Talking Race in the Classroom

N a v i g a t e

Current research
Classroom implications
text recommendations
teaching resources
References

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Current Research

The label of “diverse” literature is an umbrella term that includes people of color, people with physical/mental disabilities, non-traditional family structures, religions, gender diversity, and LGBTQ+. Although the United States is known for being a melting pot, surveys show that instructional texts in English language arts (ELA) classrooms have largely remained unchanged because of collective attitudes surrounding anything labeled as classic literature (Watkins & Ostenson, 2015). Furthermore, although there has been an increase in diverse literature, there is not enough new books that break away from the status quo (Boyd, et. al., 2015, p. 380). Diverse literature is crucial to any students’ education, and Knox (2019) declares that diverse books play two different roles: they allow everyone to see themselves and relate to characters’ culture and circumstances, and they allow everyone to see through different lenses (p. 26).

More specifically, the inclusion of racial diversity in classroom literature has helped students better understand complex social issues (McNaughton, 2020). Students may be reluctant to engage in race-focused discussions, especially because it can be such a hot topic, but using racially diverse literature can help them not only open up for discussion, but also begin to formulate their own opinions with the knowledge they gain.

Classroom Implications

Discussing race in the classroom is no simple task. Below are some strategies that may help prepare students better and encourage participation.

Set Guidelines

Students may be uncomfortable with sensitive material, and they may be reluctant to join in discussions if they are not aware of what is expected of them beforehand. Introducing the text and its themes as well as how discussions are to be structured will better prepare students for both the content and how they are to approach it.
Some things to consider…

Students may feel they have insufficient knowledge and may be nervous about how their classmates may perceive them
Students may use humor to alleviate discomfort. It is important to foster a safe and respectful learning environment and ensure students know that disrespect of both people and subject materials will not be tolerated.
Show students how to conduct themselves during discussions. Have designated items, times, or have students take turns when discussing so students don’t end up interrupting each other.
Students may have a difficult time handling strong emotions.
Consider having text-based discussions so students may “hide” behind the text. This makes it easier for students to ask questions or talk through hard concepts.
Mock discussions about lighter topics (like sports or a TV show) may help students better understand how to conduct themselves in future discussions.

four corners

Four corners is a great formative assessment technique for students to take a stance on something without having to reason with their classmates or the teacher. The classroom is divided into four corners or stations: Strongly agree, agree, disagree, strongly disagree. Alternatively, students could have notecards to hold up or whiteboards to write on. The idea is that students are made to take a stance on something they may be unfamiliar with or something they may already have a strong opinion on. A good follow up activity could be a reflection of the questions and student responses. Prompts could include what they would like to learn more about or why they took strong stances on certain statements.

Text Recommendations