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Becoming the Educator They Need: Strategies, Mindsets, and Beliefs for Supporting Male Black and Latino Students
"They don't care about their education." "They are not capable of learning." "I can't work with them." "I can't get through to them." Just as you may have thought these things about your students, they, too, may have similar thoughts about you: "She doesn't care about my education." "He is not capable of understanding me." "I can't work with her." "I can't get through to him."
While all students in your class, building, or school district need your support, the Black and Latino male students--the most underserved, suspended, and expelled students in education--need you to understand them as you support them so that they can thrive academically.
In Becoming the Educator They Need, former professional athlete turned educator Robert Jackson reminds teachers and administrators that although "a great majority of all the stories in the news about Black and Latino males are negative," these young men--the most likely to be incarcerated, drop out of school, and become victims of homicide--need you to work through any biases you may have and internalize and employ the five core beliefs and mindsets necessary to best serve your Black and Latino male students, the six core values for teaching Black and Latino males, and the 11 characteristics of strong, healthy relationships and become the educator that these students need.
While all students in your class, building, or school district need your support, the Black and Latino male students--the most underserved, suspended, and expelled students in education--need you to understand them as you support them so that they can thrive academically.
In Becoming the Educator They Need, former professional athlete turned educator Robert Jackson reminds teachers and administrators that although "a great majority of all the stories in the news about Black and Latino males are negative," these young men--the most likely to be incarcerated, drop out of school, and become victims of homicide--need you to work through any biases you may have and internalize and employ the five core beliefs and mindsets necessary to best serve your Black and Latino male students, the six core values for teaching Black and Latino males, and the 11 characteristics of strong, healthy relationships and become the educator that these students need.
- GenresEducation
128 pages, Paperback
Published August 14, 2019
10 people are currently reading
85 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
June 17, 2020
This book is a bamboozle. Interesting as a memoir (though many anecdotes are extremely vague) and it contains way more fluff than useful strategy. I can't imagine who this book would actually help.
May 5, 2023
“Becoming the Educator They Need: Strategies, Mindsets, and Beliefs for Supporting Male Black and Latino Students”, by Robert Jackson.
I. Major literary elements. Three literary elements:
1. Anecdote. The author uses anecdotes to introduce concepts, or as examples of ideas he is exploring in the book. Examples of anecdotes are found throughout the book.
2. Comparison. Statistics are a form of comparison used in the book to show how different groups of people in our society live and are treated based on the color of their skins. The author also compares how teachers tend to view and treat students based on skin color.
3. Evidence. Statistical and anecdotal evidence are used to support the points the author is making. But to prove the point that the color of a man’s skin makes people assume certain beliefs, the author uses Martha Stewart and Snoop Dogg. He writes that if you look at the two of them together and ask who the felon is, most people will answer Snoop. But it is Martha who is a convicted felon. He uses this example as evidence of innate prejudice in our society.
II. Strengths and Weaknesses.
The author used anecdotes very effectively to prove various points. For example, in writing about Invisibilization (……“the act of seeing a person or situation as invisible, as not important, and without breadth or depth”), the author tells a personal anecdote of his experience of being attacked by a white student while in high school. The author was put in handcuffs, while the white student was treated as if he was the victim. To me this personal account drove the point that the white student was more important than him more than three pages of statistics ever could. And the book is full of anecdotes of how Black and Latino students are viewed and treated different than white students.
In general, I liked the book very much, but I felt a bit put off by the author’s take on color blindness. To paraphrase, the author describes colorblindness as a racial ideology where individuals are treated as equal, without consideration to race or culture. The author goes on to state that colorblindness denies the negative racial experiences or cultural background of groups of people. I would disagree with his opinion. I see colorblindness as a good starting point to bring harmony to racial strife. And furthermore, I would argue that the individual himself can and should see his racial and cultural experiences as tools to further advance in society. It is obvious that government intervention was necessary to bring us out of the age of slavery and segregation, but our goal of racial harmony will only be achieved when we are treated equally.
III. Context.
I was interested in reading this book because I work with Black and Latino students, and I have seen firsthand how they are viewed and treated different than white students. I wanted to educate myself in ways to make their learning experience as profitable as possible. I am aware that I treat Black and Latino students differently and I wanted to know why, and what steps I could take to change my perceptions of them.
