Being an educator, I can get lots more reading done during the summer months. I always try to read at least a few professional books to get ideas that I can implement during the upcoming school year. My second professional read of this summer was Start Here Start Now: A Guide to Antibias and Antiracist Work in Your School Community by Liz Kleinrock.
Some professional books I read are good, others are great, and then there are those that I think should be essential reading for all educators. Start Here Start Now falls into the essential reading category. As Liz Klein writes in her book, "Antibias and antiracist education is not optional" (pg. xxviii). Liz Klein makes it clear why ABAR (antibias antiracist) work is essential in our schools and classrooms and offers the tools to make it possible.
Liz Kleinrock is an experienced educator and understands the challenges teachers face and the concerns they have related to ABAR work. Some of the big questions I have are related to finding time, facilitating difficult conversations with students, and communicating with parents. She gave insight into these questions, as well as others, that educators may have.
One of my takeaways from the book is that there is not one path to building an antibias and antiracist community in schools and classrooms. Situations and contexts vary and the strategies described in the book offer possibilities. There is only one choice as to the destination and, although there's not one prescribed way of getting there, it's essential that we work towards communities that are equitable and inclusive.
Kleinrock, L. (2021). Start here start now: A guide to antibias and antiracist work in your school community. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.
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