Teaching Fiercely: Spreading Joy and Justice in Our Schools - by Kass Minor (Paperback)

About the Book

"Teaching Fiercely delivers an inspiring and practical exploration of what it means to be a just teacher in a system that actively incentivizes injustice. The author will help readers surface their own unjust practices and that of their schools and gain insight into the roots of the problems so they can activate change. Using full color illustrations to engage the reader and highlight the vibrant life within each school community, the book will highlight potential antidotes, and it will give readers access to tools, resources, and community for a different kind of pedagogy. This book will help more people see that justice work is not only an everyday practice, it is also joy. It is not a special march or singular protest, it is the seconds we live and the air we breathe with the students we teach that creates the pathway to joyful, just, and humane school."--

Book Synopsis

Revolutionize the way you negotiate the realities of childhood education

In Teaching Fiercely: Spreading Joy and Justice in Our Schools, accomplished educator Kass Minor delivers an inspiring and practical exploration of what it means to be a just teacher in a system that actively incentivizes injustice. The author explains how to build joyful experiences even in the face of inevitable injustice and demonstrates how to accept the seemingly conflicting experience of joy in the face of heartbreak.

In the book, you'll learn to be a catalyst for change, unlearning the patterns of school that have marginalized children while becoming aware of tenets of justice as they manifest in educational spaces. You'll also discover:

• Strategies for creating human-centered care and joy, in which thoughts, actions, and decisions are drawn from within the school community
• Techniques for creating student-centered experiences within standards-based classrooms
• How to raise the level of family involvement in your students' education and improve communication between family and staff

An essential blueprint for K-12 educators, school support staff, and school administrators, Teaching Fiercely will also earn a place on the bookshelves of education policymakers, researchers, and students.

From the Back Cover

"What a grounding and energizing reminder of the power, hope, and everyday joy of our world-changing profession. When the weight of teaching feels heaviest to bear, pick up this book."
--CARLA SHALABY, Author of Troublemakers: Lessons in Freedom From Young Children at School

SUCCESSFULLY PLAN, APPLY, AND ACTIVATE JUSTICE-ORIENTED LEARNING

In Teaching Fiercely: Spreading Joy and Justice in Our Schools, veteran educator and activist Kass Minor delivers an inspiring and practical discussion of what it means to be a just teacher in an education system that actively incentivizes the opposite. With full-color illustrations designed to engage the reader and highlight the vibrant life found within every school community, the author highlights promising antidotes to educational injustice. You'll get access to the tools and resources you need to deploy a different kind of pedagogy, where ongoing justice work is not only an everyday practice, but a joy.

Offering educators everywhere a pathway to a joyful, just, and humane school environment, Teaching Fiercely's strategies for creating human-centered, effective, and just classrooms will earn a place in the everyday practices of K-12 educators, pre-service teachers, parents, community and school board members, and local policymakers.

"When I think about educators who are out there doing 'the work, ' one of the first people who comes to mind is Kass Minor. In her debut book, Kass leads from her years of experience working in New York City schools, and always from a place of loving accountability. This is a must-read for any educator and person who strives to center community in their field."
--LIZ SOHYEON KLEINROCK, Author of Start Here, Start Now: A Guide to Antibias and Antiracist Work in Your School Community

"Kass Minor's luminous book, Teaching Fiercely, draws us into a world where teachers actively cultivate a pedagogy of justice and joy. Through practical tools and personal stories, Minor invokes a space of radical possibility, reminding us that our communities already hold the knowledge we need to transform teaching and learning."
--SHANE SAFIR, School Transformation Coach, Consultant and Author of The Listening Leader and Street Data

About the Author

KASS MINOR is an inclusive educator who has worked as a teacher, staff developer, adjunct professor, speaker, and documentarian. She is the co-founder of The Minor Collective, a community-based movement designed to foster sustainable change in schools.