Unearthing Joy Book Study sponsored by WWU Social Equity Commission.

Raising Antiracist Children by Britt Hawthorne Community Book Study with support from PTAs.

Teaching for Black Lives Rethinking Schools sponsors study groups for the school year.

If interested in any of these book studies with sync and async options, reach out to Kirsten.Jensen@belllinghamschools.org

Then Dr. Sonja Cherry-Paul gives an overview of the book.

1)  In this chapter, what ideas resonate and affirm your thinking?

2)  How do you want to "make changes in your curriculum and instruction to move you closer toward teaching for liberation?" pg 8.

3) What is significant to you?

Then Dr. Cherry-Paul describes the 6 critical lenses to support Anti-Racist Reading Instruction. She emphasizes that we must always *start with the lens of Affirmation*. She also adds Awareness as cornerstone lens.

1) Consider if and how you already embed these 5 characteristics of Antiracist Teaching into your instruction. Rank them in order of “most to least” embedded.

2) Which part of her explanation for focusing on the lenses of Affirmation and Awareness resonates most with you? Why?

-Reflect on the “Recalling Reading Experiences in School” grid (pp. 47-48) and your own book collage. What do you notice about your reading experiences at school? Are you able to locate yourself in the books that were centered in reading instruction and available in the classroom library? Do tensions exist between your identities and your book collage? If so, what tensions?

Take a moment to think about the texts that are part of your reading instruction. Try to read at least one of the Antiracist picture books Dr. Cherry-Paul features in this chapter. What prompts can you see yourself using for reading minilessons that help us go beyond representation toward liberation? In what units? For what grade levels?

Discuss the importance of interdependence. In what ways do you cultivate interdependence to truly establish a classroom community? How does your community become a source of strength for children? What collectivist practices do you prioritize? What ways do you cultivate communal experiences? How are students’ home cultures and funds of knowledge centered in the classroom community?

What else was significant to you in this chapter? Consider answering one (or more) of her reflection questions that help you improve your curriculum and teaching.

Try to read at least one of the picture books Dr. Cherry-Paul features in this chapter. What prompts can you see yourself using for reading minilessons? In what units? For what grade levels?

Is your school/classroom safe? Do all of your students belong, regardless of the identities they hold? Does your instruction include discussions about race and racism?

When racialized issues occur, do you feel equipped to respond? What PD or other resources have you been given to support you with responding?

What else was significant to you in this chapter? Consider answering one (or more) of her reflection questions that help you improve your curriculum and teaching.

Try to read at least one of the picture books Dr. Cherry-Paul features in this chapter. What prompts can you see yourself using for reading minilessons? In what units? For what grade levels?

“Teaching students to be racially literate requires students having access to information, ideas, and teaching that help them to acquire language to recognize, analyze, and discuss race and racism…Racial literacy makes it possible for students to bridge connections between past and contemporary issues.” (p. 194)

Where are you - individually and collectively - on the path to racial literacy? How do you currently support students on this path to racial literacy or what plans do you have to begin to?

What else was significant to you in this chapter? Consider answering one (or more) of her reflection questions that help you improve your curriculum and teaching.

Try to read at least one of the picture books Dr. Cherry-Paul features in this chapter. What prompts can you see yourself using for reading minilessons? In what units? For what grade levels?

Take some time to complete the “Considering Curriculum, Books, and Activism” chart (p. 222). What do you notice? Are any of the issues of oppression that these activists are fighting against reflected in your school community?

What else was significant to you in this chapter? Consider answering one (or more) of her reflection questions that help you improve your curriculum and teaching.

Try to read at least one of the picture books Dr. Cherry-Paul features in this chapter. What prompts can you see yourself using for reading minilessons? In what units? For what grade levels?

On p. 255, Dr. Cherry-Paul notes “the real risk in the work of antiracism is in doing nothing.” Note how you are feeling at this point. An important act of self-care as you implement the Antiracist Reading Framework will be to note how you are

feeling along the way. Being mindful of your feelings will help you manage your emotions which is necessary if you are to avoid stopping the work you have begun

What else was significant to you in these sections? Consider answering one (or more) of her reflection questions that help you improve your curriculum and teaching.

2)
In my work toward becoming an antiracist teacher, I want to begin by reflecting on how my own identity influences how I read and experience texts. This self-awareness will help me model reflective reading for my students. I’d like to plan a mini-lesson that highlights how our identities—our backgrounds, cultures, and experiences—shape the way we understand and connect with stories. My goal is to show students that all perspectives are valid and valuable, and to encourage them to read in a way that affirms who they are and builds connection with others.

