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By Dr. Katie Cramer ***The following post was originally posted on Dr. Cramer's personal blog, which can be found here. In her groundbreaking book Cultivating genius: An equity framework for culturally and historically responsive literacy, Dr. Gholdy Muhammad convincingly argues that Black and Brown excellence has been erased from our curriculums and that contemporary education prioritizes the teaching of basic skills to the detriment of our students, particularly our students of color. To address these significant issues, Muhammad (2020) developed the Historically Responsive Literacy (HRL) Framework based on her research on Black Literary Societies of the early 1800s in which “literacy was not just for self-enjoyment or fulfillment, it was tied to action and efforts to shape the sociopolitical landscape of a country that was founded on oppression” (p. 22). The four pursuits of the HRL Framework The HRL Framework features four interwoven pursuits that also align with those of the Black Literary Societies of the early 19th century:
In her book, Muhammad argues that the HRL Framework is useful in all content areas at all levels. She explores each of the four pursuits in detail and convincingly argues the value of each one. For example, in describing identity development, Muhammad (2020) reminds us that identity was stripped from enslaved Africans and so it is vital that people of color know themselves in order to tell their own stories (p. 64). We must encourage our students to speak for themselves, and we must listen. We must also interrogate and resist our own deficit thinking (e.g., labeling students first/only as “at risk,” “defiant, “unmotivated, “tier 3”), and instead take an appreciative stance toward their existing literacies (Bomer, 2011, p. 21). We must check our (colleagues’) bias when speaking about students who have been and continue to be marginalized in schools. We must listen to Muhammad’s words: “I have never met an unmotivated child; I have, however, ‘met’ unmotivating curriculum and instruction” (2020, p. 65). Indeed, our students’ identity stories must begin with their excellence (Muhammad, 2020, p. 67). Erasure of Black and Brown Excellence Dr. Muhammad convincingly argues that knowledge of Black Literary Societies and Black and Brown excellence has been erased from our curriculums throughout PreK-16, including in teacher education programs. Like Larry Ferlazzo (2020), I am embarrassed to admit that I had never heard of Black Literary Societies before reading her book. She urges teacher educators (those who prepare future teachers) toward the following pursuits:
Exploring the HRL Framework As teachers (at all levels), we must interrogate our own practice using the HRL framework, asking ourselves for each pursuit: “Where is the evidence in my practice?” and “What are my goals for improvement?” To engage in this work, I urge you to review questions for reflection from Dr. Muhammad that accompany each pursuit and consider how you might revise (or design new) lessons/units to fulfill these pursuits—and engage in your own intellectual development by exploring Dr. Muhammad’s work further (see links the list of references below): Identity
Skills
Intellect
Criticality
Friends, we must interrogate our curriculums—the ones we design AND the ones provided by our school districts. As Dr. Muhammad (2021) reminds us, we “have enough genius to do this work.” So let us begin. References Bomer, R. (2011). Building adolescent literacy in today’s English classrooms. Heinemann. Ferlazzo, L. (2020 Jan. 28). Author interview with Dr. Gholdy Muhammad: “Cultivating genius.” Edweek. https://www.edweek.org Muhammad, G. (2020). Cultivating genius: An equity framework for culturally and historically responsive literacy. Scholastic. Muhammad, G. (2021 Mar. 17). Cultivating genius and joy: An equity model for culturally and historically responsive literacy [Webinar]. WRITE Center. https://www.writecenter.org/webinars.html Further reading Learn more about Dr. Gholdy Muhammad by viewing her faculty profile at Georgia State University. For more information on Black Literary Societies, read Cultivating Genius and/or Forgotten readers: Recovering the lost history of African American literary societies (2002) by Elizabeth McHenry, the first chapter of which is available HERE.  About the Author
Katherine Mason Cramer is a former middle school English teacher and a professor of English Education at Wichita State University. She has been a KATE member since 2010 and an NCTE member since 2000. She serves on the KATE Executive Board, and has served as Editor of Kansas English since 2017. She can be reached at Katie.Cramer@wichita.edu.
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by Michaela Liebst February 1st marks the first day of Black History Month, and with all of the events that have transpired over the past year, the celebration of black culture, influence, and pride feels more important than in years past. As educators, we are given a unique chance to highlight Black voices and bring them to the forefront of our curricular focus, exposing students to new concepts, ideas, and styles that they may have never experienced before. The KATE blog team feels passionately about this endeavor, and wants to aid you in bringing minority voices to the forefront. We are excited to provide a list of novels created by ELA teachers for both elementary and secondary grade levels that represent not only black characters, but other minority groups as well. We believe representation in literature is the key to equity and that creating a culture of understanding and inclusion within our classrooms is essential for helping to ease some of the dissonance that our communities, states, and nation are currently facing. We hope that this list inspires you to consider changing up the books you include in your curriculum, or to spice up your classroom library so that students have more access to a diverse range of books. I also encourage you to check out this blog post by Dr. Katie Cramer regarding the NCTE’s position statements “...to support curricular inclusion…” of all types of diversity. We are aware that combining the beliefs of your district with our nation’s current political climate could possibly deter you from wanting to provide access to these texts. However, we challenge you to start small and use the position statements as a way to advocate for the inclusion of these texts in your school buildings. Overall, we are excited for the opportunity to share this list with you and hope it inspires you to take advantage of this month to shake things up and prioritize the inclusion of all voices in your curriculum.  Book Suggestions for Secondary ELA Teachers BLACK HISTORY MONTH A Song of Wraiths and Ruins by Roseanne A. Brown: “The first in a fantasy duology inspired by West African folklore in which a grieving crown princess and a desperate refugee find themselves on a collision course to murder each other despite their growing attraction.” - suggested by Madison Jewell, Middle School ELA Teacher  Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi: “The first book in a series about a girl trying to restore magic. The monarchy tries to stop her.” - suggested by Madison Jewell. Ghost Boys by Jewell Parker Rhodes: “A Black boy who was killed by a cop comes back as a ghost along with other black boys unjustly killed to make a difference.” - suggested by Krista May-Shackleford, Elementary Media Specialist  Slay by Brittney Morris: “Slay is a great read—A Black female protagonist has designed a game only open to Black players and keeps her role a secret. Her game has real world consequences and she suddenly finds herself over her head. I’m not a gamer but enjoyed it on so many levels.” - suggested by Lizanne Minerva, High School ELA teacher OTHER MINORITY GROUPS Middle-Eastern Culture -The Wrath and the Dawn by Renée Ahdieh: “Sharazad wants to get revenge on the boy-king who murders his new bride the night they marry. She chooses to marry him but comes to find he may not be like what he seems.” - suggested by Madison Jewell Latinx Culture - Into the Beautiful North by Luis Alberto Urrea: “Into the Beautiful North depicts fun, memorable characters who embark upon the dangerous journey to cross the border into America. This author has a unique way of combining humor, realistic teenage angst, and the serious issue of border crossing that keeps you turning pages and cheering for the heroine and seriously hoping for a sequel!” - , suggested by Deborah McNemee, High School ELA teacher LGBTQ+ - Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas: “A trans boy determined to prove his gender to his traditional Latinx family summons a ghost who refuses to leave” - suggested by Madison Jewell  Book Suggestions for Elementary Teachers BLACK HISTORY MONTH Fearless Mary by Tami Charles: “A real-life story that takes you back to the western front and hard dirt trails! Mary was the first woman stagecoach driver – the first African American woman stagecoach driver, in fact! This book shares some of her trailblazing experiences during her journeys carrying much-needed supplies and much-welcomed letters to people who had moved out west! Comic-book style illustrations make for a fun accompaniment to her story, including how her actions have influenced present-day mail delivery!” -suggested by Hannah Kraxberger, an elementary student teacher  The Day You Begin by Jacqueline Woodson: “The Day You Begin is about a young girl experiencing kindergarten for the first time. She is excited and nervous at the same time! Everyone seems so different. When the students share what they did over the summer, it’s hard for Angelina. She hears of all the wonderful stories of adventures her classmates went on while she stayed home and watched her sibling. Angelina finds her voice to share that she stayed home and, even though she didn’t experience any amazing stories, she MADE stories and that’s okay...Everyone has similarities and differences, and that’s what makes us beautiful!” - , suggested by Hannah Kraxberger CHILDREN W/ DISABILITIES Moses Goes to a Concert by Isaac Millman: “This book encourages the use of sign language throughout and includes accurate, colorful illustrations of how to sign the text. The book also exemplifies more subtle attributes of d/Deaf culture, such as some of the students waving to show their applause. The most admirable trait of Moses Goes to a Concert is the depiction of Moses and his friends as happy children who have typical lifestyles. The book does not focus on their disability as a problem to be fixed, and Mr. Samuels teaches them ways to thrive and enjoy activities in unique ways.” - suggested by Hannah Schoonover, an elementary student teacher Why Does Izzy Cover Her Ears? Dealing with Sensory Overload by Jennifer Veenendall: “This book details how confusing school can feel for a child who has a sensory processing disorder. This book could also help a teacher or parents realize that frequent misbehaviors often have an underlying cause. Classmates of a child like Izzy could better understand the reactions their classmate has and the interventions their classmate uses after reading this book. This book could also help a child with a sensory processing disorder explain how or what they are feeling in certain situations and give them a character with whom they can relate.” - suggested by Hannah Schoonover The Seeing Stick by Jane Yolen: “The Seeing Stick begins with Hwei Min feeling sad that she cannot see and shows her father trying to help fix her disability. However, as the book progresses it shows Hwei Min’s emotional transformation as she becomes comfortable “seeing” with her fingertips. The Seeing Stick gives the message that Hwei Min did not need to be “fixed.” However, she just needed the correct help and tools to allow her to embrace her disability.” - suggested by Hannah Schoonover We’ll Paint the Octopus Red by Stephanie Stuve-Bodeen: “Stephanie Stuve-Bodeen, author of We’ll Paint the Octopus Red, strove to write this book from a child’s point of view on what having a younger sibling with Down syndrome could be like.” -suggested by Hannah Schoonover GENDER A is for Awesome! by Eva Chen: “I really liked this board book about awesome women. I really enjoyed the quotes by Amelia Earhart, Katherine Graham, Queen Elizabeth I, and…you! Each page features an incredible woman and has a quote by her. I really liked that quotes are included, and they are so beautiful! The illustrations will easily capture your reading buddy’s attention and keep yours. It’s primarily for the 0-4 age range, but I think it would be engaging for kindergarten and first grade students, too!” - suggested by Hannah Kraxberger 50 Women in Science by Rachel Ignotofsky: “Fifty women, born from 350 CE through 1977, have their stories and inventions and experiments recorded in this book. You’ve got your (now) well-known Katherine Johnson, Marie Curie, and…SURPRISE! Did you know that Hedy Lamarr, star of Hollywood’s Golden Age, was also an inventor? She’s most definitely more than just a pretty face. Each biography has an illustration of the woman, a quote from her, a small summary of what she’s accomplished, and a full page detailing how and when she made her mark on science. With all that information, it’s definitely not a sit-down-and-read-all-at-once kind of book, but highly worth your time. This book will be in my classroom for sure.” - suggested by Hanna Kraxberger CULTURAL The Proudest Blue by Ibtihaj Muhammad: “It’s the first day of school and Faizah’s older sister Asiya gets to wear the most beautiful deep blue hijab she has ever seen. It’s a big deal because it means Asiya is all grown up now! But Faizah doesn’t understand why some kids at school tease her sister for the hijab. Don’t they know it is an honor? Don’t they see the beauty in it? Written by an Olympic medalist, this book explains the meaning of the hijab to the Muslim faith and to the women who wear it. The colors and illustrations used are eye-catching for the reader (and listener!) to engage with. Moreover, it tells a wonderful story of being brave, resilient, and understanding of differences. “ - suggested by Hannah Kraxberger Same Same but Different by Jenny Sue Kostecki-Shaw: “A tale of two pen pals, this is a book of exploring differences! Elliot tells about his American house. Kailash writes a letter back about how his house in India is different, but also the same! Kailash writes about his pet. Elliot writes back to share about his pet and how it’s different. As the letters go on, the boys find that same and different are things that they share – in a lot of aspects!” - suggested by Hannah Kraxberger We Are Grateful by Traci Sorrell - “This book walks through memories of the Cherokee people using the native word for “grateful” to apply to different situations as a way of remembering the past and celebrating the future. Side note – This was perhaps the first book I’ve had the pleasure of reading that involved Native American tribes in a non-Pilgrim perspective or setting and it was so good.” - suggested by Hannah Kraxberger While we know that this list doesn’t even begin to scrape the surface of all of the incredible books available to teachers, we are excited about this list because it contains books that have been vetted by actual teachers in actual classrooms.
If there’s a book you feel passionately about that should have made the list, comment it below so that we can continue to celebrate and include the voices of both Black culture as well as other minority groups. Happy February and Happy Black History Month! By Deborah McNemee Dear KATE, When we finally rang in 2021, KATE blog committee planned to post a welcome to the new year blog. And then… Well, let’s just say this isn’t the new year post we’d planned. Once again teachers have been handed the dilemma of figuring out how to navigate what life just handed us. Part of the mission of KATE is to provide a forum for dialogue and collegiality among Kansas teachers of English Language Arts and to provide leadership and direction for instruction. We serve all Kansas ELA teachers. ELA is for everyone. It says so on our webpage. We know, however, the challenges of teaching English language arts without touching upon controversial topics. On Patriot’s Day, I always have some kind of memorializing activity. The motto associated with 9/11 is We Will Never Forget. I remember where I was that day. I was locked in the surreality of the rite- of - passage apple orchard field trip with my second grade daughter. She and her friends romped happily through the grounds, picking fruit and pushing each other too high on the tire swing until the teacher came over and told them to stop. It wasn’t safe. All the while, I couldn't help myself from sneaking back to my car for updates on the crumpled towers and decimated lives. I take the 9/11 motto seriously and personally. In order to never forget, it’s the responsibility of those of us who lived through it to pass the memory on to those who weren’t even born yet. As a teacher, the responsibility weighs heavily. So, I do the Patriots Day activity. This year, I showed an inspiring video, ESPN’s The Man with the Red Bandana. The next day, a father of a Muslim student called the school to complain. He felt the subject was too controversial to bring up in class. He never actually contacted me, but when I was told of his concern, I responded with a sincere letter explaining how in AP Lang, that’s what we do. We discuss controversial topics. I apologized for any emotional discomfort and assured him that I do my absolute best to protect my students while also teaching them how to engage in difficult conversations. He must have been appeased because I never heard back. However, that weight of responsibility pressed even harder. On January 6th, teacher social media filled up with educators wondering how to approach students the next day. As one might expect with social media, a lot of people had a lot of opinions on exactly how teachers should handle their students. The KATE Facebook page, however, was silent. At first, I wondered if someone would post something. If someone else would fire back. If the divisiveness might infiltrate our amazing group. It didn’t. But we were silent. And I wondered, too, what the silence meant. Today, I think I have an answer. I think it means we’re okay. I think it means that we completely understand the concept that ELA is for everyone. KATE is a non-political entity, or at least I believe we try to be. Dealing with difficult discussion is an integral part of an English teacher’s job. It’s probably perfectly fine for someone to post on KATE Facebook a suggestion on how to handle the events of January 6th or 9/11 or BLM or any other controversial thing. I would hope we would be wise and open minded enough to react in the way we expect our students to react--with respect and dignity and acceptance of varying viewpoints. But you know what else, I also think it’s perfectly fine that we chose silence. You know that feeling of gathering your warm cat into your lap and snuggling to his muffled purr while the hardness of the world melts away? I think that can be KATE, too. We’re in this together. We know that. The personal connections we make during our book clubs and meetings and conferences run deep. We know someone has our back. That’s my hope, that you know that KATE has your back. If you don’t know that, if you don’t feel you have a KATE member you can reach out to individually, here is a link to our board members. I know they would be happy and honored to offer advice, or a listening ear, or maybe even a purring cat. ELA is for everyone. Be strong. Be well. You are where you belong.  About the Author
Deborah McNemee teaches at Andover Central High School where a culture of reading is alive and well. She creates a culture of reading with her students by annually hosting a project based event in partnership with Big Read Wichita. She facilitates a writing culture through encouraging involvement with the NaNowriMo Young Writers Program and submitting student work to Voices of Kansas. Her favorite books to read outside of school are classics. Check out her blog about keeping classics relevant for kids at www.KeepingClassics.com. By Erica Shook  Though I am a vocal proponent of getting more contemporary YA lit. into the hands of our students, I do still enjoy teaching some of the classics. The balance in my classroom has come from connecting classic and contemporary works. For example, after we read Beowulf together in class, students choose from four different contemporary novels that they read together in small groups and then connected back to Beowulf (Kendare Blake’s Anna Dressed in Blood, Moira Young’s Blood Red Road, Marie Lu’s Legend, or Neal Shusterman’s Unwind). As an avid reader, my brain is constantly looking for text connections. And with increasing frequency, I find myself connecting current events to texts as well. The current reality for teachers has caused me to do just that. I have adapted what follows a bit because I originally wrote and presented it to our school board to try to build empathy among them for the load teachers are currently carrying. That is what English teachers do, right? Use writing and books to build empathy? The message, however, remains the same. Much like the soldiers in Tim O’Brien’s book The Things They Carried, what teachers carry is partly a function of experience, partly a function of specialty, and partly born of necessity. We carry a veritable rainbow of Expo markers--some that work well, some that we are trying to squeeze the last bit of ink out of; notebook paper; construction paper, printing paper, butcher paper, card stock, poster board; glue; scissors; duct tape, scotch tape, masking tape, painters tape, packaging tape, book repair tape; lab supplies; paper clips; pencils, pens, markers, sharpies, crayons, colored pencils; paint; bulletin board border; rulers; kleenex; band aids; Post-it notes; keys; white out; rubberbands; staplers; index cards; note cards; popsicle sticks; candy; books, books, books; computers, charging cords, cables; granola bars; crackers; chocolate; hand sanitizer, Virex, masks; gallons of coffee; water bottles with times on the side to remind us to stay hydrated; stacks and stacks of papers to grade; and, Flairs in every color. I won’t bore you with the precise weight of each of these items, but know that combined, these things are heavy--and we probably paid for most of them out-of-pocket. As with O’Brien’s characters, the things teachers carry, though, are both literal and figurative. We also carry the professional development that we don’t have time to work with and implement; field trips we can’t experience; technology that doesn’t always work; lesson plans that implode because they were better on paper and have to be reworked on the spot; our own families that don’t always get our full attention when we are at home; dusting, laundry, and dishes that sometimes pile up; continuing education credits; students in our classrooms who struggle (both academically and emotionally) but whom we don’t have time to work with one-on-one; hundreds of decisions every hour--many of them split second; students who are suffering because of bullying; students who are hungry or tired; students who are neglected or abused; students who have lost loved ones or friends; students who feel they can’t share their true identity; students who rarely see themselves reflected in curriculum; students’ failures; students’ successes; students’ smiles; students’ tears; students who have been lost in accidents; students who have contemplated suicide; students who have taken their lives before they’ve really had a chance to live them; and, more love than any human heart should be able to hold for every single one of them who ever passes through our doors. The weight of these things is incredibly heavy. Sometimes almost unbearably so. But we carry it because we love what we do, and we love our students. It genuinely is who we are. But this year, we also carry the weight of students in the classroom and at home with technology that glitches or crashes; catching up students who missed class or missed parts of instructions because of those glitches and crashes; students and staff in quarantine; finding ways to provide equitable opportunities to in-person and remote students alike; students embarrassed to turn on cameras or too shy to unmute microphones; lost instruction time for more sanitizing; the endless, endless emails; the extra prep needed to make sure students at home have the materials they need ahead of time to actively participate in class; time spent converting curriculum to digital versions of itself; learning new tools to do so; needing to collaborate with colleagues with no time to do it; building the relationships and giving the hugs our students need while maintaining social distancing to keep everyone healthy and at school; knowing social-emotional needs are not being met; understanding why some of our students have chosen remote learning but missing having their masked faces in class with us; helping our own children be successful with their learning; the overwhelming guilt for the things we know are necessary but are beyond our ability to do; balancing it all; balancing the emotions; the all-encompassing exhaustion; and listening to one person after another tell us we can’t pour from an empty cup when we rarely have a chance to fill it or suggesting what we need is to take a mental health day with no understanding that the things we carry never get lighter for having done so--it just buys us a bit more time before we collapse under the physical, mental, and emotional weight. Kansas is already experiencing a teacher shortage it will take years to get ahead of, and many more will leave the profession this year, maybe even at the end of this semester, because of the toll the weight of the things they carry is taking. I am concerned for Kansas teachers and the sustainability of our situation. I wonder, as the decision-makers in districts are meeting, whether they have gotten into classrooms to experience the current teaching reality? I don’t mean walk-throughs. I mean, have they spent entire class periods or days in multiple content areas to truly understand the new workload? I want anyone who reads this to know I see you--KATE sees you--and we know how hard you are working for your students. KATE is thankful all year long for Kansas teachers, the magic they bring into their classrooms every day, and the passion with which they teach Kansas students. My hope is administrators, school board members, legislators, and other decision-makers keep in mind the immense weight of the things our teachers carry.  About the Author
Erica Shook is the English Department Chair at McPherson High School, USD 418, and a 2020 LEGO Master Educator. Because of her passion for students, educators and education, ELA, YA literature, and social activism, she is also a Project LIT Community chapter leader, LiNK Adolescent Lit. CoP Leader, and the KATE Vice-President. Follow her on Twitter at @Ms_Shook or on Instagram at @ms_shook for book suggestions to build classroom libraries or for continued professional development.  This year, KATE is pleased to announce that on November 7th at 2 p.m., Nic Stone, author of the New York Times bestseller, Dear Martin, will deliver a virtual keynote address followed by a Q&A session, available to all KATE members as our gift to you for your continued support and dedication to teaching English in the state of Kansas. Nic Stone is an Atlanta native and a Spelman College graduate. After working extensively in teen mentoring and living in Israel for several years, she returned to the United States to write full-time. Nic's debut novel for young adults, Dear Martin, was a New York Times bestseller and a William C. Morris Award finalist. She is also the author of the teen titles Odd One Out, a novel about discovering oneself and who it is okay to love, which was an NPR Best Book of the Year and a Rainbow Book List Top Ten selection, and Jackpot, a love-ish story that takes a searing look at economic inequality. Clean Getaway, Nic's first middle-grade novel, deals with coming to grips with the pain of the past and facing the humanity of our heroes. Nic lives in Atlanta with her adorable little family. In lieu of this exciting keynote speech, KATE wanted to provide its members with a little preview of Nic's personality and flair. Cue a hilarious and telling game of "Would You Rather...?" between the author and KATE's VP, Erica Shook. Please enjoy the following tidbits that Nic was so gracious to share with us, and we hope you'll join us on Saturday! Shook: Ok, Nic. Would you rather:
Potter or Snape Stone: SNAPE ALL DAY EVERY DAY. Shook: Know it all OR Have it all? Stone: Definitely have it all. Knowledge can be burdensome. Shook: Talk like Yoda OR Breathe like Darth Vader? Stone: Like Yoda, speak I would. Shook: Be a superhero OR Be a famous singer? Stone: I am CLEARLY both. Tuh. Shook: Go to work OR Stay home and bang on drums all day? Stone: Drums. Shook: Be transported to a place and time of your choosing in the past OR Be transported to a random place and time in the future? Stone: Def place and time of my choosing in the past. Shook: Steal honey from a bear OR Steal honey from a beehive? Stone: I'll take the bear. Shook: Be 50% good at everything OR Be 100% good at one thing? Stone: 100% good at loving people! Shook: Jump into a pool of lava OR Jump into a pool of freezing water? Stone: I mean I die either way, so... Shook: Be stuck inside on a good day OR Be stuck outside on a bad day? Stone: Inside. Sleep is always an option. Shook: Be color blind OR Have no taste buds? Stone: Yeeks... color blind. Shook: Always say everything on your mind OR Never speak again? Stone: Always say everything. (These are brutal.) Shook: Have the power to read minds OR Have the power to read hearts? Stone: I wanna read hearts. Shook: Fight 100 duck-sized horses OR Fight 1 horse-sized duck? Stone: 1 over 100. Even though a horse sized duck sounds terrifying. Shook: Live in a space station OR Live in a deep-sea submarine? Stone: Space station! Shook: Pop OR Soda? Stone: Eww neither. Coke. Sprite. Fanta. Pepsi. CALL IT BY ITS NAME. Shook: Chili and cinnamon rolls OR Chili and cornbread? Stone: Cinnamon rolls. #dessert Shook: Lose the ability to read OR Lose the ability to write? Stone: How dare you! Not choosing. So there. Shook: Lipstick OR Earrings? Stone: This is getting worse and worse. (Earrings.) Shook: Lipstick OR Shoes? Stone: And here I thought we were friends. Smh. (Shoes.) Get registered if you haven’t already. You are not going to want to miss KATE in conversation with Nic Stone. See you all Saturday! Erica Shook, KATE Vice-President By Deborah McNemee  The Shame Scraper! Last week, Michaela Liebst shared with us an inspired idea that brought together what we think of as traditional academic skills with creativity. Her blog post comes just at the right time when most students and educators are feeling quite bogged down with our technology-heavy new normal. Liebst offers a great reminder that innovation in the classroom doesn’t always need to be tech-based. Her blog reminds me of an assessment I’ve used with my honors and AP students. The adjectives that normally accompany honors and AP assessments might include grueling, taxing, and rigorous. Did you know that if you look up rigorous in the 10th edition of the Webster’s Collegiate dictionary, you’ll find the synonyms harsh and severe? Scrupulously accurate is also found. That sounds better, but taxing and grueling give you wearing and punishing. Except for the accurate part of those definitions, none of those words are ones I’d prefer to be associated with the academic curiosity and excellence necessary for honors or AP learning. For any learning, come to think of it. While thorough and challenging exams are naturally part of accelerated classes, there is still room for innovation and--dare I say it--fun. One year, after my honors had quizzed and essayed their way through Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter and Miller’s The Crucible, I decided to offer a different kind of assessment. that would not only test their ability to follow written instructions (which is sometimes surprisingly lacking) and innovate on demand, but it would also allow me to assess several other elements. First, I divided the class into small groups of 3 to 4 students. Next, I handed out the instructions. Students were to create an advertisement for a product that a specific character from either story would need or use. In the advertisement, the students must apply their understanding of the character, plot, conflicts, satire, and appeals. They must include a script that demonstrates knowledge and application of writing skills, including punctuation and grammar usage. Oh, and one more thing, they also had to create the product. They could use anything in the classroom or in their backpacks. Then each group drew a character’s name from a hat. They had about one hour to complete the task. At the end of the hour the groups presented their product and their commercial. While the reading and vocab quizzes and essays were a necessary part of my lessons, none of those assessments could come close to checking so many elements all at once. With this one assignment I was able to assess the following items:
Of course, this was simply a theory until I put it to practice. Mind you, these student guinea pigs were used to rigorous exams. I wasn’t sure how they would take to this new model. At first, the students didn’t know what to make of it. After only a few minutes, however, they were digging through their backpacks, and rifling through their brains, and scavenging through the hoard of craft supplies and odd trinkets I’d provided. I had collected quite a collection of wrapping paper tubes, tin foil, play dough, popsicle sticks, pipe cleaners, googly eyes, and whatever else you can find at the Dollar Store or a garage sale.  My Little Daddy! The ultimate products were impressive. Hester Prynne’s Shame Scraper was a favorite. If she’d only had a way to scrape away her shame sooner, she would have saved herself and her child at least one hundred pages worth of anxious overthinking and self reproof. Rev. Dimmesdale Jackbone (a jacket with a backbone) could also have saved the day, along with his soul. Pearl’s My Little Daddy would have eliminated not only Hester’s soul-sucking dependence on the possibility that Dimmesdale might stop being a deadbeat dad, but also her own continuous creepy questioning about her father. Elizabeth Proctor needed an anti-witch spell kit to dispel Abigail Williams from Salem (bonus points for irony). Reverend Hale needed the New and Improved Edition of Incubus and Succubus for Dummies to carry in with his “heavy books... weighted with authority”. The commercials were as wonderful as the products. The activity was a hit. It also ended up being a successful assessment of many of the standards we’d studied in the last several weeks. The on-demand thinking required with this activity is key. The students did not know what we were doing ahead of time. Therefore, they could not bring in craft supplies that might benefit their preconceived ideas. The fact that they were required to use only what they could find in the classroom guided their thinking. The shapes, colors, utility, and amount of various supplies meant they had to truly problem solve together. They had never done something like this on-the-fly before, so no one was an expert. Each student had to put ideas on the table. Each student had to engage. Every team member had to move forward with a sense of faith and accountability. It was truly one of the most memorable moments of the year. Guess what else, many students claimed they understood the use of appeals and satire more so after that activity than they did after analyzing traditional texts. So, not only was it an assessment, it was also a good teaching tool. Another bonus--it was not another project that they had to take home and complete at midnight the night before it was due. It was a one and done class activity. No homework necessary. Also, no perfection required. For many students, homework breaks and perfection passes are very real blessings. While fun activities like this one should not completely replace traditional forms of testing, I do feel like they should absolutely act as supplements, or an enrichment at the very least. By the way, if you are nervous to try something so unconventional, let me know. I’ve got a gently used Jackbone that might help. It’s worth a try, anyway. We’d love for you to share your fun and creative classroom assignments. Share in the comments below or share on Twitter or Instagram with the hashtag #KATEclassroom. Don’t forget to tag @kansasenglish on Twitter and @kanasenglishblog on Instagram. About the Author
Deborah McNemee teaches at Andover Central High School where a culture of reading is alive and well. She creates a culture of reading with her students by annually hosting a project based event in partnership with Big Read Wichita. She facilitates a writing culture through encouraging involvement with the NaNowriMo Young Writers Program and submitting student work to Voices of Kansas. Her favorite books to read outside of school are classics. Check out her blog about keeping classics relevant for kids at www.KeepingClassics.com. By Michaela Liebst  As a child, and still as an adult, I would rather write a two-page paper before I attempted to draw anything. Art was never my chosen form of expression in the classroom, and I was always grateful when English teachers provided options that were more linear than creative. When I first started teaching, I made the dangerous assumption that all students had the same educational experience as me, and did not assign artistic work for fear that it would bring frustration and terror to my classroom. Obviously, this lack of creativity, voice, and choice in the classroom had the exact opposite effect, and I quickly learned that I was the odd woman out when it came to creative projects. No matter the age group, students crave to be given a creative outlet, and as teachers, this is our dream come true. Allowing students to demonstrate mastery of a concept in an artistic or creative format makes our jobs more fun as well as the students’. Being an elementary gifted facilitator, I see the benefits of incorporating play and creativity into my classroom daily. Engagement is instantly increased when I allow students to draw, paint, or act out their responses to a prompt. And while I used to prescribe to the notion that allowing students a chance to craft and create was “leisurely” or “a break,” I was quickly corrected in my thinking. As stated by Ben Johnson, in his article “ 4 Ways to Develop Creativity in Students” (2019), “Creativity is the most difficult thinking skill to acquire” with ‘synthesis’ being the highest-order of thinking. Before I was experienced in seeing students interact with creative assignments, I assumed they would be easy for students. I was instantly proven wrong. Over time, opportunities for creative expression have been wrung out of the classroom schedule to make room for much more mundane and rote tasks. This means that students are having to relearn the skills required to think for themselves and generate unique products. Therefore, I make it my mission to provide students with the opportunity and challenge to exercise their creative muscles and show what they know in creative and exciting ways. One of my favorite ways of doing this in the 2020 school year has been a themed project that goes with both our nation’s election and the spooky season. To kick off a unit that will require students to learn about our government, identify leadership characteristics, and ultimately nominate their own fictional presidential candidate, I wanted to expose students to our nation’s past leaders. However, I wanted to amp up the typical research project and allow my students to have some fun. Thankfully, my love for the fall season might be unmatched, and I was inspired by the seasonal décor. I decided to couple “boring” research with the creation of a Presidential Pumpkin Patch! Students chose a president that they wanted to learn more about, and then filled out this Google Slides template to help guide them in their research. Once they had learned the necessary facts, I had them bring in a pumpkin from home, and decorate it to look like their president of choice. While I’m sure I may have lost some secondary educator’s interest, I would like to make the case that this assignment would be just as successful, entertaining, and rigorous in the middle school/high school setting. Having students use pumpkins (or any other seasonal décor – I’m already thinking about ornaments for a literary Christmas tree?!) to depict their favorite scene or character would be such a fun and effective way for students to show how they are connecting with a text. Not only will the students in your classroom be engaged, but it might also be an opportunity to engage other students, staff, or community members as well! If you are really wanting to be sure that the assignment is rigorous and standards-based, you can also be sure to supplement the artistic component with a more classroom-typical assignment. For example, in addition to the pumpkin decorating, I also required my students to summarize their research in a paragraph, as well as create a poster with their favorite facts they discovered. I’ve found that my students are great at finding information, but not great at processing the information and summarizing its meaning. However, I know that if we had solely worked on this skill, without the creative activity, their work ethic and willingness to produce high quality summaries would not be as high. Overall, I am passionate about providing students with opportunities to showcase their knowledge in ways that are exciting and meaningful to them. These types of projects always turn my room into an environment filled with laughter, energy, and engagement. I also know it academically benefits students for a multitude of reasons. When they are synthesizing knowledge in new and unique ways, the information I am wanting them to take away is etching itself into their brain so much more permanently than if I just gave them a multiple-choice quiz. And while these benefits for my students are great, I’m also human and a little selfish – coming up with lesson plans when I know the end result is going to be something as fun as a decorated pumpkin keeps me engaged and pushes my creative muscles. It truly is a win-win! Share below some of your favorite ways to allow for students to be creative in the classroom. Bonus points if your ideas are seasonal, as I’ve found that seasonal assignments have been my favorite to think up so far!  About the Author
Michaela Liebst is an elementary gifted facilitator in the Derby School district. She has a passion for project-based learning and challenging both her students and through herself through creative projects. Teachers are her favorite people in the world, and she always feels re-energized after collaborating and learning from her colleagues. You can reach her on Instagram (@mliebst) or by e-mail (michaelaliebst1@gmail.com). By KATE Board Members  The KATE blog committee has the latest scoop regarding some of our board members. Warning: if you don’t want to be privy to these scandalous facts, stop reading now. If you want to be in the loop, read on. The choice is yours. After a whole afternoon of diligent super-sleuthing (AKA sending a group email and collecting responses), the blog committee can report the following: KATE board members read banned books. In fact, they have indulged in the reading of so many banned books that many of them have favorites. In the interest of transparency, we offer this list to our membership. Monica Swift and Lis Bauman adore To Kill a Mockingbird. “I LOVE the realness of the characters, especially Atticus,” Swift confesses.  Other brazen board members not only reveal their favorites, but weigh in on their disapproval of banning books altogether. Consider Keeley Torbet’s rant: My favorite banned book is The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini. There are few writers with such finely turned phrases and vivid imagery writing today. His prose is almost lyric in quality. I become so deeply engrossed in his characters and stories that I feel like I am part of them. How that level of artistry can be banned is beyond pale. He makes his characters come alive and embraces them for who they are which is a trait that we as humans need to be better at adopting. Never one to ban books in my personal or professional life, I struggle mightily with how people can justify telling someone what they can and cannot read. How can telling stories about people and their identities and actions be bad? How is offering differing viewpoints, new windows to see through, and life experiences we may never have ourselves be dangerous? I cannot answer these questions, but I can ensure that my own children and my kids (students) are given the freedom to explore literature in all its variety and beauty.  Joann McRell defends Lois Lowry’s The Giver as a powerful text for all students, middle school through post-secondary. “Lowry creates a Utopian society free of hunger, poverty, and violence. Unfortunately, it is also void of hope, love, and joy.” If we believe McRell, the story communicates that “choice and the power of the individual provide hope that our society will continue to see value in its diversity.” Suzanne Porath boldly acknowledges that reading banned books can broaden one’s worldview past one’s immediate circle of family and friends. She states: One of my favorite banned books is Madeleine L’Engle’s A Wrinkle in Time. It's been banned or challenged because of its mix of science and religion with supernatural spirituality. Some people also think it is too complex for young minds. When I first read it, there were few books that had strong female characters, unless, of course, it was a romance book or about babysitting. I related to Meg in many ways - I didn't feel like I fit in my family, I didn't like the way I looked, and I was told I had an "attitude." When I first read this book, I copied out many impactful quotes, like “Maybe I don’t like being different,” Meg said, “but I don’t want to be like everybody else, either.” This seemed to encapsulate my struggle. Also, "Nothing is hopeless; we must hope for everything." In a time of COVID, this is still so true! This book, and the rest of L'Engle's books, shaped my teenage years and gave me a different perspective on love, family, and memories.  For Anna Drenick, apparently inappropriate language in a book is not a problem. “Although there are quite a few of my favorites that have been on the banned book list, my favorite is The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon. The book is told from the perspective of a 15 year-old boy on the Autism spectrum who is on a mission to solve a mystery in his neighborhood. It is banned in some schools for ‘profane language and the promotion of atheism.’ I love this book because it offers empathy, understanding, and a little mystery for its readers.  Jennifer Enright’s favorite banned book is Native Son by Richard Wright. “I love the way he tackles the complexity of issues in America and does so with nuance,” she boasts. Then there’s LuAnn Fox. She appreciates Lolita. “It’s mature, to be sure, but it’s a farce in disguise and showcases the mad genius that is Nabokov as he writes a love letter to the English language wrapped in a taboo subject.” Our own president Nathan Whitman can’t seem to help himself either. He cherishes Aldous Huxley's Brave New World. He even prefers it over George Orwell’s classroom classic. His claim: While 1984 has its fair share of points and warnings about dictatorships and fascism, I think that this sleeper-hit dystopic utopia fits a lot closer to our present reality, especially when we consider our addictions to feeling good via social media (a soma, if you will). Huxley's thoughts about controlling people through narcissism and self-indulgence were far more prescient and applicable for today. If you aren’t shocked enough, let us shake you a little more with Erica Shook’s stunning confession. She’s read so many controversial texts, she can’t narrow it to one favorite. In fact, she shamelessly announces that she actually chooses many books “simply because they made the list. For example, the His Dark Materials trilogy by Phillip Pullman. It is unlikely that I would have picked it up had it not been for all the people at the time screaming for its banning. And I loved it! One thing is for sure: if people want a book banned, there is an astronomically high probability that it is exactly the book we should all be reading.” Very well, Ms. Shook. If you insist. Feel free to use this moment to come clean with your own banned book secret delights. Share your favorites in the comments below.  About the KATE Board
Along with advocating for quality literature, the KATE Board is also passionate about advocating for English teachers across the state. The board's main goal is to inspire and support KATE members to include the texts and lessons in their classrooms that will engage students the most. Feel free to read Katherine Cramer's post regarding NCTE Position Statements if you are fearful about including a certain text in your room! Trust your teacher instinct and provide your students with the texts you know that they need. By Deborah Eades  The Andover Central High School Christmas Book Exchange We’ve all heard the claims and read the reports. Reading is good for you. As English teachers, we witness first-hand the increase in empathy, understanding, perspective, and--oh yes-- test scores that accompany reading. Sadly, however, as students move through from primary to secondary school, many of them stop reading for pleasure. Let’s face it, many of them stop reading even for school. One of the best ways to learn a foreign language is immersion study. People sign up to live and study in a foreign country, and they learn the language faster. Living in the culture of the language shifts the brain into turbo boost. The scholars begin thinking in a new way that facilitates the acquisition of language. A similar experience can happen when schools create a culture of reading. I noticed this for the first time when I moved to a new district. From what I could tell, nearly all the staff at my new school were readers. Lunchtime conversation often centered around someone’s latest book haul. A book shelf in the teacher’s lounge invited us to take a book and leave a book. Teachers set their email signatures to note their current reads. Some staff members met every summer for a long-standing book club. Even staff Christmas parties culminated in a gift exchange of books. Reading was everywhere, and because of this, students were exposed to reading as not just a classroom requirement, but as a passion. When students are immersed in a positive reading culture, it makes a difference. They carry their personal reading material with them and turn to it rather than cell phones during down time. They discuss plot and character and tone like they’re bantering about the latest Tik-Tok craze. They ask teachers and librarians for recommendations and offer recommendations to their peers. When students read for pleasure, they come to those complex texts we force on them with minds that are more open and willing. Because I believe in the benefits that reading can have on students, I wanted to share some different ways to help engage your students with texts they love. Listed below are three ways to create a culture of reading in your school. Book/Movie Connection We already do this in class, don’t we? We read the book, and at some time during the unit, we show at least parts of the movie, if not the whole thing. However, sometimes we are guilty of sending mixed messages. We chastise students for watching the movie or teachers from other departments for showing the movie before we study the text in class. If we believe that a movie version can offer insight and clarity, why not fully embrace it? In fact, a colleague and I recently discussed this very idea. You can read our conclusions on the value of movies in the classroom here.
Our librarian, Heather Hawkins (who blogged for KATE about Skype), welcomed students back this year with a giant wall display advertising all the book/movie combos our school library has in stock. Those movies had been hidden away in a back room, accessible only by teachers for years. Why? What’s the point of restricting student access to book-inspired movies? By embracing the book/movie connection, she has offered students an welcoming doorway back to reading for pleasure. The message is if you liked the movie, you’ll love the book. We have both right here waiting just for you.  Show and Tell Shingles You know how businessmen, lawyers, and barbers hang out a “shingle” to advertise their services? Staff members can utilize this same technique by hanging a shingle to advertise their current reading interests. Imagine the power of students seeing a “Currently Reading” sign on nearly every classroom they enter. The message amplifies when the shingles showcase current reads of office staff and lunch ladies and coaches, too. Students get it pretty quickly. Adults at their school value reading, and not just the English teachers. Sharing your reads with the student body creates other connections, too. Students know who the avid readers are, but they also know which teachers take forever to read a book. Slow readers start to realize it’s okay to not be a fast and furious reader, as long as they are reading. Additionally, students notice the topic trends. When a sci-fi fan student sees that his/her math teacher voraciously reads Marie Lu books, the door opens for bonding beyond the curriculum. To get your entire staff on board, make it easy for them. Print and distribute simple “Currently Reading” signs. Tell staff you are trying an experiment, and you want to see how many kids notice the signs. Some teachers might be more willing to help with an experiment than to be told they have to hang a sign. You know how we can be, guys. If a math teacher told me to hang a sign revealing how I use math each day, I might be hesitant about possible judgment. However, sometimes students need to see teachers taking a chance in order to be willing to take a chance, too. So, print the signs, ask for the support, and when Math asks back, return the favor. Facilitate Reading for Fun Some of us already do this, but it’s good to remind ourselves how important it is to facilitate reading for fun, especially in times of change. A few years ago, our ELA department decided to start every class period with ten minutes of daily reading. We expected our students to have personal reading material with them, preferably hard copies. The reading material could be a novel, a graphic novel, a magazine, a book of poetry, even a cookbook if that’s what a student liked to read. We stocked our rooms to create easy access and ward off I-forgot-my-book excuses. Immediately, students were confused. Did they have to take notes? Would there be a test? Should they turn in a reading log? Could they switch out a book if they didn’t like the one they chose? It took a while for them to realize they were reading for fun. Period. That’s it. It wasn’t long before students appreciated this reading time. They protected this time, and reminded teachers when we forgot. Over time, some of us have tweaked the practice. Some teachers have students read for twenty minutes twice a week instead of ten minutes daily. One switched to using one whole class period once a week. I change it up if we are currently reading a novel as a class. We read that book instead and then go back to fun reading after. Some teachers moved to requiring students to at least share out casually a quick summary and recommendation, which the students loved, by the way. The approach might have morphed, but results were steady. Students appreciated the opportunity to read what they wanted, so they were less resistant to required reading. The positive effect of personal reading time outweighed the instructional minutes sacrificed. If you find that your students aren’t utilizing this time as much as you would like, here is one tip to increase the effectiveness of this practice--read with your students. Resist the urge to answer emails or grade a couple essays. Students need to see you model this behavior. One thing we all know for sure is that preaching to students that they should read doesn’t work. It amounts to one more adult “shoulding” on them. Modeling a passion and creating a culture of reading does work. It might be slow going at first. Teenagers sometimes equate new ideas with weird ideas. They might associate reading with nerdiness. As much as English teachers don’t mind being nerds, not all students agree. When reading becomes the norm, gradually, a culture of reading will emerge and students who read for pleasure will emerge from it. The bonus effect will be higher reading scores, of course, but more importantly a more curious, understanding, and empathetic generation. In academia, there’s not much else that can change a child’s world more than reading. While these three suggestions are a great way to initiate a reading culture in your classroom, there are infinite other possibilities as well. Comment below some other ways you encourage reading outside the curriculum. What are some of your favorite reads? Don’t forget to check out KATE Blog Goodreads for great recommendations or join our join or book clubs for KATE members. About the Author
Deborah McNemee teaches at Andover Central High School where a culture of reading is alive and well. She creates a culture of reading with her students by annually hosting a project based event in partnership with Big Read Wichita. She facilitates a writing culture through encouraging involvement with the NaNowriMo Young Writers Program and submitting student work to Voices of Kansas. Her favorite books to read outside of school are classics. Check out her blog about keeping classics relevant for kids at www.KeepingClassics.com. By Dr. Vicki Seeger If you’re reading this, chances are you are an elementary educator who is looking for a state organization that meets your literacy needs as an educator, a professional learner, a literacy leader, and a member of a connected community. If you’re like me, you have missed having an organization dedicated to the literacy needs and interests of elementary educators across the state, in our regional areas, and in our communities. As President of the Kansas Reading Association when it was determined that it was no longer a viable organization, I can assure you that I have missed my literacy colleagues. The Kansas Association of Teachers of English has served to fill the void left since that time. KATE, an affiliate of the National Council of Teachers of English, provides avenues for attending annual conferences, writing articles for a peer-reviewed journal, honoring new and seasoned educators, and participating in professional learning like book studies and trainings. The annual conference held in the fall each year holds opportunities to learn, to present, and to mentor. The fall 2019 conference theme was “Growing Empathy and Inspiring Authenticity.” Attendees learned from well-known authors Alan Gratz and Tiffany Jackson. They attended inspiring sessions to inform practice and expand knowledge about theory. I walked away with new ideas for the elementary classroom and was able to apply information from secondary educators to the elementary setting. And, even though the fall 2020 conference will be held virtually, the opportunities are not in any way diminished. Nic Stone will speak about her important novels. This year’s theme is “Teachers as Artists: Reignite Your Creative Voice,” and it is the perfect time for you to submit a proposal to present. You have had to be creative during this time. Think about the challenges every elementary educator has faced during the spring and fall semesters. How are you reaching your students virtually, in a hybrid format, or in person? The literacy methods you are using now are like no other time. Consider submitting a proposal and joining KATE members virtually for the fall conference. Here is a link to details about the fall webinar and proposal submissions. Another benefit to joining KATE is access to Kansas English, a state journal currently housed at Wichita State University and edited by Dr. Katie Cramer. The quality of the journal is stellar and offers articles on a wide range of topics. It recently won the Affiliate Journal of Excellence Award from the National Council of Teachers of English for 2020. The journal welcomes articles by elementary educators and includes opportunities to be a reviewer for manuscript submissions, as well. Looking for a way to honor a new or veteran educator? KATE has that, too. At the fall conference, awards are given for outstanding elementary and secondary educators who are members of KATE. You all know what it is like to be an educator right now. Receiving recognition for the work being done in unprecedented times may just mean keeping an educator in the field of teaching. Check out the 2019 awardees here. Finally, there are important and inspiring opportunities for professional learning through KATE that come at no cost to members. These offerings tackle critical issues in education like racism, equity in the classroom, LGBTQIA topics, and culturally responsive teaching. This summer, I participated in a book study with Michaela Liebst. We read Untamed by Glennon Doyle. Michaela facilitated by sending out weekly email messages where we could discuss the book and ended with a Zoom session for those that participated. While this was a memoir, other book studies have included young adult literature. Safe Zone Training was facilitated by Nathan Whitman in three one-hour sessions this summer. Learning how to meet the needs of LGBTQ students is important no matter what grade level you teach. Nathan, the current president of KATE, is always open to new ideas for professional development opportunities based on the suggestions of members, and he provides leadership based on the interests of the membership. Elementary educators, consider making KATE your professional educator organization. KATE needs the voices of elementary educators. They already have so much to offer, AND they are looking for ideas to keep you engaged.  About the Author
Vicki Seeger teaches undergraduate courses in literacy and social studies methods and in the graduate reading and curriculum and instruction programs at Northwest Missouri State University. She serves on the Executive Board of KATE and reviews articles for Kansas English. Facebook: Vicki Seeger Instagram: @vseeger Twitter: @vseeger |
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