Identity-Conscious Educator: Building Habits and Skills for a More Inclusive School

by Liza A. Talusan

Learn powerful, practical strategies for creating an inclusive school community. The Identity-Conscious Educator provides a framework for building awareness and understanding of five identity race, social class, gender, sexual orientation, and disability. Connect with vignettes and personal stories from the author that illuminate how to address identity topics in your personal and professional life. Then, develop skills in engaging in meaningful interactions with students and peers.


Discover how identity affects both personal and professional lives.
Review a framework for building habits and skills of identity-conscious teaching and learning.
Build knowledge of five different identity categories and experiences --race, social class, sexual orientation, gender, and disability --and then act for positive change.
Reflect with end-of-chapter questions.
Review practical, research-based strategies, and activities for having difficult conversations and creating more inclusive communities.



Preface

Introduction

Part Getting Ready for Identity Work

Chapter 1: The Journey to Identity Awareness

Chapter 2: The Shift From Avoiding Conflict to Inviting Challenge

Part Building Your Identity-Conscious Practice

Chapter 3: Race

Chapter 4: Class

Chapter 5: Sexual Orientation

Chapter 6: Gender

Chapter 7: Disability

Part Turning Planning Into Action

Chapter 8: From Ally to Abolitionist

Chapter 9: The Role of Failure in Identity Work

Chapter 10: Tools for Extending Your Learning

Chapter 11: From Practitioner to Facilitator

Chapter 12: Beyond The Identity-Conscious Educator

Epilogue

References and Resources

Index

Genres: Education, Professional Development, Nonfiction, LGBT

351 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 25, 2022

Reviews

[Libriar]

This is an excellent book to be used in a college course or as a text in a PLC (professional learning community) that could be read chapter by chapter and discussed. I read it as summer reading and will just meet once to discuss it which I don't think will make it as valuable to me. Most of the information in this book wasn't new to me but for those who haven't done much DEI/JEDI work in education, this is a great place to start.

[J Michael]

an amazing writer

Dr. Talusan really knows educators and how to reach them in their growth. I enjoyed reading and learning. I am also excited to put into practice the activities from the book.

[Maddie Connors]

This book was a requirement for class to read and journal about a chapter each week. I was super pleased with the pacing and topics covered, with a good amount of reflection of the author. I wish it went a little more in depth at times but overall happy with having to read it this semester.

[Joy Kirr]

I'm glad I read this. Great reminders, and it's a push I feel I needed. My notes (on what I really want to remember) are here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1S...

[Christina Karvounis]

Essential reading. Gathered some new strategies for my DEIB work as well as shored up my confidence in identity work.

[Em Williams]

Reading for Work Development. I had some issues with how some of the workbook response questions were phrased, but it is a good jumping off point for thinking about identity for educators.

[Lily]

This is a must-read for all educators. Our multidimensional intersecting identities influence how we see ourselves in an hierarchical society, as well as how we behave, teach, and lead in our schools and in our personal relationships. I appreciate how Dr. Talusan shares stories from her own life to demonstrate how we can come to understand and affirm multiple identities. I have already used parts of this book in professional development.

[Traci]

There were so many helpful things for me to think about as an educator of kids AND an DEI facilitator for my colleagues. This was a great book.

8/24 update
The author is coming to my school this week, so I reread the book and enjoyed it again. It was a good reminder that my work to gain skills and cultural competencies will never be done!

[Natasha Vhugen]

read it for work - it gives a solid start to incorporating identity-conscious practice into one’s classroom. had hoped for some more specific action items and some ideas that worked with different grade levels. as someone who has studied this concept before, i found it a decent primer but didn’t have tons of depth. good place to start, though.

[Antonio Iglesias]

Very practical book with a great variety of resources. Part 3 was the strongest part of the book providing unique, feasible strategies while some chapters in part 2 are less impactful depending on your own reflective practice.

[Lindsay C-T]

Similar to the Racial Healing Handbook. Workbook style.

[Holly]

An awesome choice for an all-faculty read. Wish we could have been in small-group book clubs to do it, and do it in smaller chunks!