Courageous Conversations About Race: A Field Guide for Achieving Equity in Schools [Paperback]

Glenn E. Singleton (Editor), Curtis W. (Wallace) Linton (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 18, 2005 | ISBN-10: 0761988777 | ISBN-13: 978-0761988779 | Edition: 1

Examining the achievement gap through the prism of race, the authors explain how to use "courageous conversations" to create a learning community that promotes academic parity.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"The beauty of this volume is that it is designed to help lay people—teachers, administrators, parents, community leaders, and even university professors—begin to engage in the emotionally and psychically difficult conversations about race. Glenn Singleton and Curtis Linton have offered us an important book that provides us with empirical data and well-constructed exercises to help us think through the ways that race affects our lives and our professional practices. My sincere desire is that after you have had an opportunity to read this volume you will, indeed, engage in some courageous conversations about race." (Gloria Ladson-Billings, Professor, University of Wisconsin-Madison 20050307)

"Challenges educators to talk in honest and open ways about race, and provides various tools to stimulate and inform the conversation. Singleton and Linton remind us that the achievement gap will not be eliminated until we learn to talk about race in ways that build bridges of understanding that lead to effective action." (Dennis Sparks, Executive Director 20050809)

"Given the sensitive issues of race in our nation, schools and school leaders need tools that can illuminate the concerns, guide the discussions, and generate momentum for growth and change.  This book provides the tools and resources needed to move from open dialogue to meaningful action that can make excellence and equity in schools a reality." (Monte C. Moses, Superintendent 20050812)

"Talking about race and its effect on academic achievement remains one of the most elusive conversations today. In their new book, Singleton and Linton help educators understand and engage in the discourse around race that affects the success of any curriculum, instructional methodology, or program implementation. The book's exercises and prompts assists school and district leadership teams in articulating those innate behaviors, beliefs, and attitudes that impair our ability to be effective in closing the racial achievement gap. I am encouraged to know that educators will be empowered and supported as we develop our personal capacity to address one of the most crucial elements of our society: the education of our children." (Yvette M. Irving, Principal 20050906)

"This is an important book that challenges one to think critically about the effects of race and student achievement. It is an invitation to sustain a strong desire for fairness and equity for all children." (SMSG Newsletter 20051229)

"In an era when America seems content to sweep candid talk of race under the rug, Courageous Conversations About Race recognizes that denial isn’t a prescription for interracial tolerance and social progress. The authors provide thoughtful educators with innovative instructional tools to successfully navigate the most robustly diverse nation on earth." (Hugh B. Price, Former President and CEO 20060105)

"Singleton and Linton challenge educators to move beyond recognizing the existence of a racial achievement gap and to develop strategies to eliminate it." (Curriculum Connections, Fall 2006 )

About the Author

Glenn Eric Singleton hails from Baltimore, Maryland. A product of public elementary and independent secondary school, Singleton earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Pennsylvania and his master’s degree from the Graduate School of Education at Stanford University. Singleton began his career as an Ivy League admissions director. In 1992, he founded Pacific Educational Group, Inc. (PEG) to support families in their transitions within and between K–12 and higher education. His company rapidly grew into a vehicle for addressing systemic educational inequity by providing a framework, guidance, and support to K–12 systems and institutions of higher education focused on meeting the needs of under-served students of color. He is now its president and chief executive officer.

Singleton and his associates at PEG design and deliver individualized, comprehensive professional development for educators in the form of training, coaching, and consulting. Working at all levels, from beginning teachers to superintendents at local, state, and national levels, PEG helps educators focus on heightening their awareness of institutional racism and implementing effective strategies for eliminating racial achievement disparities in schools. In 1995, Singleton developed Beyond Diversity, a widely recognized seminar aimed at helping administrators, teachers, students, parents, and community stakeholders identify and examine the intersection of race and schooling. The Beyond Diversity seminar is the foundation for the PEG Systemic Racial Equity Framework and its theory of transformation, which focuses on leadership development, teacher action-research, and family/community empowerment. Today, participants around the world use Singleton’s Courageous Conversations Agreements, Conditions and Compass, introduced to them in Beyond Diversity, as they strive to usher in culturally proficient curriculum, instruction, and assessment. Over its 20-year history, PEG’s scope of work has expanded to include online professional learning, independent school partnerships, and international efforts in Canada and Australia that focus on educational equity for indigenous populations. PEG hosts an annual Summit for Courageous Conversation, in which scholars, educators, community members, and other stakeholders convene to identify strategies and best practices for creating high-level, equitable learning environments for all students.

