Month: October 2019

“Be the change you wish to see in the world.” -Mahatma Gandhi

I’m guilty. I’m one of those teachers that sometimes says “Just ignore it and it will get better.” We know that sometimes it does not get better and something has to be done. I’ve learned this week that I have to be an activist in order to teach my students how to become them. Through careful selections in books and thoughtful discussions, students can learn to find their own voice to invoke change in the world today. According to Laminack and Kelly (2019), “children see injustice more easily and more clearly than many adults do.” I believe that is because we have learned to turn a blind eye to the injustices going on around us. The sense of apathy is something that we do not want to pass on to our students, especially if we want to see change in our world.

This week, I was given the opportunity to read two books. They were Amal Unbound by Aisha Saeed and Malala, a Brave Girl from Pakistan/Iqbal, a Brave Boy from Pakistan: Two Stories of Bravery by Jeanette Winter. Both books showed a strong, thematic connection to activism.

Of course, I would begin my instruction by asking students “What do you notice about the illustration on the cover of the book? What do you wonder about the book based on the cover?” Both of these questions get students thinking about what the book will be about and any connections to their own world. On the cover of Amal Unbound, I noticed that she has henna tattoos on her hands, perhaps from a wedding. There is a book on her hand and it seems as though the books impact her life in some way because of the lines coming out from it. There is some connection to the day and night, as reflected on her fingers. In addition, it looks as though she is bound by something in some way. All of those comments might be noticed by students. Of course, they would also have many wonders in our discussion as well.

As we are reading, we would discuss the things that were happening to the characters and the issues going on around them. The characters in the books listed above are ordinary people, but ones who are strong-willed and willing to take a stand. Those are the characters that we should be showcasing to our students, especially if we want them to learn how to take a stand in their own communities/world. Amal was an ordinary girl from an ordinary family. However, she had to overcome many hardships along the way. She had to help out around the house and take care of her family while her mother was in a depressed state. In addition, she was forced into indentured servitude, when she truly did not do much harm. Amal had to overcome those hardships and still take a stand for what was truly right. Students may be able to relate to going through hard times, but still overcoming. Characters like Amal are ones that students can, in a sense, relate to even though she lived in a different area of the world. In addition to discussing the characters, we will talk about injustices present in the text. For example, in the book Separate Is Never Equal: Sylvia Mendez and Her Family’s Fight for Desegregation by Duncan Tonatiuh, students can learn about segregation of Mexican Americans and their struggle to overcome. According to Laminack and Kelly (2019), supplemental material can be added to help build students’ understanding, including photographs, primary documents, video clips, passages from other books, articles, and guest speakers. These extra “texts” allow students to better understand the social issue at hand and get a deeper comprehension of it. Once students understand the text and relate it to their own lives, the can learn how to take a stand in their own community or school. One way of doing this would be to write a letter to their principal (or another leader in charge). Students can explain the issue at hand and how they want to change it. Another idea is to write a letter to the editor of a popular book. According to Laminack and Kelly (2019), students wrote a letter to the “Who Was” series editor asking for them to include a book about Sylvia Mendez, since her family overcame such a huge obstacle. Students Showing students that they have a voice and can help to invoke change is very powerful. If they know that they can take a stand as a kid, it will help them understand that they can continue to do that for the rest of their life.

Another example that Laminack and Kelly (2019) mentioned was creating a Venn diagram to compare and contrast Malala to another important female advocate. Students could read the book Malala, A Brave Girl From Pakistan/Iqbal, A Brave Boy From Pakistan and compare/contrast her to another important figure like Rosa Parks. Learning can be taken a step further and applied to their own lives. Students can use the book to compare and contrast themselves with either Malala or Iqbal. This will show students how they are the same and different from these two characters. Students can also write about the impact these two made and how they can be advocates in their own lives.

Through instruction and texts that show activism, students can begin to see that they can use their voice to make changes in our world. A great resource to check out is https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Malala-a-Brave-Girl-from-Pakistan-Iqbal-a-Brave-Boy-from-Pakistan/Jeanette-Winter/9781481422949. This gives information about the book, author/illustrator, awards, and great resources to use in the classroom.

References

Laminack, L. and Kelly, K. (2019). Reading to make a difference: Using literature to help
students speak freely, think deeply, and take action. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.

Saeed, A. (2018). Amal Unbound. New York, NY: Nancy Paulsen Books.

