Mistakes We Have Made

“A fantastic resource that reveals how research informs better teaching practice, presented in the poignant—sometimes mortified—words of real teachers.”

Kia Darling-Hammond, PhD

“What does it look like to provide a just and equitable educational experience for all of our students? Through bracing honesty, the authors of this book interrogate their own past practices and share some hard-learned lessons about how to enact justice in the day-to-day work of teaching and learning. This engaging and thought-provoking resource provides real-world strategies for educators and those who train and support educators.”

Sola Takahashi, Senior Research Associate, WestEd

“Mistakes We Have Made: Implications for Social Justice Educators is an honest and powerful examination of educators’ best intentions gone awry and it offers practical advice and suggestions for new and experienced teachers at all levels of classroom experience. The authors’ candid and personal vignettes capture the reader immediately and offer opportunities for educators to self-reflect on their own biases, beliefs, and practice. The sound, research-based strategies and resources offered in this text provide solutions for educators to create classrooms grounded in social justice that promote equity for all students. This book is a must-read for anyone in education.”

Holli Gonzalez, MBA, MEd, Adjunct Lecturer, Teacher Education, California State University, Bakersfield

“Practical, timely, but most importantly, this book is written from authentic classroom experiences. Mistakes We Have Made is a must-read for new teachers and a refreshing perspective for veteran teachers alike.”

Edward González, EdD, Bakersfield City School District teacher and Community speaker

Foreword

Preface

Theme One: Inclusive Classrooms

Chapter One:
Learning to See and Unlearn: Building Authentic Relationships with Latinx Immigrant Families in School and Research Settings
Adam Sawyer and Mirna Troncoso Sawyer

Chapter Two:
Engaging Students Through Universal Design for Learning
Jay Percell

Chapter Three:
Understanding and Addressing Behavior: From Screaming to Crying to Tantrums to Violence
Anni K. Reinking

Chapter Four:
Reaching All Learners With Multicultural Connections
Sara Schwerdtfeger

Chapter Five:
Understanding and Embracing African American Vernacular English
David Sandles

Chapter Six:
Are You a Boy or a Girl? Student Identity
Anni K. Reinking and Bre Evans-Santiago

Theme Two: Curriculum Implementation

Chapter Seven:
Christmas for Everyone?
Bre Evans-Santiago

Chapter Eight:
Nurturing the Revolution: Anarchy and Democracy in the Elementary Classroom
Brittney Beck

Chapter Nine:
Cultivating Diversity Through Multicutural Literature
Mahmoud Suleiman

Chapter Ten:
Revamping Curriculum Through a “Social Justice” Lens
Anni K. Reinking

Chapter Eleven:
Unpacking the Messiness in Critical Elementary Education
Laura Shelton and Jeannette Alacrón

Theme Three: Professionalism

Chapter Twelve:
Establishing Professional Communication Through Culturally Responsive Rapport
Mahmoud Suleiman

Chapter Thirteen:
Dressing for Success: Visual Appearance Makes a Difference
Bre Evans-Santiago

Chapter Fourteen:
Co-Teaching in Your First Year: Professional Marriages Resulting in Success or Divorce?
Kira A. Hamann

Contributor Bios

Index

Bre Evans-Santiago

Bre Evans-Santiago (she/her) is an author, Chair, and Associate Professor in the Teacher Education Department at California State University, Bakersfield. Her research focuses on culturally sustaining pedagogy and practices in TK–8 schools. Her award-winning book Mistakes We Have Made: Implications for Social Justice Educators (Myers Education Press, 2020) provides a vulnerable perspective on everyday scenarios and strategies for teachers of all ages to reflect upon while teaching with a social justice framework.