We’ve Got Words! A Book Review by Terri Patterson, M.Ed

By Terri Patterson, M.Ed (Jackson Public Schools, 5th Grade Teacher)

It’s not often that one finds a guide to correct grammar as cool and as fun as “We’ve Got Words: A High School Student’s Guide to The Parts of Speech & Public Speaking”, a workbook by Hakim Nathaniel Crampton.  It is a guide that covers the parts of speech, from nouns and pronouns to adjectives and conjunctions. It provides review lessons, tips on public speaking, including the speech, how to interact with an audience, and an outline for writing an effective speech. The bonus of this guide is that it provides a detailed look at what Black Vernacular English is and strategies for bridging the gap for students of color.

One great thing about this guide is the way in which Mr. Crampton included actual poetry from a high school student, which makes it relevant to this peer group. It is relatable, funny, and very quick witted!

This workbook contains sample lessons of interactive exercises that can be used in conjunction with daily lessons. The information uses language that is familiar to black students or students of color, which provides a sense of familiarity that our kids need in order to be successful! The beautiful piece to this workbook is how it makes the concepts meaningful and by using terminology and ideas that belong to “us”, while still connecting it to the curriculum. This bridges that gap for students of color when standardized tests come into play. This is a very smart and unique addition to this workbook, in my opinion.

Lastly, I want to address the section on Black Vernacular English. This to me is a crucial part of this workbook for teachers and staff. It is my belief that students become accustomed to cultural lingo, just by being present in a school setting. However, I believe that our teachers are out of touch and feel some level of disconnect when our students of color use Ebonics. They feel negatively towards it and admonish students for their use of it. This section bridges that gap between students of color and staff. It provides insight and background knowledge for staff that otherwise have no connection to Black Vernacular English. Because it is different, doesn’t mean it is bad and that is why I enjoyed this workbook so much. Although I might have to make accommodations for my grade level, I would most definitely use this with my students! Well done! Out of four stars, I would give this work book four stars!