This is something I read today that I really enjoyed. Strong blog from Chazz Robinson.
If you missed out on this one, you shouldn't have. Chazz has been both a classroom teacher and a staff member on a Dallas ISD campus. He's still with the district and is doing some amazing things other than writing. I'm glad he's starting to do more of that (writing) because I enjoy reading what he has to say.
Here's a blog of his from earlier. After you read it, go to his page and follow him forever. OK, thanks.
Here's a blog of his from earlier. After you read it, go to his page and follow him forever. OK, thanks.
You won’t probably watch the entire 11 min clip above, but skim through it and see Clint Smith’s students talk powerfully about their identity and lived experiences as well as have rigorous text-based discussion that also includes reflection about contemporary social issues. Clint uses slam poetry to engage students and allow them to creatively express themselves. But he doesn’t stop there. Students also discuss a text in a socratic seminar style similar to what’d you see in a prestigious liberal arts college. It’s clear that Clint has deep pedagogical skill, an abundance of content knowledge, but also a highly developed social and cultural consciousness that is a major part of his class.
Those three things — pedagogical skill, content knowledge, and social and cultural consciousness — are essential to being a transformative teacher. I didn’t have any of those skills in an advanced way, but I tried very hard to bring a sense of social and cultural consciousness to my classroom. Of the three, I think that might be the most elusive in teachers. In my mind, social and cultural consciousness means being able to deftly process systems of oppression and marginalization, having an inclusive and explicitly anti-racist anti-sexist, anti-homophobia, anti-transphobia perspective, and an appreciation of the myriad ways anyone can be human. That’s a working definition for me at least. Then as a teacher being able to weave that consciousness into the fabric of the classroom, which across the country is increasingly made up of students of color on the wrong end of systems of oppression or vitriolic hate or bigotry or police brutality or Donald Trump rallies. Though for teachers of white students the skill is also essential in being able to critically interrogate systems of privilege, supremacy, and the notion of whiteness in relation to people of color with their students.
Just some thoughts after sitting in a few interviews for teachers at my school. I want to know you think so hit me on twitter or something.
Visit Chazz's site and follow him forever.
Follow us on Facebook; Twitter; iTunes; Soundcloud; Stitcher
Related Content:
**New*** Dallas Education Podcast - Real Estate and Education w/ Bethany Erickson from Candy's Dirt
Suspension Doesn't Belong in the DISD Teacher "Toolbox"
Things New DISD Teachers need (Tooolkit)
Things New DISD Teachers don't need (Trashcan)
Dallas ISD News and Politics Rundown - July Part 3
Don't know what to do with your summer? Fun City Stuff Will Help
Those three things — pedagogical skill, content knowledge, and social and cultural consciousness — are essential to being a transformative teacher. I didn’t have any of those skills in an advanced way, but I tried very hard to bring a sense of social and cultural consciousness to my classroom. Of the three, I think that might be the most elusive in teachers. In my mind, social and cultural consciousness means being able to deftly process systems of oppression and marginalization, having an inclusive and explicitly anti-racist anti-sexist, anti-homophobia, anti-transphobia perspective, and an appreciation of the myriad ways anyone can be human. That’s a working definition for me at least. Then as a teacher being able to weave that consciousness into the fabric of the classroom, which across the country is increasingly made up of students of color on the wrong end of systems of oppression or vitriolic hate or bigotry or police brutality or Donald Trump rallies. Though for teachers of white students the skill is also essential in being able to critically interrogate systems of privilege, supremacy, and the notion of whiteness in relation to people of color with their students.
Just some thoughts after sitting in a few interviews for teachers at my school. I want to know you think so hit me on twitter or something.
Visit Chazz's site and follow him forever.
Follow us on Facebook; Twitter; iTunes; Soundcloud; Stitcher
Related Content:
**New*** Dallas Education Podcast - Real Estate and Education w/ Bethany Erickson from Candy's Dirt
Suspension Doesn't Belong in the DISD Teacher "Toolbox"
Things New DISD Teachers need (Tooolkit)
Things New DISD Teachers don't need (Trashcan)
Dallas ISD News and Politics Rundown - July Part 3
Don't know what to do with your summer? Fun City Stuff Will Help
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