Becoming Antiracist: Reflect. Reimagine. Act.

(Partially reprinted from my article published in the June, 2020, iCommunicate an eNewsletter of the Illinois Reading Council.)

Current events have raised our collective awareness of systemic racial trauma in the midst of a pandemic. In my mind, current events, while historic, unprecedented, and at times overwhelming; provide all of us with a rare opportunity to reflect, reimagine, and act to effect meaningful change. As we begin to process the physical, mental, and emotional trauma that is happening in our world, it is incumbent of all of us to support each other, our students, and their families by creating more inclusive communities. 

REFLECT. For me addressing issues of equity, inclusion, and working towards a more inclusive community really came to the forefront of my attention while working on my doctorate, specifically during a class on social equity and justice. The antiracist ideals of equity and inclusion, coupled with my biases and prejudices, are issues that I have been trying to reflect on and address in earnest for the past six years with the full understanding that such work is a lifelong journey with no final destination. As such, I have come to learn the importance of listening to understand and that our actions often speak louder than our words. 

REIMAGINE. I believe some of the biggest roadblocks to rooting out systemic racism and reimagining education include:  (a) educational funding (funding from property taxes is inherently inequitable), (b) the deficit learning model based on standardized testing (these types of tests were created with the intent of proving that black people and women were intellectually inferior to white men), (c) curriculum/resources (presenting multiple perspectives by curating multi-modal text sets), and (d) professional development (the majority of teachers are white). The first two are policy related roadblocks. Although it is imperative for educators to lobby for policy changes, policies are largely beyond our immediate individual control. Curriculum, resources, and professional development, however, are fully within our ability to control, so individual teachers can begin to reimagine a “new normal” and immediately effect change. 

ACT. After personally reflecting and reimagining, it is time to commit to action. I have created a public Padlet (digital bulletin board - see link below) with the top 20 equity and inclusion resources that have impacted my thinking and instruction. This is by no means exhaustive list, but it is a place to start. 

Reflect. Reimagine. However, never forget the ultimate goal is to commit to taking at least one actionable step toward a more inclusive community. Even the smallest step when taken consistently can effect BIG change. 

I have been reflecting on past practices in my classroom (I will continue to share ideas on this blog) and trying to reimagine the actions I can take to move toward creating an even more inclusive classroom where ALL learners blossom—both emotionally and academically. I have not taken the time to blog consistently for a while, but I am committing to blogging once a week. Writing about all that I am reading will help me process the information and begin to formulate plans for action. 

Becoming Antiracist Padlet

My Story of Imperfection: Embracing Brokenness, Embracing A Shared Humanity

I find myself drawn to the concepts of equity and social justice and all their messy complexities. We refer to the ideas of equity and social justice by so many names: diversity, inclusion, disruption, decolonization, etc. I strive to try to do as much as possible to learn about and understand the problematic power structures found in so many of our systems by reading, listening, asking questions, and engaging in deep ongoing reflection. As an educator, I grapple with the effects of equity and social justice on the kids and families I serve, especially after reading several books that have been weighing heavy in my mind:

·     The Gifts of Imperfection: Let Go of Who You Think You’re Supposed to Be and Embrace Who You Areby BrenéBrown

·     Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemptionby Bryan Stevenson

·     Cultivating Genius: An Equity Framework for Culturally and Historically Responsive Literacy by Gholdy Muhammad

I have several friends who have experienced the repercussions of the problematic power structures found in so many of our systems. They have endured unthinkable life experiences and actively work to “disrupt” the status quo. When I hear their stories, I feel ashamed of my white privilege—ashamed of my story. I feel unworthy of entering into a conversation that will bring much needed change to so many inequitable power structures. I wonder, how I can contribute to the work of disrupting the status quo in a meaningful way when my white-privilege is the root cause of those power structures? In his book Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption, Bryan Stevenson addresses my feelings of shame when he states: “We all share the condition of brokenness even if our brokenness is not equivalent. … But our brokenness is also the source of our common humanity, the basis for our shared search for comfort, meaning, and healing. Our shared vulnerability and imperfection nurtures and sustains our capacity for compassion (p. 289).” In her book The Gifts of Imperfection: Let Go of Who You Think You’re Supposed to Be and Embrace Who You Are, BrenéBrown defines connection as “the energy that exists between people when they feel seen, heard, and valued; when they can give and receive without judgment; and when they derive sustenance and strength from the relationship (p. 19).”

With Stevenson’s and Brown’s words in mind, I began to rewrite the shame narrative playing in my head. I believe that all of us have something to contribute to the conversation of equity and social justice regardless of our past life experiences. Putting a measuring stick next to our brokenness is a nothing more than a value judgment of our past, and that distracts us from moving forward with a conversation that will affect change. I have also made the mistake of believing that my passion for a topic gives me the right to “call out injustice” in others. What I have learned is that being intensely passionate can be very off-putting to people, which often causes them to be defensive and shut down the conversation. Calling out others implies that I am better or that I have the right to judge. I have learned that, at its heart, advocacy and being a catalyst of change means actively listening to understand more than speaking out; and that building inclusive trusting relationships grounds the process. Trusting relationships provide us with the space to be vulnerable; allow us to feel seen, heard, and valued; and give us common ground to find our humanity.

But that is not enough. Advocacy is easy if I surround myself with people who share my beliefs. But, being a true advocate, or catalyst of change, also necessitates that I intentionally seek out people whose philosophical beliefs are in opposition to mine and continue the process of actively listening to understand. These beliefs are not easy to live. I continue to reflect on, and refine, my beliefs about equity and justice. Honestly, I am also overwhelmed by the messy complexities of equity and justice. There is so much work that needs to be done, especially in today’s world. So, I embrace my own imperfection in this process and take small steps every day to affect change. It is probably not enough, but it is a start—and we all need to begin by taking a step forward.

In the end, I remember the words of Brown, “Only when we are brave enough to explore the darkness will we discover the infinite power of our light (p. 6).” Together our light shines like the north star beckoning us toward the hope of connectedness. 

Listener + Speaker + Reader + Writer = Lifelong Learner.

Reflection

I just got back from the Boothbay Literacy Retreat in Boothbay, Maine. What an honor and a privilege it was to learn alongside some of my literacy mentors like:  Kylene Beers, Bob Probst, Penny Kittle, Linda Rief, Chris Crutcher, Teri Lesesne, Cornelius Minor, and Sara Ahmed. What an honor and a privilege to learn alongside many other incredible educators who attend the retreat from near and far. Five days of learning heaven. It filled my literacy heart and soul. As I continue to reflect on my educational values and philosophies this summer, I am left with a clearer picture of my professional identity and can set meaningful growth goals for myself.

One value I absolutely hold as a truth—I cannot be a teacher of literacy without first being a listener, speaker, reader, and writer. I forgot which one of my literacy mentors said this (I would like to give them credit for this analogy), but “would you bring your child to learn piano from someone who has never played the piano before?” My answer is, NO. Of course not, it seems silly to even ask that question. Similarly, I cannot expect the families of my students, or my students, to trust in me has a teacher of literacy, unless I first do the hard work that I ask my kids to do every day—listen, speak, read, and write. 

To build curious joyful learning communities, I need to begin by listening to my students, their families, and colleagues with an open mind and an open heart, not to pass judgment but to learn from new perspectives. I need speak to share my truth, and to advocate for those who are afraid to speak or are not being heard. I need to read to learn about myself and others in order to make meaning of this global world we live in. I need to write, because writing clarifies all the other aspects of literacy. Writing has always been the most difficult for me. Writing, good writing requires purpose, an understanding of the audience, and an intimate knowledge of craft. It requires an active engagement in the literacy process has a whole. 

Although the standards may change from grade-level to grade-level, and child to child based on where they are in their literacy journey, what remains constant is listening, speaking, reading, and writing are the mirrors, windows, and sliding glass doors to the world (Bishop, 1990). It is my job has a teacher of literacy to pull alongside my students to do the hard work of exploring the world together. Balanced literacy means:

·     Incorporating listening, speaking, reading, and writing into my classroom

·     Curating a diverse classroom library (genre, format, story, etc.)

·     Integrating multiple content areas through project-based learning/literacy experiences

·     Communicating within and beyond the walls of the classroom

·     Exploring the world through multiple modalities and formats

The journey begins in kindergarten. And when educators are passionate listeners, speakers, readers, and writers, that passion is contagious, so the journey continues through our adult lives. What an honor and a privilege it is to pull alongside learners of all ages.

Labels - Part 2

Reflection

I want to reflect further on how we, with the best of intentions, label children and how those labels impact their identity and self-efficacy.

