Promoting Racial Literacy in Schools: Differences That Make a Difference

by Howard C. Stevenson Jr.

Based on extensive research, this provocative volume explores how schools are places where racial conflicts often remain hidden at the expense of a healthy school climate and the well-being of students of color. Most schools fail to act on racial microaggressions because the stress of negotiating such conflicts is extremely high due to fears of incompetence, public exposure, and accusation. Instead of facing these conflicts head on, schools perpetuate a set of avoidance or coping strategies. The author of this much-needed book uncovers how racial stress undermines student achievement. Students, educators, and social service support staff will find workable strategies to improve their racial literacy skills to read, recast, and resolve racially stressful encounters when they happen. Book Features:

Genres: Education, Race, Social Justice, Teaching, Nonfiction, Adult, Social Issues

240 pages, Paperback

First published December 13, 2013

Reviews

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great content, very dense reading. A lot of really practical information but it took me forever to get through this. Not light reading.

[Rebecca Vogelezang · Rating 4 out of 5]

Whew! I'm typically a quick reader but this book took me 4 months to get through. Not because it was bad or boring - it was just a lot of information written in a very academic style. The information presented was crucial for people who are actively seeking to support their students of color in schools and school systems. However, at times I was confused on who the author's audience was at various parts in the book. Sometimes it felt like he was speaking to BIPOC people as a whole, sometimes specifically to Black people, and other times to white people. Those shifts weren't always apparent, though, and made it more cumbersome to really grasp the information and suggestions clearly.

Beyond that, though, this is a solid book with a tremendous amount of thought-provoking knowledge, theory and action steps.

[Jeni Enjaian · Rating 3 out of 5]

When I discovered that I was reading a book written by the brother of Brian Stevenson, I could hardly believe it. What a fascinating family. H. Stevenson has enormous understanding of the psychological impacts of racism and so much more. However, the text of this book is incredibly dense. It took significant effort to dig into the book even for someone who loves the nerdy, intellectual stuff like myself. He made a lot of excellent points throughout the entire book but I would not classify it as an education book.

[Brooke · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fantastic book. The only reason I’m rating it four rather than five stars is that, despite the great information it contains, I hesitate to recommend it to others as the density of the text might be off-putting to casual readers.

[Kinsey Edgar · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a dense book that offers a look into work with minority students. This is helpful in learning how to give students a chance to tell their narrative. This is a great practitioner's guide for a school psychologist.

[Barbara Berlin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Because the time is NOW.

[Drick · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one the most important books on race and ethnic studies I have read in a long time. Stevenson, a professor of psychology at Univ of Penn, links the discussions about systemic racism to the experiences of those who are routinely discriminated by that system by discussing the stress created by systemic racism. While the book's primary audience are educators, his insights can be applied to any organization - profit or non-profit. Furthermore while his primary concern is to equip teachers and parents to equip their young people of color on how to respond in a healthy and life affirming way to the daily experiences of racism, he also indirectly directly addresses the tensions whites feel about talking about race, especially with people of color. Using insights from cultural competence theory, emotional intelligence, anxiety reduction theory and other psycho-emotional insights, he offers simple and practical ways parents/teachers can help their young people deal with the racism that they face every day. In this book, Stevenson provides a tool kit for young people and adults to navigate and where necessary confront systemic racism in all its forms.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of those books I will refer back to over and over again. Though it's filled with dense, deep information, it is well-defined and practical. Every social justice educator needs to read this, study it, form discussion groups around it, and begin the work! As a teacher in a predominately White district, the examples from the text reminded me of so many areas of growth and examples of past mistakes. But Stevenson teaches how to analyze your mistakes, re-evaluate your goals, and calm yourself so that you can work well in racial situations and not freeze up or avoid. A hugely important work that demands attention!