Very ehhhh. I was expecting more of an in-depth look and culturally proficient pedagogy and instead, it was mostly a very base-level treatment of the topic. I guess this would be a good starter book if you have no idea what you're doing and need to be eased into things, but I only found a few things in there helpful. There might be a couple activities worth trying out, but it was mostly a waste of time.
Very superficial review of what it means to be a culturally proficient teacher and I noticed an incorrect spelling of a highly esteemed researcher- one of my personal favorites: Anthony Bryk (spelled Byrk in the book) who has informed much of my research on the role of trust and belief in the evolution of collective efficacy. This was misspelled in the text citation, reference section and the index- very disappointing.
This book provides a practical, internally-focused lens to examine the impact of one's own cultural background and how it impacts oneself as a teacher and a person. It is aimed at practicing teachers, and provides space in the book itself for reflection and writing, if the reader chooses to use that space.
The students in my class with me preferred it to our other text, so it is likely a more palatable - yet still deep and meaningful - tool for deeply considering issues of race.
I personally liked the second half of the book more than the first half. I found the descriptions of conflict management options phenomenally helpful.
I would strongly recommend this book for a PLC to use or for other use by teachers in a group setting (book club, etc). It provides a thoughtful yet non-confrontational way to think deeply about the impact of race and other cultural valences on one's self, practice, and students.
Loved the theory and the workbook style. Didn't like how it was pasted together with examples from fictional education settings. I will be reflecting on the content of this book for years to come.