3)
The introduction of the book offered so much to think about, but the reflections that stood out the most to me were around the word “diverse”—how I define it, how it’s used within the school system, and how we sometimes use it without critically examining its implications. This has pushed me to think more intentionally about the language I use and the purpose behind it. I also appreciated the emphasis on identifying practical applications of the book’s ideas so that I can begin planning for and implementing a joyful, antiracist reading revolution in my classroom. I’m excited to move from reflection to action in a way that centers students' voices, identities, and joy.

The part of Cherry-Paul’s explanation of the Affirmation and Awareness lenses that resonates most deeply with me is the need to have “in-depth knowledge of my students—their racial and cultural identities, the values instilled in them by their families and communities, their joys, hopes, and dreams.” This resonates because I believe building authentic relationships with students is essential to co-creating a classroom where a “liberatory consciousness” can thrive. If I want to be an antiracist educator, I must commit to knowing my students deeply and honoring the identities they bring into the classroom. Only then can we learn and grow together in meaningful, transformative ways.

For the second part of the reflection, I chose to read My Two Border Towns by David Bowles. This book offers a powerful entry point for a mini-lesson that goes beyond surface-level representation. One prompt I would use is: “What are you learning about the ways the characters (the boy and his father) interact with their communities?” This question invites students to think about relationships and responsibility toward your community. I would also incorporate the Awareness lens, particularly the question about the function of a border. This feels especially relevant right now, given the context of mass deportations and the ongoing national conversation about immigration. The book allows for a compassionate, critical discussion of borders—not just as physical dividers, but as political and social constructs that affect real people.

Some of the practices I use to create community include a daily Morning Meeting that focuses on social-emotional skills, shared classroom jobs, and Class Meetings where we check in on each other, solve problems, and reflect together. These practices help reinforce that everyone has something valuable to offer and that we are responsible for caring for one another.

I want to move beyond surface-level celebrations of culture and deepen the ways students see their identities reflected and valued in our everyday learning. One goal I have is to find more consistent ways to invite families into the classroom, as partners in our learning. I’d also like to create more space for students to share their knowledge, languages, and experiences through storytelling and projects.

Recently, I used the pathways and prompts from Chapter 3 to guide a read-aloud of Amy Wu and the Perfect Bao. We talked about the cultural and community practices in Amy’s family and how everyone had a role in making the bao together. After reading, students reflected on something they’d like to get better at—just like Amy persevered in learning to make the perfect bao. Each student then chose one idea and wrote it inside a little paper “bao” we folded together. This activity sparked our thinking about taking pride in improvement, while also honoring the cultural story at the heart of the book. We noticed that there is a recipe for bao in the back of the book and several students said they wanted to try it at home. We watched a bao-making video and I see why Amy struggled—it looks like a skill that would take some practice!

I really connect with the idea that nostalgia can cloud our ability to see the problematic ideologies in the books we’ve loved. This is a tough one for me because I have so many beloved books that I’m guessing won’t stand the test of time when viewed through an anti-racist lens. I worry that doing so will change how I feel about them. But I also know that part of growing in racial literacy means being willing to look critically, even when it’s uncomfortable. I guess I feel like I’m not ready to take on this work yet.

Thinking about a read-aloud from this Chapter: We Are Still Here by Traci Sorell. I spent time with the prompts and pathways outlined in Chapter 4. This book contains a lot of important information. I plan to focus the read-aloud around one guiding question: “What are you learning about resistance and resilience of Native Peoples?” I’m thinking about the learning my class did around Treaty Day and Billy Frank, Jr. and this seems like a good place to build on their knowledge. Also, Cherry-Paul said to start with the lens of Affirmation, so this seems like a good prompt to guide our discussion. I can also use this book to model how we listen deeply, ask questions, and respond with respect when learning about cultures and experiences that may be different from our own, which is closely aligned with several of the 13 Principles of Black Lives Matter that my students are already familiar with, notably Diversity and Empathy.

One moment that stood out to me as I considered Dr. Cherry-Paul’s reflection questions was remembering when I first learned about the Tulsa Race Massacre—an event I literally never encountered in school and only became aware of about ten years ago. The fact that such a significant part of American history was erased from my education highlights how systemic racism is maintained through the withholding of truth. Erasing stories like Tulsa upholds white supremacy by preserving a false narrative that centers white experiences and minimizes the history of racial violence and resilience of Black communities. As Dr. Cherry-Paul writes, "When we teach racial literacy, students are able to see how relevant the past is to their lives today," and this connection between past and present is exactly what I hope to foster more deliberately in my classroom.