Tonatiuh, D. (2014). Separate is never equal: sylvia mendez and her familys fight for
desegregation. Harry N Abrams.

Winter, J. (2015). Malala, a brave girl from Pakistan ; Iqbal, a brave boy from Pakistan.
London: Simon & Schuster Childrens.

According to Marshall (2016), Critical Race Theory (CRT) is “an especially important frame for analyzing children’s texts because its “critical and cultural critiques provide literary interpretations contextualized within multifaceted and often racialized macro systems” (Brooks, 2008, p.37).” According to Purdue Writing Lab, with this approach people can “understand how victims of systematic racism are affected by cultural perceptions and how to represent themselves to counter that prejudice.”

This week I read two children’s books that, I feel, truly allowed themselves to be represented and get their story heard. They are Separate is Never Equal: Sylvia Mendez & Her Family’s Fight for Desegregation by Duncan Tonatiuh and Can I Touch Your Hair?: Poems of Race, Mistakes, and Friendship by Irene Lathem and Charles Waters. Within Marshall’s article, “Counter Storytelling Through Graphic Life Writing,” the author included many examples of of CRT in the illustrations in Separate is Never Equal: Sylvia Mendez & Her Family’s Fight for Desegregation. There were several others present in the book, that I would like to discuss. On page 18 and 19 there is a full illustration of what seems to be Caucasian people, or individuals with light skin and hair, swimming in a pool. There is a sign saying “Nod Dogs or Mexicans Allowed, Public Pool.” The investigator is looking closely at the sign, almost questioning it himself. We can determine that because he is looking closely with a smirk on his face. Outside the gate, we see three Hispanic children looking in very sadly. They have sad expressions on their faces and seem disappointed that they do not fit the expectations. One question that came to my mind, and I am sure will other readers, is why are dogs and Mexican people related together on the sign? That seems like a very degrading remark to make. I believe the illustrator is depicting racism here.

Another illustration that caught my eye was on page 21. In this illustration, I notice Sylvia’s mother taking charge doing what society would deem a man’s job. She is on the tractor, taking charge of the family’s business, being the boss of the workers, and doing the manual labor outside. This is combatting the stereotype that women should only be indoors taking care of things in the house. The illustrator is showing that women can do just as many things as men. Another example of overcoming, in regard to racism, is on page 28. Several individuals were called to the stand to testify. It seemed in every illustration that every person was able to communicate effectively and have their voices heard. This combatted the stereotype/racism present that individuals of a different race cannot speak good English. In this case, all the individuals did not have any problem communicating.

Next, I believe it is important to give you some information about the author/illustrator of this book. According to Tonatiuh (2014), the book was “inspired by conversations with Sylvia Mendez.” Tonatiuh was born in Mexico City. His website says that he is both “Mexican and American.” If I had to guess, I would assume that he has dealt with some of the racism and stereotypes before. I like how he made it clear that he was both Mexican and American because in a sense it shows his identity and how he is not what people would assume. According to Tonatiuh, his goal is to create illustrations and write books that honor the past, but bring to light relevant principles and ideas today. The main characters in his book are of Hispanic decent, but American citizens. His book shows how they overcame racial prejudices and stereotypes and had their voices heard. The setting seemed to be out west, California, as the book says outside, in a school, in public areas, and in the courthouse. I would highly recommend this book. It shows students that there are many stereotypes and racial prejudices in our world, but how to overcome those.
For more information about Duncan Tonatiuh, visit his website at http://www.duncantonatiuh.com/about.html.

Can I Touch Your Hair by Irene Latham and Charles Waters

According to Irene Latham and Charles Waters (2018), wrote this book to “start conversations and change lives.” Their focus is to make the world a better place. I love the story behind this book. In the Author’s Note, it says that the project began with an email between the two authors that was a conversation about race. In addition, they also discussed how experiences have shaped lives. The poems within the book are based on their real-life experiences in public schools. The authors took into account their emotions and memories. I think this important to note because the authors had insight into what they were writing about. They could relate to it, which I definitely notice in the book. It seems almost more insightful because I feel like I am stepping into someone’s life. The illustrators, Sean Qualls and Selina Alko (2018), also wanted their illustrations to “ignite conversations about race and identity.” They mixed acrylic paint, colored pencil, and collage, just like the mixing of cultures. I loved how the illustrations incorporated newspaper clippings. It seemed like some of those clippings related to the poems.

