Thompson, Ayanna. "How to talk about race in the classroom." Throughlines. www.throughlines.org/suite-content/how-to-talk-about-race-in-the-classroom. [Date accessed].

How to talk about race in the classroom

Creating a classroom space that allows students to talk about race without having to be an expert.

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Ayanna Thompson
Arizona State University

Frequently in our culture, the only times we talk about race are in moments of crisis. Ayanna Thompson offers a guide on how to approach race in the classroom, reminding teachers, “You don’t have to be the expert on race. You just have to be the person who can raise the issues.”

Further learning

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Titus Andronicus as the gateway drug

Students believe they know what Romeo and Juliet or Hamlet or Macbeth mean, but rarely do those “meanings” stem from the students’ close engagements with the texts. Using Titus Andronicus at the beginning of any Shakespeare class forces students to experience Shakespeare anew.

Ayanna Thompson
Essay

Teaching race in Titus Andronicus

Helping students make sense of race in Titus Andronicus with a strategic framework for in-class discussion.

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