For the book, I chose to read Where Are You From? by Yamile Saied Méndez. I can see myself using this text with a focus on the Affirmation and Activism pathways. It would be a read-aloud I might use during our "Who We Are" or "Where We Are in Place and Time" IB units. For third graders, I could use prompts such as: "How do our family histories shape who we are?" and "How can understanding our own and others' identities help us create a more just world?" This book naturally lends itself to discussions around pride in your heritage and resistance against stereotypes, which are critical components of building racial literacy.

I’m also thinking about a lesson or series of lessons to go with the story. After reading the book, students could create their own "Where I'm From" poem, either individually or as a class. I had this great sub a long time ago who was actually a professional writer, and he helped the kids write a whole-class “We Are From…” poem and it was gorgeous! I still remember that, although I don’t have a lesson plan to go with it. I could encourage them to think about the places, people, traditions, foods, languages, and experiences that shape who they are. We could use sentence starters like:

• I am from...

• I come from...

• My family teaches me...

• In my community, we...

Once they finish their writing, they could also create art to go with their poem; something that that visually represents parts of their identity from their poetry.

2.      I read, I Am Every Good Thing by Derrick Barnes and illustrated by Gordan C. James. This book is about a black boy and all the powerful ways he sees himself as a person and in the world. This book would be a great read-aloud at the beginning of the year during our IB unit, Sharing the Planet: It’s Such a Good Feeling. This unit is all about awareness and articulation of our own feelings and the feelings of others. I would definitely use the Affirmation prompts all about how the character feels about himself and his character traits. I think this book would be great to talk about how students see themselves and how they describe themselves.

2.      “They need the books as windows onto reality, not just on imaginary worlds. They need books that will help them understand the multicultural nature of the world they live in, and their place as a member of just one group, as well as their connections to all other humans.” (page 9). This quote continues to come back to me as something I can change in my classroom and check in right away. This is such a great reminder to have a variety of texts available in the classroom, to do a class inventory of our books, and “We must do more. What we do with the books we make central in our teaching moves us forward. Antiracist teaching is what helps us and students to do more.” (page 12).

3.      “Students in classrooms right now are the young revolutionaries of today and tomorrow who deserve love and who are ready to plant the seeds of change.” (page 4). I can hear in class discussions the ideas and questions that the students have. They are the young revolutionaries of today and what a responsibility I have for the 1 year I am their teacher to provide the opportunity, books, and space for these discussions.

1. center BIPOC through texts

2. shatter silences around racism

3. teach racial literacy

4. recognize cultural, community, and collective practices

5. learn about community activists

I am really enjoying the collaboration and conversations around this important teaching!

2. “Such teaching demands that educators have an in-depth knowledge of their students- their racial and cultural identities, the values instilled in them by their families and communities, their joys, hopes, and dreams.” (page 35) resonated with me the most. This stuck out to me because of how it highlights what is being brought into the classroom from the students. It makes me think of the partnerships with families that are made and valuing their hopes and dreams for their child and their funds of knowledge.

2. Reflection: In what ways do books centered in cirruculum and my teaching recognize and value various ways of knowing and being in the world? I think what I could do better, is researching the cultural purposes for some things I'm curious about in books. For example, I didn't know that tinikling might have evolved as form of resistance from Filipino farmers toward their Spanish colonizers. I would have read this book and missed that conversation completely.

3. How do the people in the story maintain their cultural identity? What is a cultural center? What benifits are there to living in/with two cultures? Speaking two languages? Why is it important for people to maintain their cultural traditions? Mostly these questions get at the atmosphere: The perspective of cross-cultural understandings and ways of being.

   
   

As for who is being silenced, I can’t think of specific activists we’ve left out intentionally, but this reflection is a good reminder of how important it is to bring in more local voices. I would like to build on our work about Billy Frank Jr. and look for additional activists from the PNW whose work mirrors students’ lives and communities. Making activism feel close to home can help students see themselves as changemakers, too.

One area I think our class is especially strong in is recognizing art as activism. Through our studies of Frida Kahlo, Jean-Michel Basquiat, and Nina Simone, students begin to understand how creative expression can challenge injustice, celebrate identity, and inspire action.

As far as other things that are significant to me from this chapter, I just want to remember this quote: “In order for students to develop such understandings, educators must see themselves as activists whose work is about much more than teaching students to decode words.”

I’d like to get my hands on a copy of “We Have a Dream,” the first picture book in this chapter. The focus on environmental injustice seems like it would be a good fit to build on what we are learning about Billy Frank Jr. I think this book would connect with students through the lens of awareness especially.

