I was surprised in Chapter 7 when Ladson-Billings declares that "Culturally relevant teaching is about questioning (and preparing students to question) the structural inequality, the racism, and the injustice that exist in society" (140). I am mainly surprised because I feel like those are big concepts for children to understand, and I did not fully realize them until I reached college. I also attended Catholic school growing up, where students are not necessarily encouraged to question authority. As I look back, it seems that even in Catholic school my best teachers were somwhat subversive, framing the curriculum as they saw fit. I agree with this idea, but at the same time, I wish that it wasn't necessary. As teachers, we shouldn't have to always feel like we are fighting something.
I apprecite the teachers' points of view that she shares; those that refuse to set aside their philosophies for "the man". I agree that no one should ever change what they believe for a job.
I find the critiques and suggestions that she makes to student teaching all good points, but all of her suggestions might not be feasible in terms of how the programs are set up. That's not to say that the setups shouldn't change, but the existing framework may not allow for the ideal student teaching experiences. I know from my discussions with the other AU students in their practicum and student teaching that sometimes we have to take what we can get. Sometimes the university has to take what it can get from the surrounding schools. Wouldn't it be nice if Ladson-Billings's suggestions could be taken into account in our program.
I agree with the author that good teachers need to be celebrated, and I like that she highlights several more. I also like how she touches on the idea that teaching to the test (which is a huge part of the education reform going on right now) is in opposition to teachers who find joy in helping students explore and discover new ideas, and culturally relevant teaching. I find it ironic that this push for accountability is what is actually keeping students from learning at the depth that we would like them to.
I have enjoyed reading this book, and I'm glad positive pieces of literature like it are out there. With all of the negativity and garbage in the media these days, it's nice to read smart, articulate literature about what good is going on, and what good we can do as teachers.