Robert Jackson has written six books and written articles for ASCD’S Educational Leadership and Education Update. I have not read any other books by Robert Jackson.
IV. Summary.
In “Becoming the Educator They Need: Strategies, Mindsets, and Beliefs for Supporting Male Black and Latino Students”, Robert Jackson writes about how educators should understand that Black and Latino students tend to have different life experiences than White students and are treated differently than White students. Not only are their life experiences different, but their cultural backgrounds also guide their behavior and beliefs. An educator that understands and believes in the cultural and social differences between minority students and their white counterparts will be able to reach and educate all students. From home life to how to respond in situations in their surroundings, Black and Latino students tend to have a different world view than White students.
Teachers need to take the time to learn and embrace different teaching practices that help Black and Latino students do better in school. Lesson plans need to be culturally sensitive and should incorporate aspects of the culture of minority students to achieve better results. Examples that consider a group of students’ cultural background will be better understood. Teachers also need to be aware of their own prejudices and beliefs about other cultures to become better teachers. They should constantly be asking themselves if their own prejudices are affecting their treatment of their students of color.
I would recommend this book not only to educators, but to any individual who is interested in learning about how we tend to view and treat people who do not look, act, or respond to life the same way we do.
I. Major literary elements. Three literary elements:
1. Anecdote. The author uses anecdotes to introduce concepts, or as examples of ideas he is exploring in the book. Examples of anecdotes are found throughout the book.
2. Comparison. Statistics are a form of comparison used in the book to show how different groups of people in our society live and are treated based on the color of their skins. The author also compares how teachers tend to view and treat students based on skin color.
3. Evidence. Statistical and anecdotal evidence are used to support the points the author is making. But to prove the point that the color of a man’s skin makes people assume certain beliefs, the author uses Martha Stewart and Snoop Dogg. He writes that if you look at the two of them together and ask who the felon is, most people will answer Snoop. But it is Martha who is a convicted felon. He uses this example as evidence of innate prejudice in our society.
II. Strengths and Weaknesses.
The author used anecdotes very effectively to prove various points. For example, in writing about Invisibilization (……“the act of seeing a person or situation as invisible, as not important, and without breadth or depth”), the author tells a personal anecdote of his experience of being attacked by a white student while in high school. The author was put in handcuffs, while the white student was treated as if he was the victim. To me this personal account drove the point that the white student was more important than him more than three pages of statistics ever could. And the book is full of anecdotes of how Black and Latino students are viewed and treated different than white students.
In general, I liked the book very much, but I felt a bit put off by the author’s take on color blindness. To paraphrase, the author describes colorblindness as a racial ideology where individuals are treated as equal, without consideration to race or culture. The author goes on to state that colorblindness denies the negative racial experiences or cultural background of groups of people. I would disagree with his opinion. I see colorblindness as a good starting point to bring harmony to racial strife. And furthermore, I would argue that the individual himself can and should see his racial and cultural experiences as tools to further advance in society. It is obvious that government intervention was necessary to bring us out of the age of slavery and segregation, but our goal of racial harmony will only be achieved when we are treated equally.
III. Context.
I was interested in reading this book because I work with Black and Latino students, and I have seen firsthand how they are viewed and treated different than white students. I wanted to educate myself in ways to make their learning experience as profitable as possible. I am aware that I treat Black and Latino students differently and I wanted to know why, and what steps I could take to change my perceptions of them.
Robert Jackson has written six books and written articles for ASCD’S Educational Leadership and Education Update. I have not read any other books by Robert Jackson.
IV. Summary.
In “Becoming the Educator They Need: Strategies, Mindsets, and Beliefs for Supporting Male Black and Latino Students”, Robert Jackson writes about how educators should understand that Black and Latino students tend to have different life experiences than White students and are treated differently than White students. Not only are their life experiences different, but their cultural backgrounds also guide their behavior and beliefs. An educator that understands and believes in the cultural and social differences between minority students and their white counterparts will be able to reach and educate all students. From home life to how to respond in situations in their surroundings, Black and Latino students tend to have a different world view than White students.