Several years ago, I had the privilege of hearing Peter Johnston present. One thing he said, and I also read in his book, really resonated with me – we need to stop using value-laden language in our classrooms. One common example, teachers will often talk about reading strategies by saying, “this is a strategy good readers use…” In a child’s mind, they immediately think, “I use that strategy, so I must be a good reader;” or “I don’t use that strategy, so I must be a bad reader.” Either scenario is detrimental to a child’s identity as a reader. The “good” readers often establish a fixed mindset, slowing their growth; while the “bad” readers often internalize the comment and shut down. 

We are all readers! We are all at a different place on our reading journey! Our place as a reader during our lifelong journey, does not and should not, change the fact that we are all readers! My job as a teacher is not to judge you as a reader, but to learn about your and understand you has a reader, so I can help you move forward on your journey —with or without me! There is NO SUCH THING as a “good” or “bad” reader! (Can you tell by the exclamation marks that I am passionate about this topic?) When I adapted the mindset that everyone was a reader in my classroom, I found I could celebrate curious joyful reading with all of my students, which in turn helped them to build their identity, self-efficacy, and motivation as independent readers. That was a huge mind shift for me, and I believe with my whole heart that even though I did not always see tangible results in test scores, I saw tangible results in how my students became confident readers and began to love reading.

I know that is not a popular statement but, sharing reading levels with students is just another way of saying, you are a good reader or a bad reader. There is no need to share a reading level with a student. The level in and of itself does not provide a reader with specific feedback/information that will help them move forward on their reading journey. If I want to share the results of a reading assessment with a student, or their parent, I can do so by providing much more actionable feedback that a reading level.

Reflection to Practice

I believe I have done a good job at mitigating the use of labels in my classroom. I work hard to remove as much value-laden language in my classroom as possible. Teachers in the grade-level above me have mentioned how my mitigating the use of labels has made a noticeable difference in the kids and their mindset to learn. But, I also know that I am not doing enough to help kids grow has independent readers. 

My goal this upcoming year is to combine the work of Jennifer Serravallo and Kate and Maggie Roberts (see books below). This summer I am working on learning progressions related to text complexity. My hope is that by teaching readers through learning progressions on text complexity, it will improve their ability to independently preview and select texts that are just right for them—not because I say so, but because they can consciously make an informed choice on their own. I also believe that by naming and explaining what makes a text become increasingly complex, this practice will add in the kids’ ability to comprehend text as well as author text. 

Be sure to check back to the blog for updates on my progress.

Johnston, P. (2004). Choice words: How our language affects children’s learning. Portland, ME: Stenhouse.

Johnston, P. (2012). Opening minds: Using language to change lives. Portland, ME: Stenhouse.

Roberts, K. & Roberts, M. B. (2016). DIY literacy: teaching tools for differentiation, rigor, and independence.Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.

Serravallo, J. (2018). Understanding texts & readers: Responsive comprehension instruction with leveled texts.Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.

Labels

Reflection

Today, I finished my report cards for this last trimester. As I was working on them, I began reflecting on the practice of grading and posting grades. Pedagogically, I have come to believe grades are nothing more than labels we put on children and they are counter-productive to curious joyful learning. This year I have taken steps to minimize the presence of grades in my classroom and develop ways to give both students and parents more meaningful and actionable feedback. 

This week, I will reflect specifically on the steps I have taken to minimize the presence of grades in my classroom. Next week, I will reflect further on how grades label children and how those labels impact their identity and self-efficacy.

Reflection to Practice

When I began teaching, I utilized a traditional grading system, which I have come to view has the most harmful. I graded specific assignments and tests, then averaged scores for a grade. If a student did not complete the work, they received a zero in the gradebook. (I am embarrassed to admit that this was my grading practice for my first few years as a teacher.)

After learning more about assessment for learning (Chappuis, 2009), versus assessment of learning, and after reading several books on grading by Marzano; I made my first major shift in grading practices. No student received a zero in my gradebook, the lowest score I entered was 50%. A student could rebound from a 50% when averaging grades, but they could never recover if they got a score lower than 50% in my gradebook. I also began providing more feedback when returning student work and my goal was to provide grades/feedback within one day (a lofty goal, that admittedly I did not always accomplish).

