The Power of Teacher Talk: Promoting Equity and Retention Through Student Interactions

by Deborah Bieler

Overview

The Power of Teacher Talk investigates the connections between two persistent educational challenges: high numbers of students who drop out and of teachers who leave the profession. Based on a study of thousands of daily interactions between new justice-oriented English teachers and their students, this book proposes that teachers who show a commitment to equity in their communications can positively affect student retention and are more likely to remain in the profession. Blending vivid descriptions of classroom life with equity and language research, the author urges teachers to be aware of and intentional about the power of their interactions with students—in everything from their classroom décor and informal hallway chats to their responses to challenging moments during class and in after-class discussions. This must-read book shifts the narrative on what kinds of teaching practices matter and how teachers can and do work toward equity.

“I could not put it down. Instantly, I was drawn to Bieler’s firsthand depictions of the four equity-oriented, justice-committed public high school English teachers she features.”
—From the Foreword by Valerie Kinloch, University of Pittsburgh

“This book is a must-read for anyone interested in understanding and improving life in schools.”
—Marc Lamont Hill, Temple University

“An indispensable resource for new and practicing teachers alike.”
—Linda Christensen, director, Oregon Writing Project at Lewis & Clark College

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780807777343
Publisher:	Teachers College Press
Publication date:	11/23/2018
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
File size:	4 MB

About the Author

Deborah Bieler is an associate professor of English education at the University of Delaware.

Table of Contents

Foreword Valerie Kinloch ix

Acknowledgments xi

1 Introduction: Teacher/Student Interactions, Retention, and Equity 1

The Retention Curriculum of Interactions 3

Equity-Oriented Teachers: A Definition 5

The Role of Equity-Oriented Teachers in Retention 11

The Role of Contexts 12

The NETS Context 15

A Brief Description of Research Methods 20

Book Overview 24

2 Classroom Décor as Interaction: Teachers' Equity Orientations Made Visible in Local Contexts 26

Considering Local Contexts, Figured Worlds, Artifacts, and Pivoting 27

Using Personal Items as Pivotal Visual Anchors in Local Contexts 29

Creating Visual Equity-Oriented Curriculum in the Absence of Pushout Culture 36

Creating a Visual Respite from Pushout Culture 38

Conclusion: Enacting Equity-Oriented Teaching with Strategic Classroom Décor 46

Questions for Teacher Reflection, Discussion, and Action 49

3 Impromptu Teacher/Student Interactions: The Most Important Classroom Texts 50

The Significance of Impromptu Classroom Interactions 51

The Analysis of Classroom Interactions 53

The Humane Foundation of, and the Cracks in, Teachers' Interactions with Focal Students 56

Conclusion: Filling the Cracks in the Foundation 68

Questions for Teacher Reflection, Discussion, and Action 70

4 The Crucial Curriculum of Before and After Class 72

Recognizing the Hybrid Uniqueness of Before- and After-Class Timespaces 72

Making Humane Connections Between Classes as Equity Pedagogy 75

Examining the Prominence of the Procedural with Students Who Failed English 87

Conclusion: Overcoming Busyness to Connect with Students Between Classes 93

Questions for Teacher Reflection, Discussion, and Action 97

5 Staying to Talk with Students Who Are Falling Through the Cracks 98

A Staying-to-Talk Example 99

Focus on Student Potential and the Need for Change 105

Conclusion: "Realize Love in Word and Deed" by Staying to Talk 113

Questions for Teacher Reflection, Discussion, and Action 116

6 Conclusion: Interacting with a New Taxonomy for Equity-Oriented Teaching 118

Prioritizing Interactions in Teacher Preparation 119

A Call to Action 123

Epilogue 125

References 135

Index 147

About the Author 154

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

“I could not put it down. Instantly, I was drawn to her firsthand depictions of the four equity-oriented, justice-committed public high school English teachers she features. Thank you, Deb, for providing me an opportunity to learn with the teachers and students with whom you collaborated. Thank you for this beautiful, rich, and powerful text!”
—From the Foreword by Valerie Kinloch, Renée and Richard Goldman Dean and Professor, School of Education, University of Pittsburgh

"In an era ruled by technocratic logics and high-stakes testing, The Power of Teacher Talk wisely turns our attention to student interactions as a rich site of teacher work. Through careful research and rigorous analysis, Bieler enhances and complicates our understanding of how interactions can (and should) operate in everyday schooling practices. She also persuasively demonstrates that such interactions are key to creating more effective, engaging, and justice-centered educational environments. This book is a must-read for anyone interested in understanding and improving life in schools."
—Marc Lamont Hill, professor, media and urban education, Temple University; and author of Beats, Rhymes, and Classroom Life

"The Power of Teacher Talk is an indispensable resource for new and practicing teachers alike. Deborah Bieler demonstrates that social justice education is more than the content of a curriculum; it is the daily interactions between students and teachers that build relationships and empower students to reach their full potential. Steeped in practical research and teacher stories, Bieler provides a roadmap for how to create the kind of loving and critical spaces where students thrive because they feel visible and valued."
—Linda Christensen, director, Oregon Writing Project at Lewis & Clark College; editor, Rethinking Schools

"This is an incredibly important, urgent, and compelling topic and Bieler clearly establishes her authority as well as her part in the ongoing conversations about new teacher burnout and student dropout."
—Jeffrey Wilhelm, Boise State University

Editorial Reviews

" The Power of Teacher Talk exemplifies an ethos of love; a respect for the dignity and worth of all students that empowers teachers to seek meaningful interactions during the informal moments that frame their professional setting. Yet, The Power of Teacher Talk does far more express this ethos. Bieler’s work expresses a more equity-oriented pedagogy and demonstrates how teachers and teacher preparation programs can take steps to align their actions in ways that value students and their lived experiences."

—Teachers College Record

“(Bieler) offers us hope, compassion, and—crucially—manageable, concrete actions toward equity-oriented ELA classes.”

—English Journal

From the Publisher