Teaching

‘Thank You, bell hooks': What She Meant to Teachers

By Education Week Staff — December 16, 2021 1 min read
bell hooks speaking
  • Save to favorites
  • Print

bell hooks, the Black feminist author and intellectual whose books transformed ways of thinking about education and racism, died Dec. 15. She was 69.

hooks’ more than 30 volumes covered a wide range of topics, including theories of classroom pedagogy, an interrogation of the racism within modern feminism, explorations of Black masculinity, and the nature of love. Her oeuvre also spanned multiple formats, including poetry, memoir, and essays.

In K-12 education, she is particularly remembered for a trifecta of books on teaching and learning, beginning with 1994’s Teaching to Transgress. The book critiqued how education systems typically value authoritarianism and compliance. Engaging teaching, she wrote, liberated students by equipping them with the tools to challenge and transcend those structures.

Unlike many contemporary theorists, though, hooks’ writing was generous, accessible, and deeply felt, rather than ponderous, remote, or circular.

Her death brought an outpouring of grief, gratitude, and testimonials from many educators, particularly Black women teachers and writers who saw a mentor, a guide, an ally, and above all, someone who loved them unconditionally.

Five educators reflect on how bell hooks’ timeless wisdom has transformed their teaching.

bell hooks has shaped a generation of teachers, and her legacy will continue not only through her writings but in those she inspired. Three of her essays are now free on JSTOR for those looking to read more of her work.

Related Tags:

Education Week Library Staff contributed to this article.

Events

School & District Management Webinar Fostering Productive Relationships Between Principals and Teachers
Strong principal-teacher relationships = happier teachers & thriving schools. Join our webinar for practical strategies.
Jobs Virtual Career Fair for Teachers and K-12 Staff
Find teaching jobs and K-12 education jubs at the EdWeek Top School Jobs virtual career fair.
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Artificial Intelligence Webinar
Promoting Integrity and AI Readiness in High Schools
Learn how to update school academic integrity guidelines and prepare students for the age of AI.
Content provided by Turnitin

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide — elementary, middle, high school and more.
View Jobs
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
View Jobs
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
View Jobs
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.
View Jobs

Read Next

Teaching Opinion What Teachers Should Know About Education Research
"Evidence-based" is the key piece of research in education. But what does that mean?
6 min read
Conceptual illustration of classroom conversations and fragmented education elements coming together to form a cohesive picture of a book of classroom knowledge.
Sonia Pulido for Education Week
Teaching Teachers Cope With Endless Distractions
From construction noise to natural disasters, teachers work to keep students focused through distractions.
Clayton Hubert, the K-12 art teacher in Lamberton, Minn., speaks with students during art class on Jan. 16, 2025. Like many educators, he has to manage a constant slew of interruptions—like next-door construction—while teaching.
Clayton Hubert, the K-12 art teacher in Lamberton, Minn., advises students during an art class on Jan. 16, 2025.
Kaylee Domzalski/Education Week
Teaching Opinion Zaretta Hammond: 6 Ways to Uphold Culturally Responsive Teaching
Go beyond performative acts of equity and focus on strengthening the instructional core of every child, the teacher educator advises.
4 min read
Conceptual illustration of classroom conversations and fragmented education elements coming together to form a cohesive picture of a book of classroom knowledge.
Sonia Pulido for Education Week
Teaching Opinion 'Fire Everywhere.' How to Find Joy in Teaching Right Now
There has never been a more critical time to teach students the power of words.
4 min read
Conceptual illustration of classroom conversations and fragmented education elements coming together to form a cohesive picture of a book of classroom knowledge.
Sonia Pulido for Education Week