What Will I Do?

Like many teachers across the country, I am struggling to figure out what I can do in my classroom that will lay one small part of the foundation of the nation we want to become -- a nation united by our wealth of differences, rather than continuously divided into groups who spend all their energy on the problem, rather than on finding solutions.

This week, I interacted with children for the first time since school ended in June. The free summer lunch program that's hosted at my school brings together a beautiful mix of children. One boy who is taking part has known behavior issues, and he gave me a chance to practice and model social justice, one small incident at a time. For the sake of this post, I'll call this little guy Joey. Here are three small ways I can have a positive impact in my classroom and in the world around me.


1. LESS FOCUS ON THE PROBLEM, MORE FOCUS ON THE SOLUTION
I was just finishing up with the lunch count when Joey came out of the gym and complained that a boy had thrown a ball at his face. On purpose. Rather than focusing on the problem, I asked Joey what he had done in retaliation (nothing) and praised him for his peaceful solution -- for walking away and coming to get help. We talked about what he would like to do next -- Did he feel safe returning to the gym? Could he play in the gym without coming into contact with this other child? We walked to the gym and saw that he could join the group playing HORSE at the basketball hoop, or he could go into the opposite corner and work on his soccer skills. I left him with a soccer ball and a plan. Hopefully, by valuing his solution over the problem (which, knowing Joey, may or may not have occurred), he has learned that he can get positive attention for making good choices. By the time we identify a problem, it's already in the past. Our reaction to the problem is in the present, and our solution represents future thinking. Let's spend less time admiring problems, and more time on creative and positive solutions.


2. BE PEACE MAKERS AND ROLE MODELS
At lunch, Joey came and told me that other boys were calling him gay. We walked over to his table and I saw that one of our teen volunteers was talking to the other boys about the need to apologize. As soon as we got to the table, voices went up several decibels and fingers were aggressively pointed across the table on both sides. I sat down between the two parties half in and half out of the lunch table bench with my back to Joey, and I framed the situation this way for the older boys, "I can tell that Joey really believes that you called him names. And I am hearing you say that you did not call him names. I don't expect you to apologize for something you didn't do or say, but something happened here to upset Joey, and you have a choice now. You can be a trouble maker or you can be a peace maker. To be a peace maker, you might say something like this: 'I'm sorry you think I said hurtful things. I did not say those things, and I am not the kind of person who would ever say those things. But I can see you're upset and I'm sorry for that.' If you believe in your heart that those are true words, you might try being a peace maker and say them to Joey." The older boy used my words, and then I turned to Joey and said, "Now, I don't expect you to say, 'That's okay,' because your feelings were hurt and that might not be true. But if you wanted to practice being a peace maker, too, you might say, 'Thank you for your apology.' " Joey couldn't quite say those words out loud, but his lips moved and I thanked him for trying on the role of peace maker.

Learning to be a peace maker takes time and practice. It takes role models who are willing to deescalate situations by communicating their own truths and listening to the truths of others with compassion.


3. WHAT'S ON THE INSIDE IS THE IMPORTANT PART
Eventually, the older boys left and it was just me, Joey, and the teen volunteer. Out of the blue, Joey asked, "Why is that boy over there wearing a pink tutu? That's a boy! I know it is! Why is he wearing a skirt?" I looked at Joey and said, "What difference does it make? That's just what's on the outside. Isn't what's on the inside of a person way more important?" And the teen volunteer chimed in, "Yeah! This is 2016 after all!!" She and I agreed that Jaden Smith (son of actor Will Smith) ROCKS the whole "wear whatever makes you happy" thing. Joey wasn't able to get reaction of outrage from the teen and I. Instead we showed him how to accept what we see on the outside of a person and value what's on the inside.


EYE CONTACT AND SMILES
One other thing I am doing in my everyday life is to share eye contact and a smile with everyone I meet -- parents dropping their kids off for summer lunch, folks on the sidewalk at the farmers' market, exercisers walking on the path in the park, and workers cleaning the restrooms in the health club or bagging my groceries. It is my hope that this one small gesture communicates that the other person has been seen and valued, and begins to build a web of human connections one smile at a time.