Teachers need to take the time to learn and embrace different teaching practices that help Black and Latino students do better in school. Lesson plans need to be culturally sensitive and should incorporate aspects of the culture of minority students to achieve better results. Examples that consider a group of students’ cultural background will be better understood. Teachers also need to be aware of their own prejudices and beliefs about other cultures to become better teachers. They should constantly be asking themselves if their own prejudices are affecting their treatment of their students of color.
I would recommend this book not only to educators, but to any individual who is interested in learning about how we tend to view and treat people who do not look, act, or respond to life the same way we do.
May 2, 2023
A very entertaining and easy to read book, I think it is specially designed for students who are beginning their education career or for inexperienced teachers who are just starting out. In relation to the literary elements of this book, I can highlight in the first place the context, where the case file reveals the environment where the events occur and their consequences, in this case, in the school and the daily life of the students who were discriminated against and their consequences. This context goes hand in hand with another literary element that is realism, the author in the first part of the book contextualises the problems that black and Latino students are facing in society giving examples of daily life, experiences that students have lived and its consequences. We can also see here another literary element that is the contrast that is made in relation to this specific group of students in comparison to the white population, the differentiation, the marginality and the contrast of privileges that other races have. We also find the dilemma, in this specific case the dilemma faced by education and educators in the school context, making decisions that lead us to be a good or bad educator and the consequences of these decisions.
Strengths and weaknesses of the book, I personally found that the book had favorable positive aspects, one of which is that it is simple to read, it did not use complicated words nor was it due to the same concepts. Another interesting aspect of this book is that he described real life history giving them as examples and supporting his arguments.
And finally I liked the tips that were described to establish a good relationship between teachers and students.
If I have to criticize this book, I would have to mention that I don't think the title is appropriate since it is aimed at a sector of the population and in reality the topics addressed, especially in more than half of the book, could be applied to the entire educational population regardless of race, color and cultural beliefs.
On the other hand, the examples and tips given on how to help these students were brief, it was nothing new. It disappointed me a bit since I thought there would be more content, such as new strategies aimed especially for this group of students, of which he especially emphasized in the cover of the book, but it was more of the same. Perhaps it is a good book for educators who are just beginning their career and have no experience in the classroom.
Context, What made me read this book was mainly its cover, which shows specific signs of strategies to help this specific group of male students. The main reason is that I currently work in a Title 1 school where we have serious behavior and violence problems. So I was looking for some guide that would help me better manage these conflicts and make the best decisions. My main interest in this book was its cover and the theme that the book raises. I think the author wrote this book because a large number of violence, disrespect and lack of interest are being seen in schools, which has the consequence that students are failing in their adulthood and here the author wanted to give some tips on how to create bonds of trust with students in order to have greater communication with students and to be able to address these complex issues without them feeling negatively attacked or criticized. In short, help educators reach, teach and empower young men.
Summary, the book deals with how black and Latino male students suffer discrimination from society just because of their skin color, customs, clothing styles or their ethnicity. There is a prejudice about these people since they have been stereotyped and judged for a long time, and here some real life cases are mentioned where these boys were judged for their appearance especially by the police and also name the consequences of this action in their lives, bringing them great conflict that in some cases unleashed tragedies.
In the second part of the book, he talks about cultural practices that are commonplace in an educational community, such as stereotypes, educational practices in the classroom, routines and modeling among others. He pointed out how a good management of these educational practices helps to improve the educational development of students.
In the last part of the book, more tips are pointed out on how to have a good relationship with students, such as being closer to them and thus making them feel that they can trust the teacher. Mainly in this part of the book different tips are mentioned to help build a trusting relationship with students.
Strengths and weaknesses of the book, I personally found that the book had favorable positive aspects, one of which is that it is simple to read, it did not use complicated words nor was it due to the same concepts. Another interesting aspect of this book is that he described real life history giving them as examples and supporting his arguments.
And finally I liked the tips that were described to establish a good relationship between teachers and students.
If I have to criticize this book, I would have to mention that I don't think the title is appropriate since it is aimed at a sector of the population and in reality the topics addressed, especially in more than half of the book, could be applied to the entire educational population regardless of race, color and cultural beliefs.
On the other hand, the examples and tips given on how to help these students were brief, it was nothing new. It disappointed me a bit since I thought there would be more content, such as new strategies aimed especially for this group of students, of which he especially emphasized in the cover of the book, but it was more of the same. Perhaps it is a good book for educators who are just beginning their career and have no experience in the classroom.
