Building Racial and Cultural Competence in the Classroom

In this compelling anthology, a diverse group of experienced teacher educators and practicing teachers tackle the impact of race and culture on teaching and learning. Sharing their personal experiences, research, and reflections, they focus on the connections among teacher quality, teacher preparation, and the achievement gap for African Americans and other children of color. They address ways that teachers can assess and enhance their own racial and cultural competence and in so doing better educate their students, especially in inner-city schools. Providing an inspiring and practical tool for engaging in successful, meaningful education with K–12 students of color, this stellar group of contributors offers:

• Concrete ideas and advice on what educators can do to support teachers to become more racially and culturally competent.
• Multiple perspectives providing a variety of new insights on current research and practice.
• Honest and thought-provoking personal narratives on race and schooling.

Karen Manheim Teel is on the faculty of the School of Education at the University of California at Davis. Jennifer E. Obidah is the director of the Education Evaluation Centre at the University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus, Barbados. They are the authors of the bestselling book, Because of the Kids: Facing Racial and Cultural Differences in Schools.

“Interweaving the voices of new writers with those of world-class researchers, this book illustrates the complexity, the necessity, and the do-ability of our journey toward cultural and racial competence.”
—Gary R. Howard, author of We Can’t Teach What We Don’t Know