2.      I read “I Am Every Good Thing” by Derrick Barnes. This book is such a powerful text and would be great anytime of the year. I would read this book specifically at the beginning of the year when we teach our Who We Are Unit and would use the affirmation prompts provided.

2.      Thinking about the ways books centered in curriculum and my teaching and how they connect to students’ home and school culture. It’s very important to me to connect with families and learn about their hopes and dreams for their student and what is important to their family. These conversations help me better know my students.

3.      I chose the book “My Bindi” and plan to read this in the Who We Are IB unit. I would ask the prompts “What are you learning about Divya?” and “What is Divya learning about wearing a bindi- its power, purpose, and connections to her identity?”

Unfortunately, our school district has been offering some PD but I think in our quest to be progressive we might not recognize the neuances of how that plays out in teaching a range of students, some of whom have families that talk about race relations at home, and some whose families may not have prepared them at all for thoughtful conversation that regocnizes everyone's humanity. In fact, when I talked about book banning this year and some reasons why books have been banned through the recent history in American schools, I made what our school district deemed a huge mistake when I tried to teach about a word that is in a particular book and the dehumanizing impact of that word and why people might have opinions about whether that book should be or not be available for kids to read. Our school district unfortunately makes teaching about race and racial justice scary because you can get punished for trying to have these conversations but doing it "wrong." So in some ways I feel supported (lots of new curricular resources are offered now esp. in the Since Time Immemorial curriculum) but I also am certain my school district does not have my back if they perceive a mistake.

I've read quite a few of the books on this chapter's list. I resonate strongly with the quote on page 165 "our own personal biases...show up...when we choose not to...wrestle with any cognitive dissonance we experience..." I feel like as a white female leading a discussion about race is scary. I know what the right thing to do is (this chapter is very clear about the need to disrupt and shatter silence!) but I'm still very uncertain about how to approach it.

I definitely related to the statement on page 195 "When educators are unequipped and ill-prepared, they tread lightly or avoid altogether topics that cause them discomfort."

I read Our Skin. This book really seems to be written to the preschool/kindergarten set. Besides the pages that talk about race and racism in the book, I would want to talk about how sometimes people say mean things to others because of their skin color. But I think for this book it might be better to keep the focus positive, helping very young children build the pathway of respecting people of all shades instead of focusing on the hate in the world. I can see bringing out the crayons shaded like skin tones and finding one that matches your skin, noticing that other kids have chosen other crayons. The kids could make a family portrait, noticing that their own family members might have differing skin tones and finding a crayon to match. Maybe on the page with all the names of different groups that would be a good chance to say that we all belong to one group, humans, and then we belong to all sorts of other groups, like our neighborhoods and families and different clubs we might join (soccer, gymnastics, etc.). The book says "Which groups do you belong to?" so I don't think Sonja Cherry-Paul would object to people belonging to a group, just the concept of race.

1. Recognize culture, community and collective practices. I feel like for years I've focused on this as I get to know my students and their families. We spend a lot of time in the beginning of the year getting to know who is coming into our classroom and we use that knowledge (their cultural background, home languages) and incorporate it into parts of our day. With this book's help I can deepen what I am already doing, add layers to it. As a grade level team we have also worked this spring to create an IB unit on Who We Are and we are using books from SCP's list to add to this unit.

2. Teach racial literacy. As a school, and in my own classroom we have done teaching around this a lot this year using the text "Our Skin". These lessons have prompted class discussions and individual student discussions.

   *These last three are goals for me to improve upon. As I add more books to my library based off her list I can incorporate them using the 'windows/mirrors' framework.

3. Center BIPOC in texts

4. Shatter silences around racism

5. Learn about community activists.

I enjoyed reading this chapter and about the six lenses. It ALL resonates with me. It makes complete sense to begin with affirmation because as SCP says so 'students know they are loved' and that 'they matter, not only in classrooms, but in the world'. This resonates with me. First, I have always strived to make sure my students feel welcomed and loved. But I am starting to analyze what books I've brought into my classroom and to question if they all help my students know that they matter. Also I teach at the younger grades so to focus on teaching them that they matter in the world means so much more to me than just in the classroom. This has to continue beyond when they are in my room and if we all focus on affirmation and awareness than we can help that happen.

