Why The Autobiography of Malcolm X? Why Now? Why Not?

It's the dawn of a new day in St. Louis, MO. During my morning walk, I reflect on four things before heading to school:

• the guilty verdict of Derek Chauvin and its implications for how we explore systems and policies in America;
• the swearing in of St. Louis’ first black, female mayor, Tishaura Jones;
• the situation of the St. Louis region as one of the ground zero locations for the exploration of race and equality across this country;
• and our junior English class reading of The Autobiography of Malcolm X as part of our yearlong investigation of American dreams and voices. 

Not many opportunities converge with a singular force that breaks down the door for conversations like these have today. Perhaps the time is now. But for what?  

Today, our English class begins as we usually do, with students responding to two prompts as part of a predictable and supportive class routine component Community Building Reflection Questions that situates students in the content for the day while allowing them to practice reflection and writing. The questions for consideration today are: 

• What are your take-aways from the day’s readings in The Autobiography of Malcolm X?
• How will you engage, participate, and be an active learner and leader in class today? 

In addition, I pose these questions that attempt to allow us to connect class material to the world in which we find ourselves: 

• In light of the Derek Chauvin verdict, how do you feel? 
• Why is the trial & verdict important?
• Is there distrust in policing? If so, by whom? If not, why not?
• Are systems and policies fair in America today? Why does this matter?
• Finally, does what’s happening in America today have anything to do with our class theme of American dreams and voices and The Autobiography? 

After time for written reflection, we enter into an opening class conversation, practicing the following Ignatian Conversation Framework components:

• Slow to speak,
• Listening attentively,
• Seeking the truth in what others are saying,
• Disagreeing humbly, respectfully, thoughtfully, and
• Allowing the conversation the time it needs. 

The conversation unfolds and the resulting student reflections are why we talk about the plurality of experiences in America. How did we get to this place in English class, and what content choices did I make to advance the conversation in this direction? Below are some factors in a process for choosing to read The Autobiography of Malcolm X: 

Mission & Decision

What is the mission of our school and how is my section of junior English class doing this year, at this time?  

This year, my junior English class is diverse and more mature than we were in August. We are a class set in the context of an increasingly diverse school where the presence of systemic DEI programming is taking place. Our school has both a foundation for, awareness of, and work in DEI. Though we are not perfect, we are working on our work. 

Students in my class grow to be critical thinkers who are respectful of one another. We come together every other day, and we talk about and understand that we each bring with us a variety of experiences and baggage based upon our gifts and our histories. As Alex Haley writes about Malcolm X, “All of our experiences fuse into our personality. Everything that ever happened to us is an ingredient” (153). 

We don’t all come from the same places, and we don’t all have the same advantages. However, our class is a developing as a community this year. Despite Covid-19 and the trauma it continues to inflict, our school schedule is predictable and supportive of continuous learning: we show up, we listen, we contribute to ongoing dialogue and learning, and we appreciate one another.

The central focus that drives our class activity, reflection and conversation this year is the overarching theme of American voices and dreams. It is expansive, not restrictive. Early in the year, we read narratives of Indigenous peoples, and today we continue our studies of the plurality of perspectives. Frequently, students re-visit their own notions of American dreams, revising them in light of new knowledge and perspectives. Inevitably, we talk about the role of justice because we are a Jesuit high school striving to be ever mindful of and committed to justice in generous service (The Profile of the Graduate at Graduation). Additionally, in English class, we walk with the excluded (UAP). We try to put ourselves in the other’s shoes. It is in this context that we embark on The Autobiography of Malcolm X.  

External Influencers 

Who are our helpers? Who takes us off our path? 

Just like there are people and institutions that both positively and negatively affect Malcolm X, there are helpers and negative influencers in our own lives. We talk about those during class. As I began Malcolm X with our class, I put myself in the shoes of some who might be opposed to this book, raising my level of fear and awareness. 

Networking 

How do I network with helpers, along my path? 

We all need networks that help advance us. As part of our school’s Innovative Education initiative we started a few years ago, and in an attempt to alleviate fear and build awareness, I invite helpers into my world, as I network to build rapport and support for our book choice. I invite the assistant admissions director into our conversation by inviting her to read Malcolm X. She does. I invite the assistant diversity director into our class for a keynote address. I vet my introductory, context-setting student resource for the book with our director of diversity and inclusion. We talk. She gives me suggestions on fine-tuning student-reading prompts. She gives me affirmation. All of these networking opportunities increase conversation and allow me to move ahead with confidence, not in isolation. Such networking opportunities also reduce the psychological impact of negative external influencers. 

Setting the Context

Why are beginnings important? 

Setting the foundation for any work is perhaps the most fundamental step to connected learning. I begin my unit on Malcolm X by asking myself, “How does this reading fit into the bigger picture of our class and in our world?” Having just read Miss Lonelyhearts (West) and The Great Gatsby (Fitzgerald) – and considering all of the voices and experiences we have read thus far in the year – I consider American dreams and voices. How are they similar? How are they different?

