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Schooltalk: Rethinking What We Say About and To Students Every Day
An essential guide to transforming the quotidian communications that feed inequality in our schools―from the award-winning editor of Everyday Antiracism
Words matter. Every day in schools, language is used―whether in the classroom, in a student-teacher meeting, or by principals, guidance counselors, or other school professionals―implying, intentionally or not, that some subset of students have little potential. As a result, countless students "underachieve," others become disengaged, and, ultimately, we all lose.
Mica Pollock, editor of Everyday Antiracism ―the progressive teacher's must-have resource―now turns to what it takes for those working in schools to match their speech to their values, giving all students an equal opportunity to thrive. By juxtaposing common scenarios with useful exercises, concrete actions, and resources, Schooltalk describes how the devil is in the oft-dismissed the tossed-off remark to a student or parent about the community in which she lives; the way groups―based on race, ability, and income―are discussed in faculty meetings about test scores and data; the assumptions and communication breakdowns between counselors, teachers, and other staff that cause kids to fall needlessly through the cracks; or the deflating comment to a young person about her college or career prospects.
Schooltalk will empower educators of every ilk, revealing to them an incredibly effective tool at their disposal to support the success of all students every their words.
Words matter. Every day in schools, language is used―whether in the classroom, in a student-teacher meeting, or by principals, guidance counselors, or other school professionals―implying, intentionally or not, that some subset of students have little potential. As a result, countless students "underachieve," others become disengaged, and, ultimately, we all lose.
Mica Pollock, editor of Everyday Antiracism ―the progressive teacher's must-have resource―now turns to what it takes for those working in schools to match their speech to their values, giving all students an equal opportunity to thrive. By juxtaposing common scenarios with useful exercises, concrete actions, and resources, Schooltalk describes how the devil is in the oft-dismissed the tossed-off remark to a student or parent about the community in which she lives; the way groups―based on race, ability, and income―are discussed in faculty meetings about test scores and data; the assumptions and communication breakdowns between counselors, teachers, and other staff that cause kids to fall needlessly through the cracks; or the deflating comment to a young person about her college or career prospects.
Schooltalk will empower educators of every ilk, revealing to them an incredibly effective tool at their disposal to support the success of all students every their words.
416 pages, Paperback
Published February 7, 2017
61 people are currently reading
393 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
March 29, 2019
The topic is so important. The book is well researched and cited. There are so many resources available to continue to read on these topics. The chapters are presented in ways that balance theory with tangible short- and long-term practice.
My only hang up is how the author centers herself throughout the text—for example: “an important researcher emailed me...” or re-terming things like “intersectionality” with her own term of “cocooning.”
My only hang up is how the author centers herself throughout the text—for example: “an important researcher emailed me...” or re-terming things like “intersectionality” with her own term of “cocooning.”
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November 16, 2019Language matters. What we say about and to students matters. This book shares practical steps and strategies for school professionals to create "inclusive school talk" to help all students to thrive to their potential.
January 21, 2023
I’m hesitant to rate this book in relation to what I thought about it. Personally, I found it slow and while definitely relevant…it wasn’t earth shattering. It wasn’t until the end chapters that I found some interesting and practical ideas. That being said, I think this book is best used in a book-study setting and not read independently. Pollock guides readers through very specific steps to create plans for addressing SchoolTalk. I didn’t engage with those sections. It also seems like this should be used as a tool where there is a clear district initiative around equity. This did leave me feeling exceptionally inspired.
October 29, 2025
This was a book that had a lot of potential but got bogged down by repetition of thoughts within a chapter and very bad design of chapters and sections.
It was irritating reading a book that starts off with a “How To Read This Book” section. It would have been nice if the author had given credit to the reader, teachers, to know how to read a book broken up into sections with “think and discuss” breaks. We get it. I also think that the appendix with it’s section on how to talk about equity with colleagues could have been one of the first chapters of the book, since so much of the book was focused on equity and seeing students as individuals in their own right with backgrounds valid and worthy of consideration when discussing their needs and struggles.
I did like the foundational image, about all of the people who interact with students during the day. It was a nice through-line throughout the book and it was great that it was not just referenced but shown again in the chapters that referred back to it.
The biggest concern I had about the book was that it really tried to make each chapter about equal in length, about 40ish pages, even if not all chapters needed that many pages. What ended up happening was it would then repeat a concept within the chapter as a filler. Or, that’s how it felt.
As to the content itself?
I do think that there are teachers who are not thoughtful or kind in their thinking about students. There are definitely teachers who need to rethink the stereotypes and accepted assumptions about why and how a student is the way they are. The first part of the book focuses on "flipping the scripts” of how teachers talk, with chapters like “group talk”, "inequity talk”, “smarts talk” and “culture talk” and then gave examples of of what teachers might think and say and giving examples of how and why we should change that thinking.
The second part of the book then focuses on the infrastructure of schools and the ways that a building can change it’s thinking and discussions about students.
It really asks teachers to rethink the very data you collect, how you connect with students through discussions with them about their lives, and the various opportunities you have to reach a deeper understanding of students and their needs.
