Book Study: Cultivating Genius by Dr. Gholdy Muhammad by Katerina Tesoro https://padlet.com/ktesoro2/74rror5fh4xyu8g7 "We have so long prescribed and written what others think is best for youth in schools, all while leaving out of the picture the ways communities of color have historically acquired and used literacy. The culturally and historically responsive literacy framework I offer serves to reorient literacy to our students' lives and asks educators to implement an equity framework that aligns with and accounts for our rich history and exalted literary legacy." (p. 15) en-us 2021-03-19 14:37:01 UTC 2025-11-04 19:54:13 UTC hello@padlet.com https://padlet.net/icons/png/1f4da.png Question 1: Dr. Muhammad writes about the prevalence of using the "deficit model" in speaking about the identities of our students (e.g. they struggle to read, they have this and that weakness). How have you seen this play out in your own career? How can we address this in our school moving forward? ktesoro2 https://padlet.com/ktesoro2/74rror5fh4xyu8g7/wish/1342957129 2021-03-23 13:56:11 UTC https://padlet.com/ktesoro2/74rror5fh4xyu8g7/wish/1342957129 Question 2: Dr. Muhammad acknowledges that the currently prescribed curriculum does not honor the identities of students, but states "it is our job as educators to not just teach skills, but also teach students to know, validate, and celebrate who they are" (p. 69). How can we do this in our classes? How can we reimagine a larger scale curriculum that serves this purpose? ktesoro2 https://padlet.com/ktesoro2/74rror5fh4xyu8g7/wish/1342967644 2021-03-23 13:57:54 UTC https://padlet.com/ktesoro2/74rror5fh4xyu8g7/wish/1342967644 Question 3: Reflect on a prominent lesson/unit in your curriculum. How does this lesson or unit plan help students to know something about their own identity or the identities of others? If the answer is "nothing", how could this particular unit or lesson be reconfigured? ktesoro2 https://padlet.com/ktesoro2/74rror5fh4xyu8g7/wish/1343188857 2021-03-23 14:33:13 UTC https://padlet.com/ktesoro2/74rror5fh4xyu8g7/wish/1343188857 Question 1: When someone uses the term "skills" in the context of your classroom, what immediately comes to mind? ktesoro2 https://padlet.com/ktesoro2/74rror5fh4xyu8g7/wish/1343255393 2021-03-23 14:44:14 UTC https://padlet.com/ktesoro2/74rror5fh4xyu8g7/wish/1343255393 Question 2: Dr. Muhammad states, "I use skills and proficiencies interchangeably to denote competence, ability, and expertise based on what educators deem to be important for student learning in each content area." How does this match up with the way you define skills in your own classroom (reflect back on Question 1)? How does this align with the way our building, our district, or our state defines skills? If there is misalignment in these different definitions of skills, how do we begin to address that? ktesoro2 https://padlet.com/ktesoro2/74rror5fh4xyu8g7/wish/1343257236 2021-03-23 14:44:33 UTC https://padlet.com/ktesoro2/74rror5fh4xyu8g7/wish/1343257236 Question 3: Reflect on your curriculum. Does it nurture and cultivate students' skills in your content area, in your opinion? Do you agree the skills being taught are the most important skills in your discipline area? What changes would you make if allowed? ktesoro2 https://padlet.com/ktesoro2/74rror5fh4xyu8g7/wish/1343297484 2021-03-23 14:51:06 UTC https://padlet.com/ktesoro2/74rror5fh4xyu8g7/wish/1343297484 Question 1: Dr. Muhammad says that often intellect is conflated with skills. However, "intellect includes what we want students to become smarter about, but also creates space for students to apply their learning in authentic ways connected to the world." (p. 104). What goals do you have for your students in developing their intellect in the coming school year? ktesoro2 https://padlet.com/ktesoro2/74rror5fh4xyu8g7/wish/1349719308 2021-03-24 19:12:22 UTC https://padlet.com/ktesoro2/74rror5fh4xyu8g7/wish/1349719308 Question 2: Dr. Muhammad discusses the myriad of ways high stakes testing (IQ tests, the SAT, etc) are inherently biased and treat white culture as the norm. Such testing has historically sought to marginalize students who aren't served by the school system. How do we as educators work to understand this bias inherent in the system and work to interrupt it? Give specific examples if possible. ktesoro2 https://padlet.com/ktesoro2/74rror5fh4xyu8g7/wish/1349735969 2021-03-24 19:15:55 UTC https://padlet.com/ktesoro2/74rror5fh4xyu8g7/wish/1349735969 Question 3: In order to foster intellectualism in our classrooms, Dr. Muhammad is adamant that we as educators are intellectuals ourselves. She cites Dr. Bettina Love's description, stating "the teacher as the intellectual knows the theories of the world and of the profession, as every problem in education can be explained by analyzing the right theories" (p. 113). How are you cultivating your own intellectualism so that you can effectively model it for your students? ktesoro2 https://padlet.com/ktesoro2/74rror5fh4xyu8g7/wish/1349766085 2021-03-24 19:23:03 UTC https://padlet.com/ktesoro2/74rror5fh4xyu8g7/wish/1349766085 Question 1: We discussed the idea of being a "co-conspirator" versus an "ally" with Dr. Bettina Love. Dr. Muhammad expands on this: "we must not just be non-racist or non-oppressive but also work with passion and diligence to actively disrupt oppression in and outside of the classroom. Simple intentions aren't enough. The intentions must be connected to actions." (p. 118). How are you personally doing the work to be a co-conspirator with intentions connected to actions? Cite specific examples if possible. ktesoro2 https://padlet.com/ktesoro2/74rror5fh4xyu8g7/wish/1349816002 2021-03-24 19:34:49 UTC https://padlet.com/ktesoro2/74rror5fh4xyu8g7/wish/1349816002 Please share any questions/wonderings you might have during your reading of the book, as well as any "lightbulb" or "ah ha" moments. ktesoro2 https://padlet.com/ktesoro2/74rror5fh4xyu8g7/wish/1349831279 2021-03-24 19:38:46 UTC https://padlet.com/ktesoro2/74rror5fh4xyu8g7/wish/1349831279 Question 2: "Teaching criticality helps students assume responsibility for the ways in which they process information -- to avoid being passive consumers of knowledge and information" (p. 122). How are we encouraging our students to examine the world with a critical lens in our curriculum? Are there opportunities to improve our practice in this respect? Please share specific examples. ktesoro2 https://padlet.com/ktesoro2/74rror5fh4xyu8g7/wish/1349890299 2021-03-24 19:54:21 UTC https://padlet.com/ktesoro2/74rror5fh4xyu8g7/wish/1349890299 Question 3: Dr. Muhammad states "we want to make sure our youth become future adults who will work toward humanization and not perpetuate oppressions." (p. 132). How are we working to actively teach about and disrupt oppression in our community, our building, our classrooms, and our daily lives? This may connect with your answer to Question 1 as well. ktesoro2 https://padlet.com/ktesoro2/74rror5fh4xyu8g7/wish/1349909980 2021-03-24 19:59:26 UTC https://padlet.com/ktesoro2/74rror5fh4xyu8g7/wish/1349909980 Skill Development https://padlet.com/ktesoro2/74rror5fh4xyu8g7/wish/1921362327 The concept of skill development makes me consider how students either do or do not have the opportunities to develop their skills in the classroom. In theory, students feel that their skills are appreciated and valued as they are encouraged to develop themselves.- Lauren Paul]]> 2021-11-30 20:29:51 UTC https://padlet.com/ktesoro2/74rror5fh4xyu8g7/wish/1921362327 Question 2 response https://padlet.com/ktesoro2/74rror5fh4xyu8g7/wish/1921384213 Teaching students how to know, validate, and celebrate who they are requires a few different steps:
1) Providing perspective models of people who have a strong sense of identity. This is a great space for an educator to demonstrate this skill themselves.
2)Providing mirrors, windows, and sliding glass doors. These varied opportunities teach perspective as well.
-Lauren Paul]]> 2021-11-30 20:44:09 UTC https://padlet.com/ktesoro2/74rror5fh4xyu8g7/wish/1921384213