The Importance of Celebratory Texts and Community Involvement 

    In a recent Language Arts journal published by the National Council of Teachers of English, a compilation of notable books for children in K-8 was released as a tool for educators to remain up to date on quality literature for their students. It is important to be aware of new texts as an educator because they often speak to the times in ways that older books cannot, which is crucial for today’s rapidly changing classrooms. As I began looking into lesson plan materials for my upcoming unit, I realized that students might appreciate a break from having to produce their own thoughts in writing and might benefit from listening to the stories of others. Because my unit is comprised of writing a research paper on components of American slavery and those who were influential in fighting against it, I have been primarily searching for texts on brave Africans and their stories. This particular book review in the Language Arts journal titled “Biographies and memoir: Life Lessons and Stories in Literature for readers in grades K–8” provided a list of quality children’s literature that celebrates diversity and multiple people groups and their stories, which is exactly what I was searching for.   201) 

I was pleased to find two texts in the journal which I believe could be applicable to my unit and helping to build understanding in my students, thus aiding in my instruction of the content. The first is “Midnight Teacher: Lilly Ann Granderson and Her Secret School” written by Janet Halfmann, Illustrated by London Ladd (p. 197, 2019). The book is centered on an African slave who takes it upon herself to teach other slaves to read and write even when it is against the law, and the article notes that this book is “a powerful story of a brave educator and a tribute to the iron will of African American freedom fighters”. I think this book would be a great way to help my students reflect on just how much was taken away from those who were enslaved and introduce them to the resiliency of the African people. The second text could be used to round off the unit and is called “Pathfinders: The Journeys of 16 Extraordinary Black Souls” written by Tonya Bolden (p. 201, 2019). This work chronicles the lives and accomplishments of prominent Black individuals throughout the centuries and the battles they faced along the way. I think would help students to reflect on how slavery has still had an impact on people’s lives since its abolishment as well as aid them in thinking about how it might still have lasting effects today. 

    Another article in the aforementioned journal relayed an interview with author Carole Boston Weatherford, who focuses almost exclusively on portraying the lives of important Black people in history. Throughout the interview, it is clear that to Weatherford, understanding how to relate concepts and facts to children is crucial. While the article describes her current life as well as why she chooses certain people to write on, it also offers a generous amount of information on how to work with children on their writing and understanding of historical events and individuals. 

    Perhaps one of the most touching moments of the article is Weatherford’s relation of a childhood memory in which her father, a printer, was able to type and “print” one of her first poems. Both this act and her mother’s support and encouragement are described to have been some of the motivating forces between Weatherford’s desire to write well into her twenties. This stuck with me because as I work with students on what may be their first ever research paper, it is crucial for me to bear in mind the impact encouragement can have on my students. Writing is vulnerable and takes work, and students need to feel supported no matter where they might find themselves in their writing journey. Weatherford also noted the importance of switching up activities when writers block sets in, saying that it is important even for her to do something different, whether it be a puzzle, going for a walk, or even working on a different writing project. I think this is something I need to keep in mind when working with my students, that there may be times when writing becomes difficult and they may have a hard time transferring their thoughts onto paper. Thinking on this ahead of time will allow me to plan in different activities that can act as writing “breaks” but still allow for focus on the content and what we are doing in the unit. By looking at what I will teach as well as how I might teach it, I am better prepared to go into my classroom confidently.

​

​

Sources: 

- Bailey, A. R. (2019, January). [Interview with Carole Boston Weatherford]. Language Arts, 96(3), 184-190. Retrieved from http://secure.ncte.org/library/NCTEFiles/Resources/Journals/LA/0963-jan2019/LA0963Jan19Chronicling.pdf?_ga=2.95873304.502685580.1551649747-1679247128.1551649747

- Enriquez, G., Cappiello, M., Egan Cunningham, K., & Thulin Dawes, E. (2019, January). Biographies and memoir: Life Lessons and Stories in Literature for readers in grades K–8. Language Arts, 96(3), 191-201. Retrieved from http://secure.ncte.org/library/NCTEFiles/Resources/Journals/LA/0963-jan2019/LA0963Jan19Biographies.pdf?_ga=2.48819490.502685580.1551649747-1679247128.1551649747