Context, What made me read this book was mainly its cover, which shows specific signs of strategies to help this specific group of male students. The main reason is that I currently work in a Title 1 school where we have serious behavior and violence problems. So I was looking for some guide that would help me better manage these conflicts and make the best decisions. My main interest in this book was its cover and the theme that the book raises. I think the author wrote this book because a large number of violence, disrespect and lack of interest are being seen in schools, which has the consequence that students are failing in their adulthood and here the author wanted to give some tips on how to create bonds of trust with students in order to have greater communication with students and to be able to address these complex issues without them feeling negatively attacked or criticized. In short, help educators reach, teach and empower young men.
Summary, the book deals with how black and Latino male students suffer discrimination from society just because of their skin color, customs, clothing styles or their ethnicity. There is a prejudice about these people since they have been stereotyped and judged for a long time, and here some real life cases are mentioned where these boys were judged for their appearance especially by the police and also name the consequences of this action in their lives, bringing them great conflict that in some cases unleashed tragedies.
In the second part of the book, he talks about cultural practices that are commonplace in an educational community, such as stereotypes, educational practices in the classroom, routines and modeling among others. He pointed out how a good management of these educational practices helps to improve the educational development of students.
In the last part of the book, more tips are pointed out on how to have a good relationship with students, such as being closer to them and thus making them feel that they can trust the teacher. Mainly in this part of the book different tips are mentioned to help build a trusting relationship with students.
April 25, 2023
I really enjoyed this book. It was very easy to read and understand. The author did a great job getting his point across. He is very experienced and an expert on what he talks about. He has plenty of credentials, and there is no reason to not trust what he says.
The author contained some amount of literary devices. He knew exactly who his audience was. As a future educator reading it and currently a student, the straightforwardness of his writing made it very enjoyable to read. He also used some examples of ellipses. This successfully emphasized what he would be talking about. If there were ellipses, I would read it in my head more dramatically and understand what he was trying to do with the ellipses. Finally, he discusses many stereotypes. This is essential in a classroom setting to understand how to combat stereotypes with future students. As teachers, it is our responsibility to combat believing stereotypes about our students, and we need to make sure to get to know them individually. The author knew exactly how to explain this and show how it can affect students if we give in to stereotypes.
The greatest strength of this book, in my opinion, are the examples the author uses. Each category or subcategory of the book is explained perfectly. There are so many issues in the classroom that I never thought about before, but the author showed me exactly how each thing is an issue and how to combat it. He uses great examples of each category for me to better understand exactly what he is talking about. He speaks straightforwardly, and it is extremely easy to understand and follow what he is talking about.
With the straightforwardness of the book, I did also find a little bit of weakness. The book is so straightforward and easy to understand that it made me question the author’s credibility. It almost seemed like he did not have the experience to in depth talk about the topics of his book. While it was more enjoyable to read being able to so easily follow, there was a different way to go about this in a more insightful way. When researching the author, it is very evident that he does truly have the experience needed to discuss what he discusses, but the way he writes does make me question this.
What made me want to read this book from the start was the title. It is something that as a future educator I need to read. The book discusses so many useful things for me to use in my future classroom. The author wrote it for other educators to learn from his mistakes and experiences. The description of the book is exactly what the book accomplishes. I will definitely be keeping this book in mind for the rest of my career. I have not read any other books by this author, but I definitely will be researching any other works they have.
Finally, a summary of how the book affected me. I really reflected on who I want to be as an educator. I need to consciously show respect for my students. I need to create an environment in my classroom where my students have no doubt in their minds that they can trust me. I want to be the teacher that my students feel comfortable coming to if they are struggling. I need to consciously get to know my students as individuals. I want to personally know each student and know them for who they are, not where they come from or what they can do. Whether I had their siblings previously, regardless of what they look like, or anything else, I will get to know them as a person from the very first day.
I will very confidently recommend this book to future or current educators. I had some great discussions about this book with my peers, and I had some great reflections from this book. It truly taught me a lot about who I am as an educator and who I need to be.
