For White Folks Who Teach in the Hood... and the Rest of Y'all Too: Reality Pedagogy and Urban Education (Race, Education, and Democracy)

by Christopher Emdin

After the initial cogen, and when the participants in the dialogue return to the classroom with their peers, it is not only important for the teacher to be deliberate in enacting the cogenerated idea or suggestion, but to be explicit in letting participants know that he or she is doing so. This does not require any sort of official announcement, but the enactment of subtle indicators to students who were part of the cogen group that the plan of action is being implemented. This is particularly challenging for white folks who teach in the hood who are unaware of the nonverbal modes of communication of youth. My suggestion is for the teacher to ask students about nonverbal cues that they can use in the classroom to signal that they are implementing a suggestion generated in the cogen. Students have suggested that the teacher give eye contact and a head nod or lightly place their hand on students’ desks to indicate the enactment of the cogen plan. Enacting these nonverbal cues allows students to recognize the moments when the teacher is attempting to connect to them, and valuing their voices as participants in the cogen. When the teacher enacts a specific action that the cogen members can associate with a plan generated by the group, an awareness of the need to follow through on the plan is created.