Introduction

              Malcolm X once said, “we can’t teach what we don’t know, and we can’t lead where we won’t go.” That is where the title of my book comes from. I am reading Gary Howard’s book We Can’t Teach What We Don’t Know, which is about Howard breaking down barriers and going to places that are culturally diverse from his own, in order to lead us as we go through them ourselves.

           

              In his introduction he quotes Pedro Noguera who says, “Does American society truly value all of its children?” The fact that someone has to even ask that question is sad to me as a future educator and simply as an American. I chose to read this book because going into the education field today is a lot different than it used to be. America is heading in a direction where our nation, and therefore our schools, are going to be made up of such a rich mix of different cultures, and so many white educators are unprepared in how to teach them. As a future educator I believe we need to know how to embrace these students for who they are as individuals and be able to successfully teach those who are culturally different than us. I’m hoping this book can further my understanding of diversity in the classroom and how to better educate these students. We are all God’s children and all have the right to get a quality education, and my hope is that this book will give me a better opportunity to do that.

Here is the APA citation for the book.
Howard, Gary. We can't teach what we don't know: White teachers, multiracial schools.