The author contained some amount of literary devices. He knew exactly who his audience was. As a future educator reading it and currently a student, the straightforwardness of his writing made it very enjoyable to read. He also used some examples of ellipses. This successfully emphasized what he would be talking about. If there were ellipses, I would read it in my head more dramatically and understand what he was trying to do with the ellipses. Finally, he discusses many stereotypes. This is essential in a classroom setting to understand how to combat stereotypes with future students. As teachers, it is our responsibility to combat believing stereotypes about our students, and we need to make sure to get to know them individually. The author knew exactly how to explain this and show how it can affect students if we give in to stereotypes.
The greatest strength of this book, in my opinion, are the examples the author uses. Each category or subcategory of the book is explained perfectly. There are so many issues in the classroom that I never thought about before, but the author showed me exactly how each thing is an issue and how to combat it. He uses great examples of each category for me to better understand exactly what he is talking about. He speaks straightforwardly, and it is extremely easy to understand and follow what he is talking about.
With the straightforwardness of the book, I did also find a little bit of weakness. The book is so straightforward and easy to understand that it made me question the author’s credibility. It almost seemed like he did not have the experience to in depth talk about the topics of his book. While it was more enjoyable to read being able to so easily follow, there was a different way to go about this in a more insightful way. When researching the author, it is very evident that he does truly have the experience needed to discuss what he discusses, but the way he writes does make me question this.
What made me want to read this book from the start was the title. It is something that as a future educator I need to read. The book discusses so many useful things for me to use in my future classroom. The author wrote it for other educators to learn from his mistakes and experiences. The description of the book is exactly what the book accomplishes. I will definitely be keeping this book in mind for the rest of my career. I have not read any other books by this author, but I definitely will be researching any other works they have.
Finally, a summary of how the book affected me. I really reflected on who I want to be as an educator. I need to consciously show respect for my students. I need to create an environment in my classroom where my students have no doubt in their minds that they can trust me. I want to be the teacher that my students feel comfortable coming to if they are struggling. I need to consciously get to know my students as individuals. I want to personally know each student and know them for who they are, not where they come from or what they can do. Whether I had their siblings previously, regardless of what they look like, or anything else, I will get to know them as a person from the very first day.
I will very confidently recommend this book to future or current educators. I had some great discussions about this book with my peers, and I had some great reflections from this book. It truly taught me a lot about who I am as an educator and who I need to be.
September 22, 2022
Robert Jackson is a motivational speaker, mentor, and educator. His first ambition was to be a football player, but things did not pan out. So, he went into teaching. His life story is rough. He faced bullying, mugging, molestation, and physical abuse. As a student the school system was against him and anyone else who was African American. Most of the teachers where Caucasian as were the students. His school years were full of torment as Caucasian students would bully him and then he would get blamed.
Robert Jackson wants to teach educator a new way to reach out to Latinx and African American students. First off, many students are dealing with issues at home which could mean physical and sexual abuse, friends getting shot and drug usage in the home. Educators need to understand their student’s background. There are 6 guideline an educational professional must use to reach out to students.
The first concept is love; the students must know that you care. The second concept is trust. The students must trust the educator and the educator must give the student benefit of doubt. The third concept is fairness. Students must be treated in the same manner and their can be no favoritism. The next concept is support. Teachers must encourage their students and honor the students’ choices and to be able to listen without judging. The next concept is accountability. Educators must accept responsibility for there actions and attitudes and expect the students to do the same. Both students and educators must admit when they have made mistakes. Finally, there is safety. Students must feel safe, and teachers should not manipulate and intimidate their students. Physical space should always be respected.
Educators must over come biases against their students. At times teachers will judge a student based on race, clothing, and background. There are ways to overcome these implicit biases and for a teacher to bridge the gap with their students. A teacher must understand the student’s background. The student’s home life travels with them. Often, they are in pain, and they will mask their pain by misbehaving and joking. They cover it up. Students can be very smart but being too much of a schoolboy can cause humiliation amongst their peers so they will cover it up. Educators need to have one to one discussion with the students to find out what is going on and students need someone who will listen to them. As teachers we need to resist the urge to stereotype our students based on biased media and perceptions we were taught growing up.
The classroom set up is super important in making students feel safe. Setting up a daily routine provide structure for the students which lets them know what to expect and helps them feel safe. Color schemes are super important to motivate students. Teachers must also put in a positive message and be mindful of how negative images may be perceived.