The main characters in the book develop an amazing friendship. Irene, a blue eyed, blonde hair student who is white and Charles, who is black, overcome misunderstandings of race to become close friends. By becoming partners, they learn more about each other and begin to understand one another. The setting of the story is at school, public places, and at home.

This book would be great to use in a classroom. Reading these poems would allow whole class discussions about race. We could tie it in with identity as well. As a class we could talk about perceptions of people and how those perceptions make you feel. Students could even write their own poem about their own life experiences.

References

Brooks, W. (2008). An author as a counter-storyteller: Applying critical race theory to a Coretta Scott King award book. Children’s Literature in Education, 40, 33-45.

Latham, I., & Waters, C. (2018). Can I Touch Your Hair? Poems of Race, Mistakes, and Friendship. S.l.: Oneworld Publications.

Purdue Writing Lab. (n.d.). Critical Race Theory // Purdue Writing Lab. Retrieved October 15, 2019, from https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/subject_specific_writing/writing_in_literature/literary_theory_and_schools_of_criticism/critical_race_theory.html.

Tonatiuh, D. (2014). Separate is never equal: Sylvia Mendez & her familys fight for desegregation. New York: Abrams Books for Young Readers.

This week I had the privilege of reading the book The Parker Inheritance by Varian Johnson. I’ll be honest, this is a book that I received in my Scholastic book order last year and thought “this looks good.” I never took the opportunity to read it, but instead, it became another addition to my classroom library. After reading the book, I am now looking back and wondering what other books did I cast aside and miss out on an amazing read? Let me start peaking your interest in this amazing book with two videos, one in which the author speaks about the book and a book trailer for the book.

You have to be on the edge of your seat by now, ready to dive into this book. Hopefully after students see the trailer, they will be ready to dive in as well. I think the best place to get started is by looking at the cover of the book. One thing I have been taught, is to think critically about ALL aspects of a book, even its cover and the font that was used in the text. In regard to the cover, you will notice that part of the illustration is in color, while the other part is in black and white. You will also notice that it looks as though the main characters are biking toward the black and white part of the illustration. I take this as the characters are diving into the past, which they are. The Parker Inheritance does a great job of incorporating pop culture and aspects of today’s society into the story, but also relieving the past. I love how Johnson incorporates real life ideology and history into the book as well. Another important aspect to note is that the main characters are not your typical “blue eyed, white children” which dominate the children’s literature scene. It is important for students to read a wide variety of literature, ones that reflect different cultures and walks of life. I like what Boyd, Causey, and Galda (2015) had to say, “No group or individual has a single story, and knowing only one story leads to the creation of assumptions and stereotypes.” Therefore, it is important for us, as teachers, to incorporate many examples of pieces of literature to reflect different cultures. Students are not going to completely understand a culture by reading one book. Instead, we must fully immerse them in many.

Next, after reading The Parker Inheritance, I was full of questions. Was this based on a true story? Was there actually a fortune that was hidden by clues in South Carolina? I love watching Expedition Unknown. This show is hosted by archaeologist Josh Gates and sends him on so many adventures trying to solve unknown mysteries. I kept thinking, “wow, this could be the next Josh Gates adventure!” I needed to read more about the author and the book. One website I turned to was The Story Behind the Parker Inheritance, included below.
http://varianjohnson.com/books/the-parker-inheritance/story-behind-parker-inheritance/
In fact, the book was based on The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin and an interaction that the author had with his brother in high school (Johnson, 2019). The puzzle and mystery aspect of the book comes from The Westing Game. In addition, Johnson tackles many social injustices and ideologies held in society, even today. Within this book, I noticed many things that did not sit well with me. Unfortunately, many of these ideologies are still prevalent today. These were ones that I found were being touched on in the book:

• When Candace and Brandon were leaving the Memorial Room and the assistant principal ran into them, he thought they were up to no good based on the color of their skin. Unfortunately, this thought is still around today.
• When Milo and his friends mistreated Brandon, they thought “he must be gay since he’s never had a girlfriend and was best friends with someone who wasn’t straight.”
• When Brandon and his family thought Candice’s family was poor and bought her new clothes, still with tags, and offered to feed them on several occasions. While this was a nice gesture, Candice seemed to be offended.
• On page 151, Johnson (2018) touched briefly on unarmed black people being hurt by the police, the very ones who are supposed to be here to protect.
• Finally, the idea that people of different races should not be together romantically (pages 275-276). This is an assumption that was prevalent a long time ago, but still prevails today.

