In this episode, empowering our students to be change-makers. Let’s start with disrupting the business as usual’ stories of oppression. Let’s tell a more complex and nuanced story of students’ cultures and communities.
CLICK PLAY TO LISTEN TO MY CONVERSATION WITH – CHRISTINA TORRES
Show Guest – Christina Torres
Christina is a Year 7 and 9 English teacher in Honolulu, Hawaii, USA.
Christina Torres
She writes about race relations, culture, education and fitness.
She is a regular contributor to the #Educolor Twitter Chat. Her twitter handle is @biblio_phile.
Episode Summary
In this episode, how can we support and empower students to make change happen?
How can we empower them to be change-makers who challenge and transform unjust systems?
We’ve gotta dislodge a huge obstacle: the stories of oppression and victim-hood that are so prevalent.
We’ve gotta review and re-frame the ways we view and talk about ourselves and our communities.
It all starts with re-thinking our business as usual in schools. And on that count we’ve got quite a few ideas to share.
Episode Run-Down
How Christina Pushes The Edge (1:36 min mark)
How to center social justice around students and their worlds (2:14)
Student resistance in action (3:38)
Students interacting with race: Seeing themselves in power (7:26)
How to teach for student agency (10:34 & 12:27))
Re-thinking how we view and talk about particular communities (11:26 & 14:47)
Re-thinking how we view and talk about ‘success’ (16:15)
Empowering students to recognize their capital (22:07)
Naming ourselves with empowered language (23:08)
Getting beyond stories of oppression – moving toward hope, joy, persistence and possibility (25:16)
Getting beyond obedience and polite ‘critical thinking’ (27:50)
The Lightning Round – defiance, vulnerability, cultural capital, teacher-leader, agency, and advice (30:32)
A Not To Be Missed Take-Away (34:56)
Episode Links
- The Language of Power by Christina Torres
- The United Farm Workers’ Union and The Unity Clap
- The Giver by Lois Lowry
- Inspiring Leaders: Martin Luther King Jr, Grace Lee Boggs
- Student Organizer, Community Activist and Educator: Xian Barrett
- Surin McGrory – Re-thinking how we view Indigenous Students
- Educolor Resource Page