In terms of fighting bias and racism teachers must lead by example. If we hear racist comments, we have to speak out and correct it. Bias is present in education as in other fields. Our students have different backgrounds then we do. Our biases might impact how we educate them.
Being an educator can tough. It offers up a lesson In humility and one must be open in order to be a caring teacher. Education is tough but rewarding.
Robert Jackson wants to teach educator a new way to reach out to Latinx and African American students. First off, many students are dealing with issues at home which could mean physical and sexual abuse, friends getting shot and drug usage in the home. Educators need to understand their student’s background. There are 6 guideline an educational professional must use to reach out to students.
The first concept is love; the students must know that you care. The second concept is trust. The students must trust the educator and the educator must give the student benefit of doubt. The third concept is fairness. Students must be treated in the same manner and their can be no favoritism. The next concept is support. Teachers must encourage their students and honor the students’ choices and to be able to listen without judging. The next concept is accountability. Educators must accept responsibility for there actions and attitudes and expect the students to do the same. Both students and educators must admit when they have made mistakes. Finally, there is safety. Students must feel safe, and teachers should not manipulate and intimidate their students. Physical space should always be respected.
Educators must over come biases against their students. At times teachers will judge a student based on race, clothing, and background. There are ways to overcome these implicit biases and for a teacher to bridge the gap with their students. A teacher must understand the student’s background. The student’s home life travels with them. Often, they are in pain, and they will mask their pain by misbehaving and joking. They cover it up. Students can be very smart but being too much of a schoolboy can cause humiliation amongst their peers so they will cover it up. Educators need to have one to one discussion with the students to find out what is going on and students need someone who will listen to them. As teachers we need to resist the urge to stereotype our students based on biased media and perceptions we were taught growing up.
The classroom set up is super important in making students feel safe. Setting up a daily routine provide structure for the students which lets them know what to expect and helps them feel safe. Color schemes are super important to motivate students. Teachers must also put in a positive message and be mindful of how negative images may be perceived.
In terms of fighting bias and racism teachers must lead by example. If we hear racist comments, we have to speak out and correct it. Bias is present in education as in other fields. Our students have different backgrounds then we do. Our biases might impact how we educate them.
Being an educator can tough. It offers up a lesson In humility and one must be open in order to be a caring teacher. Education is tough but rewarding.
May 1, 2023
The book was written with a narrative style. The author was telling stories, some were his own and others were examples. The author was speaking with a narrative with the intention to educate educators on classroom environments for young black and latino children. The author did this by using ethos through storytelling to invoke a sense of empathy with the students. The author did not just present an issue and make the reader feel bad about these actions and stories, the author writes in a persuasive essay style. The style allows the author to present an alternative to how young black and latino males are treated in the classroom. Strategies and methods to use in the classroom were presented with every chapter and argument. I enjoyed reading and discussing this book with my book club. I thought that it was extremely relevant to today's classrooms and should be more used. To me this is not a new or reinvented idea that the author is presenting. But he is calling attention to the need the young black and latino students have to feel comfortable and heard in the classroom.
The reason I chose this book to read was because I felt that I did not have a lot of personal experience with young black and latino students. I wanted to ensure that my classroom was a safe space for all my students. I thought this book would be a resource to me and help me better myself. The author chose to write this book after he felt a lack of awareness and action to help black and latino students in schools across America. I have not read any of the author's previous books but I would like to.
The book discussed 4 central ideas. The first was around awareness in the classroom when it comes to black and latino male students. The second was teaching practices to use in the classroom. The next was about beliefs and mindsets when teaching and how to be the best educator for each student. The last idea was relationships, basically SEL in the classroom. At each section, there were personal stories, examples of what to do in the classroom, and phrases that should be used when engaging with students. Connecting with students at the beginning of the year is always encouraged as a teacher but never as a solution to behavior issues. After reading the book, I was able to understand how impactful words are on students, specifically male students. Building relationships is not just as a preventative measure to help with behavior in the classroom, it can be used to understand why students act out. The book pushed me to reflect on the words I say and how much they matter. I think sometimes I will speak to fill the silence without realizing that silence is not always a bad thing. I also loved the phrases the book presented. How one phrase can help curb classroom behaviors and turn things around. I can think of many teachers that I have met that could greatly benefit from reading this book and implementing many of its strategies.
