White Bread

by Christine Sleeter

Accompany Jessica on a journey into her family’s past, into herself, and into the bicultural students she teaches but does not understand. Jessica, a fictional White fifth-grade teacher, is prompted to explore her German-American family history by the unexpected discovery of a hundred-year-old letter. White Bread pulls readers into a tumultuous six months of Jessica’s life as she confronts many issues that turn out to be Why does she know so little about her German-American family’s past? Why are the Latino teachers advocating for Raza Studies, and what does that mean? Can she become the kind of teacher who sparks student learning?

The storyline alternates between past and present, acquainting readers with German-American communities in the Midwest during the late 1800s and early 1900s, portraits based on detailed historic excavation. What happened to these communities gives Jessica the key to unlock answers to questions that plague her.

White Bread can be read simply for pleasure. It can also be used in teacher education, ethnic studies, and sociology courses. Beginning teachers may see their own struggles reflected in Jessica’s classroom. People of European descent might see themselves within, rather than outside, multicultural and ethnic studies. White Bread might also launch family history research.

300 pages, Paperback

Published September 10, 2020

About the author

Christine E. Sleeter is a researcher, teacher, and writer who is best known for her work in critical multicultural education, and her insights into white people grappling with race. Author of about 20 academic books, she is also author of two novels. She holds the title of Professor Emerita in the College of Professional Studies at California State University Monterey Bay, where she was a founding faculty member. She is a sought-after speaker both in the U.S. and internationally. She has been honored with awards that include the American Educational Research Association Social Justice in Education Award, the Chapman University Paulo Freire Education Project Social Justice Award, the National Association for Multicultural Education Research Award, and membership in the National Academy of Education