As I continued to digest what I had learned in Marzano’s books, I started moving to a more standards-based grading system utilizing a 4-point scale. I put the target standard(s) on the assignments/tests. One of the biggest shifts I made, was I no longer average grades, students received the latest grade that demonstrated their best learning. I also let kids revise their work on assignments and tests. I believed if students were “punished” for earlier mistakes in the learning process by averaging grades, then learning in my classroom was not a safe risk-free environment. And, it is not learning, if we begin the process with mastery. Averaging grades and summative, or high-stakes, tests discouraged the process of learning.  

This year, I created a standards-based guide for each trimester. I gave this to the students and their parents, so both had more detailed information about where the grade came from and specific areas of focus for improvement. Data folders were created for the each of the kids to graph their scores. 

Next year, I hope to better utilize learning progressions within my grading system to help students and their parents know where they are within their personal learning journey and what the next steps are for growth. I am wondering how I might “grade” the process more than the outcome to help improve growth. But I worry how this will impact the kids in terms of maintaining a sense of urgency to grow as a learning, particularly for kids who struggle, and/or produce quality work. I also hope to provide parents with some specific activities to do at home—real world activities—like baking to learn fractions. 

I do not believe in grades, but unfortunately the grading system is not going away. So, I need to figure out how to make the grading system work better for the me and the kids I serve. I would love to hear other ideas of how to help improve growth and the quality of work by manipulating the grading system to the kids’ advantage. 

Chappuis, J. (2009). Seven Strategies of Assessment for Learning. Glenview, IL: Pearson.

Marzano, R. J. (2006) Classroom Assessment & Grading that Work. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.

Stamina

Reflection

There are two and a half weeks of school left this year. It is a crazy busy time of year. It is the time of year I always wonder—will I have the stamina to make it to the end? This got me thinking about the concept of stamina in reading. Many people define “stamina” in reading has a child’s ability to read over a prolonged period of time, typically 30-45 minutes of sustained independent reading. But I would argue that the definition of stamina should also consider the types of text a child reads in addition to the length of time. In a world of instant feedback and short bursts of text, students have difficulty maintaining comprehension over a longer piece of text. 

Reflection to Practice

To address this issue of building reader stamina across longer pieces of text, my mind is synthesizing the work of several literacy experts. DIY Literacy: Teaching Tools for Differentiation, Rigor, and Independence by Kate Roberts and Maggie Beattie Roberts; Understanding Texts & Readers: Responsive Comprehension Instruction with Leveled Text andA Teacher’s Guide to Reading Conferences: The Classroom Essentials Seriesby Jennifer Serravallo. Next year, I want to focus on using micro-progessions to teach readers about text complexity during reading/small group conferences. By synthesizing and applying the work of these literacy experts, I hope to help kids redefine the idea of a just right book—a book they choose because the text is a good match for the reading goal they set. By understanding what makes a text complex, students can use that knowledge to better comprehend what they are reading and effectively participate in discussion groups.

The ABCs of Summer Learning

This week’s blog post is a follow-up to last week’s commentary. I have continued to struggle with an end of the year tradition—"The ABC Countdown.” Particularly with the fact that the countdown seems to emphasize getting out of school to begin the summer, instead of emphasizing ways in which we can continue be curious joyful learners over the summer as well as during the school year. I also struggle with the loss of valuable instructional time once the countdown begins.

Instead of just reflecting on why I struggle with the tradition and possible options for change next year, I decided to do something about it now while it is fresh in my mind. This week, I am attaching a link to my Google Drive where readers will find the working draft of my new end of the year countdown—"The ABCs of Summer Learning.” Feel free to steal any or all of the resource.

“The ABCs of Summer Learning” will include a list of summer learning opportunities to continue to be curious joyful lifelong learners over the summer. Hopefully, it will help students make authentic connections between what we do in school and how it can be applied in the “real world” outside of school. My thinking is, I will contribute some of the ideas for a few of the letters, the whole class can add some options, and this is a great research activity for some of my early finishers in class (the kids who finish an assignment early and are looking for something meaningful to do). 

To add an additional level of rigor to this activity, I am going to model the countdown after a book recommended by Dr. Steven Layne during a workshop of his I attend in the fall—Q is for Duck: An Alphabet Guessing Gameby Michael Folsom. As the title suggests, what is unique about this alphabet book, the person creating the alphabet page must know the attributes of a topic and be able to explain them in order to create the alphabet page.

I am excited to try this activity in the hopes of creating a new tradition that promotes not only summer learning, but lifelong learning. Hopefully, you will find the activity helpful as well. Any additional ideas and/or feedback is welcome. 

The ABCs of Summer Learning - Working Draft