NotesFAQContact Us
Collection
Advanced
Search Tips
Back to results
ERIC Number: EJ866736
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2009
Pages: 5
Abstractor: ERIC
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1066-2847
EISSN: N/A
Talking Race
Darden, Jenee
Teaching Tolerance, n36 p48-52 Fall 2009
In many classrooms across America, race and ethnicity are very much on the table. Teachers dream of seeing their students discuss difference in a constructive way. Some educators actively encourage their classes to get outside their comfort zones and confront the country's racial history, but in many faculty rooms, there's little to no talk about race. Whether the topic is a racial disparity in students' academic achievement, a teacher who feels victim to racial discrimination or even simply a question about a black student's hair, teachers often elect to keep their mouths shut. If teachers can't have the race talk with each other, how can schools effectively educate their students about difference? In this article, the author discusses the importance of making a space where teachers can talk about difference, as well as the barriers to racial dialogue. She suggests that dialogue about race should start in the classroom--the teacher-prep classroom, that is. Preservice teachers should be exploring multiculturalism and discussing ways to honor diversity in their future classrooms. Administrator support or willingness to encourage racial discourse can have a huge impact in the work environment for teachers.
Southern Poverty Law Center. 400 Washington Avenue, Montgomery, AL 36104. Tel: 334-956-8200; Fax: 334-956-8484; Web site: http://www.tolerance.org/teach/magazine/index.jsp
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Descriptive
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A