Keepin' It Real: School Success beyond Black and White

Abstract:

How can we help African American and Latino students perform better in the classroom and on exams? In Keepin' It Real: School Success Beyond Black and White, Prudence Carter argues that what is needed is a broader recognition of the unique cultural styles and practices that non-white students bring to the classroom. Based on extensive interviews and surveys of students in New York, she demonstrates that the most successful negotiators of our school systems are the multicultural navigators, culturally savvy teens who draw from multiple traditions, whether it be knowledge of hip hop or of classical music, to achieve their high ambitions.

Notes:

Winner of the 2006 Oliver Cromwell Cox Award, Finalist for the 2005 C. Wright Mills Award, and Honorable Mention of the ASA Race, Gender, and Class Section's 2007 Distinguished Contribution to Scholarship Book Award

Website