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? #IMWAYR

Go to Teach Mentor Texts or Unleashing Readers
for the It's Monday! What Are You Reading? Round-Up!


ADULT

Wicked Appetite by Janet Evanovich

I'm not a mystery reader. Never have been, probably never will be. When a student gave me this book (and the next two on CD) for an end-of-year present, my first impulse was to take the gift receipts and run for B/N to make an exchange. But I gave myself a stern talking-to about reading outside my comfort zone, and I read this book, including whole sections aloud to AJ as we guffawed over the bad writing. I was going to listen to the two CDs on the way to and from the Choice Literacy writing retreat, but I decided I better have more literary writing in my brain before I wrote for 2 days!

The Son by Philipp Meyer

The Goodreads blurb describes this book as "...an epic, multigenerational saga of power, blood, and land that follows the rise of one unforgettable Texas family from the Comanche raids of the 1800s to the border raids of the early 1900s to the oil booms of the 20th century." I listened to it two summers ago, and for the life of me, I can't remember why I only gave it two stars! I liked it well enough to suggest it to my book club, and when I ran out of printed books while at Mom's, I found it in my Kindle archives (maybe it was a Kindle Daily Deal?). Re-reading it with my eyes rather than my ears has been a fabulous experiences. I can flip forward and back, double check the family tree, look up interesting words, and focus most of my attention on the storyline of Eli, in my opinion, the most compelling character. I'm not quite finished with it, and I love having book amnesia -- I remember there's a surprise at the ending, but not exactly what! 

YA

A Madness So Discreet by Mindy McGinnis

Ok, I lied. I like SOME mysteries. Maybe not mystery SERIES. This book combines fascinating settings -- insane asylums in Boston and Ohio in the late 1800's -- with a doctor who is pioneering the science of criminal profiling. The main character, Grace, becomes his assistant from within the safety of the asylum. The myriad reasons people (women especially) were committed as insane is thought-provoking and disturbing.

MIDDLE GRADE

The Seventh Wish by Kate Messner

This book is a fascinating combination of fantasy and grim reality. Yes, there is a wish-granting fish and the main character Charlie makes every possible blunder of wishing known to the genre. But things get serious when her big sister is institutionalized for heroin addiction. This is an important book that shows how addiction impacts an entire family and is a lifelong struggle, not something with an easy recovery.

Save Me a Seat by Sarah Weeks and Gita Varadarajan

Here's another book with a light-hearted tone, but a serious message. This is a book about how hard it is to be different. It is a book about bullying. Joe has learning challenges and spends time each day in the resource center. Ravi has just moved to the US from India and no one can understand his "perfect" English. Dillon is a kleptomaniac bully who preys on the weaknesses of others. Luckily, by the end of the book, Joe and Ravi realize that they make a perfect team...and they put Dillon in his place! I love how the book is written in both Joe and Ravi's points of view, and the dual glossary at the end of the book.

MY TBR PILE FOR THE COMING WEEK

I'm late, but I'm going to join #cyberPD!

Have arc, will share...

What Can We Do?

The events of the past several weeks have been heartbreaking and overwhelming. My social media feeds are filled with posts and readings and messages hoping for change.  It is easy to become overwhelmed and paralyzed but I think many of us feel like we have to act in some way.  When I read this piece on victim Philander Castile, I was struck by the impact his death will have on hundreds of young children.  After the Orlando shootings I became more aware of the bullying and suicide rates of our LGBT students.  Our kids deserve better.  So I have been thinking about how I will act, what my role can be in changing things that are unjust.  This is what I have come up with so far.

I Will Study

I think something I've been committed to over the last year has been to truly study and learn all I can about these issues.  I have realized it takes time because so much of this is unlearning what we thought we knew.  I am finding that I need to read widely and often. That there is so much to understand about all of these issues and I am embarrassingly uneducated in many of them.  I don't have to agree with or understand everything I read but I have to expand what I read and be open to changing my thinking. I can no longer ignore the things that go against my current understanding and read only the things that match my current understanding of what it means to be white/black in America.  So committing to learning and being open about what is true is critical.

If I believe in justice, I believe in justice for everybody. Which means I have to expand my knowledge  in many areas.  Following the Orlando shootings, I did a great deal of reading trying to understand the challenges faced by our LGBT communities--challenges I was previously less aware of than I could have been.  The focus this week has been on race and police brutality and in some circles there has been a line drawn that this is an either/or conversation. I don't see it that way.  This week has helped me realize that as a white woman,  I have a lot learn about race and discrimination.  So, I have read a great deal over the last few days and I am thankful for friends and colleagues who are sharing things they feel are important to read.  Some things that have helped me to understand the issues and to relearn some things I thought to be true are (in no particular order):

The Future of Race in America by Michelle Alexander at TEDx Columbus

From Park Bench to Lab Bench: What Kind of Future Are We Designing Tedx by Ruha Benjamin

From White Guilt to White Responsibility by Hanah Adair Bonner

The Problem With Saying "All Lives Matter" : There's a Difference Between True an Helpful by Tyler Huckabee

Advice for White Folks in the Wake of the Police Murder of a Black Person by Justin C. Cohen

Deafening Silence: White Silence and Alton Sterling by Ryan Williams-Varden

Austin Police Chief Speaks

How to Raise a Black Son in America by Clint Smith at TED2015

Mothering White Sons to Know #BlackLivesMatter : Our Silence is Continued Violence by Alyssa Hadley Dunn

Marley Dias talks about Institutional Racism from NEA

Test Yourself to Hidden Bias at Teaching Tolerance

11 Common Ways White Folks Avoid Taking Responsibility for Racism in the US by Robin DiAngelo

I Will Learn More About What I Can Do As an Educator

As the mother of a Hispanic daughter, I have read a lot in the past decade about discrimination, race, multiracial families, identity, etc.  This understanding, of course, impacts my role as an educator. But I want to commit to thinking more about the specifics of how I can act to help create change in my role.

My friend Patty stated on Facebook, "Do I know what MY action will be? No. Not yet. But I do know that action speaks louder and clearer than words." I agree with Patty and I know that reading and sharing information alone will not create change. So I need to think about my role in all of this as a teacher and as a human being. These are things that have been shared and I've read this week to help me begin to think about this.

But What Can I Do? Recognizing Our Role in Systematic Racism by David Kirland

Not Just Us? Using Classrooms to Get (White) People to Talk About Race by David Kirkland

For White Teachers in a Time of #BlackLivesMatter by Chris Lehmann

We, White Teachers of Mostly White Students, We Have a Lot of Work to Do at Crawling Out of the Classroom

I Will Commit to Ongoing Reflection and to 

Being a Strong Voice For Justice

So what can I do?  I have been thinking about the first steps in my action plan.  And even though I have been committed to diversity and justice for as long as I can remember, I know I can do more.  So here are a few things I plan to DO.

1. Know the Work of Organizations Who Have Made This Their Mission

The Early Childhood Assembly of NCTE has strong resources on social justice and anti-bias teaching.  Spending a huge chunk of time on their site has been extremely helpful to me.  If you have not read the organization's Response to the Orlando Shootings and the Anniversary of the Mother Emmanual Church Murders, it is a must read. It is filled with a call to action as well as many resources for teachers.

We Need Diverse Books is a movement whose work I follow closely and learn from. 

I have been more focused on auditing our classroom library as well as the books I share with students.  This year I realized that I needed to read a bigger diversity of books and I needed to be intentional about sharing a larger variety of books with students. I realize I am limited in my own reading and am working to expand that in terms of the authors I read and the issues I read about (both fiction and nonfiction).  This will be an ongoing process for me.

Teaching Tolerance is a site I have been getting to know better. It is filled with resources for teacher understanding and for the classroom.

