Reading

I started reading Claudia Rankine’s newest work Just Us: An American Conversation, the center of which seems to be an essay of sorts about whiteness and critical whiteness studies. I’m tying to decide what are fair expectations to put on a book like this, or maybe I’m just hesitating to say that I don’t like it so far because it seems to be her deciding what she thinks of critical whiteness studies and letting us in on the entry level thought exercise. But I’m sticking with it.

Writing

More work on my reflective essay for promotion to full professor. I like this part I wrote. We’ll see if it makes the final cut:

My work in this area has provided a third avenue through a topic divided by research methods and conflicting epistemologies. On one side: scholars who advocate for the use of these exams by using mostly quantitative research methods. On the other side: scholars who critique the exams as culturally-biased instruments that discriminate against teachers of color. In my work, I maintain the critical stance of the latter group but have a different epistemological starting point. My starting point is the subjective experiences of students – mostly students of color – who take the exams. I argue scholars, teacher educators, and policymakers have the most to learn from them.

Listening

• This album Play With The Changes by Rochelle Jordan just came out. It’s got UK house and garage, a few slower soul joints, and her super dope singing.

• Indestructible Philadelphia Soul by The Ethics.

• All of the music by Ester Rada, an Ethiopian soul-jazz singer born in Israel. I learned of her while watching a lecture by legendary music engineer Bob Power. Her unique cover album of Nina Simone songs might have gotten her the most attention, but her other albums — including the ones she sings in Amharic — are just as good.

• I made a beat. Check it out.

Teaching

How the semester started:

How it finished: