We Can't Lead Where We Won't Go.

Teachers are predominately white, while the student populations are growing and increasing in diversity. White teachers are usually brought up in a different culture from their students and they have different backgrounds. It is nearly impossible to be put into a situation unprepared and be expected to teach students effectively. Howard talks about White teachers having a healthy self identity, and that in fact being White is a culture of its own. People who dive into other cultures go through a process of discovering the culture and also relating that to how they were brought up. White teachers have their own background and their own experiences that shape who they are and what kind of teacher they will be.

The focus of the book is to find the missing section of learning that seems to have come with new reforms like NCLB. Educators have high standards for students and they want them to be reaching these standards. Howard suggests that perhaps the gap comes from the teachers not being able to teach these students in a meaningful way. The teachers are missing the pedagogy that connects the learning to the students. Howard also mentions that he is in fact a White person and that influences his writing. I believe that understanding this and acknowledging it means that he understands his racial identity and therefore can try to connect to other races and cultures.

Howard describes how he came to realize his cultural identity. While reading this, I tried to think about my cultural identity and if I have discovered it. Most of my life, I have grown up in a predominately white setting where racism was rare but non extremely uncommon. I think that it was rare because there was not a lot of opportunity for it. When I came to college, it was pretty much the same and I have always felt comfortable and in the racial majority.

One thing that really stuck out to me from the book is that some of Howard's friends from The Hill said that he could go back whenever he wanted. If things got too intense, he could go back to Yale or back to his comfortable home, yet The Hill was their home. The more I thought about this statement and reflected on it, the more I realize it is very true. In only three short months, I will be going on an adventure to Kenya, which is definitely going to be out of my comfort zone. I will be student teaching there, teaching students who are very different than me. But the reality of that is, I am coming back home. All I have to do is make it through the eight weeks I will be there and then, boom, I am back in suburban America where I fit in and feel comfortable.

I believe that God has called me to not be comfortable. Since I was in Junior High I have been called to something more than the "normal life." At this point, I am definitely still discovering my cultural identity and who I am, and am not even sure what the "normal life" is. I believe that God created me with a view of the world that calls me to be more. I think that a lot of White teachers stay in what they know and where they feel like they can make a difference. For this I am extremely grateful because there are many students and schools that need people like this. After reading the first part of this book, I realize that maybe I am called to discover who I am in situations that force me to examine myself in deeper ways than are possible in my small White town.

I am enjoying reading We Can't Teach What We Don't Know and am looking forward to understanding more about my current stage of life and where I may be going in the future. I think that God puts certain tasks and assignments in our lives for a reason and examining this book may be one that can help me in ways I never expected!

Introduction: We Can't Teach What We Don't Know

Gary Howard writes We Can't Teach What We Don't Know in response to today's constantly changing demographics in schools. Schools are changing, and this book strives to make us aware of that. Teacher's need to be aware of the diversity of students and understand how the new School Reform efforts affect their teaching. 

I am looking forward to reading this book because I think it is important for all teachers to understand diversity and not only recognize it, but know how to teach diverse populations. Culturally responsive teaching is something that is going to be increasing in importance as most teachers remain White, and the school populations are constantly changing and becoming more diverse. I hope this book can give a good perspective on how to be a more effective teacher in any classroom. 

Howard, G. (2006). We Can't Teach What We Don't Know (Second Ed.). New York, NY: Teachers College Press.