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As teachers in New York City, we have an obligation to reflect on our practices and ensure that we support students of all backgrounds. At the beginning of the article Sara Jones states, “literacy has consistently been a tool of white supremacy culture, used to bestow humanity upon or withhold humanity from varied groups of marginalized people.” This line especially stood out to me and made me consider how many of the most notable texts in the Western Literary Canon directly or implicitly draw upon racial stereotypes or omit Black narratives all together. When designing curriculum, we have to examine how we uplift certain voices and consider what context those stories are told. I have been fortunate that my Principal and the English department at my school have always focused on selecting texts that celebrate multiculturalism and diversity. Later in the article Jones explains “I use the term “whiteness” to refer to the tendency to prioritize perspectives, participants, measures, and ways of knowing that assume white as “normal.”  This quote stood out to me because a lot of literature conventionally taught in high school presents non white individuals and communities as “others,” outside of the normal, conventional experience. I think it’s vital that we reject this notion within our classrooms and work to recognize a range of experiences, not just those that have been historically embraced.

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I really enjoyed the way Deborah Wolter crafted this article and I think through her cited case studies she was able to succinctly explain examples of widespread misconceptions within Special Education. One idea I saw across all of the case studies was that the reading interventions being offered to most students were generic strategies that did not account for specific learning needs or backgrounds. I was especially moved by Jeremy’s story where he needed to develop vocabulary acquisition through literacy that he could connect to and used words that were a part of his own experiences. Although I have not worked with students in this exact situation, I have seen many students struggle with literacy when texts have little to no relevance within their lives. One way I try to accommodate this is drawing from texts they select themselves or even incorporating other forms of storytelling through podcasts or film. Another case study that stood out to me was Jamal’s story which emphasized the importance of “authentic literacy instruction.” His experience also highlights the need for students to practice literacy through practices that are engaging, accessible, and based on topics that appeal to student background knowledge.

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In this podcast, Emily Hanford provides a detailed history of how educators and scientists have determined how the brain learns to read. I really enjoyed listening to this podcast because it taught me that reading acquisition is developed through learning the relationship between sounds and letters. Many of the assessments we have administered in classes like learning lab are based on prompting students to read words that have different sound and letter combinations. Previously, I did not fully understand the importance of this but now I see that when students are not able to read certain words, it can tell us a lot about their reading abilities and process. I also enjoyed learning about the history of Reading Recovery and Marie Clay. I think the reason it was successful for a long time was because one on one support is extremely beneficial for students. However, I agree that learning to read through guessing and making assumptions is not the most effective way to acquire reading skills. Personally, I learned to read through Dr. Suess books and I distinctly remember reading The Foot Book for the first time by myself. The rhyming schemes were extremely helpful for me to learn how to match letters to sounds. I think teachers of all subjects and grade levels could really benefit from listening to this podcast series and I am interested in exploring more episodes.

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Culturally responsive teaching is amongst the one of the most important aspects of facilitating instruction in the classroom. In order to provide an effective education for our students, we need to consider how we appeal to students of all backgrounds, as well as how we teach to their strengths and prior knowledge. Students need to feel comfortable sharing their ideas and  experiences which becomes very challenging when they feel like they don’t belong or are viewed as an outsider. Since we are still in the beginning weeks of the school year, I am continually working to get to know my students better and learn about what they are interested in or passionate about. I think making initial connections with students helps to build a community where deeper conversations about race, ethnicity, and social movements can occur. In order to be culturally responsive to our students, I think we need to be able to examine our world from multiple perspectives, even if that means embracing concepts or ideas that may be unfamiliar to us at first.

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Culturally Responsible Teaching is extremely important for a variety of reasons. Equity is one of the reasons CRT is important. Many tines, children of color, especially African American students are left out of consideration when it comes to how lessons are presented and being able to relate to the topics being taught. Students should be able to see themselves within the curriculum and teachers should be able to hold themselves accountable for falling short of making their lessons relatable for their students.

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I just learned a whole lot from this article:
- I finally know what "reading recovery" is about... we offer it at my school but I didn't know what the idea of it was
- I didn't know that Dick and Jane books were created in the 60s... where have those books gone today?
- the game 20 question existed in the 60s!?
- trying to guess words meanings surrounded by their context won't actually help you

It is a real wonder to see somebody so dedicated to helping get to the bottom of a problem in order to come up with a solution.  Introducing students/children to phonics makes so much sense.  When I was growing up, I remember seeing commercials for "1800-hooked-on-phonics" and I remember thinking to myself, wow, those kids look like they're having fun and learning how to read, I wish I had that.  My mom was a single mom and couldn't/didn't invest in the program. But also, I believe there was a stigma around those types of programs.

I was very interested to see that brain scans were performed and eye-tracking was even a thing when it came to reading.

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Sara Jones' critical review on "Turning Away from Anti-Blackness: Adolescent Reading Motivation Research" offers an insightful perspective that resonates deeply with my experience as a high school special education teacher in the Bronx. Her examination of reading motivation research, particularly in the context of anti-Blackness, highlights critical issues that educators must confront and address.

One key takeaway from Jones' review is the pressing need for educators to acknowledge the systemic barriers that many Black students, including those with disabilities, face in their educational journeys. It reinforces the importance of creating culturally responsive classrooms where students' identities, backgrounds, and experiences are not only recognized but celebrated. For special education teachers, this means recognizing the intersectionality of race and disability, understanding how these factors impact students' motivation to read, and tailoring our instructional approaches accordingly. It is not enough to provide individualized support for students with disabilities; we must also ensure that our pedagogy is anti-racist and inclusive.

In essence, Sara Jones' critical review serves as a valuable reminder that as educators, our responsibilities extend beyond the classroom. We must actively engage in the ongoing work of dismantling systemic inequities and biases that disproportionately affect Black students. By doing so, we can create an environment where all students, regardless of their race or disability, are motivated and empowered to become lifelong readers and learners.

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As a high school special education teacher in the Bronx, New York, I've witnessed the opportunity gap in literacy firsthand. Many of my students, coming from low-income backgrounds, lack access to diverse literature, quality resources, and digital tools. This gap not only limits their exposure to different perspectives and cultures but also hinders their enthusiasm for reading and academic success.

One of the most glaring aspects of this gap is the lack of access to high-quality, diverse literature. Many of my students come from low-income backgrounds, and their schools often struggle to provide an array of books that reflect their diverse identities and experiences. This not only limits their exposure to different perspectives and cultures but also stifles their enthusiasm for reading. It's disheartening to see young minds craving stories that resonate with them but finding very few options available. This hit home to me because I did no start reading until my mid 20s but that is because nobody enforced leisure reading to me so it all seemed so foreign.

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I truly believe in culturally responsive teaching; getting to know students and where they from can help to lead our instruction, and for me, it has.  When I am able to connect to my students' and their community, they are more receptive to the point that I am trying to get across.

While I understand the importance of CRT, what I cannot understand is how it can be fully implemented at the high school level when everything is metric and test driven. Assessments (the regents exams) are "most important" for students to focus on, however, if we are practising CRT within our classrooms, why isn't that reflected in the city/state testing? So now when our students go to take these assessments, it's almost as if they were not prepared.

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As a white passing Hispanics person who grew up in the suburbs of Long Island, I can't identify with the struggles of my black students which typically would put me at a disadvantage. However, I do recognize the privilege I was given by the hard work of my mother to make sure that I had the childhood I was given which I will always cherish. Despite this though, I do want to bring up one thing that happened to me last year that was a conversation I felt was a bit too much on the nose and even made me feel uncomfortable.
Last year I had worked at a middle school in Far Rockaway where the school population was predominately black. My old co-teacher, who is an older black woman, at the beginning of the year decided to have a candid conversation with the students. This conversation was meant to try to motivate them in order to try to succeed during the year and strive for their best. She asked the students whether they wanted to be "A scholar, a Statistic, or a Stereotype". What she meant by this conversation was that it was our student's choice to figure out which they wanted to be; a scholar does their work and gets good grades, a statistic is someone who coasts by only getting by in school because the DOE forces them through, and then a stereotype is someone who doesn't amount to anything and would only want to continue the cycle of poverty and gang violence within the community. In my personal opinion, this was a conversation that felt very forced, very out of no where, and a little inappropriate to be having this conversation with a classroom of 12-13 year olds. I understood what she was trying to say, I just feel like she could have gone about it in a much better way.
Diversity is something that the DOE actively strives for due to how mixed the classrooms are. That's a massive benefit as this makes it easy to criticize and critique the education system as our students know first hand the effects it has on their lives. This is why we need to make our classrooms as relevant as possible to our students in order to address these shortcomings, we just need to do so in a more effective manner.

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While reading, I had to keep in the back of my mind the idea that all of our students have different experiences and needs in the classroom in order to feel included within the classroom. All of our students have different factors that they face within the education system. What is annoying though is that most schools would prefer to isolate students with reading gaps via one-to-one programs, SETSS, and other ways to try to close this gap. While noble intentions show, it can easily be seen as a negative to the student. I know first hand I had to pretty much fight with my 6th graders last year every monday and tuesday whenever I had to pull them for Math SETSS. Now combine that frustration with the added frustration of not completely understanding specific keywords or phrases, then you have a recipe for disaster for the student

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After reading the article " The Opportunity Gap in Literacy", I was able to see how valued early intervention is. As a father myself, who promotes the nightly "bed time story", I find that my son has developed so much more in language because of it. My wife and I really stress the importance of introducing new words constantly. My son struggled with his speech and therefore receives speech therapy. The constant repetition of making letter sounds has really helped him develop tremendously.

I think the connection I made here is that supports and intervention can really do wonders for a child. Especially if there is reinforcement at home throughout the process.

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The connection that I made with the podcast was through my own personal reading experience. I have vivid memories of my mother reading bed time stories as a kid, focusing on the sounds that each letter makes. As a child, I did not think much of it but now as a father myself, I find myself doing similar things. Each night I read my 2 year old son a bed time story. Although it may seem so innocent, I think its really help increase is language and how to pronounce certain words.

I find this to be similar while educating students in my classroom. Constantly working on phonics and the understanding of which words mean what. The growth and development that I have found in students that make this a priority is tremendous.

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Understanding students cultural backgrounds is key in the development of a students success in the classroom. I am a teacher that does a tremendous amount of parent outreach. My reasoning is because if I can create a partnership with a student's parents then the parents feel more equity in their childs education. I think the value in creating relationships and learning about a students cultural is important. I have never met someone who performs well in an environment where they are uncomfortable due to lack of supports, especially with a language barrier. Our job as educators is to place each individual student in a position where they can gain and retain knowledge and success. Although it is important for students to advocate for themselves but in the event that they can't, us educators need to be that voice of reason to help gain a students trust as well as providing them with tools that can really deliver positivity.

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My mother was born in Italy and moved to NYC when she was at a young age. Her first language was Italian and she constantly spoke to me about her struggles to learn English. While reading this article, one story really stood out to me. "Miriam, a bilingual student, was placed in special education during her elementary years because of her lack of progress in reading." This story resonated with me because of my mom and because of where I work. In Harlem, there are so many students who are struggling with content just for the fact that they don't have the services they need. In my school, I make sure we are meeting as a team and annotating which student may need support. Seeing this in the beginning of the year will set up students for success for the rest of the year. As teachers it's our job to provide them that consistency.

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While listening to the episode I honestly cannot wrap my head around the idea that it was believed that only "good" readers sound out words as a last resort. That sounds like such an alien concept to me because reading  is a skills that has to be practiced constantly. Getting an idea of a word from context clues does make sense but I think it is not a definitive method in order to learn reading.

I have always been a fan of teaching phonics within English as phonics plays a big role in reading comprehension. I wish that classes still pushed for phonics skills while gathering context clues within the sentence structure as the combination of reading techniques and skills would be the most helpful for our students. Being able to both SEE how a word is written and HOW it sounds help with understanding the WHAT the word means.

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This article does a great job at highlighting the unjustices that black students go through. "Black students being dispro-portionately disciplined" is something that stood out to me. When I was in high school, I constantly saw black students getting disciplined harsher then other students. As a teacher, it is my job to make sure my students are protected on all fronts and make sure all students feel heard/seen. This is what teachers should strive to do day in and day out.

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Reading this article really made me reflect on the struggles my students go through. "Dan never learned to read very well but he got passed along". This part of the conversation really stood out to me. I have students who are currently on many grades below level. It's imperative as teachers that we do what is needed to help students become on grade level. It happens so many times where students are struggling academically and teachers simply don't do enough. There was a situation last year where as inclusive learning teachers we had our own space to pull students out for small group. Unfortunately this year that space got taken away from us. Simply because it was being under-utilized throughout the school year. This is a prime example of teachers passing students along instead of finding the best ways to work with them.

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Whenever I think about culturally responsive teaching I always have to think about my own teaching experience. I teach in Brooklyn with a predominately Hispanic population so I do need to make efforts to connect to my student as I am a white passing Hispanic who grew up on Long Island.

I always think about the time I taught Maus to my 10th grade English class where surprisingly I was able to make the story more culturally responsive. To start with, the modern day parts within Maus take place in Rega Park (The neighborhood right next to the school). I remember introducing the book with a lesson on moral ambiguity and included questions that had to be discussed in groups on how students were going to answer. One question revolved around cheating on a test, another was about jumping the turnstile at the station and I think the third was a question about stealing from a store. I tried to make the questions relevant as possible to my student's actual lived experiences and had it focus more actual life rather than being school focused. All my students knew the morally right choice  but with the their being the morally wrong choice as well, it led to some really good discussion and had my students understand the kinds of experiences the book focuses on.

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"Prioritizing Student Growth Creating Affirming Environment" is a great way to summarize this video. While watching this video it made me think about my classroom over the last three years. The amount of students that have been involved in the process of learning within our school community. Teaching in East Harlem it's so importance to make the classroom culturally relevant. Culturally responsive teaching is key in every part of a lesson. Making sure the word problems relate to student experiences, ensuring the power points have designs that students can understand and even having activities that scholars will find enjoyable. The classroom should be a place students feel confident to enter and comfortable to stay in daily. One way I have found to implement this is to be transparent with students, give them opportunities to express themselves and prove to them that your main focus as their teacher is to see them succeed. In my classroom, I ensure students know their teacher wants them to succeed in school and out. This is done by having conversation, giving students opportunity to bond with you and by listening to them when they speak.

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The reading highlights the culture of white supremacist and how that culture has harmed the learning progression of people of color. Education in America is highly influenced by the supremacist ideology . There needs be more focus on literature that has to do with successful people of color.

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This podcast made me think about the privileges I have had in my lifetime. I have always been a great reader and studied even before I went to school. I had a mother who sat with me and ensured that I got everything I needed. In school, I would always think about why some students would struggle to read. After all, you just needed to sound out the words and connect them. I do not think I understood the difficulties students went through until I became a tutor of some students. I realized that there were other things that were impacting them as well. This podcast also gives some pointers to help struggling students, such as reading strategies (for example "three queuing"). It made sense when they said good readers do not sound out letters but make connections. This actually helps me think about how I approach my students when I have a reading for science.

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The ideas in the reading has such a different prospective that I found myself confused somewhat. My current understand is that students with a learning disability should receive accommodations. The reading suggest that teachers both general and special educators should use more strategies in the classroom to improve reading levels. Reading development is the responsibility of all stakeholders and if we only rely on special educators. to improve the reading of a select few more learning gaps can be created.

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This video makes me think about the way I am engaging my students. I have a new classroom this year and had a challenge with one of my classes this year because it was a classroom of a certain teacher who had been there for several years. When the students came in and saw how empty the classroom was, they came in upset and complained about missing their old teacher and how this classroom did not belong to me. It was a little difficult but I reassured the students and even agreed with them. I told them that they were right and that this classroom was not mine. In fact, it was theirs. After all, they were there for the previous two years and had memories there. I told them that I would require their help and expertise to modify the classroom and even the work I give them so that I could make an environment for them that would make them feel comfortable. It remains to be seen if this works out in the long run, but I know that I need to keep me end of the promise and give the best support that I possibly can and make the classroom something that is good for them.

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I currently teach at I.S. 217 and currently, the majority of my students are black. I also have noticed that the reading levels of our students were very low and I knew that there were a variety of factors to this. I have always believed that systemic racism is one of these factors and this article helped confirm my thinking. This year, I have received some new students and they also struggle to read and write. It makes me wonder how I can give them support so that I can ensure that my students have the tools necessary to be able to combat a system rigged against them. It also makes me wonder if the system in my school is a victim of the anti-black system, even though the majority of the staff and students are of the minority group.

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Ronaldo C. -- It is important to be aware that the American education system was built to maintain and preserve white supremacy culture, and we can still see some of it within our schools despite having a low portion of white students. As teachers, it is important to acknowledge the differences and celebrate diversity and inclusion in all ways. I also believe that motivating black readers is crucial for addressing our students' low reading literacy rate. One way is by reading books or articles written by black authors and ensuring that students know this so they can feel important in this world.  When they see someone who looks like them, they might feel they can do the same work or even better. Most of my students are black, and I am proud to be their teacher because they help me keep going by sharing their experiences and cultures; getting to know them every day also helps me become a better educator.

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I honestly went into this reading expecting that there would be something about the gap in learning for those who have disabilities and those without. However, it actually introduced some concepts I am not familiar with. For example, it mentions Ableism, which is something I have heard of but something I am not knowledgeable in. In the beginning of this piece, it is mentioned that someone who has a disability is viewed with the mindset of what they cannot do, and I am also a victim of this. If I hear about a student with a disability, I first think of what their disability is and then I think about what their limitations are. It relates back to the idea that there should be an inclusive environment which is an idea I am aware of and agree with as well. This article also mentions multiple stories of students who have disabilities and these stories showed the benefits of an inclusive classroom. it makes me think about the difficulties my students must go through as well and makes me think about how I could do my best to help support them in my classroom, whether it be through small group instruction or intervention.

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This podcast me think of my own reading skills and the skills of my students. Once I got to  the ending of the podcast , they revealed that sounding out words maybe the best strategy for reading new words. I would say I am mid-level reader, not the best reader. When I personally read books , I  have to google the  pronunciation and meaning of new words . I do not think I learned how to effectively sound out words in my more formative years of learning.  This understanding of my own difficulties with reading motives  me to utilize the best practices for my students. I want my students to be excited to read new material. Also, I want them to realize that reading is a necessity no matter what career or interest a person has. Finding material students will be interested to read will make reading less of a chore .
I have students that I can think of that are enable to pass New York state regents exams because they read at a low level.

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The article "Turning Away from Anti-Blackness" reveals that racism is prevalent in the education system. It talks about how researchers have a "color-evasiveness" approach towards race and that their data doesn't reflect the struggle of black students. This is because they "maintain ahistorical approaches to reading motivation--refusing to examine the linkages between historical patterns of oppression and contemporary inequities." (Jones pg. 1117). Reading this made me realize that you can not always trust the data from studies as they do not correctly reflect the community we serve. It is imperative to learn how to detect those micro-aggressions and act accordingly. I believe that having a culturally responsive teaching approach is the best way to combat racism. As teachers, we must diversify our curriculum to increase students' engagement and advocate for our students.

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Ronaldo C. -- After reading the article, I feel empowered about the work I do by helping students read as much as I can.  During the past two days of school, I did a small activity to see students' reading and writing, and I could detect how they could read and write at a grade-average level. Students come from different scenarios, and my job as a teacher is to ensure they practice or improve their reading skills daily. This move for wanting to read should also be a school-wide movement to improve reading literacy at all levels. When I was grading regents last year, I saw how bad the reading levels for some students were, and I wondered how they kept moving to the next grade level. Also, teachers already have so much on their plate by teaching different content/subject areas. Still, one thing that all teachers can do together is to implement more reading activities just by spending one day reading an article about something related to the content and having students discuss it. Let’s be optimistic and look forward to new solutions rather than ignoring the problem.

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As New York public school teachers, we receive students from all over the world. Therefore, we must ensure that our practices reflect the cultures residing in our classroom. We can accomplish that by implementing the wealth of knowledge of our students into our lessons. In my classroom, I encourage my students to engage in classroom discussions that allow them to share their culture and heritage. We examine topics that echo the challenges that members of different communities face (the death of Tyre Nichols). We participate in those activities to ensure our students have the skills to navigate the world and feel represented in the school.

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I was interested by the fact that students live in  communities that are  filled with so much knowledge. We just had professional development at my school where we went out in the community that we teach in. The goal was to  learn about the rich history of the community and to learn what the community currently offers individuals. This made me think about how I am in the habit of looking outside  the community that I teach in to obtain resources. Seeking resources in the community offers teachers  the ability to  learn more about our students cultures and builds more self-esteem within our students knowing  the value of the community they live in.
Learning more about students cultures in order to implement them into the curriculum can be both challenging and rewarding. Being intentional in this practice is very much needed to increase students engagement and performance in the class. I personally need more examples of lessons that incorporate culturally responsive teaching so that I can implement more of this into my curriculum

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Episode 2 of Sold a Story made me think of how our malpractice could have a lasting impact on our students. Therefore, as educators, we must make informed decisions in our classroom and sometimes challenge the status quo.

I used to do phonics reading in my previous school, and I can attest to how crucial it is for students to know long and short vowels and how they sound when combined with consonants. I've witnessed students making tremendous growth participating in those programs. This broadcast gave me a detailed explanation of the mistakes that we've been making as a system. Episode 2 demonstrated how we must not always follow a program with fidelity. If you realize a program isn't working for your students, you must be brave enough to challenge it and make data-driven decisions.

It is easy to endorse a program approved by the president of the United States. But as a teacher, we ought to do our diligence by doing intensive research before welcoming a program into our classroom.

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Reading the article The Opportunity Gap in Literacy" made me realize the importance of early intervention or teaching students phonics. In my last school, we used programs like Phonics for Reading to help the 6th and 7th graders improve their reading skills. I received a lot of pushback from my students while trying to implement this program. One student would cry during the sessions because she felt "stupid" for doing kindergarten work in 6 grade. After a while, she stopped reporting to the program. My experience with that student made me recognize the significance of inclusion. The fact that she was getting pulled out of her regular schedule to be part of this intensive program made her feel different. Teachers of all domains must infuse their knowledge to ensure the lesson accounts for all students' needs. For example, teachers should include phonic and decoding words in their instruction. Creating a healthy learning environment where students feel motivated to improve their skills could be the key to success.

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One thought that stood out was the importance of acknowledging and valuing the different cultural backgrounds and experiences that students bring to the classroom. By doing so, teachers create an inclusive and supportive learning environment that fosters academic success and social-emotional growth for all students. This concept aligns with the idea of creating a safe space where students feel seen, heard, and understood.

The video also addressed the potential challenges that come with implementing culturally responsive teaching. For instance, there may be a lack of resources or knowledge on various cultures, making it difficult for teachers to effectively incorporate them into their lesson plans. It made me wonder how educators can overcome these obstacles and what support systems can be put in place to enhance their cultural competence?

Additionally, I found it interesting that culturally responsive teaching is not limited to students from minority backgrounds but is beneficial for all learners. It promotes empathy, cultural understanding, and can ultimately prepare students for an increasingly diverse society. This made me reflect on the importance of incorporating diverse perspectives in all areas of education, not just in terms of curriculum but also in teacher training and professional development.

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One idea that particularly resonated with me was the influence of representation in literature on reading motivation. The article highlighted how the underrepresentation of Black characters and authors negatively affects the interest, engagement, and overall motivation of Black adolescents to read. This finding raises an important question about the responsibility of educators and publishers to ensure diversity and inclusivity in the books made available to young readers. By providing books that reflect the lived experiences of Black individuals, we can foster a sense of belonging, empower young minds, and promote a more inclusive society.

Furthermore, the article also touched upon the importance of culturally relevant pedagogy in addressing anti-blackness. It emphasized the need for educators to incorporate texts that validate and celebrate Black culture, history, and experiences. I wonder how this approach could be further integrated into school curricula, not only in English literature but also across various subjects. By doing so, we can challenge the dominant narrative, debunk stereotypes, and foster a more comprehensive understanding of our diverse world.

However, while reading this article, I couldn't help but wonder about the larger systemic issues that contribute to anti-blackness and its impact on reading motivation. It is crucial to acknowledge that this issue extends beyond the classroom and into the broader social, economic, and political fabric of our society. Simply diversifying reading materials might not be enough to address the deep-rooted biases and inequalities that perpetuate anti-blackness. Therefore, it becomes imperative to address these systemic issues holistically, through comprehensive anti-racist policies, social justice initiatives, and collaborative efforts across institutions and communities.

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After reading the article "The Opportunity Gap in Literacy," I found myself reflecting on the implications and underlying factors that contribute to this issue. The author rightly argues that the opportunity gap in literacy is not solely about the lack of access to books, but rather a complex interplay of socioeconomic factors, lack of early intervention, and inadequate support systems.

One thought that emerged while reading this article is the importance of early intervention in promoting literacy skills. The article emphasizes that the opportunity gap begins as early as infancy, with children from low-income backgrounds being exposed to fewer words compared to their more affluent peers. This highlights the need for targeted interventions and programs that focus on early childhood literacy. It's intriguing to consider how investing in early intervention initiatives, such as parent education programs or high-quality preschools, could potentially narrow the opportunity gap in literacy for these children.

Additionally, the article mentions the role of parental involvement in fostering literacy skills. It got me wondering about the challenges faced by parents from low-income backgrounds who might not have the time, knowledge, or resources to support their children's literacy development adequately. How can we ensure that parents are equipped with the tools and support they need to engage in literacy activities with their children? Providing accessible literacy programs and resources tailored to parents from all backgrounds could be a valuable step towards addressing this issue.

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One idea that resonated strongly with me was the concept of storytelling as a form of agency. The host eloquently described how telling our stories allows us to shape our own narratives and gain a sense of control over our experiences. It made me wonder about the stories I tell myself and how they may influence my perspective on past events. Do I frame my experiences in a way that empowers me or restricts my growth?

The episode also touched upon the vulnerability that comes with sharing our stories. The featured guest spoke about her initial hesitation and fear of judgment when deciding to publicly disclose her personal journey. This brought to mind the power of empathy and the potential for connection that stems from shared experiences. It made me reflect on the importance of creating safe spaces where individuals feel comfortable expressing themselves without fear of stigma or shame.

The episode also left me pondering the responsibility that comes with sharing stories. While storytelling has the potential to heal and empower, it can also perpetuate stereotypes and reinforce harmful narratives. It made me desire a more conscious approach to sharing stories, one that is mindful of the impact it can have on individuals and communities.

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One of the podcast's highlights is teaching students the proper reading strategies. Sometimes, students forget how to read more effectively and must be reminded why they are learning the reading strategy. I sometimes need help with reading because the proper techniques were not taught in school. One way to cope with this is to keep reminding students why they are learning this specific strategy and how it can be applied. Also, I agree that sending teachers to more innovative training sessions so they can continue learning new reading strategies for teaching can help students read more effectively. However, this can be an issue for some teachers because they might not have time to continue learning, or just be willing to apply these strategies into their lesson plans. Reading strategies can be one of the best ways to cope with the challenges students face in high school today. Still, several factors are on the way that also need to be addressed before seeing more positive outcomes.

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Personal Reflections on Culturally Responsive Teaching

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Personal Reflections on Culturally Responsive Teaching

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Ronaldo Carhuaricra - Being able to be a highly effective teacher requires us to have a deep understanding of what really Culturally Responsive teaching is. According to the video and my understanding, CRT can be a systematic way to cope with the different challenges that students of color face every day. I strongly agree with the three components of CRT: prioritizing students’ growth, creating an affirming environment, and teaching students how to solve real-world problems. Having these thoughts in mind when we are teaching can be crucial for student’s engagement and motivation so they feel a sense of belonging in the classroom. This can also impact their performance in other classes because they know someone holds high expectations of them.  However, not all educators are aware of the CRT strategies and are unwilling to implement them because CRT was not taught when they were in college. I see that this is a big issue among the senior teachers.  But yet, my school is making a big move into CRT teaching strategies by raising awareness of their importance during PD meetings and workshops.  Overall, CRT teaching strategies are crucial for ensuring student’s success in the classroom and the school community.

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As a Black teacher, this article resonates deeply with my experiences within the education system. It's heartening to see a focus on reading motivation among Black adolescents, a topic that often takes a backseat in discussions about Black students' academic achievement. Reading motivation is an essential aspect of our students' growth, and recognizing its complexities is a vital step toward addressing anti-Blackness in education.

The summary underscores that reading motivation isn't a one-size-fits-all concept but a nuance of emotions, interests, and experiences. This realization is something I've witnessed in my own classroom, where students' backgrounds and personal stories significantly impact their engagement with reading. Understanding this complexity empowers educators like me to create more culturally responsive and inclusive learning environments.

The literature review in the article serves as a reminder of the historical and systemic challenges Black students have faced. These challenges continue to manifest as disparities in educational outcomes. As a Black teacher, this reinforces my commitment to advocating for equitable opportunities for my students. It's not just about improving literacy skills; it's about dismantling the structural barriers that have perpetuated anti-Blackness in education.

While the summary doesn't delve into specific research findings, the message is clear: we, as Black educators, need to prioritize strategies that nurture reading motivation among Black adolescents. This isn't just about academic success; it's about empowering our students to thrive in a system that has often failed them. It's about instilling a love for reading that extends beyond the classroom and into their lifelong journeys.

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Incorporating criticality into reading instruction within an anti-racist education framework is crucial for actively combatting institutional anti-Blackness. Black literacy scholars emphasize that criticality aligns with the historical tradition of literacy as a means of self-empowerment, self-determination, and self-liberation for Black people. It is through this critical lens that Black literacy can contribute to an improvement of learning outcomes for Black students as well as social transformation.

Recognizing that reading is not a politically innocent act for Black readers, it is imperative that theories of reading motivation acknowledge and embrace these transformative purposes. This necessitates a deep understanding of the historical, political, and sociocultural contexts that shape Black readers' interpretations of the world, both in theory and in practice.

Moreover, to actively combat institutional anti-Blackness in education, I agree that we need to rethink reading motivation to be responsive and inclusive of Black readers. This involves drawing on historical and contemporary Black literacy perspectives and employing more expansive research methodologies. The proposed development of a race-reimaged reading motivation construct would integrate racially influenced sociocultural perspectives into literacy instruction, enabling a more equitable and anti-racist educational environment.

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This article offers valuable insights into the struggles that some students face when it comes to reading and writing. As I reflect on this article, I find several key points worth highlighting.
First, it's eye-opening when you realize that most students who struggle with literacy have the potential to excel. They possess normal cognitive and language abilities and a strong desire to improve their skills. The article challenges the common assumption that these students are inherently lacking and instead emphasizes how the educational system's limited opportunities can perpetuate inequalities.
The real-life case studies presented in the article are compelling examples of how innovative and inclusive approaches can make a significant impact on a student's literacy journey. For instance, Jeremy's story demonstrates how focusing on a student's life experiences can lead to substantial progress.
Jamal's case illustrates the downside of relying too heavily on assessments and labels, which can restrict opportunities for capable students. The idea of restructuring schools to offer more inclusive literacy instruction is thought-provoking and could benefit many struggling learners.
Miriam's experience teaches us the valuable lesson of embracing errors as strengths. Recognizing that mistakes can reveal a student's comprehension abilities challenges the common belief that errors should be punished rather than celebrated.
Lastly, the article's discussion of Rory and the need to redefine the roles of special education teachers and therapists as supportive facilitators highlights the importance of full inclusion and the need to challenge the traditional model of education that focuses on deficits.

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The podcast episode offers a fascinating glimpse into the evolution of reading instruction. It's pretty cool to witness how well-accepted techniques, like those endorsed by Marie Clay, can get a reality check from scientific research. This highlights the ever-shifting landscape of education, where theories get a makeover as we uncover new stuff.

What really hits home in this episode is how crucial evidence-based teaching is in the world of reading. Even though Clay's methods were all the rage, research showed they weren't as effective as everyone thought. This drives home the point that educational methods should always be rooted in solid evidence and be flexible enough to adapt to the latest discoveries.

Dan Corcoran's personal journey is a powerful reminder of how reading can be a game-changer. Going from struggling with reading to starting businesses is a real-life success story that shows how reading isn't just a skill; it's your ticket to personal and professional growth.

The episode also brings up some big questions about the ongoing debates in reading education. It's clear there's a tug of war between different approaches – some folks prefer context-based methods, while others are all about phonics-based techniques. This tension highlights the need for a balanced approach that mixes the best practices backed by research.

And let's not forget about the educators. This podcast really hammers home the idea that teachers play a very important role in how kids learn to read. It reminds them that they need to stay in the loop about the latest reading research and use teaching methods that are backed by science. It's like a call to action for teachers to step up their game and make sure they're doing right by their students.

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Reflecting on the concept of Culturally Responsive Teaching , I'm moved by its significance in the field of education. This approach recognizes culture as a vital factor in the learning process and has a clear mission: to seamlessly weave students' cultural backgrounds and identities into the classroom, thereby fostering an inclusive and equitable learning environment.

The question of why Culturally Responsive Teaching is valuable merits thoughtful consideration. First and foremost, CRT creates equity and inclusion within educational contexts. By acknowledging the cultural backgrounds of all students, it lays the foundation for an inclusive learning environment where every individual feels not only welcomed but also deeply respected. Furthermore, CRT has been linked to enhanced learning outcomes. When students encounter their own cultures and experiences thoughtfully integrated into the curriculum, their engagement and motivation soar. This heightened engagement often leads to improved academic performance and greater retention, as students forge a personal connection with the subject matter.Additionally, CRT nurtures the growth of cultural competence among students—an invaluable skill in our increasingly diverse world. By creating an understanding and appreciation of various cultures and perspectives, CRT equips students with the tools they need to navigate society with empathy.

Critical thinking is another cornerstone of CRT. By encouraging students to engage in discussions about social justice and inequality, CRT prepares them to be engaged citizens. When educators demonstrate genuine care for their students' identities and experiences, it often results in improved behavior and a more harmonious classroom dynamic. This trust and rapport between teachers and students are for effective learning. CRT plays a vital role in mitigating educational disparities. By addressing the needs of marginalized groups and working to close achievement gaps, CRT makes sure that the educational landscape becomes more equitable, giving all students a chance to excel.
Lastly and most importantly you cannot practice CRT if you are not open to connecting to your students in a way that may not be familiar to you.

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For me, the case studies presented in this article highlight the critical need for a more inclusive and equitable approach to literacy education. They underscore the fact that many students who struggle with reading and writing are not inherently incapable but often face systemic barriers and biases that limit their opportunities for learning. It's really the responsibility of teachers to get to know our students' backgrounds so that our instruction is informed by their unique personal struggles. This knowledge of our students can allow us to recognize their opportunities for growth in reading and identify the skills they've yet to master as well as the strategies needed to allow them to do so. More than anything, this article cemented my appreciation for sustained engagement with parents and guardians who may be able to better articulate the particular challenges my students might face. So this year I'm going to make it a policy to be very intentional about asking what challenges my students might have faced that would have excluded them from learning.

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No matter where students come from or what they're labeled as, all students should be a part of the school community. As a special education teacher, I strongly support the ideas in this article. Students can have a hard time learning to read and write for different reasons. Some kids don’t speak English well, some have disabilities, and some don't have access to money or a stable place to live. The important thing to remember is that these students can learn to read and write just like anyone else. Instead of just looking at what's wrong with students, we should see that they all want to get better at reading and writing. We should give all kids a chance to read aloud, read with friends and engage in fun activities with words. We can help students by seeing their strengths. It's not about what's wrong with them, but what they're good at.

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It seems that the model always makes a hard shift instead of combining all strategies.  we went from phonics to no phonics and a focus on comprehension.  why not do both??  it all just seems so foolish.  This week I witnessed my students struggling to read our class contracts.  This was in my 11th grade physics class.  These students were not struggling with content heavy physics words but common words like "conceptual and requirements".  both times students replied the word with a similar word but it completely did not make sense in the context.

it seems my students struggle with both phonics and comprehension.  I don't think they have been taught good strategies to do either.  The 3Qing method is just leading our students to the right answer. The questions just push them do it without and struggle, which is how students learn!

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As a special education teacher working with Black students, I support the perspective. The experiences of Black readers should not be overlooked. The color-evasive nature of existing scholarship in education upholds normative whiteness. This perpetuates systemic biases. Acknowledging the diversity within racial groups, the historical and political realities that shape reading motivations is especially relevant to our work as sped teachers. We need to uphold the unique motivations of Black readers without treating Black students as a monolithic group. Instructional recommendations based on flawed research will only perpetuate biases and deficit narratives. It's crucial for teachers to be aware of the limitations presented in research and to examine how it may influence their own perceptions.

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A really shocking statistics from the podcast last week was that over 80% of black students were not reading at grade level.   I believe a lot of the points presented in this article point to why that statistic is true.

it is important to represent our students cultures in their learning.  we have to ask why we are having them read the texts we give them.  it is because of the lessons they learn, the texts are exemplars of beautiful writing?  Can we only provide these models using the same old texts we read?  or are there other ways that are more culturally relatable.  Poems, songs, raps, plays  etc can alll be beautiful writnting and exemplar texts for our students as well.

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This was an incredibly illuminating podcast. It's almost shocking to hear that Clay's homogenization of reading instruction had such a profound impact on our practice. Developing a method that focused solely on the reading strategies of struggling readers seems like a significant oversight, This is especially concerning in light the data supporting the claim that this has negatively impacted generations of students. It's unfortunate that there was so much political will behind enabling the promotion of this kind of one-size-fits-all approach, and that so many students were denied the opportunity to truly master reading.

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Dan had challenges with reading and spelling. These are the type of students who need our support the most. Instead of labeling them as struggling readers, we need to design interventions that are appropriate to help them overcome their challenges. Like Daniel, students who struggle with academics can be supported in many ways to achieve their life goals. An important take home message is that we should not focus too much on academic performance to determine student success. We provide hands-on-training for students who are vocational and engineering inclined like Daniel who was able to find his way into the

US Navy. Struggling to read comes with a lot of challenges for students and consequently, takes away many of them from school. With the right support, we can have many struggling readers becoming successful.

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Academic success depends so much on a clear understanding of students' cultural backgrounds. In our classrooms, we need to value culturally responsive teaching approaches. This knowledge will be helpful to help students stay together with shared values and aspirations. When teachers create an environment where students' cultures are valued and cherished, they feel a sense of belonging that makes them comfortable to learn. Putting all the components of the culturally responsive and sustaining pedagogy in their right perspectives will create a good classroom climate that is conducive to learning.

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Issues of literacy should not be rooted through White supremacy. Literacy pedagogical practices should be equitable in educating children from all racial backgrounds. Anti-Blackness should not infiltrate or influence anything such as text choice, assignments and teaching. Racism in our educational institutions and practices, especially with regards to literacy education will deprive Black students the opportunity to achieve their academic goals. This is because literacy forms the core of the entire education package. A student who is deficient in reading and writing is not likely to make any academic gains. A culturally responsive educational practice is the only means by which we can have diversity embraced, and that is what will retain students in school and motivate them to stay focused on their academic pursuits.

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Michael Sarpong                                         

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Michael Sarpong                                         

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There's a gap in literacy which arises as a result of the type of family background a student comes from. This is not necessarily true because reading gaps actually arise when the school system is not able to offer the necessary learning environment for students to achieve reading success. Seeing students with special needs in the lense of what they can do is a wrong notion which must be discarded. We should stop placing labels on students who have challenges in reading or performing low academically. Rather, such students need the necessary academic and other therapeutic interventions to help them overcome such challenges.

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I very much agree with what I read in this article. The article talks about how, as usual, understandings of "reading motivation" can be done without even taking into consideration black readers. On the opposite end of the spectrum, there are those who take a "deficit and difference" approach to the issue to specifically distinguish it from "whiteness". The article talks about explicitly racist understandings that take place in these studies and, reading this now, it seems really disgusting that such understandings had any place at all in the discussion. In a way, the use of "diverse" and "diversity" does the same thing, but also by completely erasing a large number of cultures and ethnicities.

I see these last point, on "diversity", as something very common in the NYC DOE. There is "white" and then there is "diverse." When I talk to someone about where they work, and they say their school is "diverse", I may not know anything about the students other than most aren't white. This really caught my eye while reading the article. If anything, it might be more destructive than the explicitly racist studies because this understanding can be more insidious. In the segregated school system of New York City, this really needs to be called out. If anything, it might be a way to try to hide this segregation

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I have seen the ableism that is being discussed in this article. In fact, I am certain that all of us special education teachers have seen this with our coworkers. Many general education teachers can become frustrated with our IEP students and I have seen some coteachers, who I love to death, use a deficit mindset and focus on their perception of "inability" with these students, rather than thinking of how to build on the positives that these students have. They can also fail to "view errors as strengths" and other such things.

I think this is where our role comes in as coteachers in the ICT classroom. We can provide a balanced and even-headed approach that is desperately needed. Our job certainly needs to be to close this opportunity gap, something that has obviously widened since the pandemic started. Now, more than ever, a method of full inclusion is necessary. We can view our students as human-beings, instead of various labels that have been given to them.

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I will start off with a story about my collaborative experience, at the start of this program. (I am sure some of you have heard this story before. If you are trying to respond to me, skip to paragraph 2).

I was working with an ELA teacher. She had chosen a book which takes place in The Bronx and said that this was "culturally responsive" because the school was in The Bronx. The book was awful and the students were bored to tears, as was I. I asked a student what she thought of the book and her response was, "I already know about The Bronx. I live here. I want to learn about something new, a place I know nothing about."

Culturally responsive teaching needs to be about truly honoring the students and cultures in your classroom, by allowing students to identify with the content while also pushing students to discover new places and learn new ideas. Simply using a book that takes place in The Bronx because the students live there is not really culturally responsive. Rather, its just taking them outside.

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I want a beeped version. My innocent ears can't handle this vulgar language.

First off, this is like listening to my Grandpa. He is from a Hungarian Catholic immigrant family, veteran, and also not good at reading and writing

Clay's theory has obviously had some damage in the teaching of reading and the Reading Recovery model. It's a little bizarre that her idea went from a lean-to to the entire country of New Zealand. It seems that Clay promoted rote memorization instead of learning how to actually read. There are some good ideas that Clay has, such as the use of context clues, but it seems that this comes after the learning of phonics, sounding out words, and the things that Clay decided weren't good for reading instruction.

It was surprising for me to find out how Reading Recovery came to Ohio, as I am from the city Toledo in Ohio. In fact, looking back, I am pretty sure my school followed the Reading Recovery model. It is hard for me to remember this far back, but I do think I remember being told to use pictures in the books and other such things to discover the word I was looking for. My parents told me to sound out the word.

It seems clear to me, as I said in the other assignment, that teachers need to understand these issues themselves rather than listening to people tell them what to do. We obviously cannot trust government agencies and others to tell us what the best way to teach is, referencing what data can inform us about. Instead, teachers need to see what actually works, in real time, in their classroom. Even if this is "traditional" like sounding out words.

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As educators, we know how important and often illusive students' full engagement with classroom instruction can be. Culturally responsive teaching can enhance student engagement and help them meet learning objectives by ensuring their cultures, knowledges, values, and experiences and centered in instructional practice. When teachers' focus centers on their students' identities and they utilize texts and materials that reflect those respective cultures, students know that their cultures matter in the context of the classroom. They see their cultures as a component of their academic growth because the intellectual value of their identities is made evident. Teachers need to be highly intentional about incorporating culturally response practices into their pedagogy. It requires a meaningful understanding of our students' unique cultural identities and a solid awareness of learning content that will reflect students' perspectives and thereby better ensure their attention.

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It's crucial to critically examine Clay's theories and the widespread misuse of programs like Reading Recovery in Western countries. While these programs have garnered attention, research increasingly demonstrates that a combination of phonics and writing practices, such as sounding out words and establishing letter-sound connections, can be far more effective in teaching individuals how to read.Studies have shown these approaches actually leverage the brain's most efficient reading areas and emphasizes the importance of practice in reading and sounding out letters to enhance comprehension. By debunking Clay's theories and promoting evidence-based methods, we not only empower learners with more effective reading strategies but also pave the way for a more inclusive and successful approach to literacy education. By questioning the motives of Politicians we can prevent widespread acceptance of lower bar, hype based solutions to problems in the education system.

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Sold a Story - Episode 2 was extremely enlightening. I always felt instinctually that there was something wrong with trying to have students guess what a word might be, by looking at a picture, or looking around it, because then they are not reading. My current principal places a huge emphasis on explicit teaching when it comes to reading. For example, she wants us to teach word parts, Greek and Latin roots, affixes, and constructing meaning. I find it very useful to teach this way and to also give students time to practice common high-frequency words. It is not as easy as it sounds but it definitely makes more sense than trying to take any type of shortcut. It is truly heartbreaking to find out how many students can not read at the age level I teach (7th and 8th grade) and it is overwhelming to think about how I will tackle this problem going forward, because it feels that time is of the essence. I do believe that kids who have the luxury of having their parents around or a caretaker or tutor can give a student a huge (and often unfair) advantage. I specifically remember my father, grandmother, and older sister teaching me how to read and write and continuing to practice with me at any chance they got. This greatly contributed to my ability to become a fluent reader.

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Unfortunately, students who have difficulty with reading and writing are often assigned to separate programs or given teaching that is not truly tailored to what they need to learn. This can further inhibit student progress by making them believe they are incapable of learning and also by depriving them of materials that could propel their skills. By making an effort to fully grasp the student's background and experiences, we could attempt to better this. We may also focus on the student's skills rather than their limitations. The curriculum should embrace the student's culture and community in order to support them and provide resources, as well as opportunities for authentic reading and writing.

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The main goal here is to empower all learners. The idea of the roots- representing rich wealth of knowledge of students’ community is a nice way to visualize this. Culturally relevant pedagogy refers to prioritizing student growth, creating affirming environment while developing fluency, teaching students how to solve real world problems. Culturally sustaining pedagogy and culturally responsive teaching are the branches and leaves. This includes understanding values and traditions, sharing diverse perspectives, validating cultural identity and modifying for different styles. Culturally sustaining pedagogy supports teaching that celebrates multiculturalism and de-centers whiteness. These all share the same goal of making school a place where all students are empowered and are becoming critical thinkers.

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In my dedication to using CRT strategies, I've taken a diverse approach to empower my students. To encourage creativity and inclusivity, I recently gave my Living Environment students the option to choose one of three ways to create storyboards explaining human reproduction. I asked them to draw inspiration from their own backgrounds, heritage, folklore, or stories about creation. They could construct their storyboards with hand-drawn pictures, cut-and-paste collages, or speak either in front of the class or one-on-one with me. They had access to a variety of symbols and patterns on printed paper to reflect their cultural identities, and they used these to convey ideas like growth and creation. Students decided whether to use labels, captions, spoken words, or a combination of these to express themselves, which accommodated their different learning styles. I also encouraged them to include words from their native languages, highlighting how important it is to introduce the vocabulary they use outside of the classroom to others, promoting communicating in different ways. Every student not only learned more about the topic but also grew to appreciate the relevance of sharing their own cultural background with their peers.

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Marlee Wollman
I found it to be very true that the narrative regarding Black readers being in crisis or deficient is often over-exaggerated and in itself can hold racist undertones. I liked the part where it says to counteract this, we can draw upon inspiration from Black scholars and developing a curriculum that includes these works that have a focus on Black history; especially emphasizing that these works have existed despite "practices designed to extinguish them."

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Last year I had to check myself a few times when students were struggling to learn what I was teaching them.  I was comparing my experience with learning to theirs and was becoming increasingly frustrated.  I was facing a similar problem that Jeremy was.  Growing up on Long Island I was exposed and experienced nature in a different way than my students who have lived in a city their entire lives.  I needed to change my lens and approach in the classroom to give my students a fair opportunity to learn.  This is why getting to know your students is absolutely necessary.  It allows us teachers to gain new access points to help our students learn and connect.

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Don Kelly
The opportunity Gap talks about disabled students being judged for what they cannot do instead of what they can do.  It says that most students have the same ability to learn to read, but they do not have the same opportunities in school, and this is what creates a gap that many students fall through in education.  Ableism is a concept that educators often see the deficit in disabled students.  Also the use of universal assessments is not an adequate way to evaluate disabled students.  This will limit their opportunities in school, and may result in a totally proficient reader not learning to their potential.  I agree, it seems that as soon as we know a student is disabled in some way we immediately think to put them in a segregated room, give them Special Ed services, and create scaffolds and supports that they may not  need.  As far as special Ed goes, I see many that need the help, and I've seen SPED students being highly successful in an ICT setting with minimal help.  You don't know until you get to know the student.   In SPED we talk a lot about alternate assessments.  We have not used them yet,  and I can see my self-contained class struggling with the universal assessments.
Over the course of a year, you can discover what helps each student. Judgment and pigeon holing is what creates the opportunity gap. As SPED teachers, we need to be aware of that gap.

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Don Kelly
This article talks about "Reading Motivation" and how it is affective to racism in our education.  As usual, poor, people of color, and class have a lot to do with who has reading motivation.  It is built on educational psychology.  These theories include, self-efficacy (Bandura, 1977), task value (Eccles et. al., 1983), self-determination (Deci and Ryan, 1985), and goal orientation (Dweck, 1986).  Today,  educational research is focused on making  more equal and accessible motivation for the Black students.  For ages the racism in our educational system has been blatant.
I see our system changing with regard to Black Lives Matter, Black politicians running the country, and Black culture being prominent in the States.  In the cultural race theory, Blackness and anti-blackness is its main focus.  Reading motivation is rooted in our understanding of
literacy development, informing thinking about students, instruction, and achievement.  After reading this article, I still don't understand what reading motivation means in a tangible form.   However, I do understand that providing more reading material, that Black students can relate to or find interesting, is definitely a great place to start.  Look for videos, and TED talks with Black inspirers.  Give them projects that incorporate their culture.
I am a musician, and we often say, "You have to know your audience." Read the room. Even in my first year, I was hip to this immediately, and it makes your Principal or supervisors very happy.

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Don Kelly
It is great that we keep talking about culturally responsive teaching.  It's wonderful that schools are telling teachers to make our classrooms more diverse.  But we are not actually doing that.  We are just talk right now.  CRT is now a huge concept in education, but are really doing it?
My school teaches Black History, which makes me happy.  However, we are 35% Hispanic and nothing about their culture is taught.  Nothing.  We celebrated Woman's month and Black History month, but not
LGBTQ month.  No no, nothing about that. We have Arab kids, why don't we learn about their culture too.  This is my problem with CRT.  There are many cultures in our world, but at any given school you will find that they only teach one version of history.  For ages we only learned the old white man version of history.  There are many versions of history, depending on where you are.  America has a melting pot of cultures, no matter what white supremacy says.  Isn't it about time we learn more about other cultures here.  These people are our neighbors, they live right next to us.
Getting back to my school, I love that we teach Black History because that IS American history.  But that's all we teach them so they are getting only one version of history as well.  Why do we not teach students about what really happened?   White Europeans came here and killed the Indigenous people and took their land, culture, and religion away from them.
That is American history too. Let's hear more about that.

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Don Kelly
I believe I was talking about this in a different paper or class.  When I was in school in the 1970s, we were taught phonics and to sound out the words.  My trouble was not the reading, it was comprehension.  No one has ever taught me how to overcome that.  After my first year as a teacher, I was shocked at how many 6th graders do not know how to read.  I said, "What happened in Elementary school?"  Nothing, because these kids cannot read or write.  I was informed that they changed the method years ago and no longer teach phonics.  I asked, "How will they sound out the words?"   They don't.  They guess and often substitute it with another word they know.  They skip words, they struggle constantly reading out loud.  They are supposed to know how to read and write before Middle school.  I walked into a mess.  American kids are falling behind.  I support context clues, especially for vocabulary, but I do not support guessing, skipping, and substituting.  It will actually make comprehension more difficult.
I enjoyed this podcast.  It answered the questions of how this change came about years ago, why, and who created it.
So I still have the same question as always.
Why don't we go back to phonics and sounding out words?  Unfortunately Clays method, a valiant effort, does not work.

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The ability to read and comprehend what you're reading comes in various ways. In the past it seems that people believed that reading and comprehension can come from context clues, images, and to some degree inferences. Based on research we now know that skilled readers rely on identifying letters within the word, and sounding words out is not an obsolete practice.

Personally I don't believe that Clay's theory of how good reading works isn't completely false. I believe that their theory in combination with other reading techniques can be very beneficial. If students can sound words out, include images, context clues, and inferences it enhances its comprehension. I will agree with the notion that Clay's theory by itself is not sufficient enough to enable students to read well. It is important to put all of these techniques in conversation with another to allow students to internalize the information.

I understand that the modern research suggests that the best practices say that students who read written word, and sound out words create new neurological pathways in their brain. It's interesting to understand that the brain acts as a sort of vocabulary library. It stores the words into your brain for a time you'll need it during reading.

One interesting idea that was put forth was that people who sound out words have a slower beginning with regards to reading, in comparison to kids who read whole words. Despite this in the long run the science shows that kids who are sounding out words and letters are using the neural pathways that skilled readers used and in the long run will be able to read better and more complex texts.

One question that I have would be, do the neurological pathways differ depending on the language? For example, Asian languages use characters and symbols that aren't letter based. Do Asian readers utilize different methods? Is it simply just a game of memorization?

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Anti-Black practices within the education system are prevalent. At times some teachers (including myself) may engage in these practices without being conscious of it. This is due to the idea that these oppressing practices happen in such subtle ways, in addition, it's how many teachers have been taught to teach. As a new teacher in the DOE sometimes I attempt to be overly culturally understanding, therefore I try to avoid terms like "black" and "white", however "using vague terms, such as “diverse” and “non-
white”, which are often used to signal “Black” or “Black and Brown” without explicitly naming race (Milner, 2012), authors imply that specific racialized identities are inconsequential." (Jones, 2022). Because I try to avoid racial terms, and seeing race in turn that is adding to the problem.

There is a sort of colorblindness approach that I take into my classroom, however this article advocates that instead of labeling and grouping students together as "diverse" it devalues their individualism. Instead, we should acknowledge each person's race and ethnicity, and more importantly understand that those characteristics come with a wealth of knowledge and culture. This is one of the core concepts in CRT. We do not necessarily want to be "color-evasive" instead we should strive to be "color-embracive". The fault would be seeing color as something to ignore, and not to acknowledge; Instead, we must acknowledge that races such as Black, Latin-X, and Asian (just to name a few) exist, and indeed we are different, we may even disagree on many topics with regards to world views, but we can all co-exist to build a culturally responsive classroom.

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Creating a bridge for the opportunity gap first starts with the teachers. The goal is to allow students to be included in rigorous activities, and not apply a deficit lens to those students who may have lower reading levels. In order to do this "striving toward equity requires the conscious removal of deficit mindsets and a willingness to enter a student's world." (Walter, 2016). Our mindsets as teachers must change, and we must attempt to put ourselves into the student's shoes. By stepping into their worlds, we gain a deeper understanding into how they learn best, and how we can help bridge their gaps.

The current education system can structure their classrooms with a deficit lens. Some students are segregated into lower-level classes, while others are a standardized group. The issue with this practice is that students of lower levels become demoralized and believe that they are flawed; However, their lower comprehension levels are not due to failures or flaws, instead it is due to a lack of opportunity. Unfortunately, with many point-based assessments in class "For their mistakes and miscues, students are placed in lower-level reading groups, segregated for intervention, or otherwise viewed as having diminished capabilities to learn." (Walters, 2016). Instead, we should be modifying curriculums to inspire students to focus on the comprehension, and less on the check marks and x marks.

Overall, none of this is possible until teachers begin to shift their mind sets. One difficulty teachers may run into is that many students within a classroom have individual needs, and there isn't enough time to help every single student bridge their gaps. This is where utilizing the people around you whether it be higher achieving students, paras, and co-teachers to help individual students read, the goal is the divide and conquer.  Hopefully as we provide students with tools to read and work independently it will have a trickle-down affect where teachers have more time and opportunities to bridge gaps with other students.

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Culturally responsive teaching behaves as systematic approach to teaching. In essence it can be broken down into 3 components, prioritizing student's growth, creating affirming environment, and teaching students how to solve real world problems. These methods are all intentional and by design created to work in unison to create a space for students to grow, mature, understand and appreciate other people's culture. It is not necessarily a system that wants people to not see color, rather embrace the notion that various people exist with different races, ethnicities, and nationalities and accept them. There are many components to CRT that are continuing to be researched, however all of the research is predicated on creating a safe space for teachers and students alike. The only way CRT can work in a classroom is if everyone takes time to understand and appreciate each others differences.