Discussion Questions

for schools and teachers.

Introduction

  • What is cultural capital? What do you think about the idea of cultural capital?

  • What kinds of cultural capital do you have? How has it helped you become successful?

  • Can and should cultural capital be taught?

  • What kinds of community cultural wealth do our students bring with them to school?

  • How do we think about our disciplinary practices in light of the history of racialized social control in this country?

Chapter 2

  • What aspects of our school reflect a “no-excuses” culture? Which don’t?

  • Consider your own school and classroom rules; what are the purposes behind them? Do you enforce them? Why or why not?

  • Do our students feel like they are allowed no excuses?

  • What is cultural racism and do we make assumptions that fall into this line of thinking?

  • Who in our school gets left behind when we emphasize earning and merit?

Chapter 3

  • What skills do we want our students to have when they leave us? Why?

  • What skills helped us succeed in school or college? What skills do students learn in our school?

  • How do our students behave when we loosen regulations? Are there ways we can be both consistent and flexible? What might that look like?

Chapter 4

  • How have you been able to develop positive relationships with your students?

  • When do students feel respected and disrespected in our school?

  • Do we make time to talk with our students and get to know them?

  • What do we do when a student feels unfairly accused?

Chapter 5

  • What would success look like in our school (see the conversation between Mr. Bradley and Ms. Williams on p. 115)?

  • Have you considered teaching or have you taught in different types of schools (e.g., traditional public schools, charter schools, private schools)? Would you be willing to teach in a different school type? Why or why not?

  • Do you feel your school is responsive to the community in which it resides? How do you solicit feedback from parents and students? How often?

Chapter 6

  • What attracted you to this school? What keeps you here?

  • Which of the four types of teachers do you identify with the most? Has this identity shifted over time?

  • Do you feel like you have autonomy over your work? Where would you want more decision-making power?

  • What kinds of teachers do we want in this school and how can we go about recruiting and retaining them?

  • Is there room in our school for teachers who want to do things differently? What would that look like?

  • How do we support teachers who struggle?

Conclusion

  • What lessons have we learned from reading this book?

  • What changes do we want to make in our school?

  • How can we give students and families more voice?

  • What would it look like to be race-conscious in our practices?

  • What would it look like to put students’ well-being first?