Getting Started in Anti-Racist Self-Education (for Teachers)



It's June 2020, and I'm a white educator doing self-reflection on where I need to grow, what I need to learn, and what parts of my curriculum and classroom need to change. 

I'm not trying to position myself as an expert on anti-racist education in this post. In fact, at first I hesitated to write this post at all, because 1) I was afraid of being or seeming performative and 2) hesitation to take up space in this conversation. However, educators with any extent of an online community, including myself, cannot be silent - so I'm here to uplift some of the articles, videos, people, and blog posts that I have found most helpful this month, in the hopes that they may be helpful to some of you as well. 

The links in this post are not sponsored in any way; they range from having an anti-racism focus to ones that more generally help diversify and/or decolonize a curriculum or bookshelf. These are also merely a starting point for me, and this list is not intended to be comprehensive.

To be honest, I don't know what changes are coming to my classroom yet in response to what I'm learning - mainly because, as of the time of this posting, I do not have a clear picture of what funds my school has left for new books next year and what I can purchase or fundraise by myself. But the point is that I'm on the journey, and I hope you'll consider coming with me and/or furthering my education. 

Feel free to drop a suggested website or resource in the comments. 

Two Great Starting Places
First, a great definition of anti-racism from Jason Reynolds, the National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature: 


And here is my single favorite place to start (thank you for the recommendation, @thedaringenglishteacher): 

Readings for Teachers: More Starting Points
Books to Read
Since I'm still reading several books (and waiting on more to arrive from my bookstore and/or library), I'm sharing some big-publisher suggested lists for now. 
Classroom Libraries & Text Changes
Instagrammers to Follow
Again, while not a comprehensive list, here are a few Instagrammers who I already learn a lot from or who I started following this summer. They are teachers, book reviewers, policy specialists, literacy advocates, and more. Please recommend more in the comments. 

In no order:
  1. Rachel Cargle, @rachel.cargle
  2. S. Brown, @teachfortheculture
  3. The Conscious Kid, @theconsciouskid
  4. Britt Hawthorne, @britthawthorne 
  5. Esther Brunat, @estherbrunat
  6. Vera Ahiyya, @thetututeacher
  7. Education with an Apron, @apron_education
  8. Mrs. Hall's Literacy Scholars, @mrshallscholars
  9. Tanesha B. Forman, @love.tanesha
  10. Dr. Courtney Rose, @drcourtneyrose 
  11. C. Forte, @melanatedreader
  12. Tamara Russell, @mrsrussellsroom
  13. Derrick Carlson, @blackandbrightin2nd
  14. Tamara, @ifpencilscouldtalk
  15. Danielle Alanna, @hotmessteaching
  16. Alexis Shepard, @theafroteacher 
  17. Vennieta Grant, @loveteachrepeat
  18. Corinne, @teachingwithaflair
  19. Eli Oldham, @thebooksupplier
  20. Nnenna, @scsreads
  21. Naomi O'Brien, @readlikearockstar
  22. Juanita E. Johns, @juanitaejohns
  23. Shyra, @middleschool_magic
  24. Darrian Tanner, @teachmstanner
  25. Samantha, @secondaryurbanlegends
  26. Alyssa Gray-Tyghter, @alyssagtyghter 
  27. Miss A, @lit_and_love
  28. Rikki Carter, @wildflower_classroom
  29. Ms. Green, @greenbeanlovesela 
  30. Ryse T, @teachingwithmxt  
  31. Ana, @literaryxqueen 
  32. Kim, @kimbookwyrm 
  33. WhittyReads, @whittyreads
  34. Sajda, @sajdareads
  35. Bree, @falling4romance
  36. Leslie, @coffee.books.convo
Book Lists from this Blog
(Again, while not an expert, I have learned a lot from the book recommendations of my English teacher peers as we collaboratively made these blog posts over the last two years.)
This list might be updated this summer. 
This post was last updated on 6/26/2020.

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