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I love the concept of using books and literary works to educate youth on race and racial inequality.  I think it is critical that every child feels represented in the works that they read and feels as though they are a part of the stories themselves.  Like others, I also found the passion that these speakers have is absolutely contagious and It made me want to watch the videos and put my phone away!  I was hooked!

In addition, I thoroughly enjoyed the video that focused on reading out loud during the pandemic.  It's ironic that I saw this video because I have actually tried reading out loud to myself for some of our course readings in order to increase my rate of retention and comprehension. By extension, I feel that reading out loud to myself has made a difference in my ability to grasp certain concepts from the readings that I may not have otherwise understood if I skimmed through it in my head.

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One of the main ideas that stood out for me was encouraging students to become racially literate. I think this is such a super import concept in order to build an inclusive community. Just recently I have started building my school library and I bought a few children's books that I thought would be inclusive, one of them is an amazing book called Sulwe, It is by Lupita Nyong'o. If we want to encourage students to become more racially literate is is up to us to push these ideas on them.

Another Idea that stood out for me was the idea that we need to create these classrooms where students have the comfort and initiative to ask questions. I have 2 little siblings, aged 10 and 12, and they told me when they have questions they use the internet to answer them. This is not okay, the internet may provide some back up information but we can never trust it to be true unless it is credited. Therefore, we need to create an atmosphere where students feel comfortable, included, and encouraged to learn and read.

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1) We need to make space in classrooms for conversations about race or kids will try to find answers outside of class and will be more susceptible to misinformation and bias analysis.
2) If we want our kids to become racially literate we must have continuous conversations about race, there is no one event to talk about race instead every book provides an opportunity for that discussion. Building on that idea, if we want to eradicate school-based we must look at our everyday choices and their impact on kids of colour.
3) Books are like sliding glass doors: allows to enter other worlds. This is important for everyone, good for kids who always see themselves in books who are at risk of an exaggerated sense of self and a false sense of the world.

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What I liked in the videos is the passion that is presented in the teachers and the writers and how this character is so important in order to grab student's attention and has an effect on them. I believe that " stories connect us" summarizes the videos. Stories connect us to our imaginary word, they connect us through windows to other cultures, through mirrors to ourselves, they connect us to our thinking, they connect us to questioning, they help us realize that we are part of something more global. They help us appreciate ourselves and others, build up our values and culture.

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1. "Humans have always been defined by stories". I found this quote interesting because it is true but not something we directly think about. As educators, we need to think about what the stories we share in the classroom say about us as humans. Humans are diverse, and our stories should reflect this, giving children that sense of difference but also sameness that he spoke about. Furthermore, he spoke about teaching students to recognize this difference without assigning value to it. I completely agree that this needs to be taught inside classrooms.

2. In Colby Sharp's video about read aloud during the pandemic, I completely agreed with his idea that children feed off of our energy. This is why it is so important that we put as much effort as he does when it comes to our presentation during read aloud. We need to consider doing different voices, placing pauses effectively, and overall showing our own excitement for reading. Students will respond positively to this and see reading as a fun activity!

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	"Books craft an understanding of what's normal," and by teaching students to think critically about the stories they experience, they in doing so they can "lead to greater humanity." This echoes the second video in getting the reader to think, and think for themselves, with the aim to "think, do good, and make the world a better place." Comparing the first and third video's reading styles, reading for social justice is important, but it's also important to bring the story to life and engage students. The same books can and should do both things. We should encourage the students to read with their heads and their hearts.	
	The third video discusses the importance of having strong energy and emphasis for engagement in reading. Compensating for the mask has led to a renewed focus on body language and dynamic speech in reading, which effectively engages the students. During the pandemic, reading is especially important because it offers escape from isolation, connection to other perspectives, and the ability to travel when borders are closed.
	The grade 5 teacher typically reads picture books to his class. While picture books perhaps mistakenly have the idea of being 'childish' for their length, might they be more accurately considered 'illustrated short stories' in terms of amount and quality of text? Furthermore, I think the interaction of art and text offers another level of understanding for learners to appreciate and understand; by looking at how the message is conveyed both in text and visually, students build higher-order thinking skills and make connections to both curricula.
	I think picture books seem like great reading for in-class, and perhaps longer stories could be read at home, or during a silent reading period. Longer books are still important for developing and exploring deeper thought as well as improving writing, especially towards the intermediate side of junior grades. An open question I have is if we as adult readers should be also engaged and excited by the books we read; I think in terms of excellence and ensuring quality, yes, but to be aware that there are some books which may resonate more for a younger audience than they do for us, perhaps?

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1. "If we don't create a space in class where kids are able to ask questions, they will create their own space outside of class where there is misinformation and fake news". Allowing children to ask questions is a large part of what we have been studying in relation to the UCC and creating a sense openness and honesty during teaching. This ties to a reading from PED3102 Where children were often being educated more on certain matters like sex ed "on the streets" vs. in the classroom.
2. "We need diverse books so that children can see reflections of themselves." An idea which has been a common theme in this course and others. A huge part of our membership in the UCC and in many of our Literature Anthologies. Not only is this about seeing ourselves, its about seeing others, "other worlds" as well.

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An idea that stuck out to me was allowing kids to ask questions, critical thinking is really important to me and as a teacher I would like my students and I to have an open dialogue so they are comfortable giving opinions and asking questions. In the age of the internet it is possible to get any kind of information anywhere and I would prefer to give my students accurate information opposed to them using platforms like Reddit where they could be misguided.
Another idea is engaging them in reading, make it interesting together so they attach themselves to the book opposed to in being a random assignment. Reading has always capture my mind as I day dream about what happens after that last chapter and I hope to share that passion with my future students.

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The first idea which stood out is that reading books should be a fun time. Carol Matas made this clear in her video, underlining that fun is the baseline for her books. However, just because a book is fun does not mean it cannot cover important material. Cornelius makes note of this in the first video, where a book being fun is important for a reader's engagement. This engagement allows a reader to understand the key issues in the book.

A reader will have a harder time having fun reading if they are unfamiliar with the characters and setting. In order for all kids to connect deeply with a book, they need to feel represented. In the final video, this is made clear through the metaphor of mirrors. Stories are meant to connect us according to the third video. To make meaningful connections between ourselves, we must feel connected to the text first. Only then can we connect based on similar or different understandings of a text.

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After watching Colby Smart’s video, I couldn’t help but focus on the idea that true passion is contagious. This refers not only to Colby’s passion for literature and teaching, but also the passion that his students are now developing as a result of his teachings. It’s tough for me not to feel that passionate as well from his enthusiasm and optimism.

In addition, the discussion from Rudine Sims Bishop on how children need books in which they can see themselves through is so crucial and although it is a concept that has come up frequently through the program, I can still never hear it enough. It’s almost impossible to engage in media or literature that you are unable to relate to and I look forward to instilling this mentality in my own classroom moving forward.

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The videos this week were very refreshing.  First, the idea that books are always a method to address multiculturalism resonates with me.  I loved in the first video how the narrator discusses how race can be a topic of conversation, even when reading books that feature only one race.  You can still discuss who is there, who isn't there, what is everyone doing, why, and etc.  I love that, and I think it is so creative.

Second, I really appreciate the idea that learners should be encouraged to ask questions, particularly in the safety of a classroom, because if they are discouraged from asking questions, they will still ask questions, but may seek answers from unreliable sources, and become misinformed. I love that asking questions could and perhaps should include exploration about similarities and differences to characters in books. I also love the idea of identifying differences without judgement, which in my opinion, is a way to honour those differences, and to create empathy.

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I found that Carol Matas had a great point about reading. She advised to “get the reader to think, and to think for themselves”

I also totally agree that teachers are entirely responsible in considering which books students consume. It's important to ensure that they can connect and relate to the characters and stories being presented to them.

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Cornelius Minor makes a number of thoughtful and powerful comments. Representation is becoming more and more prioritized, as it should be. This is seen in clothing ads, television, and other forms of media that children are surrounded by and drawn to. In order to persuade children to read and for them to enjoy it, books must also reflect them as a person whether it is race, culture, religion, sex, or sexual orientation.

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1. I really loved how the videos talked about the importance of using books to bring us together.
2. I liked the idea of seeing books as mirrors, windows or sliding glass doors. Reading is all about imagination and we should encourage students to visualize new worlds as they read.

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1. Stories not only connect us, but also give us the tools to become great story tellers. The way that Colby framed this really resonated with me because I thought reading was always just about increasing vocabulary or because we "should be reading". Based on what he said, if he was my teacher, I would have bought into reading more often.

2. As educators, we need to be excited about books and what they bring to the world! We also need to create a space in our classrooms to enable questions and conversations for students to explore.

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1) I really liked how the first video discussed how social constructs and norms are presented in all books and can be lead to great analysis and discussions. Even books where the characters are all white and heterosexual this can be used to discuss how the author did not incorporate other identities and how that can leave many individuals feeling unrepresented.
2) The third video of reading during a pandemic really demonstrated great ways to get readers engaged with a wide variety of texts. I love how Colby mentioned that him reading the book is like a performance where he must keep everyone engaged and provided many strategies to do so.
3) The last video although it was short really was well spoken as the author mentioned that books can be mirrors, windows, and sliding doors. Although one may think that books must represent all readers, the video brought up an excellent point that windows enable readers to gain different perspectives which I believe is crucial.

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1) "Stories connect us", I appreciate how simple yet effective this quote is. I couldn't agree more that stories bring people from all backgrounds together. The more emotionally connected you feel to a story, I think the more open you become to others.
2) Reading becomes even more important during these times because it is so difficult to find moments where we are not focused on how dire the world feels currently. Reading allows us to escape yet find truths that we can bring back to our world with us.
3) I love the analogy of books as mirrors, windows, or sliding glass doors. Books being described in this way feel especially powerful to me as I've always relied on books to imagine myself in different worlds and I think that nurtured a strong sense of empathy in me as a child, which I think is necessary to instil in our future students.

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Emily Corbett

I loved the line from the first video about "teaching about differences without assigning value to them". Teaching about differences is also celebrating them, and finding commonalities. The excitement and joy that Cornelius has is palpable and infectious. The way we set up an individual book in the class has impact, and so does hyping up the joy of reading. The third video certainly showed this by enjoying even the blank pages of a beautiful new book. It really sets the tone for reading being a special time both for the individual student and as a group. Instituting a routine of reading whether daily, weekly or self-directed by the students is a great way to instill that joy and to connect. I hope to have the same zest as these educators!

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- It is important for educators to stay flexible and adapt to the changing landscape of education during  a pandemic. Using videos, projectors and other tools to make stories accessible to all students while they physically distance.

- Knowing that “stories connect us”, educators need to bring that passion and love of books when they are sharing stories with their students.

- It is a good idea to create a reading ritual in your classroom culture- beginning and ending the day with a story can be a powerful connection tool!

- Select books that reflect the diversity of all humans- and books that don not, so you can start to ask ‘why’ and engage in critical thinking with your students.

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1)      The first video points out the importance of reading to change the instructional practice and the definition of normal. I do agree that it requires a tremendous effort to re-define lots of idea to radicalize racism.

2)      Reading aloud brings everyone together. It is not always about the reading itself but its about how passionate the teachers are when teaching.

3)      It is true that the kids needs to find themselves in the books they are reading in order to be interested

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First of all, I loved watching videos versus doing a reading this week! I find it much easier to gather information from a video.

1. I loved how Colby's use of the display camera to show his books to the class. A great way of using technology.

2. I liked Cornelius' idea about looking through the art within a book before reading it. I think too often we are more concerned about the words and the deeper messages within a book and don't take enough time to look at the art and learn about the artist.

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1. On reading during a pandemic... I found Colby Sharp's way of projecting the book onto a screen so all the students could see the images and participate while staying distant really neat.
2. Cornelius Minor shared that he often gives students 15 seconds to think about their questions before sharing them with a friend. The important thing wasn't to have an answer for all of them, but to give students a chance to share their questions and allow the questions to live.
3. Cornelius Minor also explained that the books we read help us to understand what's "normal" -- as educators, we must allow students to see many possibilities of "normal" and explore similarities and differences without assigning value

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1. "What are the ways she's just like us" - Before even reading, we should explore the beautiful art and compare ourselves to the art to see what are the similarities and differences.
2. "Allow those questions to live" - Kids are often silenced when they ask questions but they should be given a space to ask the questions and to receive the answers so that they can make meaning in the classroom.

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1. Stories connect us with each other and teach us valuable lessons.
2. We as teachers bear responsibility to consider books that our students see themselves reflection in.

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Using books to have conversations about race: I found his ideas of using books to teach kids about race and equality very interesting. He showed how we can point fingers to a boy of color and tell our kids that you can be just as awesome or just as brave as this boy. This reading method can positively impact children’s behavior towards race and will foster equality in the classroom.

Colby talks about the importance of reading out loud and changing the tone of voice which is exactly what I do when I read to my kids and it usually creates a sense of excitement and laughter during my readings, so I know that my kids are enjoying it and that brings me joy .

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A couple of the ideas that really stuck with me...

1. If we don't allow kids to ask their questions in classes, they will look for the information outside of class, for example on the internet, where misinformation is rampant.
2. As a teacher, if you are passionate about something/the subject, the students will feed off that energy.

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Cornelius made a lot of good points in his video, which was very engaging to watch.
1. He says that books craft a world for kids where they can understand what is "normal." If we frequently portray white, hetersexual, able-bodied characters, children will perceive that as "normal." This had me thinking, I don't think I've ever read a book where the main character had a disability, for example, was in a wheelchair or was blind. It would be nice to see more books like this to expose kids to the idea that "normal" is merely a social construct. People can be similar and/or different without having to be "normal" or "not normal." Additionally, putting children in a variety of shoes allows them to be more empathetic and understanding of the bigger forces at work on individuals.

2. Don't silence kids' questions about race, class, or gender. Ask it now because the classroom is a safe place to make sense of these topics.

3 "We can notice difference without assigning value."

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pandemic... I found Colby Sharp's way of projecting the book onto a screen so all the students could see the images and participate while staying distant really neat. 
2. Cornelius Minor shared that he often gives students 15 seconds to think about their questions before sharing them with a friend. The important thing wasn't to have an answer for

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Ideas:
1. We should create a space where students feel safe to ask questions. (Especially about race) - We can notice difference without assigning value.
2. Literature that acts as mirrors heightens ones sense of self worth. Literature that acts as windows shows that potential worldchanging ability is not linked to race.