155

Nothing About Us, Without Us, Is for Us Hazel Edwards and Maya Lindberg in conversation 166

Climate Matters 171

Climate Science Meets a Stubborn Obstacle: Students Amy Harmon 173

Teachers vs. Climate Change Bill Bigelow 180

Culture Matters 199

Teaching Middle School Students to Advocate Carolina Drake 201

Why I Teach Diverse Literature Noah Cho 208

Love for Syria Cami Touloukian 214

Correct(ed): Confederate Public History James Loewen 226

Creating Inclusive Classrooms for Muslim Children Deborah Almontaser 229

Appendix: Books on Immigration for Young Readers Jay Fung 237

Permissions 239

Editorial Reviews

09/16/2019

Delpit (Other People’s Children), a professor of education at Southern University and A&M College, presents an animated collection of essays and interviews to help teachers “deal in their classrooms with this current political climate.” The contributors range from such well-known figures as education reformer and political activist William Ayers and UCLA professor Pedro Noguera to middle school music teachers, high school deans, and community youth leaders. They share their perspectives on issues including the dangers students face from gun violence; discrimination on the basis of gender, sexuality, race, and religion; and the menace of climate change. Some of the essays call for teachers to increase their emotional labor by caring more, listening better, and developing closer ties to students and their families. Others provide concrete examples of initiatives such as a student-led protest against sexual harassment at an Oregon high school and a Black Lives Matter rally held in cooperation with a Seattle elementary school. Contributors offer guidelines for implementing restorative justice practices, teaching activism, facilitating difficult conversations, and creating a more inclusive curriculum. This urgent and earnest collection will resonate with educators looking to teach “young people to engage across perspectives” as a means to “creating a just and caring world.” (Sept.)

Publishers Weekly

Praise for Teaching When the World Is on Fire:
Named one of "Our Favorite Books for Educators in 2019" by Greater Good Magazine

“The perfect blueprint. We can’t change this world or put out these fires unless we engage and activate the minds and hearts of ourselves and our students. That process starts in these pages. ”
—Ms. magazine

“The stories from teachers’ classrooms, their efforts, creativity and insight, and their students’ resistance and activism . . . moved me [and] will inspire teachers to help students take action.”
—Radical Teacher

“An honest and rich collection.”
—Zinn Education Project

“Insightful and thought- provoking . . . just what you need to remember that change is possible and within our reach.”
—Pedro Noguera

From the Publisher