The reason I chose this book to read was because I felt that I did not have a lot of personal experience with young black and latino students. I wanted to ensure that my classroom was a safe space for all my students. I thought this book would be a resource to me and help me better myself. The author chose to write this book after he felt a lack of awareness and action to help black and latino students in schools across America. I have not read any of the author's previous books but I would like to.
The book discussed 4 central ideas. The first was around awareness in the classroom when it comes to black and latino male students. The second was teaching practices to use in the classroom. The next was about beliefs and mindsets when teaching and how to be the best educator for each student. The last idea was relationships, basically SEL in the classroom. At each section, there were personal stories, examples of what to do in the classroom, and phrases that should be used when engaging with students. Connecting with students at the beginning of the year is always encouraged as a teacher but never as a solution to behavior issues. After reading the book, I was able to understand how impactful words are on students, specifically male students. Building relationships is not just as a preventative measure to help with behavior in the classroom, it can be used to understand why students act out. The book pushed me to reflect on the words I say and how much they matter. I think sometimes I will speak to fill the silence without realizing that silence is not always a bad thing. I also loved the phrases the book presented. How one phrase can help curb classroom behaviors and turn things around. I can think of many teachers that I have met that could greatly benefit from reading this book and implementing many of its strategies.
March 12, 2025
I finished this book in two sittings. Robert Jackson is a nationally acclaimed motivational speaker who engages audiences by being transparent about his own experiences in the classroom as both a student and his teacher. Because of inspirational teachers, like... (who later attended one of his talks), he realized that the dysfunction of his homelife did not have to define his life. Through her encouragement, he began to believe in himself and here is now impacting so many students and peers in the profession.
Jackson humorously illustrates the danger of stereotypes by using the example of Martha Stewart and Snoop Dog asking to select which is the felon and challenging us to contemplate on how looks can be deceiving. The same principle can be applied to our assumptions of what a good student looks like, warning us not to discount a student just because they may look or act a way that does not fit into our assumptions. When teachers resist the urge to stereotype, they can serve their students as 'dream restorers' rather than 'dream killers.'
Jackson humorously illustrates the danger of stereotypes by using the example of Martha Stewart and Snoop Dog asking to select which is the felon and challenging us to contemplate on how looks can be deceiving. The same principle can be applied to our assumptions of what a good student looks like, warning us not to discount a student just because they may look or act a way that does not fit into our assumptions. When teachers resist the urge to stereotype, they can serve their students as 'dream restorers' rather than 'dream killers.'
May 16, 2023
I agree with the author’s sentiments so I feel bad giving this a low rating. I think the problem is that the net is cast a little too wide. It touches on a million topics, but none of them are explored in depth. It feels like snippets of pep talks for educators, which isn’t a bad thing. I actually marked several places that could serve as inspiration for my “Motivational Friday” class talks. However, that was not the actual purpose of this book. Most of the successes “documented” here are the author’s own experiences. Somehow it felt like a collection of platitudes.
I think there are people out there who need to hear messages like this, but I’m not sure there is enough substance to have a meaningful impact of them. I hope I’m wrong.
I think there are people out there who need to hear messages like this, but I’m not sure there is enough substance to have a meaningful impact of them. I hope I’m wrong.
January 9, 2020
A brief, unremarkable book that nevertheless did offer a unique perspective and some solid strategies on teaching and connecting with a demographic traditionally underserved by the educational system and society as a whole.
August 7, 2021
This would be a good primer for educators just starting out on their exploration of bias and race. However, I didn’t find a lot of new revelations in here. I did appreciate some of the reminders especially in chapter 3.
August 3, 2020
Such a quick, easy read to open the eyes of educators.
July 5, 2021
Extremely important topic...but this book is just a lot of common sense lists.
January 6, 2021
I wasn't particularly enthused about this title at first. It seemed repetitive and simplistic, and didn't seem to add a lot to the conversation around this topic. I'm glad I didn't give up on it though, because the author does provide some very good points for reflection and a LOT of practical things an educator can do to become more supportive of ALL students. The overarching theme is not to let your own "whiteness" impact how you build relationships with students of color. Be transparent and honest with them in order to gain their trust, and empathize with those from disadvantaged situations but DON'T feel sorry for them. Help them see that their current situation does not have to be their destiny.
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