These are the sites I have spent the most time on but there are professional books and other sites that I know I need to get to.

2. Audit my Own Language with Students and Colleagues

When I read Choice Words by Peter Johnston years ago, it helped me understand the power of my language with children.  I have reread and revisited this book every year since, often with a particular focus. One year I paid close attention to my language with my 2 most struggling students. I was shocked to realize that I often fell back on non-empowering language with them. Auditing my own lagnague as it relates to bias, stereotypes, expectations, and identity is a commitment I have made to myself as I go into a new school year.

3. Be Aware of All Assumptions I Make About Children, Families, Colleagues and Communities

We all make assumptions, whether positive or negative.  Being aware of the assumptions I make and how that impacts my relationships and teaching is another thing I am committed to. I want to be open to an awareness of my own biases in and out of the classroom.  I think there is language embedded in any community that is based on assumptions and I want to be aware of that language so I can work to change it.

4. Resist the Temptation to Get Defensive

The more I read, the more I understand that we all have biases. Getting defensive when challenged in conversations never helps move the conversation forward.  Conversations around race are often filled with emotion and it is easy to get defensive. When our own biases are brought to light or our beliefs are questioned, conversations can become difficult.  Resisting that temptation will help me to grow in my own understandings and also help us expand and move the conversation.

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Poetry Friday -- Summer Poem Swap: BIRDS!

Hemingway and I love the mobile Joy Acey sent all the way from Hawaii! Her poem about birds can be found on the...birds!

BIRDS

soar      dive

wing in flight

sing to us

at morning's

first light

by Joy Acey

As a bonus, there was this iridescent beauty:

and this wish:

What a fun surprise to find in the towering stack of mail that accumulated for two and a half weeks while my brother and I were making this happen:

Katie has the Poetry Friday roundup this week at The Logonauts.

#ISTEKids

#ISTE16 was a fabulous experience.  But one of my favorite things was the #ISTEKids session that was facilitated by Chris Lehman and Camilla Gagliolo.  Some third graders from our school were invited to be part of the Student Voices session--a session that focused on student voices and that had all student presenters.

Students from all over the world participated. Some were there live and others were there virtually.  It was an amazing session and the kids shared such powerful messages.  Kids ranged in age from 3rd grade to high school. They were from all over the world--California, Mexico, Wisconsin, Australia, Ohio.  They talked about things important to their learning--Maker projects, global connections because of Global Read Aloud, Project-Based Learning and more.  Our 4 third graders presented on #EdcampKids.

We were invited to participate late in our school year so the kids got together a few times to pull together what we wanted to say, to think about slides, and to make sure we could do it in the 7-8 minutes we were given.  Pulling this session together with the kids was amazing. Their insights about EdcampKids and what they thought others should know taught me so much.  We had fun and we experienced deadline stress but we were happy with what we put together. (Thank goodness for Google Slides and Google Docs!).

On the next to last day of school, Mr. Sweet, one of our Technology Support teachers came over to show the kids how the Skype would work and to test out sound and other features.  

Then the Friday before ISTE, we all met in the Tech House to do some final tech checks and a few dress rehearsals.  Mr. Sweet was such a huge help--we couldn't have done it without him!

Back in Denver, Chris Lehman was busy connecting with all the kids presenting from different places, checking sound and facilitating the technology for the session.

It was such an amazing session. So many great voices saying so many important things.  We were last on the agenda and this is what the screen looked like.  I was able to sit in the audience and watch their amazingness!  They were fabulous! 

Below are the slides that the kids shared.  I am not sure if they'll make sense without the kids' words but you can get a sense of their session.  (I blogged about #EdcampKids on our blog last spring if you would like to know more about it.)

I loved the power of the Student Voices and that Camilla and Chris had the inspiration to create a session like this.  A big message of #ISTE16 was the power of student voices--that they don't need to wait until they are adults to be leaders, that they are leaders now. This session was proof of that. I hope to see more of these.

Really this was one of the best experiences I have had as both a teacher and conference participant.  

