What’s Your Superpower? A CRT Professional Resource Recommendation: We Got This, Cornelius Minor
The comic-book superhero themed graphics may be what initially draw you into this book, but it’s inspiring message will keep you engaged from start to finish, and its wealth of practical tools will leave you itching to implement them.
Minor, C.E. (2019). We got this: Equity, access, and the quest to be who our students need us to be. Portsmouth, NH: Heinimann.
Follow Cornelius in Twitter: @MisterMinor
In We Got This: Equity, Access, and the Quest to Be Who Our Students Need Us To Be, Cornelius Minor challenges the trope of the lone teacher saving the world one child at a time, and instead shows readers that what makes teachers “heroic” is their willingness and ability to authentically listen to kids. It is through authentic listening that teachers can, both individually and collectively, make powerful moves toward equity and work to disrupt oppressive systems.
In each chapter, Cornelius lays out for readers not only the why but also provides tools and strategies to help teachers get to the how. Take Chapter 1: Begin By Listening, for instance. Cornelius shares a critical conversation he once had with a student, in which he was made painfully aware that his lessons, as rigorous and well-planned as they were, were not linked in any way to that student’s lived reality. From this, he goes on to argue that teaching must be an act of continual understanding; there has to be evidence that teachers are learning from students as much, if not more, than students are learning from teachers. He then provides a tool, the Listening to Kids Organizer, that teachers can use to frame their thinking about how to listen to kids and what to do with the insights gained from that listening.
Later, in Chapter 4: Show Kids That You Hear Them, Cornelius addresses the power of authentic listening as a fundamental component of creating and maintaining classroom community, which is often intricately connected with classroom management. In moments of disruption, it’s important for teachers to remember that the kids are not the enemy. He offers three actionable strategies:
Plan for and hold regular class meetings: This is a “routine maintenance” type of meeting, designed to accomplish two things—introducing an idea and listening to hear students’ thoughts about the idea. Meetings are brief, informal conversations that should make students feel like they’re “just talking”. Topics can range from low-stakes to weightier, but should be planned intentionally.
Designate specific kids who can give you feedback: Soliciting feedback from students serves two purposes—allowing children to see you trying to get better at something and showing children that you value them. Inviting student feedback and honoring that feedback can become a ritual that facilitates students’ ability to advocate for themselves and their education.
Shift from a punitive to an instructive mindset: When it comes to classroom management, reframing our mindsets from “remind and punish” to “correct and teach” allows teachers to evaluate disruptions and respond consistently. This Blueprint for Shifting Your Mindset can support teachers in naming expectations and triggers, and choosing how to respond ahead of time.
Towards the end of the book, in Chapter 5: Make Curriculum Work for Your Kids, Cornelius connects teachers’ authentic listening work with their instructional work. He writes, “Before I know what to teach, I need to know whom I teach” (p. 106). Listening to children and acting on what we hear allows us to create, modify, or adapt curriculum to best meet the needs of our students. Specific strategies to do this include:
Using a universal-design-for-learning (UDL) framework to make learning accessible: When considering curriculum and instruction, teachers can consider different ways that the information presented can be represented, create different opportunities for action and expression in the classroom, and foster multiple ways to sustain engagement.
Understanding exactly what you’re being asked to do: Teachers can use this Questions to Ask of Curriculum guide when given a curriculum or lessons to teach. Taking a deeper look and engaging in this type of reflection can help teachers internalize and personalize their instruction. This is where the true art of teaching comes to life!
This is just a glimpse into the brilliant world that Cornelius Minor has artfully created in We Got This. If you are searching for tools and strategies to transform your teaching, your school, and your community, you don’t need to look any further.
