8 minute read
Book Review
Review by Sarah Burnett
by Debbie Zacarian, Margarita Calderón, and Margo Gottlieb
Click the cover to view on Amazon.
A Call To Action: “Never Let a Good Crisis Go to Waste”
An insightful leader once advised me to, “Never let a good crisis go to waste” (Rowe, 2020). These words of wisdom have never been more relevant than throughout the Covid-19 worldwide pandemic. Though no one could have predicted such a tumultuous time in education’s history, there prevails a silver lining in what we have learned and the opportunities that await us. The terrific trio of Zacarian, Calderón, and Gottlieb publish their book Beyond Crises: Overcoming Linguistic and Cultural Inequities at precisely the right time as we begin to see the light at the end of the coronavirus tunnel. Beyond Crises is a visionary read as the authors depict a strengths-based framework in which students, families, and educators partner with communities to ensure equitable opportunities and educational flourishing for all students, focused on multilingual and multicultural learners. The book is structured by addressing ‘the BIG three’ of communities, schools, and classrooms, in inverse order from what a reader may typically expect. Structuring the text from the outside-in perspective was a genius move, allowing one’s mind
to ponder the opportune unification that can be cultivated and sustained among the big three ecosystems. Beyond Crises applies an interactive and reflective format, at which various points in the text prompt you to pause and carefully reflect on the reading, providing a space to physically record your thoughts, as well as online resources to download. There is a clear theme of connectedness and relationships interwoven throughout each chapter, emphasizing the have been amplified. The authors point out that as educators, we tend to unintentionally focus on what we perceive to be lacking in our students, to fill the identified gaps. Although the best of intentions may be at heart, this deficit lens can, unfortunately, lead to predictable failures for marginalized students, especially when facing a crisis such as the Covid-19 pandemic. By switching from a deficit lens to applying a strengths-based lens to our students
By switching from a deficit lens to applying a strengths-based lens to our students and their families, educators are better able to form effective partnerships with families and provide wraparound supports to best serve their needs.
importance of building and maintaining strong relationships, as well as the essential interdependence at all levels within each ecosystem (community, school, classroom).
Macrosystems: Imagining Communities
The Covid-19 pandemic has resulted in drastic changes in the field of education and with the sudden switch to remote learning and reliance on technology, the alarming inequities and challenges faced by some Latinx, African American, and other marginalized populations and their families, educators are better able to form effective partnerships with families and provide wraparound supports to best serve their needs.
Reflecting on lessons that have been learned from the Covid-19 pandemic, as well as other historical crises, many silver linings have been discovered. One noteworthy positive is that educators draw a meaningful amount of comfort in extending communication to families to check on their wellbeing. In return, partnerships with community
organizations can be formed to ensure that students and families have access to the services and support that they need. We have undeniably learned from past mistakes and made progress towards maintaining a strengths-based lens, embraced by a collaborative, wholechild, and whole-community approach to serving students and families. By taking the time to discover, acknowledge, and value students’, families’, and even our strengths, we are better able to create connected networks of inclusiveness and safety to overcome inequities. Part One concludes with visions for what each role within the community ecosystem should entail, from the state to a bilingual translator, based on a strengths-based lens.
Mesosystems: Imagining Schools
The Covid-19 pandemic unearthed a startling reality that most of us in the field of education were not prepared to adapt to the challenges that confronted us amid the crisis. This leads authors Zacarian, Calderón, and Gottlieb to emphasize professional learning as an essential component within and across each of the big three ecosystems. An emergent silver lining resulting from the pandemic is that it has forced a change and provided a beneficial opportunity for school staff members to collaborate and learn together through joint professional development and job-embedded learning opportunities. A high value has been placed on collegiality as teachers have had to suddenly shift their instruction to unfamiliar modes. Zacarian, Calderón, and Gottlieb discuss a structure similar to Professional Learning Communities, affectionately named “Teacher Learning Communities”, or TLCs. These TLC structures remain intact after an initial whole-school in-service and encompass diverse teams of teachers who problemsolve and reflect on their craft as they face novel challenges. TLCs can also serve as safe spaces for courageous conversations surrounding the topic of equity, with trusted colleagues.
Before the pandemic, some English Learners received minimal (barely even five minutes) instruction with an ESL teacher in the classroom. This coteaching approach may have looked like several EL students sprinkled throughout a single classroom and the ESL teacher being pulled in various directions, whispering a translation to one student, or attempting to help another focus. Before the Covid-19 pandemic, this was considered coteaching. Looking beyond the crisis, it is evident that much needed to change for true co-teaching to occur, and with the help of effective professional development, these changes are possible. Effective professional development better prepares ESL
teachers and general education teachers to co-teach when they experience the same cohesive professional development together. They can collaboratively learn instructional strategies and observe demonstrations on how to equally distribute responsibility and care for students, as well as themselves. Additionally, virtual environments have made it easier for instructional coaches and teachers to collaborate, regardless of physical location, to plan, observe, and reflect together. Part Two concludes with a focus on social-emotional wellbeing considerations, as well as realistic and relevant examples of successful schoolwide professional development from the field.
Microsystems: Imagining Classrooms
Linguistic and cultural inequities have wreaked havoc on our communities, schools, and classrooms for far too long. Since March 2020 we have witnessed the dismantling of schools and reconfiguration of classrooms as we grasp onto our connections with students and families. Through this turmoil, a silver lining prevails in that people from all walks of life have united for common causes. Classrooms are reflections of schools and communities, and as we enter a new phase beyond crisis, the authentic relationships formed among members of this ecosystem reign more important than ever. The authors note that learning is a social act in nature and relationships among teachers, students, and families seem to be stronger than ever before. Throughout the pandemic and virtual learning, teachers have been afforded a rare glimpse into the homes of their students, their struggles, and personal experiences that have helped reshape our thinking as professionals, but also enhance our feelings of empathy for students. Beyond the trials and tribulations that teachers have now witnessed for students, insight has also been gained into students’ funds of knowledge or assets that they uniquely contribute to the classroom community as a result of the pandemic. As more students are welcomed back to school in person, though the physical space may seemingly present a barrier to interaction, the authors encourage readers to take on this challenge and support students to not only have voice and choice in their learning but also to cultivate and maintain classroom ecosystems where students’ strengths are featured and linguistic and cultural sensitivity prevails.
Linguistic and culturally sustainable classrooms begin with the mindset of the teacher and a commitment to classrooms that embody multilingualism and multiculturalism. Zacarian, Calderón, and Gottlieb specifically draw attention
to the role of curriculum and utilizing the cultural capital of students as a springboard for authentic learning. In a linguistic and culturally sustainable classroom, teachers implement practices that naturally facilitate student interaction and engage students in the inquiry process as they expand their linguistic and cultural ranges together.
Students are viewed as contributing members to the classroom, rather than empty vessels to fill with knowledge. As we move beyond the crisis, schools will continuously be reconceptualized to prioritize and highlight the assets that our students and families possess. With a newfound vision of classrooms through a strengths-based, equity lens, the authors prompt readers to draw on hope as we envision a future post-pandemic, complete with a strong network of collaboration among communities, schools, and classrooms to best serve our students and families.
The Power of Hope
In the forward by Dan Alpert, he states that “K-12 educators are among the most hopeful people I know” and this theme of hope is an uplifting common thread throughout the text. Zacarian, Calderón, and Gottlieb seamlessly interweave the theme of hope on a more global scale as they discuss valuable partnerships within the macro-meso-and micro-ecosystems of communities, schools, and classrooms. Beyond Crises is an inspirational text that
immerses its readers in empathy and hope through personal voices from the field stories, and ways in which the big three ecosystems can unite to address the inequities exposed by the Covid-19 pandemic. It is this renewed sense of hope and empathetic human nature that we as educators draw on to gain resilience and move beyond the crises, break down barriers to equity, and collaborate in the best interest of our students, families, and communities. With its interactive, reflective prompts and abundance of accessible resources, Beyond Crises emphasizes collaboration and the value of relationships at all levels. Be prepared—this is a book that you will want to read, reread, and then read again with colleagues and friends.
References
Rowe, Scott. June 6, 2020. Personal
Interview.
Sarah Burnett is in her eighth year in the field of education and currently an elementary school Assistant Principal in Huntley Community School District 158. She has experience as a first and thirdgrade teacher, as well as experience as an instructional literacy coach. Her core values include relationships, trust, integrity, and ensuring that students remain at the forefront of every decision made. Sarah is passionate about professional learning, curriculum, and best practices in instruction, cultivating and maintaining a positive climate and culture, as well as strategic planning. She has earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education, a Master’s Degree in Administration, and a Doctorate of Education with a superintendent endorsement, all from Aurora University
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