Building Background Knowledge: Cultivating Genius by Dr. Gholdy Muhammad

Wow! I deeply enjoy this book, and I am saying that earnestly. Pedagogical reading is a dice roll; many times it’s bland and unhelpful. Cultivating Genius is that lucky seven. Muhammad, a professor of language and literacy at Georgia State University establishes a literacy framework that embraces Black Excellence and the great and unfortunately seldom acknowledged history of black literacy (I wish I had a link for you to read more about Black Excellence, but I do not at this time). A central focus of her historically responsive literacy is that students need to equate literacy with their identities to succeed in schooling. YES. This tenet makes me want to do a fist pump. Phonemic awareness is nice and all, but unless children see literacy as an absolute necessity for growing and expressing themselves—why bother!?

I’m still reading this book with educators at my school as a book club. Our colleague Kim suggested it, and she continues to deliver with valuable related material. It’s kismet too, because many of these same educators are taking the yearlong Early Literacy Institute at Seattle Public Schools beginning later this month.

Why is that related? Because it’s a professional development about literacy, of course! Furthermore—we work at one of the school district’s 13 Literacy Priority Schools. These elementary schools have the highest percentage of black male students in the city, and they have the lowest rates of on-level reading in third grade. What a powerful background read for a PD on literacy and black students.

A bit about the literacy goal: At the beginning of the 2019-2020 school year, SPS shared the superintendent’s 2019-2024 Strategic Plan. Superintendent Denise Juneau listed one goal as having 100% of black male students reading at or above grade level by 2024. Black Excellence was listed as a given—why students would succeed in this challenging goal. I remember discussing what Black Excellence was as a discussion topic when digging into the Strategic Plan. I did not know. How sad.

What uncanny timeliness for reading this book! I hope to be set up for success in delivering historically responsive literacy for these beautiful minds come September. I will follow up with a second post about some of the black writers and literacy traditions (like reading rooms) when I conclude the book.

Buy Cultivating Genius (Buy it wherever you like, or check it out from a library when they open! Scholastic is the publisher; I’m not getting any cheddar for linking to it!)

Gholdy Muhammad (and others) speaking on abolitionist teaching: "Abolitionist Teaching and the Future of our Schools."

For reference: Seattle Public School’s “Seattle Excellence” Strategic Plan

Look for this cover!