All of the ideologies that I found were very prevalent in the book, but are still around today. These social injustices are unfair assumptions. These ideologies and social injustices will continue on, unless children and adults are taught otherwise. It is our job, as teachers, to educate students on the past and how to make a better future. I have learned the best way to do this is by being immersed in culturally diverse literature. Students begin to see that our world today is made up by a variety of people that we must respect and care for.

In addition, I noticed that The Parker Inheritance touched on many visual and verbal sensitivities. These sensitivities included divorce, death, the naming of individuals, discrimination, “rough neighborhoods,” sexual orientation/coming out, and bullying. These are all things that students may run into. I know in my own life, there were a few things that really hit home with me, divorce and death. There was real authenticity to what Johnson was writing about. I believe that Johnson did a really good job of portraying the life of a child of divorce. He talked about the feelings Candice had and the struggles of living a life separate from her dad. These were all feelings that I could relate to. I know many students that read the book may be dealing with similar situation. Therefore, I believe it is important for students and teachers to be informed about divorce. There is definitely a psychological toll that divorce puts on kids. Below the illustration is a website that I found to be very helpful, even as a child of divorce myself. I believe that Johnson included tips that reduced the psychological toll of divorce on Candice, in an application style, in his book as well. I have included many that he talked about below.

Furthermore, another aspect that was brought up was death. Johnson included real emotions and struggles of losing someone close. I could almost feel Candice’s pain of losing her grandmother, especially since I lost mine within the last year. It truly made me feel like I was right back in the same situation. In addition, bullying and adults taking action was also brought into the light. Brandon was bullied constantly by Milo and his friends. It seemed as though he was bullied for his sexual orientation, which the author never came out and said forthright. Candice was his constant in the story. She did not care who he was, what kind of books he liked, or who he loved. She even took it a step further, standing up for him to his grandfather. She embodied the characteristics of a bold, kind, take action character. Therefore, the kids were the ones who took action and stood up for what they believed in. Occasionally, we read about the adults standing up for the kids. However, the kids were the ones who were taking action, solving the puzzle, and standing up for what they believed in.

What About the History?

The Parker Inheritance touched on many pieces of history that were very authentic. To begin with, Johnson included people like Althea Gibson, a true American tennis player. The book also included the incorporation of the Civil Rights Movement, Jim Crow Laws, the Ku Klux Klan, Briggs vs. Elliott, and Brown vs. Board of Education. Readers can get a glimpse into what life was like for different races, especially African Americans during the 1950’s and 1960’s. The flash backs incorporated into this book allow one to understand this time period much better. I felt a ton of empathy and questioned how people could treat humans so badly. Unfortunately, I realized that people are still being mistreated today. In addition, there were many references to pop culture included in the book: Stephen King, James Patterson, Judy Blume, iPod touch, Stevie Wonder’s “My Cherie Amour,” The Temptations, Atlanta Braves, smartphones, Carolina Panthers, and Earth, Wind, and Fire’s “September.”

Overall, I believe this book has so many positive aspects. It is one of those books that has been written in a way that allows the reader to look through a “window” to see what life was like during the Civil Rights Movement. Many readers can also look at this book as a mirror. They may see a lot of themselves reflected through Candice or Brandon. Therefore, I can definitely see this text being used in my own classroom. I believe it could touch on so many subjects. It could be used for instruction and accounts in the treatment of different people, bullying, overcoming obstacles, and so much more. If you have not read The Parker Inheritance, it definitely needs to be your next read. I can guarantee you will not regret it.

References

Animations, S. T. (2018, May 20). Retrieved October 8, 2019, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DZqY9qTwXy0.

Boyd, F. B., Causey, L. L., & Galda, L. (2015). Culturally Diverse Literature Enriching Variety in an Era of Common Core State Standards. The Reading Teacher, 68(5), 378–387. doi: 10.1002/trtr.1326

Johnson, V. (2018). The Parker Inheritance. New York, NY: Arthur A. Levine Books.

Johnson, V. (2019). The Story Behind The Parker Inheritance. Retrieved from http://varianjohnson.com/books/the-parker-inheritance/story-behind-parker-inheritance/.

Morin, A. (2019, August 6). The Psychological Effects of Divorce on Children. Retrieved from https://www.verywellfamily.com/psychological-effects-of-divorce-on-kids-4140170.

Scholastic. (2017, November 20). Retrieved October 8, 2019, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FfOeRc5KByU.