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The Spirit of Our Work

By: Cynthia B. Dillard, Bettina Love
Narrated by: Joy Vandervort
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Publisher's summary

An exploration of how engaging identity and cultural heritage can transform teaching and learning for Black women educators in the name of justice and freedom in the classroom

In The Spirit of Our Work, Dr. Cynthia Dillard centers the spiritual lives of Black women educators and their students, arguing that spirituality has guided Black people throughout the diaspora. She demonstrates how Black women teachers and teacher educators can heal, resist, and (re)member their identities in ways that are empowering for them and their students. Dillard emphasizes that any discussion of Black teachers’ lives and work cannot be limited to truncated identities as enslaved persons in the Americas.

The Spirit of Our Work addresses questions that remain largely invisible in what is known about teaching and teacher education. According to Dillard, this invisibility renders the powerful approaches to Black education that are imbodied and marshaled by Black women teachers unknown and largely unavailable to inform policy, practice, and theory in education. The Spirit of Our Work highlights how the intersectional identities of Black women teachers matter in teaching and learning and how educational settings might more carefully and conscientiously curate structures of support that pay explicit and necessary attention to spirituality as a crucial consideration.

©2021 Cynthia Dillard (P)2021 Random House Audio
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Critic reviews

“Dillard has written a remarkable book that will move readers committed to making the United States a more just and inclusive society.” (Library Journal, Starred Review)

“With breathtaking prose, Cynthia Dillard has written a love letter to Black women teachers. The Spirit of Our Work beautifully anchors itself in the dynamism, creativity, and magic of Black women and girls. For all who teach and for all who learn, this book offers a brilliant roadmap for creating learning spaces in which we welcome and celebrate the fullness of our shared and expansive humanity.” (Treva B. Lindsey, author of Colored No More: Reinventing Black Womanhood in Washington, D.C.)

“Dr. Cynthia Dillard has given us all a precious gift in this book, The Spirit of Our Work: Black Women Teachers (Re)member. No matter what your race is, hold this book in your hands with anticipation. Soak up, pause, and reflect as you read each page and prepare to act upon what you learn. Dr. Dillard has shared a road map for how we can transform education through uplifting the lineage and power of Blackness, Black women teachers, and the sacred educational road to Black freedoms. In doing so, Dr. Dillard teaches us that to develop liberatory educational environments where Black women educators can (re)claim and (re)member their inherent freedom means nothing less than liberation for us all.” (Anneliese Singh, author of The Racial Healing Handbook: Practical Activities to Help You Challenge Privilege, Confront Systemic Racism, and Engage in Collective Healing)

What listeners say about The Spirit of Our Work

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Absolutely Amazing!

The information, the experiences, the testimonials, and the assertions that (re)minds us that we must be well and be whole has truly been affirming and a blessing to my life and my dedication to my dissertation.
Praise God for the Ghana experiences, the people, the cloths, the community, and the voices of our ancestors from the dungeon! “Sit with us” I will in my created SANCTUARY as I (re)member who we are while rejecting the narratives of the Colonizers steeped in whiteness.
Future Dr.KOP

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Best audio book ever

this is by far my favorite audiobook that I have ever read, and that includes both fiction and nonfiction. this book should be required reading for all black features. It looks to be required reading for all my teachers. This book should be required reading for all black people. all of them to be quiet and listen to the audio and feel the reader while they are read it.

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A beacon of light and hope!

I truly enjoyed listening to this book. As a Black woman educator, I am always in search of work that highlights the Black women who have been trailblazers in the field of education. I will listen to this again to glean even more from Dr. Dillard and the GSAE program. After hearing about the life changing experiences these women had while in Ghana, I understand why I have had such a strong desire to visit. I also see that it is 100% possible! Thank you for this gem! I am sharing this book with all of my Black women colleagues and my non-black ones as well.

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Create Dangerously…..

Superb!!!!!! If you lead a classroom with African American students or a school with African American teachers…. this is your February book study!!!! If you need understanding convincing affirming or simple rejoicing this right here….

Turn the Enslaved Ships around and remember us!!!!!

Pull out the Chapter 3 - omg!!!

Chapter 7: Remembering is Not Optional!!! A love letter to those who teach!!!!

She said…

… Create dangerously…. ED

…. My prayer is that these pages help you not just understand who you are but who we are…. lessons about the power of relationships and love…

….in order for any teacher to teach all children well they must know who Black people are - the length and breadth of our complexities cultures and spiritual conditions….

Ask yourself - who has more of the story to tell?????? 🎤🎤🎤🎤🎤

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