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Gender identity and gender expression vary across cultures so it’s important that we consider multiple view points and biases. We must be culturally responsive to teaching gender in schools.

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Culturally Responsive P edagogy recognizes the importance of including students' cultural references in all aspects of learning.The significance of CRT is it provides a framework and practical approach to instruct, make meaning, and discuss information in a way essential to relevant learning. CRT is a critical factor in what John Dewey (1938) describes as progressive education. "Traditional education did not have to face this problem; it could systematically dodge this responsibility. The school environment of desks, blackboards, a small schoolyard, was supposed to suffice. There was no demand that the teacher should become intimately acquainted with the conditions of the local community, physical, historical, economic, occupational, etc., in order to utilize them as educational resources. A system of education based upon the necessary connection of education with experience must.. take these things constantly into account. ... upon the importance of the participation of the learner in the formation of the purposes which direct his activities in the learning process, just as there is no defect in traditional education greater than its failure to secure the active cooperation of the pupil in construction of the purposes involved in his studying."

Without CRT, a teacher cannot effectively engage "the learner in the formation of the purposes" which is essential to "secure the active cooperation". Moreover, without purpose, a teacher should/cannot expect intelligence or discipline. In that, as Dewey suggested, intelligence is the ability to strategize to execute a purpose, and discipline is the commitment to follow the strategy to execute purpose. Not only is "purpose" essential for intelligence and discipline, but it is also the core criterion for education. So much so, that Dewey warns that to not engage a student's sense of purpose the teacher (i.e. someone who is meant to execute the purposes of someone else). is

Communication of High Expectations;

Active Learning and Teaching Methods;

Student strengths are Identified and Nurtured;

Inclusion of Culturally and Linguistically Diverse teaching strategies;

Supportive Learning Environment Reflecting the Cultures of all Children;

Small-Group Instruction.

Specifically, when working African American students, to be Culturally Responsive Teacher (i.e. to use CRT strategies), one use African-centered philosophies and techniques.

Intellectual humility - a demonstrated willingness to ask questions instead of make assumptions; particularly in regard to another person lived experiences. Intellectual humility requires active listening. It requires a willingness to be informed by another's narrative and by the facts, rather than rely on one's own opinions.

Cultural competency - The procession of specific knowledge of and the skills to engage a unique community of people. In particular, knowledge of intragroup and intergroup power and privilege dynamics. Furthermore, process the skills necessary to negotiate and strategize interaction between the aforementioned groups in order to promote and facilitate equity and social justice.

Authentic Voice - Opportunities to express lived experiences and perspectives. Moreover, expressions are possible in varied forms; and, such expressions inform pedagogy in policy and practice. Additionally, students have the opportunity to critique the prevailing narrative and its representative symbols of such narrative and transform and/or replace them.

Representation - The presence of people, images, symbols, and values of the of the students; to include family, neighborhood, ethnic group, nationality, cultural, and the child him/her self. These people, images, symbols, and values must visible in the classroom and curriculum.

http://successfulacademics.com/BlackChildSEL/CRT.html

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Equity & CLSP Toolkit - Culturally Responsive Pedagogy

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Culturally Responsive Pedagogy recognizes the importance of including students' cultural references in all aspects of learning.The significance of CRT is it provides a framework and practical approach to instruct, make meaning, and discuss information in a way essential to relevant learning. CRT

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Text-to-text comparisons and close reading

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Text-to-text comparisons and close reading

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This slide was taken from the Session 10 PowerPoint by Professor Klein which was retrieved from Blackboard. It references an activity we did in class where we examined Jacquline Woodson's "Brown Girl Dreaming." Close reading allows students to think deeply about the text and consider hidden messages and themes within the text.

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Reading about things like gender can help students communicate their feelings and needs. We also give them the tools for self expression which can quell some anxieties and/or frustrations.

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Making good decisions about the kinds of texts to use includes considering cultural diversity, equity, and prior knowledge. This checklist can help guide your choice of appropriate texts.

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Dialogic reading may work really well with younger kids and simpler picture books about gender such as Jacob’s New Dress. Dialogic reading is also a great way to introduce and talk about new vocabulary as the reading is happening and by revisiting the text

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Video 3: Dialogic Reading With Expository Text

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Using the C.R.O.W.D. strategy for reading comprehension

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Using the C.R.O.W.D. strategy for reading comprehension

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CROWD questions can help students with reading comprehension. C, R, and W questions are more concrete and literal and help students set the stage or context of the story. O and D questions bring students’ experiences and ideas to life and guide deeper questions and understandings of the text. In terms of understanding gender texts, CRW questions would pertain to the plot and characters while OD questions would guide students to dig deeper and relate to the themes and characters.

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Now that you know how to use the P.E.E.R. strategy to get conversations about books started, you can also use the C.R.O.W.D strategy to facilitate the shared reading experience you have with your child. Each letter provides a suggestion of a type of prompt you could give your child to begin a conversation when reading the story together.

When reading with young children or looking at an unfamiliar book for the first time, you may want to ask questions that are easier for your child to respond to (like C, R, and Wh- questions). When reading with older children or looking over familiar books, you can begin to focus on more sophisticated
(like O and D questions).

You might say, "Papa Bear was mad because Goldilocks did not ask..." and wait for you child to say "permission!."

In which you ask your child to share details from the book to demonstrate that she understood the plot and kept track of the sequence of events.

You might ask your child,
"Can you tell me what happened when Papa Bear walked into his bedroom? And then what happened?"

O - OPEN-ENDED QUESTIONS

That allow your child more
freedom in discussing any aspect of the book that piqued his interest.

Asking questions that your child can't answer with a single word will lead to richer conversations and may give your child the opportunity to ask you a question, too.

You might ask, "How do you think Goldilocks felt when she walked home?"

That distance your discussion from the book itself and help your child make connections between the story that you read and his own life. D - DISTANCING QUESTIONS

You might ask, "Is there ever a time that you have wanted to use something that wasn't yours?"

Reference

Lonigan, C. J., & Whitehurst, G. J. (1998). Relative efficacy of parent and teacher involvement in a shared reading intervention for preschool children from low-income backgrounds. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 13, 263-290

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Now that you know how to use the P.E.E.R. strategy to get conversations about books started, you can also use the C.R.O.W.D strategy to facilitate the shared reading experience you have with your child. Each letter provides a suggestion of a type of prompt you could give your child to begin a conversation when reading the story together.