Singleton currently resides in San Francisco, California. He is the founder of the Foundation for a College Education (FCE) and currently serves on the FCE Advisory Board.

Curtis Linton is a co-owner of The School Improvement Network where he is co-executive producer of The Video Journal of Education and TeachStream. He has spent the last 10 years documenting on video and in print the improvement efforts and best practices of the most suc­cessful schools and school systems across North America. Each year, he visits more than 100 classrooms and schools, capturing what they do to succeed with all students at the classroom, school, and system levels. Linton has written or produced dozens of award-winning video-based staff development programs. His areas of expertise include closing the achievement gap and improving minority student achievement, using data, leadership, effective staff development, brain research, differ­entiation, action research, and coaching. With the goal of delivering results-based professional development efficiently to large numbers of educators, he works with school systems to design comprehensive school improvement plans that integrate workshops, video, electronic media, and other resources. As a part of this, Linton conducts workshops on effective classroom practices. Linton also works extensively in the community, including serving on the Davis School District Equity Committee. Linton received his master’s degree in fine arts from the University of Southern California.

Product Details

• Paperback: 304 pages
• Publisher: Corwin; 1 edition (November 18, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0761988777
• ISBN-13: 978-0761988779
• Product Dimensions: 7 x 0.7 x 10 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #9,776 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #9 in Books > Education & Reference > Schools & Teaching > Education Theory > Philosophy & Social Aspects
  • #10 in Books > Politics & Social Sciences > Social Sciences > Specific Demographics > Minority Studies
  • #69 in Books > Education & Reference > Schools & Teaching > Professional Development

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

28 of 38 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Truly a courageous book! March 22, 2006

By kim pietrzykowski

Format:Paperback

This is truly a courageous book! Richard Hernstein first broke Political Correctness's stranglehold on the discussion of race and educational achievement with his book The Bell Curve, and though that groundbreaking book was meticulously researched, the author suffered a hail of mindless political-inspired assaults. Now, the authors of this book have built on Hernstein's work, calling for meaningful dialogue on what changes need to be made to the American educational establishment to provide meaningful results for non-whites.

If you care about the future of America, then read The Bell Curve and Courageous Conversations about Race!

18 of 26 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars professionally disturbing, personally uncomfortable and ultimately enlightening August 5, 2010

By doc peterson VINE™ VOICE

Format:Paperback

I live in a rapidly gentrifying part of town as my neighbors of color become fewer and fewer and more people like me move into it. What was once a predominantly African-American, working-class neighborhood is transforming into an upper-middle class and increasingly white neighborhood. Sadly, the neighborhood schools remain largely segregated, my new neighbors sending their children to other schools in the city or to private schools, my African-American neighbors sending their children to the schools close by. I find this disturbing. What I also find disturbing is the "achievement gap" between childern of color and White kids. Previously I had attributed this "achievement gap" to socio-economic differences and a lack of parental involvement in schools. I was wrong to think this, as Singleton and Linton address pointedly in their book. What causes this gulf - and more importantly, how it can be eliminated - has been a hot-button issue nationally with the passage of "No Child Left Behind" and locally as school districts seek to address this problem. Singleton and Linton suggest that the most effective place to begin is with a hard, cold look at the issue of race in American schools specifically and American society at large. A caveat - any meaningful discussion of race is going to be uncomfortable and disturbing for all parties, regardless of race. Singelton and Linton provide the context in which to have these disucssions, with the intent that participants (regardless of race) come to an understanding if not necessicarily consensus on the impact of racial relations in education.

