Issue
27(2)
Courageous
Conversations About Race: A Field Guide for Achieving Equity in
Schools.
(2005) Glenn E. Singleton & Curtis Linton. Thousand Oaks,
CA: SAGE Publications. 304 pp. Price $37.95. (paperback). ISBN
# 97807619988779.
Review
by: Melissa Lantta
Academic
Advising
University
of Wisconsin Oshkosh
What comes
to mind when faced with the prospect of having a 'Courageous Conversation'
about race? How does racial identity affect the tone of an advising
session? Singleton and Linton challenge readers to confront a
multitude of emotions that can affect the relationship between
advisors and advisees as they examine personal thoughts and experiences
about race. Although the primary audience for this book is elementary/secondary
school teachers and administrators, the issues of race and racism
are presented through the use of thoughtful reflections and group
activities that can be easily incorporated into any advising center's
professional development schedule.
The
authors affirm that racial and cultural factors play into the
achievement and success more than socioeconomics ".because these
racial/cultural factors significantly impact students' vision
of the future and their expectations about what school will and
will not offer them" (p. 32). As campuses become more diverse,
the likelihood that an advisor and advisee will be culturally
different increases (Carlstrom, 2005). Since
students' experiences within higher education are placed into
the hands of advisors, it is important that students be provided
with equitable conditions and supported as they advance in their
college careers. The first step toward achieving this is for advisors
to be cognizant of racial and cultural conditions in their own
lives (NACADA, 2007) and begin their anti-racist transformation
(Singleton & Linton, p. 26).
Courageous
Conversations about Race
explores how we can shape the learning and advising environments
for all students but especially for those Singleton & Lipton
refer to as "students of color" (p. xiii). Advisors must know
how race, culture, and privilege influence the conversations we
have with students. Readers should be prepared to feel uncomfortable
as they learn about themselves through intense introspection.
Singleton and Linton present examples, stories, and honest conversations,
not as a way to judge, but to evoke deep thought; they want people
who work with students from diverse backgrounds to examine how
their interactions can promote or prohibit equity. Courageous
Conversations about Race is straightforward and engaging;
it should serve as a starting point for professional development
activities within an advising center.
References
Carlstrom,
A.H. (December, 2005). Preparing for Multicultural Advising Relationships.
Academic Advising Today, 28 (4). Retrieved May
3, 2007 from http://www.nacada.ksu.edu/AAT/NW28_4.htm
.
National
Academic Advising Association (NACADA). (2007) Understanding
Cultural Identity and Worldview Development. (Pocket Guide
# 3). Manhattan ,
KS :
National Academic Advising Association. http://www.nacada.ksu.edu/Publications/pocketguide.htm#PG03