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There is a lot of vocabulary regarding gender, some of it nuanced, so it’s important to have working definitions within the classroom so that everyone’s on the same page. Some examples of gender-related vocabulary include: transgender, gender, boy, girl, nonbinary, and transition. Other vocabulary may include: chimera and identity.

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Building schema, prior knowledge, scaffolding questions

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Building schema, prior knowledge, scaffolding questions

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Asking students about what they already know is crucial to engaging them in reading. Not only does sharing personal experiences hook students in, but it is also a way for the teacher to gage where students are at regarding the content of the reading. Schema can aid in reading comprehension by activating areas of knowledge so students have context for what they are reading and learning about. When it comes to reading about gender, students can share their personal experiences or what they already know about gender. It is important to note that students will bring a large variety of schema to the classroom and that no ones schema is “wrong,” it’s just a context for what they know so far.

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Activating Background Knowledge - Reading Comprehension Strategy & Skill Educational Video for Kids

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No matter the topic we are teaching, we mustn't forget the foundations described by the five pillars of teaching. You can build a lesson about gender in conjunction with these practices.

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All the best things in life start with a strong foundation. A good garden needs good soil, a good party needs a good playlist, and a good introduction to literacy needs the five pillars of reading. The building blocks of reading, as defined by the National Reading Panel, include phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension.

Together, these five pillars make up the components of successful reading instruction by shaping learners' brains one step at a time, to learn to read and understand the written English language. Built to these five pillars and supporting scientifically backed reading research (or the Science of Reading), our engaging Reading Eggs and Exact Path programs (including targeted K-2 enhancements) are the perfect tools to guide your youngest readers through their literacy journey.

Structuring an effective and research-based literacy and language arts block is the first step to laying a good foundation for your student's literacy skills. It's no easy task, but with the FREE Reading Workbook from Edmentum, you'll learn how to select the best approach for your classroom and explore the different components of a successful literacy teaching strategy. The workbook includes several pages dedicated to helping you incorporate these five components of literacy into daily reading instruction. But, before you dig into that resource, let's take a closer look at what these five pillars are and how they work to build the foundation of an effective literacy instruction strategy.

1. Phonemic Awareness

What it is: The ability to hear, identify, manipulate, and substitute phonemes-the smallest units of sound that can differentiate meaning-in spoken words

What it means: Teaching phonemic awareness means instructing students to identify and manipulate the approximately 44 phonemes in the English language. It doesn't require students to be able to read or even see printed letters to grasp this concept; it's all about the sounds that word parts make. Essentially, students begin by learning individual phonemes, then joining phonemes, and finally, building words.

Why it matters: Phonemic awareness is a strong predictor of long-term reading and spelling success. By using effective teaching strategies, phonemic awareness can be successfully taught during your literacy block. As you're planning instruction, it's also important to recognize that phonemic awareness development must be quickly followed by the introduction of phonics. Research shows that teaching sounds along with letters of the alphabet helps students better understand how phonemic awareness relates to their reading and writing.

2. Phonics

What it is: The ability to understand that there is a predictable relationship between phonemes (sounds) and graphemes (the letters that represent those sounds in written language) in order to associate written letters with the sounds of spoken language

What it means: This is where students begin to "crack the code" on reading. Phonics instruction teaches students how to build relationships between sounds and letters or letter combinations and how to use those relationships to build words.

Why it matters: While the English language is full of irregular spellings and exceptions to phonetic rules, phonics teaches students a system for remembering how to read words so that they are able to read, spell, and recognize words instantly.

3. Fluency

What it is: The ability to read text accurately, quickly, and expressively, either to oneself or aloud; the NAEP Oral Reading Fluency Passage Reading Expression Scoring Rubric helps represent the learning progression of this skill

What it means: Fluency is the ability to read as well as one speaks and to make sense of what is being read without having to stop or pause to decode words. Fluency is different from memorization, which can occur when students interact with the same text so frequently that they can repeat it without reading. Actual fluency is developed with the repeated, accurate sounding out of words.

Why it matters: Developing fluency is critical to a student's motivation to read. When students struggle to sound out letters and words, reading can become a laborious and exhausting task, and students may begin to perceive reading as a negative activity. As students begin to acquire words more easily, they should also practice dividing text into meaningful chunks, knowing when to pause and change intonation and tone. With regular guidance and feedback, students begin to recognize these cues during reading and develop deeper comprehension.

4. Vocabulary

What it is: The growing, stored compilation of words that students understand and use in their conversation (oral vocabulary) and recognize in print (reading vocabulary)

What it means: Vocabulary is very closely tied to reading comprehension, and it can be absorbed or learned both orally and through print. Most vocabulary is learned through everyday listening in conversations, reading aloud, or independent reading. In fact, studies show that there are direct links between how many words children hear spoken at home and how well they excel in 3rd grade. This is because children are unconsciously building their oral vocabularies all the time.

Why it matters: In order to comprehend reading, a student must know what the words mean that he or she is reading. Beginning readers use their oral vocabulary to make sense of words they see in print. If a student encounters an unfamiliar word while reading, his or her reading is momentarily interrupted until the new word is added to his or her mental vocabulary. Direct instruction of explicitly taught vocabulary, as well as word-learning strategies, can help build a flourishing vocabulary and improve reading fluency and comprehension.

5. Comprehension

What it is: The ability to understand, remember, and make meaning of what has been read-this is the purpose for reading

What it means: Students with developed reading comprehension abilities can predict, infer, make connections, and analyze what is being read. If you want to think of reading like a watering can, then the four preceding pillars are the different parts that make up the watering can, like the handle, spout, and body of the can itself. Comprehension is the water. Without it, you still have a watering can, but an empty watering can won't help your flowers grow. Comprehension allows the flowers of literacy to bloom as it gives meaning and purpose to what is being read.

Why it matters: Even before children become independent readers, they can begin practicing and developing comprehension skills when books are read aloud to them. Students who comprehend what they read are both purposeful and active readers. They use metacognitive strategies to think about the purpose of what they're reading and monitor their own understanding as they read. This allows these students to isolate and verbalize where they have a lack of understanding, which, in turn, opens doors for them to apply specific strategies to attain that understanding.

The five pillars of reading are vital to literacy instruction, but they are still only one component of your larger reading instruction strategy. For an in-depth guide on how to evaluate the many facets of structuring an effective, research-based reading and language arts block, and for help selecting the appropriate technology tools to support your approach, download our FREE Reading Workbook.
This blog was originally published February 2018 and has been updated by Jiana Khazma.

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[The Five Pillars of Reading] Breaking Down the Elements of Successful Literacy Instruction

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All the best things in life start with a strong foundation. A good garden needs good soil, a good party needs a good playlist, and a good introduction to literacy needs the five pillars of reading.

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Using Realia to teach complex, nuanced, or unfamiliar topics.

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Using Realia to teach complex, nuanced, or unfamiliar topics.

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Realia and the use of personal artifacts can make a concrete connection between students and literature.

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BridgeUniverse - TEFL Blog, News, Tips & Resources

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If you're a teacher, chances are that you've used realia at some point in your classroom and you may not have even realized it! Whether you've held up a real object to elicit a vocabulary word from students or brought in a special item from home to grab your students' attention, you've used realia. If you are beginning to learn how to teach kids English, looking for a way to spice up your online classes, or trying to find fun activities for adult learners, using realia is a great technique to help your students learn!
If you're new to teaching, you'll want to get initial training and qualification with a TEFL certificate. You can explore our online TEFL courses to get started!
What is realia?

Simply put, realia refers to authentic objects from real life that one uses in the classroom to teach a specific concept. Realia can be both physical and virtual, as long as it is something used in the real world (rather than created specifically for an ESL class).

Why use realia in the classroom?

Realia for ESL can make the learning experience more memorable and create connections between objects and vocabulary words or other language concepts. This can make it easier to recall information. For in-person classes, it adds a kinesthetic element for people who learn better with hands-on activities. For online classes, it provides a visual aid to engage students. Additionally, realia is more dynamic than a written word or flashcard used to teach a concept.

What are some examples of realia?

Realia can incorporate what's already in your classroom, such as a desk, chair, or poster. Or, it can be something you've brought from outside of class, like a collection of colorful brochures, a stuffed animal, tickets, or souvenirs you got while traveling. While any of these will work for both an in-person class or an online class (for the latter, simply hold the objects up to your screen), you can also make use of virtual realia in the online classroom. Virtual realia refers to authentic resources found online, such as advertisements, photographs, menus, receipts, or maps. Similar to using props to teach English online, incorporating realia into the virtual classroom engages students and makes for a livelier class.

How is realia useful to English teachers?

Realia reinforces language skills and appeals to both visual and kinesthetic learners of all ages. Most teachers use realia to demonstrate the meaning of vocabulary words. Think of the difference between teaching students the words for fruit versus showing them the real thing and having them guess the name. It's especially helpful when teaching students whose native language (L1) you don't speak.

How can I use realia in the ESL classroom?

ESL realia can be incorporated into a ton of fun activities that can liven up your in-person or virtual classroom and get students excited about learning English. Here are ten to get you started!
Watch an excerpt from the BridgeUniverse webinar, "Using Traditional and Digital Realia When Teaching English Online," to learn more about how realia can engage learners.
Realia activities for young learners

1. Recreate the realia

Young students love arts and crafts, and getting them to make their own version of a newspaper, train ticket, or other realia that you've shown them is a great way to solidify the lesson. It helps make vocabulary memorable and gets students to apply what they've learned. Plus, this one can be done in both an in-person class and an online class.

2. Scavenger hunt

You can hold a scavenger hunt both inside and outside of the classroom to review a number of subjects such as nature or classroom objects. To use as a game for younger kids or beginner learners, ask them to find an item for each color or shape. This activity gets students moving and teaches them to differentiate between vocabulary words, but it also allows you to assess who has a firm grasp of the lesson and who may need additional help. It's also a great activity for the virtual classroom, as students can quickly find objects around their own homes.

3. Following directions

One of my favorite ways of using realia is to give students directions to carry out with the objects. For instance, if you're teaching prepositions, have students take out the items from their pencil bags, and give directions like, "Put the pencil under the eraser" or, "Put the eraser in the pencil bag." Or, for a lesson on comparing objects say, "Hold the pencil higher than the eraser." It's a great way to make students active participants in the lesson. Again, this game can easily be played in both the physical or virtual classroom.

4. What is it?

Fill a bag with realia and have students take turns trying to guess what one of the objects is by putting their hand in the bag and feeling it. They can use vocabulary to describe the object to their classmates as they guess. This game can be adapted to the virtual classroom by hiding an object in a bag or under a cloth. Students can look at the shape and listen to you describe the object (e.g., it's heavy, it's round, etc.) while they try to guess what it is.

5. Ask students to bring in their own realia

Get to know students better by asking them to bring in several items from home that they feel represent them. If you're teaching online, students can hold objects up to their cameras instead. Have them present these items to the class and explain why they chose each object. For a variation of this activity, have classmates guess how the objects represent their fellow students. Students love to share things about themselves and are usually excited about activities that involve getting to talk about their own lives.
Teaching ESL virtually? Bridge's Micro-credential course in Games and Activities for the Online Classroom (Young Learners) has plenty of tips to make your class more fun.

Realia activities for teens and adults

6. Act out a scene

No matter what concept you're teaching, acting out scenes and roleplaying is a wonderful way to help students memorize the material and encourage speaking skills through an easy activity. Try using realia to inspire the students and really get them invested in the role they're playing.

For example, if you're teaching a lesson focused on ordering food at a restaurant, bring in some food items and a menu and have students take turns acting out a scene in which one student is the waiter and another is the customer. Realia will help them generate lines and guide them to review essential vocabulary.

Students can act out situations in the virtual classroom as well. Tell them to bring certain items to class ahead of time, and then have them use the objects to create a dialogue with another student(s). If the teaching platform you're using allows it, enlarge the camera feeds of the students currently acting so the rest of the class can easily see who is speaking.

7. Incorporate realia into a writing prompt

To make writing assignments come to life, bring in random objects and place them at the front of the classroom. Have students write a short story (either with or without a prompt) incorporating all or a certain number of the objects. This activity gets students to think outside of the box and reflect on how they can use the vocabulary they've learned in everyday life. It's another great one for both the physical and virtual classroom as well, as you can simply hold the objects up to the screen if you're teaching online.

8. Island survival

Bring in a handful of items and divide students into small groups. Have each group discuss which three things they would choose to have with them if they were stranded on a desert island. Have them explain why they chose each object and how they would use it. You can modify this activity by changing the number of items students can pick or by having them discuss how they could use each item you brought in. If you're teaching online, simply turn the game into an individual activity and hold the objects up in front of your camera to show them. Students can take turns sharing their thoughts.

9. Price guessing game

Set up a row of objects (either on a desk at the front of the classroom or on a table in front of your webcam) and have students try to guess what each of the items costs. Reveal the real prices at the end of the activity. This is a great game to play to practice numbers and shopping vocabulary (e.g., how much does it cost, is it expensive, etc.). You can alter this activity to have students try to organize the objects from the least expensive to the most expensive, which can help with giving commands, vocab related to directions, and more (e.g., "Move the basketball to the left of the T-shirt"). You can also choose a theme - like groceries or clothing - for the objects in order to target specific vocabulary.

10. Memory

If you're in a virtual classroom, quickly pass objects by the screen, one after the other. See if students can recall which objects they saw and whether they can name them in the correct order. If you're in a physical classroom, you can set the items out on a desk and hide each object under a cloth or paper bag. Then, lift the bag/cloth for a few seconds to reveal the object. If you're wondering how to teach vocabulary, this is a great activity, as you can choose items from a specific theme/category (food, sports, objects that are different shapes or colors, etc.).

To learn about more games and activities to incorporate into your classroom, check out our Specialized Certification courses in Teaching English to Young Learners and Teenagers.

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10 Fun Ways to Use Realia in Your ESL Classroom

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Realia, or real objects you use when teaching, can be incorporated into a ton of fun activities that can liven up your ESL classroom and get students excited about learning English.

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Learning for Justice breaks down gender stereotypes and provides clear examples on how to go about challenging learned stereotypes. I really like the language used in this lesson plan and the extension activities at the end.

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Vocabulary

gender [ jen-dur ] (noun) refers to the social roles, behaviors and traits that a society may assign to men (masculine) or to women (feminine)

( Note: There are many different ideas about how to define the term gender. We provide a working definition, but one of the goals of Teaching Tolerance's work is for students to come to individual and collective understandings and criticisms of the term that make sense to them and their personal and developmental needs.)

gender identity [ jen-dur ahy- DEN-ti-tee ] (noun) the sense a person has of their own gender and how they relate to their gender

stereotype [ STER-ee-oh-tahyp ] (noun) an overly simple picture or opinion of a person, group or thing

social construction [ SO-shuhl kuhn- STRUKT-shuhn ] (noun) an idea or definition created and enforced by a society

Overview

Gender stereotypes are very common in children's literature. Classic children's books and even more contemporary stories frequently portray boys and girls in terms of specific socially defined gender norms. In recent years, some children's authors have made an effort to develop characters who exist as individuals, often in explicit defiance of stereotypes. This sort of literature can be helpful to students talking about any sort of difference, as well as to children who are beginning to understand the depth and harmful nature of gender stereotypes.

This lesson allows children to look at one or more picture books that counter gender stereotypes. After discussion of the book, children will engage in a creative writing activity geared to fostering individual identity and resisting social definitions of what and how a boy or girl "should" be.

Procedure

1. Explain to students that today you are going to be talking about how children's books can reinforce, or play into, gender stereotypes (i.e., ideas about how girls and boys "should" be) and also how children's books and the characters in them can stand up against such stereotypes. Introduce the idea that gender is partly a social construction and that books can contribute to this construction. Invite students to spend a few minutes perusing the picture books in your classroom library with a partner. Encourage them to make observations about how authors represent boy and girl characters. (Note: If this aspect of the activity feels too unstructured for your group, you can also provide them with two to three specific picture books to leaf through and discuss.)

2. Come together to allow students to share observations. Ask students how they think children's book authors might contribute to the construction of gender, and challenge students to question whether this is fair. Remind or explain to students what the word "stereotype" means. Help them talk about examples of children's books that play into gender stereotypes. Ask how it might make boys or girls feel to constantly see gender stereotypes reinforced in books.

3. Read aloud a children's book where the main character seems to resist or stand up against gender stereotypes. (Note: See Materials section for suggestions.) As you read, stop to elicit student responses to the question: What personality traits and behaviors show us that this character rejects gender stereotypes? Chart student responses. When you are finished reading, help students look back over the list they have come up with. Ask how it feels to read about a character who stands up to so many gender stereotypes. Do students think it is helpful for such character to exists, or is it confusing? Do they find the character appealing? Help them think about why or why not, and consider how characters like this contribute to or change a social construction of gender.

4. Explain to students that they are going to write a profile of a character who stands up against gender stereotypes. Provide students with the appropriate graphic organizers and have them work independently to begin developing their characters. Students who finish the graphic organizers early can synthesize them into a written composite description of their character. As students work, circulate and ask them questions that might push their thinking a bit further. (Note: Preliterate students may sketch instead of writing to describe their character, but if you use this option, try to make time to help them flesh out aspects of their character such as likes and dislikes that may be harder to show through a sketch than physical appearance.)

Note: Be mindful of the fact that students may use this activity to express aspects of themselves they wish they felt freer to show. If students choose to focus on characters whose gender expression is quite different from their own, congratulate them on their mature ability to take on a different perspective. Conversely, if students choose to focus on creating characters very similar to themselves, congratulate them on their bravery in self-expression. Allow students to talk quietly amongst themselves as they work. This is an activity where collaboration can push thinking to a deeper level. Finally, be alert to the possibility of students falling into "safe" aspects of gender expression. It is common, for instance, for girls to focus on "loving sports" as a representation of girls defying gender stereotypes. This is certainly valid and important, but if you feel your students are ready, you may want to probe them to think about more complicated ideas like "expressing anger" or "caring little about physical appearance." Students focusing on boys may have a harder time because there are often fewer safe ways for boys to defy gender stereotypes.

5. Come together as a class and allow students to share three to five things they are proudest of in their character. Ask the class: How would our ideas about gender identity be different if at least half the characters in children's books were like our characters? Help them use their answers to understand the extent to which gender is a social construction. After discussing this question, congratulate students on working so thoughtfully with complicated and difficult questions. You may want to have them publish their character profiles and create a "Standing Up Against Gender Stereotypes" display (Note: Encourage students to create their own title for the display.) in your classroom or school library.

Applying What You've Learned

Think about what you've learned about gender stereotypes in literature. Pay attention to how characters from different genders are represented in the books you read both inside and outside of school. In a reading notebook, respond to these questions:

Which gender stereotypes are most frequently reinforced by characters in books, and why? Give some examples.

Which gender stereotypes are most frequently resisted by characters in books, and why? Give some examples.

How do you wish children's books and young adult books were different in terms of how they contribute to the social construction of gender?

Extension Activity

Once they are done creating characters, partner students with classmates to write a story involving their two characters. Make sure their stories include a setting, a problem, at least three main events, and a solution or resolution. The stories may or may not explicitly deal with gender stereotypes. Once the stories are complete, allow students the opportunity to share them with their classmates.

ELL Extension

As they create portraits of characters, have students make a separate bilingual glossary of adjectives (describing words) that help describe a person. They can write each adjective they use on a separate note card, then write its translation on the other side. They should draw an illustration to go along with each word, then compile the note cards into a glossary.

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This lesson allows children to look at one or more picture books that counter gender stereotypes. After discussion of the book, children will engage in a creative writing activity geared to fostering individual identity and resisting social definitions of what and how a boy or girl "should" be.

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It's important to teach about gender because it's relevant not only in the political, medical, and social world but because it's on our children's minds. Educational curriculum should be evolving and gender is not an exception.

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Ideas about gender are evolving - from toys to clothing to online spaces, gender lines are being blurred as never before.

Ideas About Gender are Rapidly Shifting

Today many people are questioning the very nature of gender, a fundamental aspect of identity. In large measure this reevaluation is being led by youth who are far more compassionate and flexible than previous generations, The implications of this shift cut across every aspect of our society. If we are to prepare students adequately for the world they will encounter, young people must be given the tools and language to fully understand gender's complexity, and the opportunity to explore their own gender journey.

Evidence of this evolving thinking about gender is everywhere. Millennials who consider gender to be strictly binary represent a shrinking minority among their peers. Their younger GenZ counterparts are more comfortable still with non-traditional gender identities and forms of expression. Whether shopping for clothes in sections other than those designated for them, using pronouns other than "he" or "she" or not caring about who goes to the bathroom where, today's youth are blazing a trail of gender flexibility.

We Can't Afford Not To

While it is true that many of today's youth are adopting more flexible attitudes about gender norms, they are nonetheless doing so in a larger societal context that continues to limit and harm them based on traditionally held ideas about gender. For society, the costs of this dynamic are immense. Even as some of our institutions reflect a greater awareness of gender's diversity, a great many forces grounded in a strictly binary understanding still exist.

We continue to see patterns that demonstrate how we limit students' opportunities and experiences. While efforts to involve girls in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM)+ are showing some impact, these fields remain weighted towards men. Pay equity remains stalled. But boys and men are also suffering. Whether it is the disproportionate levels of heart disease and other stress-induced maladies, the likelihood of being a victim of violence or higher and growing rates of death by suicide, messages of what constitute "being a man" are literally killing our men and boys.

It's About All Students

Regardless of a student's age, gender impacts a child's experience at school across the grades.The relationship between students' sense of safety and their ability to succeed in school is unquestionable, and gender is one of the factors that greatly impacts perceptions of safety. Educational institutions and the professionals associated with them can significantly impact how gender diversity is viewed - either positively or negatively. By focusing on gender as it relates to all students, schools create better learning climates in which every child can more fully focus on learning.

When schools work intentionally to create more gender inclusive conditions, they not only establish a greater sense of acceptance for transgender and other gender diverse students, they communicate to the entire community that whatever one's gender experience look like, it will be accepted. Girls who don't stereotypical feminine norms, boys who defy pressures to be more masculine and anyone who is stepping outside of conventional gender boxes can feel that their experience is also being accounted for.

"When someone with the authority of a teacher describes the world and you're not in it, there's a moment of psychic disequilibrium, as if you looked into a mirror and saw nothing." Adrienne Rich

Deepening Critical Thinking

Beyond the school's climate, embarking on a path to expand students' understanding about gender diversity sets a tone in which the examination of differences across multiple domains is accepted and encouraged.Exploring gender becomes an onramp for students to consider complex issues in other aspects of their lives. Racial, cultural, religious, linguistic, socioeconomic and many other forms of difference can now be examined from the perspective of critical analysis grounded in this initial study and understanding of gender.

Coming to recognize gender in all of its complexity builds students' critical thinking, allowing them to see concepts in more realistic terms. Helping them understand the idea of a spectrum-a range of possibilities and not simply the "opposite ends" of a binary-expands their capacity to critically examine concepts in other areas of learning. In building students' perspectives about gender and gender diversity, schools are able to introduce notions of ambiguity and degree that will serve them as they explore other complex topics for the rest of their lives.

Life Affirming for all, Life Saving for Some

Students who are perceived to be transgressing society's rigid gender norms are frequently targets of discrimination, harassment and violence. Without an intentional focus on respecting all forms of gender identity and expression, schools not only miss the opportunity to create better learning environments, they become unsafe. That gender-based bullying is commonplace across the globe is beyond question. Research in the United States indicates that 80% of students will face some kind of gender-based bullying during their K - 12 experience, regardless of their sexuality or gender identity.

A global UNESCO study found that only one third of students in Southern Africa described their schools as "a safe place for those who are perceived as different in terms of gender." In Thailand, the study found that 24% of heterosexual students experienced violence because their gender expression was perceived as non-conforming. According to a GLSEN National School Climate Survey Report, when the specific experiences of transgender and non-binary students are examined the statistics become even more grim.

Legal Considerations

Even as the rights and very existence of transgender and nonbinary people are being challenged at the federal level, an abundance of state and local laws make the expectations for keeping gender diverse students safe cannot be more clear. Court findings from across the country further underscore schools' responsibility to affirmatively ensure that students are free from mistreatment, harassment and violence regardless of their gender identity or expression.

Across the country a growing number of states (Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Iowa, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington) have enumerated gender identity and expression protections in schools.

At least 160 (and counting) cities and counties have passed their own laws prohibiting gender identity discrimination including Atlanta, Boise, Buffalo, Cincinnati, Dallas, Indianapolis, Kansas City, Louisville, Madison, Miami, Nashville, New Orleans, and Pittsburgh. Additionally, state and local educational institutions are issuing clear guidelines and expectations about best practices for ensuring that all gender-expansive youth are supported at school.

Schools As Safe Harbors

Many transgender and nonbinary youth are experiencing rejection, mistreatment and worse at home. In the face of these non-affirming environments, the tremendous dangers facing these students is clear. For many of them, school may be the only place where they can locate and connect with a caring adult.

As shown above, the impact of such connections cannot be underestimated. Data demonstrating the impacts that safe and supportive schools have on the lives of gender diverse youth is irrefutable. Coupled with the chilling research that shows how vulnerable transgender and nonbinary youth are without parental support, the mandate for schools to proactively demonstrate the acceptance of gender divesre youth could not be more clear.

Ultimately, as one of our most influential socializing forces, schools reflect the values and beliefs of the communities they serve. Virtually every educational institution has some form of mission statement that calls for the creation of a safe school environment for all students. As noted, schools have a legal obligation to protect all students regardless of their gender identity or expression. But beyond that, they have an ethical responsibility to ensure the health and wellness of every one of their students. "All" must truly mean ALL.

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Ideas about gender are evolving - from toys to clothing to online spaces, gender lines are being blurred as never before. Today many people are questioning the very nature of gender, a fundamental aspect of identity.

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A great lesson plan for the younger students. "My Princess Boy" or "Jacob’s New Dress " would be excellent mentor texts here.

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Boys, Girls and More (Colors) with coloring

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Pronouns can be confusing to learn regardless of the context of gender. The book "They, She, He, Easy as ABC" by Maya & Matthew is discussed here. The discussion is important for educators because it supplements a greater discussion on pronouns and identity.

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In this post: Dismantling cissexism & gender bias for story time - inclusion is as easy as learning the ABC's
Books For Littles (BFL) is free and accessible for readers who can't afford a paywall. Posts may contain affiliate links, which allow me to earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Check out the full affiliate disclosure along with the BFL statement of accountability. Reflection press is not sponsoring or compensating BFL for this post. In fact, BFL is funded by readers like you.

The following text is excerpted from my interview with Maya & Matthew of Reflection Press - Ashia R.

Maker Spotlight: An Interview With Maya & Matthew
The artists, educators & activists behind Reflection Press
[Image description: The cover of They, She, He, easy as ABC by Maya & Matthew featuring four smiling children of various races. They dance with maracas, tutus, arm crutches, glasses, necklaces, and hair barrettes.] [Image description: Spread from They, She, He, easy as ABC by Maya & Matthew featuring two dancing children. Text reads: "Sky is like a star so bright. All the pronouns are right." and "Tai is tiger in the night. He claims his own might."] [Image description: Panel from They, She, He, easy as ABC by Maya & Matthew, featuring two dancing children. Text reads: "Ari loves to arabesque. They hold their pose with ease. Brody is a break dancer. Brody loves to freeze."] [Image description: Panel from They, She, He, easy as ABC by Maya & Matthew, featuring two children. One wears earmuffs and leaps into the air, the other uses a wheelchair and shakes a musical instrument. Text reads: "Una is a unicorn. They prance to their own sound. Viola's a volcano. Her power's in her ground."] [Image description: Panel from They, She, He, easy as ABC, by Maya & Matthew' featuring two children. One plays bells and the other beats a drum. Text reads: "Cory leaps high like a cat. She springs and leaps and bounds. Diego drums and dances. Tree has all the sounds."]

How do we create freedom to just be - and let others be?

In our culture, kids are trained to perform gender expectations. They often feel the need to know other people's assigned gender.

Kids police each other's gender performance. We see this assignment determine how they will treat someone, if they will play together, and how they think they should look and act. We see this on the playground all the time.
We invite you to dismantle this idea that we have to know someone's gender in order to play with them.
Does your community offer racially, ethnically, and gender-inclusive books?

Kids are here to remind us, not in innocence, but in power. We must not shelter them.

Help kids retain their power and wisdom by bringing age-appropriate awareness to the context of our culture. Awareness supports them to see through the oppressive structures they must navigate.

Knowing about bullies and bullying systems supports indigenous kids, kids of color, and queer/trans/intersex kids especially, from internalizing damaging messages. Whether they're experiencing it on the swings or on the nightly news, we use the framework of bullying to talk about power dynamics.

This is a necessity for marginalized communities. If this isn't a necessity for you and your family, you have a choice that others don't. This gives you, as a parent, all the more reason to prioritize awareness of the larger power dynamics and systems - so as not to damage your child with unconscious participation.

Have you walked around your own gender and how it plays in the world?

What privilege do you hold? How is yours different from your child's experience?

For folks outside of the LGBTQI2S+ community, especially parents with trans/nonbinary kids, the challenge is also to see what's been internalized and how that's impacting what you pass on. Your nonverbal messages will always be the strongest communication with your children.

Are you participating in gender assumptions and expectations? Are you passing them on unconsciously? Do you unconsciously prioritize being cis or straight? Do you know queer/trans/intersex people?

The conversations you have with your kids will be more meaningful if you start actively looking at your own assumptions first. At times, cis/white/straight parents aren't aware of how much privilege they carry. Parents unconsciously try to preserve their child's privilege instead of dismantling the systems that oppress them.

The most supportive thing you can do is to start with yourself. Examine the ways you may be participating in and upholding oppressive systems. Your level of discomfort is often a good indicator. Different layers of privilege afford us different layers of comfort. If you're not feeling discomfort you're not doing the full work.
When you're claiming your power instead of upholding the status quo, the stress is real. Your heart and body are on the line. This is the heart and bones of it.
This is real bodies living life. It takes focus and flow to counter the dominant narratives about IPOC and queer/trans/intersex people and stay steady.

Self-love is key. It's a dance of freedom in an unfree world. Not internalizing the damaging messages all around us. Staying emotionally clear enough to provide self-loving, empowering narratives for our kids. This is the real work.
We're inviting parents to do the same. The stronger we are in ourselves, the more we pass that on to our kids.
Use these books as seeds - something small and potent that can take root and grow deep within.

Not only have we always been here, we are worth attention.

Inclusive imagery attends to - and helps mediate - the larger historical and contemporary erasure that IPOC and queer/trans/intersex communities experience.

We create books that don't just include, but center and expand the lives of queer/trans/intersex kids of color. This systemically shifts the power and focus away from the dominant culture and shows our communities that not only have we always been here, we are worth attention.

Reflection in children's media engages kids and conveys that they belong. This is the heart of our books and a big reason why our press is called Reflection Press. The 'They She He Me' series shows that queer/trans/intersex people come from all communities. We are the unifying factor.

Both of us queer, Maya as Chicanx femme and Matthew as trans and raised by gay dads, we've each had experiences that speak to many of the core challenges faced by the lgbtqi2s+ community and hold perspectives and values that rise from its rich culture.

If non-first voice (or non-#OwnVoices) authors are holding strong Western and Eurocentric frames, built on the suppression of queer/trans/intersex people and IPOC, their books may retain cissexism that is built into our culture's language and perspectives.

While bringing more awareness and support to our queer/trans/intersex kids, we're concerned about the implicit bias we've seen in books written by cis, straight authors. These stories place the onus on the kid and not the system.

This perpetuates unconscious bias and promotes a cissexist subtext, no matter what's being explicitly said - conveying a strong message precisely because it is not conscious. Additionally, characters must often be exceptional to be accepted, there's emotional strife and bullying, and there's been an almost exclusive focus on children assigned male in dresses.

When books are sourced within their community they are all the more powerful, because the stories are authentic and relevant. They rise from need and break silence and invisibility for the marginalized. All this fabulous reflection keeps our family and community present in our kids' media and shows them that there are many ways to be.

Advocate for marginalized communities and put your heart and bodies on the line - but also know when to step back and let those communities speak for themselves.

Language is power. Voice is a revolution.

We know what it's like to have language used against us and those we love, as well as our ancestors. We are both acutely aware of how we use language. Like many folks, we believe that we must try to be impeccable with our word if we want to establish respect and inclusion.

Language is a big part of how culture spreads. The alphabet is literally the key to reading and writing the language. As homeschooling parents, it was important for us to associate gender inclusion with something as fundamental as the alphabet.

This can help counter how language is still used by the dominant culture to erase queer, trans, intersex people. Juggling homeschooling a 5 year old and running our own publishing house makes for a lot of late nights and early mornings. Talking about language and how to use it respectfully, telling stories about the larger truths that have been suppressed - this takes up A LOT of our time.

Books like this give us a moment to relax. We can just read together, without constantly having to change the language to be inclusive, or acknowledge who is absent, or stereotyped.
For those of us who change all the pronouns and half the story lines in our kid's books as a matter of course, this is a parent's delight. The book does all the work.
When we become conscious of the real power within language, we can see how it's been used, as well as how to transform it to heal ourselves. And of course, this brings us back full circle to the alphabet! And why it's so fabulously revolutionary to say that gender inclusion can be as easy as ABC!

More Books by Maya & Matthew

If not, donate a book to your local library. Many don't often have a budget to get stories by #OwnVoices makers and small publishers on the shelves.

They She He Me: Free to Be!, The Gender Wheel, They, She, He, Easy as ABC

Beginning Steps & How to support Reflection Press:

Use gender neutral words like kids or people instead of 'boys and girls' and 'ladies and gentlemen.' Learn about suppressed history and indigenous cultures. Speak Truth. Interrupt Falsehoods.

The power is within each of us. As the civil rights leader Fannie Lou Hamer said, "Nobody's free until everybody's free."

Maya & Matthew have created reading guides for their books, plus a free online course exploring the intersection of nature, culture, Indigenous history, and gender at reflectionpress.com and genderwheel.com.

Stay Curious, Stand Brave & Question Your Assumptions

Stay Curious, Stand Brave & Keep Reading

If you want reminders when I update these resources and publish new podcasts, join the email list.

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Dismantling Cissexism In Kidlit - Maker Spotlight with Maya & Matthew of Reflection Press - Raising Luminaries

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In this post: Dismantling cissexism & gender bias for story time - inclusion is as easy as learning the ABC's Books For Littles (BFL) is free and accessible for readers who can't afford a paywall. Posts may contain affiliate links, which allow me to earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

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Documentary trailer about creating gender inclusive schools:

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Documentary trailer about creating gender inclusive schools:

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I absolutely love this trailer and would love to see the whole film some day. It gives me a lot of hope for the future. Also you can see a few glimpses of what teaching gender in the elementary classroom actually looks like in this video.

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Creating Gender Inclusive Schools Trailer

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Mirrors, Windows, and Sliding Glass Doors

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Mirrors, Windows, and Sliding Glass Doors

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Rudine Sims Bishop explains the importance of representation in children's literature. Sliding glass doors give children the chance to see and enter new worlds.

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Mirrors, Windows and Sliding Glass Doors

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This lesson plan gives space for students to talk about themselves in depth and is a great way to introduce students to each other and to you at the beginning of the year.

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What can teachers do to support transgender and gender diverse students?

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What can teachers do to support transgender and gender diverse students?

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This article gives guidance with specific suggestions on how to support transgender and gender diverse students in the classroom. Spoiler alert: it requires practice but it is easier than you might think!

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This lesson plan brings science into ELA by investigating species of animals that do not follow a biological binary. Another great way of giving concrete connection to an otherwise nuanced topic such as gender.

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"When Aidan was born, everyone thought he was a girl. His parents gave him a pretty name, his room looked like a girl's room, and he wore clothes that other girls liked wearing. After he realized he was a trans boy, Aidan and his parents fixed the parts of life that didn't fit anymore, and he settled happily into his new life. Then Mom and Dad announce that they're going to have another baby, and Aidan wants to do everything he can to make things right for his new sibling from the beginning--from choosing the perfect name to creating a beautiful room to picking out the cutest onesie. But what does "making things right" actually mean? And what happens if he messes up? With a little help, Aidan comes to understand that mistakes can be fixed with honesty and communication, and that he already knows the most important thing about being a big brother: how to love with his whole self.

When Aidan Became a Brother is a heartwarming book that will resonate with transgender children, reassure any child concerned about becoming an older sibling, and celebrate the many transitions a family can experience."

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Born Ready: The True Story of a Boy Named Penelope

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Born Ready: The True Story of a Boy Named Penelope

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"Jodie Patterson, activist and Chair of the Human Rights Campaign Foundation Board, shares her transgender son's experience in this important picture book about identity and acceptance.

Penelope knows that he's a boy. (And a ninja.) The problem is getting everyone else to realize it.

In this exuberant companion to Jodie Patterson's adult memoir, The Bold World, Patterson shares her son Penelope's frustrations and triumphs on his journey to share himself with the world. Penelope's experiences show children that it always makes you stronger when you are true to yourself and who you really are."

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"In this joyful and impactful picture book, a transgender boy prepares for the first day of school and introduces himself to his family and friends for the first time.

Calvin has always been a boy, even if the world sees him as a girl. He knows who he is in his heart and in his mind but he hasn’t yet told his family. Finally, he can wait no longer: “I’m not a girl,” he tells his family. “I’m a boy–a boy in my heart and in my brain.” Quick to support him, his loving family takes Calvin shopping for the swim trunks he’s always wanted and back-to-school clothes and a new haircut that helps him look and feel like the boy he’s always known himself to be. As the first day of school approaches, he’s nervous and the “what-ifs” gather up inside him. But as his friends and teachers rally around him and he tells them his name, all his “what-ifs” begin to melt away.

Inspired by the authors’ own transgender child and accompanied by warm and triumphant illustrations, this authentic and personal text promotes kindness and empathy, offering a poignant and inclusive back-to-school message: all should feel safe, respected, and welcomed."

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"A blue crayon mistakenly labeled as "red" suffers an identity crisis in the new picture book by the New York Times–bestselling creator of My Heart Is Like a Zoo and It's an Orange Aardvark! Funny, insightful, and colorful, Red: A Crayon's Story, by Michael Hall, is about being true to your inner self and following your own path despite obstacles that may come your way. Red will appeal to fans of Lois Ehlert, Eric Carle, and The Day the Crayons Quit, and makes a great gift for readers of any age!

Red has a bright red label, but he is, in fact, blue. His teacher tries to help him be red (let's draw strawberries!), his mother tries to help him be red by sending him out on a playdate with a yellow classmate (go draw a nice orange!), and the scissors try to help him be red by snipping his label so that he has room to breathe. But Red is miserable. He just can't be red, no matter how hard he tries! Finally, a brand-new friend offers a brand-new perspective, and Red discovers what readers have known all along. He's blue! This funny, heartwarming, colorful picture book about finding the courage to be true to your inner self can be read on multiple levels, and it offers something for everyone!"

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Morris Micklewhite and the Tangerine Dress by Christine Baldacchino

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Morris Micklewhite and the Tangerine Dress by Christine Baldacchino

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"Morris has a great imagination. He paints amazing pictures and he loves his classroom's dress-up center, especially the tangerine dress. It reminds him of tigers, the sun and his mother's hair.

The other children don't understand--dresses, they say, are for girls. And Morris certainly isn't welcome in the spaceship his classmates are building--astronauts, they say, don't wear dresses.

One day Morris has a tummy ache, and his mother lets him stay home from school. He stays in bed reading about elephants, and her dreams about a space adventure with his cat, Moo. Inspired by his dream, Morris paints a fantastic picture, and everything begins to change when he takes it to school."

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"“Meet Polkadot,” is an accessible introduction to the main character in our series, Polkadot. Polkadot as well as Polkadot’s big sister Gladiola and best friend Norma Alicia, introduce our readers to the challenges and beauty that are experienced by Polkadot as a non-binary, trans kid. While Gladiola learns how to engage with information that she “didn’t know she didn’t know,” Norma Alicia provides Polkadot with a generous, additional perspective on how identities intersect and how allyship works. “Meet Polkadot,” tells Polkadot’s story from a transgender-liberation and feminist perspective and explores the complexity of identity in gentle and real terms. For ages 3-130!"

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"Jacob loves playing dress-up, when he can be anything he wants to be. Some kids at school say he can't wear "girl" clothes, but Jacob wants to wear a dress to school. Can he convince his parents to let him wear what he wants? This heartwarming story speaks to the unique challenges faced by boys who don't identify with traditional gender roles."

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"My Princess Boy is a nonfiction picture book about acceptance. With words and illustrations even the youngest of children can understand, My Princess Boy tells the tale of 4-year-old boy who happily expresses his authentic self by happily dressing up in dresses, and enjoying traditional girl things such as jewelry and anything pink or sparkly. The book is from a mom's point of view, sharing both good and bad observations and experiences with friends and family, at school and in shopping stores.

My Princess Boy opens a dialogue about embracing uniqueness, and teaches you and others how to accept young boys who might cross traditional gender line clothing expectations. The book ends with the understanding that 'my' Princess Boy is really 'our' Princess Boy, and as a community, we can accept and support youth for whoever they are and however they wish to look."

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Pinky and Rex and the Bully by James Howe

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Pinky and Rex and the Bully by James Howe

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"Pinky's favorite color is pink, and his best friend, Rex, is a girl. Kevin, the third-grade bully, says that makes Pinky a sissy. Deep down, Pinky thinks Kevin is wrong, but he's still worried. Does Pinky have to give up his favorite things, and worse, does he have to give up his best friend?"

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"Good "boy"?
Mike and his pup are great friends. Every day Mike takes Pugdog for a walk in the park; every night he treats Pugdog to a belly scratch before bed. But Mike doesn't know very much about dogs. Not only is Pugdog not a pug -- Pugdog is not even a he, as Mike had thought all along, but a she! Oh my! Mike feels obliged to give Pugdog a crash course on how to look and act the way a girl dog should. The only problem is, Mike doesn't know much about this subject either.
Andrea U'Ren's debut picture book is a funny romp featuring an adorable canine who ends up teaching her owner a few tricks."