The issue, they contend, is that our public school system has been created by and for Whites.... The problem is exacerbated by the fact that "White" is the norm in American society - that White people, given their position as the dominant race and culture in America don't have to think about race unless they want to (as compared to those in the minority who are confronted with the issue of race daily). Further, given the position as the dominant race in America, Whites have privlidge accorded them much in the way that men have privlidge accorded them based on gender. As with the feminist movement, if things are to change, it will have to be by actions of the dominant group to make this happen much as the passage of the 19th Amendment had to be passed by the male-dominated Congress. This argument particularly resonated with me.

Looking beyond the educational implications, _Courageous Conversations_ is provoking in broader social terms. As the authors write, "the belief that White people are accorded advantage just based on skin color is foreign and threatening to their strongly held notion that White people achieved their superior status because they 'earned it' exclusively through hard work. These tendencies are embedded in the White racial culture and perspective." It was an uncomfortable revelation to recognize that my perception of "normal", of "success" and even the very cultural capital I had by virtue of my being White (and male) had something to do with the education I received, the values I have and the way in which I perceive others and the wider world. The issue becomes more important and more pressing when one considers that within the next generation Whites will no longer be the majority race in America. We as a nation need to have an honest discussion about race and how it impacts every facet of life in this country, and the sooner the better. This book is an excellent place to start, even though its primary audience is educators.

Where does one go from here? Singleton and Linton write, "Understanding how, when, and where race intersects with schooling allows educators to learn from each other and engage their students. Only through this heightened engagement of our students of color will school systems experience transformation that ensures success for all students. The prupose is not to accomplish gradual change in this work but to urgently and radically embrace the possibility of eliminating the racial achievement gap." I certainly hope so. A recommended read. Read more ›

4.0 out of 5 stars don't purchase the kindle version May 30, 2013

By Janet Jelkin

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

I really liked the content of this book. It was very insightful and thought provoking. What I didn't like was the kindle version was missing part of the book because there were no rights to an electronic version from one of the people quoted in the book. When you are missing content, it makes it difficult to read. Luckily it was towards the end and there were about 6 parts, but they seemed like they might have been important to get a point across.

4.0 out of 5 stars Very though provoking February 7, 2013

By Amy Todd

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

I had to buy this book for a class. I found it to be quick read and thought the information was organized pretty well, although a bit repetitive at times. I thought the authors did a good job at presenting potentially uncomfortable/contentious topic and provided good conversation starters. My biggest issue with the book, is that the authors seemed to not fully acknowledge or recognize the tremendous burdens our society places on teachers (full disclosure I'm the child of a public school teacher).

5.0 out of 5 stars A great read December 12, 2012

By Kimberly A. Ehnes

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

Though I had to read this book for a class, I plan to read it again. It sheds some much needed light on our society and it's culture. I look forward to using it as a reference when I become an administrator.

5 of 8 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Truly Needed April 2, 2007

By Brittany Parker

Format:Paperback

Singleton has managed to present an incendiary topic in such a way that is palatable and astounding. "Courageous Conversations" creates a great outlet for discussion, and provides great opportunities for educators to actually be the student. It was a pleasure to read.

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful

1.0 out of 5 stars Not always true June 12, 2013

By teachjacjac

Format:Kindle Edition

This book makes points that may have been true in schools before the 70's & 80's but in MOST cases it just isn't as bad as it was. It is getting better. I also felt like teachers were bashed thoroughly the book. Finally at one point the authors discussed how the government was controlled by the white people and how we haven't even had a black front runner for president. Lol. Not only was he a front runner he has been elected our president for 2 terms! This book would have been a great read n the 80's but the world is changing.

2 of 4 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Book Review June 25, 2011

By Hawkeyeguy

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

Courageous Conversations is kind of a model on how to deal with issues of diversity amongst a school staff. I couldn't really get into the story and only read it for one of my grad school classes. It raised some interesting issues though, but I would it was only an ok read.