Making Sense of Race in Education: Practices for Change in Difficult Times

Description: A 2021 AESA Critics' Choice Award Winner
A 2021 SPE Outstanding Book Award Winner

Making Sense of Race in Education: Practices for Change in Difficult Times takes a fresh look at the perennial issue of race in American schools. How do educators, in all settings, confront the issue of race with students and colleagues, given the contemporary backdrop of social movements for racial justice and change? How do educators affect change within their everyday classroom practices without fostering further alienation and discord? Although much has already been written about race and racism in school, this book addresses racial incidents directly and offers practical insights into how P-20 educators can transform these events alongside students and colleagues. Each chapter provides detailed analysis of curriculum, instruction, practices and pedagogical strategies for addressing race while at the same time wrestling with theoretical conceptions of race, justice, and fairness.

Brief description:

Sheron Fraser-Burgess is an associate professor of Social Foundations/Multicultural Education at Ball State University and teaches courses in the undergraduate teacher licensure/professional education program, as well as philosophy and ethics courses in the master of arts and doctoral program in Educational Studies. As Provenzo (2012) states, in its attention to social justice, social and cultural foundations can make it possible for teacher candidates and practitioners to become responsible advocates for democratic education. Dr. Fraser-Burgess seeks to come alongside teacher candidates and practicing teachers in making the theory-to-practice connections that social justice in education requires, in addition to their acquisition of the knowledge, skills and dispositions of their profession.

Review Quotes: "In this wonderfully edited volume, Dr. Jessica Heybach and Dr. Sheron Fraser-Burgess pick up and advance one of the most challenging issues in education: talking and teaching about race and racism. Heybach, Fraser-Burgess, and the authors assembled in this text challenge readers to consider the complexities of supporting students in 'speaking race' while also bridging the theory and practice divide. Throughout this brilliant and challenging book, powerful practical experiences regarding teaching race are explored, exposing research and scholarship that encourage all educators to thoughtfully engage dialogue and instruction around race and racism in the one place that encourages rigorous examination of ideas: classrooms."--Joseph Flynn, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Curriculum and Instruction of the College of Education and Associate Director of Academic Affairs