--- product_id: 2740255 title: "Black Ants and Buddhists: Thinking Critically and Teaching Differently in the Primary Grades" price: "AED 173" currency: AED in_stock: true reviews_count: 13 url: https://www.desertcart.ae/products/2740255-black-ants-and-buddhists-thinking-critically-and-teaching-differently-in store_origin: AE region: United Arab Emirates --- # Focus on multicultural, antiracist education 408 reviews, 4.6⭐ rating Encourages critical thinking & activism Black Ants and Buddhists: Thinking Critically and Teaching Differently in the Primary Grades **Price:** AED 173 **Availability:** ✅ In Stock ## Summary > 🌟 Transform your classroom into a hub of critical thinking and cultural empathy! ## Quick Answers - **What is this?** Black Ants and Buddhists: Thinking Critically and Teaching Differently in the Primary Grades - **How much does it cost?** AED 173 with free shipping - **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship - **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.ae](https://www.desertcart.ae/products/2740255-black-ants-and-buddhists-thinking-critically-and-teaching-differently-in) ## Best For - Customers looking for quality international products ## Why This Product - Free international shipping included - Worldwide delivery with tracking - 15-day hassle-free returns ## Key Features - • **Proven & Praised by Educators:** Highly rated with 408 reviews and a 4.6-star average, trusted by teachers and parents alike. - • **Reignite Your Teaching Passion:** Break free from test prep monotony and inspire young minds with critical thinking and activism. - • **Engage Students in Real-World Issues:** Connect lessons to community and global challenges for meaningful learning. - • **Multicultural & Antiracist Curriculum:** Create an inclusive classroom that respects diverse races, cultures, and beliefs. - • **Practical, Thought-Provoking Strategies:** Offers actionable starting points for conversations on diversity and controversy. ## Overview Black Ants and Buddhists by Mary Cowhey is a highly rated, used book that empowers primary educators to teach beyond standardized tests by fostering critical thinking, activism, and multicultural understanding in young students. With 408 reviews averaging 4.6 stars, it offers practical strategies to create inclusive, antiracist classrooms that connect curriculum to real-world social issues. ## Description What would a classroom look like if understanding and respecting differences in race, culture, beliefs, and opinions were at its heart? If you were inspired to become a teacher because you wanted to develop young minds, but now find yourself limited by "teach to the test" pressures and state standards, Mary Cowhey's book Black Ants and Buddhists: Thinking Critically and Teaching Differently in the Primary Grades will reignite the passion and remind you that educators provide more than test prep. Starting her career as a community activist, Cowhey shares her roots and how they influenced her Peace Class, where she asks her students to think critically, learn through activism and discussion, and view the entire curriculum through the framework of understanding the world, and what they can do to make it a better place. Woven through the book is Mary's unflinching and humorous account of her own roots as well as lessons from her heroes: Gandhi, Eleanor Roosevelt, Helen Keller, Martin Luther King, Jr, and others. Her students learn to make connections between their lives, the books they read, the community leaders they meet, and the larger world. Black Ants and Buddhists offers no easy answers, but it does include starting points for conversations about diversity and controversy in your classroom, as well as in the larger community. Students and teachers investigate problems and issues together, in a multicultural, antiracist classroom. Review: For Parents and Teachers Alike - I have recommended this book to everyone I know who interacts with children, including a high school student who is completing an internship at her adjoining elementary school. I've also given the book to parents because it presents wonderful ways of relating to children. I am appalled by the lockstep, test-taking, "start them out of the womb" approach that so many are advocating as education these days. I am very worried about children experiencing the current educational system. So many of them are wounded and under-encouraged to learn. They are being taught to take tests, cheat and play the system. That is not learning. Children need the opportunity to think, create and have fun, and Black Ants and Buddhists is a brilliant example of true learning. Mary Cowhey recognizes that children are quite capable of understanding complex issues if presented in a way that allows for their participation. When reviewers accuse her of pushing her political agenda or unduly influencing children in age-inappropriate ways, I think they are underestimating the abilities of these children to understand the world and to make their own judgements about social issues. If you notice, the children don't always agree with her or with each other; it's in talking it through that they all learn something. I only wish that all teachers were like Mary Cowhey. I am currently writing a book about teaching (30 years of using activity based methods with adults) and I am using this book as part of my research because the same techniques she uses with children apply to adults. We all learn best when we are engaged, excited and having a good time. Review: Thought provoking, practice changing - Excellent book for elementary and early childhood teachers ## Features - Used Book in Good Condition ## Technical Specifications | Specification | Value | |---------------|-------| | Best Sellers Rank | #544,752 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #390 in Inclusive Education Methods #617 in Elementary Education #1,034 in Language Arts Teaching Materials | | Customer Reviews | 4.6 out of 5 stars 408 Reviews | ## Images ![Black Ants and Buddhists: Thinking Critically and Teaching Differently in the Primary Grades - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/61htv5BloGL.jpg) ## Customer Reviews ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ For Parents and Teachers Alike *by L***S on October 11, 2013* I have recommended this book to everyone I know who interacts with children, including a high school student who is completing an internship at her adjoining elementary school. I've also given the book to parents because it presents wonderful ways of relating to children. I am appalled by the lockstep, test-taking, "start them out of the womb" approach that so many are advocating as education these days. I am very worried about children experiencing the current educational system. So many of them are wounded and under-encouraged to learn. They are being taught to take tests, cheat and play the system. That is not learning. Children need the opportunity to think, create and have fun, and Black Ants and Buddhists is a brilliant example of true learning. Mary Cowhey recognizes that children are quite capable of understanding complex issues if presented in a way that allows for their participation. When reviewers accuse her of pushing her political agenda or unduly influencing children in age-inappropriate ways, I think they are underestimating the abilities of these children to understand the world and to make their own judgements about social issues. If you notice, the children don't always agree with her or with each other; it's in talking it through that they all learn something. I only wish that all teachers were like Mary Cowhey. I am currently writing a book about teaching (30 years of using activity based methods with adults) and I am using this book as part of my research because the same techniques she uses with children apply to adults. We all learn best when we are engaged, excited and having a good time. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Thought provoking, practice changing *by D***. on November 21, 2025* Excellent book for elementary and early childhood teachers ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ABSOLUTELY AMAZING! I am going to be a teacher and ... *by C***Y on April 8, 2017* I cannot rave about this book enough! If you are going to be a teacher or are one already you have to read this book! In this book Mary Cowey tells you about her diverse classroom and all of the many conversations she has with her children. She talks about how she teaches them social justice, and going against the main stream way of teaching. I have cried many times reading this book because it is so moving. She give so many examples of how she taught lesson, what books she used etc. ABSOLUTELY AMAZING! I am going to be a teacher and after reading this book I think every teacher should have to before entering a classroom! --- ## Why Shop on Desertcart? - 🛒 **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** — Serving international shoppers since 2016 - 🌍 **Shop Globally** — Access 737+ million products across 21 categories - 💰 **No Hidden Fees** — All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price - 🔄 **15-Day Free Returns** — Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members) - 🔒 **Secure Payments** — Trusted payment options with buyer protection - ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** — Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews **Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.ae/products/2740255-black-ants-and-buddhists-thinking-critically-and-teaching-differently-in](https://www.desertcart.ae/products/2740255-black-ants-and-buddhists-thinking-critically-and-teaching-differently-in) --- *Product available on Desertcart United Arab Emirates* *Store origin: AE* *Last updated: 2026-08-12*