(The Student Voices session was not the only place that student voices were heard. There were students presenting throughout the conference in sessions, at poster sessions and at playgrounds.  Below is a photo of me learning from some students from Mexico--ways they are using Skype to connect and understand the world.)

It's Monday! What Are You Reading?--Online Edition

Go to Teach Mentor Texts or Unleashing Readers for the It's Monday! What Are You Reading? Round-Up!

Stuff I've read online this week:

I continue to follow-up on the responses to Kate Messner and Phil Bildner being disinvited to scheduled school visits. Publishers Weekly shared this piece: Authors Respond to Disinvites from Schools.

I am always amazed that we are still talking about reading levels but there is a good, thoughtful piece at The Teacher Triathlete. You know how I feel about levels....

Our district Chief Academic Officer, Kim Miller, shared this piece in an email last week--Why Constant Learners All Embrace the 5-Hour Rule--Such an interesting thing to think about when it comes to creativity and learning.  

And if you don't read Pernile Ripp's blog regular, I would add it to your list of must read blogs. One of her recent posts I love is The Reading Rules We Would Never Follow as Adult Readers.

I've been thinking a lot about young children and the need to teach about social justice. A good piece from Edutopia is Teaching Young Children About Bias, Diversity and Social Justice.

Resilience is About How You Recharge, Not How You Endure was an interesting new way to think of resilience.

My principal, Jen Schwanke had this great piece on her blog called Bring it to Life...Or Not?  Love the whole idea of this.

A long but interesting piece about race: White Fragility: Why It's So Hard to Talk to White People about Racism.  It is one I have to revisit as I think there are lots of important things to think about.

One of my favorite people, Ann Marie Corgill, shared this on Facebook--Not All Teachers Want to Be Administrators. It is always a hard thing for some people to understand. I loved this article as I do believe "I belong in the classroom."

An interesting piece I am thinking about from TeachThought--7 Shifts to Create a Classroom of the Future. Not sure I agree 100% but some good things to think about talk about.  

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Poetry Friday -- Roots

free image from pixabay.com

Cleaning Dandelions Out of the Iris

Satisfying snap --
trowel cuts roots below ground.
They're bound to come back.


©Mary Lee Hahn, 2016



Another poem about home. Next week at this time the family property will be on the market (mom lived there 60ish years; my brother and I grew up there). Sad to say goodbye to that old house, but excited that it will soon welcome a new family and become precious to them.

Tabatha has the roundup this week at The Opposite of Indifference. I won't be able to get the roundup schedule on the Kidlitosphere Central website for another week or two, but you can find July--December in the sidebar here at A Year of Reading.

Duck, Duck, Porcupine! by Salina Yoon

When I went to NCTE last year, I picked up an ARC of Duck, Duck, Porcupine by Salina Yoon. I am a huge Salina Yoon fan.  Be a Friend is one of my favorite picture books of the year and Penguin and Bear are some of my favorite characters. I was thrilled to see this new, early reader book from Salina Yoon. Doesn't the cover just make you smile?

I teach 3rd grade so finding books that move kids from those books for beginning readers to chapter books for older readers is something I think about almost every day.   I see this new book by Salina Yoon as fitting into a category that is perfect for readers who are just learning to build stamina and hold stories across time. Just like Elephant and Piggie and Ballet Cat, this book supports readers in ways few other series do. It is just perfect!

The book has 3 chapters and each is a stand-alone story which is a huge support for young readers.  The 3 characters are amusing, adorable and distinct. By the end of the 2nd story, you know the uniqueness of each pretty well.  There are talking bubbles and simple language but sophisticated humor and lots of fun!

This new book, as well as all of her others belong in K-3 classrooms for sure. This book is going to be fabulous for new readers and those moving along a bit.  It is one that is sophisticated enough that older readers will also enjoy it.  I haven't had a Salina Yoon author basket in my room but will be creating one this year.  Not only will the kids love her as readers but they can learn so much from her as writers.

And even better news? This book is the first in a series!

Salina Yoon, signing my books at NCTE 2016!

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