Overall, I think there were a lot of good ideas in this book and if better edited and more concise could have been an excellent companion piece to the discussions of equity we have begun in our district. However, the end result of this book being so poorly written is that I would not recommend it to anyone. I’d be concerned that it would turn the very people who need to change their thinking and change their talk about students away from the very conversations in the first place.
It was irritating reading a book that starts off with a “How To Read This Book” section. It would have been nice if the author had given credit to the reader, teachers, to know how to read a book broken up into sections with “think and discuss” breaks. We get it. I also think that the appendix with it’s section on how to talk about equity with colleagues could have been one of the first chapters of the book, since so much of the book was focused on equity and seeing students as individuals in their own right with backgrounds valid and worthy of consideration when discussing their needs and struggles.
I did like the foundational image, about all of the people who interact with students during the day. It was a nice through-line throughout the book and it was great that it was not just referenced but shown again in the chapters that referred back to it.
The biggest concern I had about the book was that it really tried to make each chapter about equal in length, about 40ish pages, even if not all chapters needed that many pages. What ended up happening was it would then repeat a concept within the chapter as a filler. Or, that’s how it felt.
As to the content itself?
I do think that there are teachers who are not thoughtful or kind in their thinking about students. There are definitely teachers who need to rethink the stereotypes and accepted assumptions about why and how a student is the way they are. The first part of the book focuses on "flipping the scripts” of how teachers talk, with chapters like “group talk”, "inequity talk”, “smarts talk” and “culture talk” and then gave examples of of what teachers might think and say and giving examples of how and why we should change that thinking.
The second part of the book then focuses on the infrastructure of schools and the ways that a building can change it’s thinking and discussions about students.
It really asks teachers to rethink the very data you collect, how you connect with students through discussions with them about their lives, and the various opportunities you have to reach a deeper understanding of students and their needs.
Overall, I think there were a lot of good ideas in this book and if better edited and more concise could have been an excellent companion piece to the discussions of equity we have begun in our district. However, the end result of this book being so poorly written is that I would not recommend it to anyone. I’d be concerned that it would turn the very people who need to change their thinking and change their talk about students away from the very conversations in the first place.
July 18, 2022
Decided to read this book for some self professional development.
Pollock introduced some past and on-going equity issues at school. She also provided some advice on how to address some of the challenges such as communication with students, colleagues, parents, etc.
I also appreciated how Pollock challenged readers to open their minds by bringing up these issues with others and provided advice on how to be prepared to having difficult conversations regarding equity.
In my opinion, some of the solutions to the issues mentioned are easier said than done, but I am willing to give some of Pollock's challenges a try and have #schooltalk conversations with students, colleagues, other teachers, teacher friends, etc.
Pollock introduced some past and on-going equity issues at school. She also provided some advice on how to address some of the challenges such as communication with students, colleagues, parents, etc.
I also appreciated how Pollock challenged readers to open their minds by bringing up these issues with others and provided advice on how to be prepared to having difficult conversations regarding equity.
In my opinion, some of the solutions to the issues mentioned are easier said than done, but I am willing to give some of Pollock's challenges a try and have #schooltalk conversations with students, colleagues, other teachers, teacher friends, etc.
January 21, 2025
The book helps educators think through how they talk relates to students' sense of self worth, potential for learning, and therefore potentially deeply affect their path as students. There are data points and citations throughout, as well as stories from the author's career as a teacher and from others. One point some of my students raised about the book was that in some ways, it adds to the burdens many teachers already feel & the actions they already take for their students, especially students from marginalized populations. It would be good to see the author recognize that in the way recommendations are made. It's critical for students that teachers actually can carry out equitable teaching practices like those included in the book.
August 31, 2022
Engaging writing on an important subject. Some of the content felt a little—I hesitate to say 101? both because it's not and because that's not even a bad thing, necessarily—but there were things presented as though they would be surprising that were...very much not. Which is probably at least partly due to me being fresh out of grad school, where I read a lot of the work Pollock cites! And there's also the fact that this was written in 2017, which feels like it was approximately forty million years ago.
March 21, 2018
This book is a must-read for all educators whose goal is to make education more equitable or for anyone who is interested in striking up dialogue on education. How are different issues in education discussed in schools? How may those issues and discourse affect our students? Pollock provides the tools, exercises, and background literature in an accessible language for all readers/educators to understand and discuss. Highly recommended!
May 16, 2021
Helpful explanations and lots of real world examples and case studies to ponder. This book will help you to examine how to more equitably communicate to and about all students in your school community.
February 21, 2025
This certainly wasn’t a quick read, but brought up many important points. I particularly loved chapter 3 about how we talk about, measure, and reward intelligence and the consequences of that for students.
May 27, 2018
A thoughtful take on how our implicit biases, word choice, and opportunity structures influence equitable (or non-equitable) education opportunities for youth.
May 11, 2021
Read for a PD at school, which lead to some fascinating conversations. There was a lot to think about. Definitely recommend reading with others.
Want to read
November 16, 2016Note: I accessed a digital review copy of this book through Edelweiss.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews