# data[].attributes.body
I suspect I have missed the deadline,

but I still wanted to give it a shot. I already teach poems from Brown Girl Dreaming as part of the HMH Ed curriculum, however it’s only 5 poems and other 6th grade ELA teacher and I would love to do the whole book. Our school does not have the extra copies for us so we are stuck with excerpts. To have this resource would mean the ability to show our students, mostly students of color, the power of language and as the unit suggests, using their voices the way Woodson uses hers in the poems.

Thanks,

Kim Leigh-Manuell

# data[].attributes.body
I'm using a selection from Brown Girl Dreaming with sophomores as a mentor text in a memoir unit.

-Jackie Smith/Fresno, CA

# data[].attributes.headline
I have never heard of Brown Girl Dreaming, but I am excited to introduce my students to it, as I love teaching about self-love, especially to my brown babies <3

# data[].attributes.subject
I have never heard of Brown Girl Dreaming, but I am excited to introduce my students to it, as I love teaching about self-love, especially to my brown babies <3

# data[].attributes.headline
Brett Iarrobino - BROWN GIRL DREAMING summer reading!

# data[].attributes.subject
Brett Iarrobino - BROWN GIRL DREAMING summer reading!

# data[].attributes.body
This school year, my district piloted an exciting new summer reading program, which saw the entire rising seventh-grade reading Brown Girl Dreaming over the summer before heading into their first year of middle school! Students were asked to prepare visual and/or narrative projects using the text and will be using the book to write narrative essays over the next few weeks. Our department has really enjoyed using the text as a springboard for the concept of author's purpose during our first unit. This is a book that is exceptionally primed for conversations on the "why" behind writing. What did Woodson set out to achieve when she wrote Dreaming, and what have we learned because of it? What does this reflect about some of the most powerful reasons behind writing a book or personal narrative? These are the questions that will guide us through the next few weeks of lessons! :-)

-Brett Iarrobino | brettiarrobino@gmail.com

# data[].attributes.headline
We know the power of having a classroom set of texts. If you received a classroom set of Brown Girl Dreaming, how would you utilize them? 

# data[].attributes.subject
We know the power of having a classroom set of texts. If you received a classroom set of Brown Girl Dreaming, how would you utilize them? 

# data[].attributes.body
Our 6th grade ELA class reads excerpts of Brown Girl Dreaming as a part of their "Childhood" unit with MyPerspectives. I would love to have a class set in order to dive deeper into the memoir with the students. They respond very well to the excerpts as children who are also BIPOC and LGBTQ+. Being able to read an author in depth that reflects their own experiences is a vital part of their education, especially as young middle schoolers, and would greatly benefit from a class set of the memoir.

# data[].attributes.body
Each Spring, I teach a Women in Memoir course, which studies the lives and realities of women as communicated in Literature. While I have not had the ability to teach Jacqueline Woodson, I would love the opportunity to incorporate this book into the conversation at my HBCU. This is an apt text to include in the conversation about the power of memoir and the purpose of the writer. I have read this book personally, and I would love the opportunity to teach this in my classroom.

# data[].attributes.attachment_caption
Jacquline Woodson at Aurora University, January 2020.

# data[].attributes.body
I was able to listen to Jacquline Woodson at NCTE 2017 and at Aurora University in 2020. I would use a class set of Brown Girl Dreaming with one of the high school classes in my district. I plan to work with an English class at one of our alternative schools while I work on National Boards. We will be doing a memoir unit, and memoir-in-verse is a perfect mentor text!

-Julie Wasmund Hoffman

HoffmanJ@sps186.org

# data[].attributes.body
My English 1 honors students would devour this book in their book clubs. I would add this as an option and know they would love it.

# data[].attributes.body
Should I receive a classroom set of Brown Girl Dreaming, I would utilize them with my Pide (or homeroom) as a novel study.

# data[].attributes.headline
A Classroom Set of Brown Girl Dreaming can Make a Difference for Students 

# data[].attributes.subject
A Classroom Set of Brown Girl Dreaming can Make a Difference for Students 

# data[].attributes.body
If I received a classroom set of Brown Girl Dreaming, I would use it to immerse my ELA Honors students in the powerful narrative of resilience, identity, and cultural pride. This book would serve as a cornerstone for exploring the richness of diverse cultures, inspiring my students to appreciate the beauty of their own stories and those of others. Through discussions, reflective writing, and creative projects, I would ensure that each student not only enjoys the journey through the pages but also emerges with a deeper understanding of the importance of diversity in literature and life. These books would be more than just reading material; they would be a gateway to empathy, self-discovery, and a lifelong love of learning.

DeLishia A. Davis

delishiadavis@gmail.com

# data[].attributes.headline
How I've used Brown Girl Dreaming w/ students & others

# data[].attributes.subject
How I've used Brown Girl Dreaming w/ students & others

# data[].attributes.body
During the height of the COVID-19 Pandemic, I utilized Brown Girl Dreaming in a virtual Book Club with 4-8 grade students in the metro Detroit area. As a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. I was the chairperson of Target 4: The Arts! and member of the Committee

joined in helping to facilitate the book club.

# data[].attributes.headline
How would I use a classroom set of texts?

# data[].attributes.subject
How would I use a classroom set of texts?

# data[].attributes.body
I've long admired this text but have not used it with students, yet. As an ESOL teacher in a low-incidence school district in rural New Hampshire, I'd love to use "Brown Girl" with English Learners (and others) but would also love hear how others may have used/deconstructed the text for use with an English Learner focus. Thanks so much for considering, Molly Badrawy, mbadrawy@mascenic.org

# data[].attributes.body
If I were gifted a class set, I would love to use it as a gateway book for teachers as a book study. I would use the text to help them connect to events they are not aware of and take a historical twist to in by incorporating more books so that they have resources in their classrooms that represent their students. I am currently reading Clint Smith's books and want to bring to light many of the stories that are not taught in school, but should be. This book would create a great entry into tough topics that many teachers avoid because they don't know how to teach them.

Thank you for this opportunity!

-Mary Brennan

mbrennan@ffc8.org

# data[].attributes.body
Yes! Brown Girl Dreaming is one of the core texts of our Young Adult Literature class for undergraduate and graduate students who are interested in becoming teachers themselves. I enjoyed working with my colleague to employ poetry, storytelling, and art into this course to hear students perspectives and classroom ideas for their future students!

Rachel Siegman - rachel.m.siegman@vanderbilt.edu

# data[].attributes.headline
I would love to use a class set to keep our NEHS/ELA family book club going. We invite students and families to take a book home and come back for a group discussion. Katie Burnett

# data[].attributes.subject
I would love to use a class set to keep our NEHS/ELA family book club going. We invite students and families to take a book home and come back for a group discussion. Katie Burnett

# data[].attributes.headline
We have used Brown Girl Dreaming in YA literature Circles in 10th grade English. Katie Burnett

# data[].attributes.subject
We have used Brown Girl Dreaming in YA literature Circles in 10th grade English. Katie Burnett

# data[].attributes.headline
First time teaching Brown Girl Dreaming in 8th Grade

# data[].attributes.subject
First time teaching Brown Girl Dreaming in 8th Grade

# data[].attributes.body
I just finished reading it and will teach this winter. It is so beautifully written. Here to see others' ideas. - Michelle Vihonski mvhonski@east-haven.k12.ct.us

# data[].attributes.body
I recently moved from the secondary to the post-secondary level, and I am now teaching English Education students. I would love to use Brown Girl Dreaming in one of my courses such as Secondary Reading or Introduction to English Education. If I had a classroom set, I could use the books again and again. We try at Ball State University to keep the course fees under $40 for students as we have many first generation college students.

# data[].attributes.body
I teach English to seniors and sophomores, and my seniors are going to be exploring how we create a sense of self and how we are influenced and shaped by all of the people around us and the experiences we have. Jaqueline Woodson once said that "memories come to people in small bursts" and that a memory "comes in these small moments with all of this white space around it." I love this idea of thinking about how we make sense of the memories we have.

If I had a class set, we would be able to read Brown Girl Dreaming together and look at how Jacqueline Woodson was shaped by her experiences and how she represents them in this book. The passage "Other People's Memory" is such a great way to have students begin thinking about what stories they know about themselves...and how they know them.

If I win, please contact me at mcpeak.karen@gmail.com

or

kmcpeak@westhillschools.org

Thank you!

Karen McPeak

# data[].attributes.body
When you have a class set of a book, students notice. They wonder are we reading this? When? How will it tie into our units of study? You tell them "the time will come," and there's a weird suspense built in that moment.

Then comes the day you tell them to pick someone to go grab a copy for each member in the group. They're a little giddy - the time has come.

Brown Girl Dreaming would be an amazing text to guide the poetry unit I'm still trying to perfect. Working with memoirs-in-verse builds on students understanding of the personal narrative, and asks them to really consider how diction, punctuation, and everything in between becomes a poetic device. I would hope to pair them with Promises of Gold by Jose Olivarez, a book club assessment of poetry as it tells stories!

# data[].attributes.body
I have a text set with all Jacqueline Woodson's books in one spot. I love showing my students that authors are versatile. They can write picture books, poetry, books in verse, and fictional stories. I use so many of her books throughout the year. The one that I just used was "The Day You Begin." We explored the text to enjoy the first day. We listened to Jacqueline read the story. We explored the idea of rulers in the text. We connected with the story and talked about what makes us unique. What a great entrypoint to the school year.

Molly Love

love.mollymarie@gmail.com

# data[].attributes.body
If given the opportunity to receive a class set of BROWN GIRL DREAMING, I could use them as a whole class novel in comparison with WALK TWO MOONS - focusing on identity, family, and belonging.

# data[].attributes.body
If I received a classroom set of the novel, "Brown Girl Dreaming," I would use the book in a whole group setting, in which all my students can enjoy. Most importantly, providing room for discussion, and book-related activities will also be employed!

# data[].attributes.body
In my writing workshop with eighth grade students, I share some excerpts from Brown Girl Dreaming. With each excerpt, we talk about style and structure. Then, students mimic those elements of style and/or structure by asking, "What did this writer do that I could do also?"

For example, we look at "february 12, 1963." Since we often start our year creating "Where I'm From" poems, I like to use this piece to teach the concept of repetition. I also have students brainstorm descriptions of their homes and town as well as to research a bit about what was happening in the year of their births. It is so wonderful to see the strains of Jacqueline Woodson's style pervade their writing!

On a side note, I also have students participate in various reading contests. This book has been on the contest lists, and that makes me so happy that students will read it and love it as I do.

I hope I win the class set! I'd love to have all my students read it from cover to cover!

Carol Frow

Belle Vernon Area Middle School

# data[].attributes.body
I would use the class set of Brown girl Dreaming as core literature so that my students could develop their reading, writing, and analytical skills while also seeing themselves and their families in the characters of the story.

As a teacher of students who primarily come from underrepresented communities, it is important for my students to see themselves in stories of struggle that culminate in success. I want to show my students that they can achieve their goals regardless of gender, race, and economics as long as they persevere.

This message conveyed ib this class set of books would be an amazing and important addition toward facilitating and fostering an environment that shows my students they are capable and of value.

Submitted by Lee.kessner@lausd.net

# data[].attributes.body
I would love to use this in two different classes I teach: African American Literature and Cultural Studies in Literature. I love that it highlights a voice from Ohio, as that’s where my high school is located! The prose is a beautiful way to teach poetry, and teaches about the triumphs and challenges of growing up African American in the 60s and 70s. Since so much of our literature highlights time periods both before and after this, Woodson’s voice could stimulate rich conversations about race and resilience. - Thanks for your consideration, Sarah Detrick

# data[].attributes.body
As a middle school ELA teacher, I would utilize a class set of Jacqueline Woodson's Brown Girl Dreaming to teach narrative writing effectively and provide students with a text with a culturally rich perspective. It is crucial for students to learn that they do have a story to tell and how to tell that story. Woodson's memoir depicts the story of her childhood, how she felt halfway between New York and South Carolina, and the struggles that come with moving, friends, and family, especially during the time of segregation. I teach at a rural Title 1 school in Alabama where many of my students have lived there their whole lives and grown up around influences of racism. When planning over the summer, Brown Girl Dreaming was a book I wanted to read with my 7th-grade class, but I did not have the funds to purchase a class set. I had specifically picked Woodson's book because I thought it was a great example that would not only show students the importance of telling your story in the context of narrative writing but also show them what it looks like to overcome adversity and how to deal with figures in their lives who may look down on them or others due to their skin color. Woodson's book, written explicitly in verse, would be unfamiliar to my students as they are used to the format of a traditional novel, but I believe they would truly enjoy reading Woodson's book. Previously unfamiliar with it, Brown Girl Dreaming, to me, is reminiscent of Jason Reynold's Long Way Down, a book I was significantly impacted by in my young adult literature class in college and would love to make a staple in my classroom like many other teachers across the United States are doing. I believe verse books like Woodson's and Reynold's offer students exposure to poetry in a less intimidating way, offering younger readers an example of a narrative and highlighting many of our students' struggles today. If I received a class set of Jacqueline Woodson's Brown Girl Dreaming, it would provide me with a diverse companion text to our focus on narrative writing that offers a unique perspective on one's childhood, covering topics my students would greatly benefit from reading and learning about.

- Samantha Chancellor

# data[].attributes.headline
If I were gifted a class set of books, I would incorporate the book into my curriculum. I work with students who are taking steps towards a second chance, so to speak, on a high school diploma, and I think that this book could help them become more engaged in literature and the fun of reading. My name is Melinda Moos. 

# data[].attributes.subject
If I were gifted a class set of books, I would incorporate the book into my curriculum. I work with students who are taking steps towards a second chance, so to speak, on a high school diploma, and I think that this book could help them become more engaged in literature and the fun of reading. My name is Melinda Moos. 

# data[].attributes.body
I'm the ELA department chair in my 6-8 building. I would divide the copies among the 7th-grade ELA teachers in my building because their new curriculum aligns with the themes from the novel. Our students are struggling readers who prefer novels in verse, so this novel would be perfect for them! Thank you for your consideration!

# data[].attributes.headline
We know the power of having a classroom set of texts. If you received a classroom set of Brown Girl Dreaming, how would you utilize them? - La'Tonya Jackson 

# data[].attributes.subject
We know the power of having a classroom set of texts. If you received a classroom set of Brown Girl Dreaming, how would you utilize them? - La'Tonya Jackson 

# data[].attributes.body
Having a classroom set of Brown Girl Dreaming would be a game-changer for promoting deep, collective exploration of the text. I would begin by organizing a whole-class read-aloud, allowing students to experience the rhythm and flow of Woodson’s poetry as a shared experience. Following this, I would use the text as a springboard for a unit on memoir writing, encouraging students to write their own stories in verse. The classroom set would also enable small group discussions, where students can dive into specific themes or passages, and then come together as a class to share their insights. Finally, I would incorporate the book into a broader study of the Civil Rights Movement, using Woodson’s family’s experiences as a personal lens through which students can explore the impact of this pivotal era in American history.

# data[].attributes.headline
How do you use the works of Jacqueline Woodson? Share your lesson plan and teaching ideas! - La'Tonya Jackson 

# data[].attributes.subject
How do you use the works of Jacqueline Woodson? Share your lesson plan and teaching ideas! - La'Tonya Jackson 

# data[].attributes.body
Jacqueline Woodson’s works are powerful tools for exploring complex themes like race, identity, and belonging. One lesson plan I’ve developed centers on her novel The Other Side. I begin by introducing the concept of segregation, both historically and in modern contexts, and then guide students through a close reading of the text. We discuss the symbolism of the fence in the story and how it represents both physical and emotional barriers. I then have students write reflective essays on times they’ve encountered or challenged similar barriers in their own lives. Additionally, I incorporate Brown Girl Dreaming into a poetry unit, where students analyze Woodson’s use of free verse and then create their own poems that explore their identities.

# data[].attributes.headline
How have you used Brown Girl Dreaming with students or other educators? - La'Tonya Jackson

# data[].attributes.subject
How have you used Brown Girl Dreaming with students or other educators? - La'Tonya Jackson

# data[].attributes.body
Brown Girl Dreaming is an exceptional tool for fostering discussions around identity, history, and the power of personal narrative. When using it with students, I’ve centered lessons around the themes of family, heritage, and the Civil Rights Movement, which are pivotal in the text. One approach is to use the book for a cross-disciplinary project where students connect their own family histories to the broader context of American history, much like Woodson does in her memoir. For educators, I’ve facilitated workshops that focus on using Woodson’s poetic style to teach literary devices, such as imagery and free verse, while also addressing the social and emotional learning components inherent in her storytelling.

# data[].attributes.headline
Black Girl Dreaming: Question 4 Response 

# data[].attributes.subject
Black Girl Dreaming: Question 4 Response 

# data[].attributes.body
In class I would offer up the invitation to choose a poem from the text and write an After Poem modeling the structure and possibly the content. I’d also have students use their own identity markers to title the piece using a fill in the blank like: ___ _____ dreaming, for their own title.

-Carrie Mattern

Desert springs middle school

Desert hot springs, CA

# data[].attributes.body
we'd use this as a reading club selection for our Intergenerational Reading program here at the University - we'd use the classroom set so no one would have to purchase a copy of the book; we'd have at least one discussion/book club session, possibly more depending on participation

# data[].attributes.body
I've used a number of her works in both my Banned Books class and my Young Adult Fiction class here at the University; we've used If you Come softly and Hush as well as After Tupac and D Foster. Students respond well to the narratives and the characters. we've also used Red at the Bone in our Senior English Seminar.

# data[].attributes.body
I have used Brown Girl Dreaming as a First Chapter Friday activity in which I introduce a different independent reading option to my 8th grade students every Friday. However, I would love to teach this book as a whole class option! Jacqueline Woodson is a brilliant person and wonderful author, and I would love for all of my students to experience her story.

-Elizabeth Jorgensen Ejorgensen@farwellschools.net

# data[].attributes.body
Cultivating a love of literature with children and youth is a passion. If provided a class set, I would pass them along to my Literacy 3 students, prospective teachers at the University of Michigan! #GoBlue

# data[].attributes.headline
We know the power of having a classroom set of texts. If you received a classroom set of BROWN GIRL DREAMING, how would you utilize them?

# data[].attributes.subject
We know the power of having a classroom set of texts. If you received a classroom set of BROWN GIRL DREAMING, how would you utilize them?

# data[].attributes.headline
How do you use the works of Jacqueline Woodson? Share your lesson plan and teaching ideas!

# data[].attributes.subject
How do you use the works of Jacqueline Woodson? Share your lesson plan and teaching ideas!

# data[].attributes.headline
How have you used BROWN GIRL DREAMING with students or other educators?

# data[].attributes.subject
How have you used BROWN GIRL DREAMING with students or other educators?