As a way of framing Malcolm X, I create a context-setting student resource, including reasons for reading autobiographies, prompts for consideration while reading this particular book, a reading schedule & guided conversation leaders, conversation leader components, important quotes to consider from the book, participation & presentation rubrics, and a personal narrative essay assignment. 

When creating student leadership opportunities called conversation leaders, I am thoughtful in configuring teams of leaders that are diverse in terms of ability and race/ethnicity.  Each team guides the day’s conversation. Students become the center of learning. 

Predictability & Support

What do meaningful class conversations look like each day? 

Each day, class design looks similar, to provide predictability, support, and comfort. We begin the same way each day: with two-minutes of silence, to reset and prepare for class. Second, students respond to reflection questions that are prompts for introductory conversations. Community Building Reflection Questions challenge students to recall take-aways and develop questions from the previous night’s reading. 

Because we are a community built on respect and because we employ the Ignatian Conversations framework, we continuously adhere to student-centered, open, honest, authentic conversations – where we practice listening and talking with one another, and where everyone has the chance to contribute. Sometimes comments and reflections are uncomfortable. Most times questions are unanswered. We get comfortable being uncomfortable, making mistakes, and learning from one another. 

Each day, assigned student leaders are conversation facilitators who earn points for developing the following ideas during class conversations: 

1. Reading plot & context,
2. Specific event or idea,
3. Questions/prompts,
4. Important quotes, and
5. Challenges and questions for us.

Students who are not conversation facilitators understand their specific roles as active class participants. In fact, as the class continues, students use a participation rubric to self-assess (which they turn in to me toward the end of each class):

1. Did I bring my book today?
2. Do I have my supplies out? Computer, pen notes, book, etc.?
3. Did I come to this class having critically read?
4. Did I take notes in my book?
5. Have I identified specific quotes?
6. What questions do I have entering into class?
7. Have I focused on any questions in the introductory resource packet? If so, which ones?
8. Did I take notes during class? In OneNote and in my book?
9. What contributions did I make to class today? Circle: Answer questions? Ask questions? Make comments? Give opinions?
10. Was I actively engaged in the material today?

Two Conclusions: Engagement & Imagination

How do we continue to engage students in learning and teach them to imagine a hopeful future? 

As we continue and conclude this unit, I am drawing two initial conclusions. One, I have greater awareness of and appreciation for how students enter in content. During this unit on Malcolm X, I notice a greater active engagement among all the African American students in my class, while at the same time there is a more reticent approach to our class among students who are not black. Perhaps I notice this because I am not only mindful of how this book might affect African American students but also how it might challenge the other students. 

Among African American students, there is increased general excitement around being in class, increased talkative participation about the book, and increased leadership in class discussions. Among some Caucasian students, there has been a luke-warm response to the book: some who I would have expected to be highly-engaged because they normally are eager to chime in with their reflections, sit quietly and are listening.   

Why do I find myself more cognizant of trying to manage my non-African American students through this unit? Trying to make sure, they are “okay.” Why have I not been aware of this type of class management when we read more traditional forms of literature during class? What does this awareness teach me about my own habits, behavior, baggage, and history? 

Second, students want to be inspired to imagine a world that is different and hopeful. Literature has the power to engage students to become critical thinkers if they see its relevance in their lives. A colleague who teaches in the social studies department stopped me briefly in the hall a week ago. He shared with me an exchange he overheard between two students before class one day. He noticed two African American students talking about The Autobiography of Malcolm X. During the discussion, it became clear to my colleague that one student was reading the book and one student was in another English section and had not been reading the book. The student from my class (who was reading the book) said to his friend, “You have to get this book. It’s good.” As the conversation between the two students continued, my colleague was surprised they were talking about a book from English class for a prolonged period of time and my colleague was surprised at the level of enthusiasm in this discussion, toward this particular book. Another student at our school whom I was working with during a Formation Friday event – a graduating senior who was likely to attend Morehouse College – pulled me aside after the event and asked for a copy of Malcolm X. He had heard we were reading it, and he wanted to read it as well. These students quickly became engaged in this book because it was relevant to their lives and presented them with an opportunity to imagine a hopeful future.  

My experience with Malcolm X raises broader questions for me to consider about my class, about our school, about my students, and about our world:

1. What is the value of continuing to align content/skills to mission? How do I continue to rethink content choices, to teach about a plurality of experiences?
2. How do we use resources and frameworks to have counter-cultural conversations?
3. How does student participation correlate to course content? 
4. How do I continue to design and manage classrooms to provide for high levels of predictability and support for students?
5. What assumptions do I make about students in class and their participation? And how can content challenge those assumptions, toward greater inclusion and equity of experience in class? 
6. How do I continue to connect course content to a broader perspective about what is happening in our world? How does this encourage a spirit of imagination and hope? 
7. Finally, how do I work from where I am to continue to challenge students to think about and change systems and policies?