I have read "I Am Every Good Thing" and I plan on implementing it into our new Who We Are unit next fall at the beginning of the year. I have also planned on introducing "Luli and The Language of Tea" to my class as it would help with our Who We Are unit and add to part of our morning routine, where we greet each other in different languages. I know that one wasn't on the list. From the other ones listed in her book, I want to purchase them all, and have them all be a part of our library, our learning, our discussions.

This chapter also makes me think of some of the books I always read at the beginning of the year with my class and how the imbalance of representation amongst my students can show up. It helps me feel very reflective on what changes I am making and plan on making next fall.

We learn what languages we want to incorporate into our daily greetings, based off what languages are represented in our classroom. This helps create discussions about our homes, what languages we speak, what traditions we celebrate. This year, we had a mom come in and teach us about Eid and Ramadan. I read The Night Before Eid to strengthen our learning.

Luli and The Language of Tea ties in well with our morning greetings as it's about how the children learn to communicate about the tea Luli brings to school. I plan on reading this as a continued discussion about what traditions we have at home and how we can bring them into the classroom. I plan on adding this to our Who We Are unit next fall.

I see myself reading the book We Are Still Here! Native American Truths Everyone Should Know by Traci Sorell. I would read this book and ask the prompts “What are you understanding about what it means to be Indigenous?”, “Who are the creators of the text?”, and “How does this book help you to understand the significance of Indigenous People’s Day?” and continue to read the book throughout the week to discuss these prompts.

It's important to reflect on my schooling and what information was taught and what stories were told to me. I have such a big role as an educator to change that.

I plan to reread “Our Skin” by Megan Madison and Jessica Ralli and ask the prompts “What are you learning about how we all get our color?” and “What are you understanding about the word racism- how it happens and how it makes people feel?”.

I look forward to reading “We Have a Dream: Meet 30 Young Indigenous People and People of Color Protecting the Planet” by Dr. Mya-Rose Craig. I plan to focus on the Affirmation prompts and feel excited about these conversations!

I am beginning to include more discussions about race and racism, and am excited to add more.

When racialized situations occur, I do feel at my grade level that I can handle them. Also, I have wonderful support through my administration and instructional coach to help guide me through situations. We have had multiple trainings in all of these areas.

Something that resonated with me in this chapter was learning about the two books discussed, especially Jabari Jumps. I have read that books multiple times to my class and feel ashamed to say I didn't know the background of the author or the historical background for black people and swimming. I know want to learn more from my diverse class about their history with swimming and how this books resonates with them.

This really resonates with me that I need to pay attention to every book I introduce to my students. I worry it might make me pause when reading some of my favorites, but I hope it will also enlighten and invite me to have a safer environment for all my students and that my books will help all feel valued.

I have read Our Skin and felt it was very appropriate to the younger grade that I work with. It was a wonderful introduction to racial literacy. As this year has progressed, I have enjoyed learning from this book and have been acquiring more and more books to help increase my racial literacy pathway. Being part of an IB school, I am excited to add more of these books into our Who We Are unit.

I don't ever remember a time in my life where I didn't have access to a huge library of books. I remember Dr. Seuss, Beverly Cleary, "The Pickles" series, Hardy Boys, Little House on the Prairie and so many more. I think one of the most memorable ever from my youth was "Where the Red Fern Grows." What I didn't see much of in the books of my early childhood were stories that reflected our families struggle with poverty.

As a teacher I am working hard to add titles to my library that are reflective of our school community - a few at a time. It is a process though.

Take a moment to think about the texts that are part of your reading instruction. Try to read at least one of the Antiracist picture books Dr. Cherry-Paul features in this chapter. What prompts can you see yourself using for reading minilessons that help us go beyond representation toward liberation? In what units? For what grade levels?

I am currently reading "I am Every Good Thing" with my class right now. We are focusing on affirmation right now with the story and moving forward (next year) I want to include how the book effects your heart and how identity is shaped.

I have used Berry Song by Michaela Goade in my first-grade classroom. One prompt aligned with affirmation was: "How does the girl’s relationship with her grandmother and the land show love and respect? What are ways we show love in our own families?" Some prompts for awareness I used were : “What can be learned from this story about the Tlingit people and caring for the earth? and What do you notice about the way the characters interact with nature? Why is it important to take care of the land?”

I plan to use, My Powerful Hair by Carole Lindstrom. Many prompts could be used that foster identity, culture, and empowerment. A prompt for affirmation could be: "How does the main character feel about their hair? What is something about yourself that makes you feel proud? and What are you learning about Indigenous Peoples and the significance of hair?” For awareness, students might reflect on: "Why do you think hair is important in this story? What are ways people express their identity through their customs, traditions and physical traits? How can we celebrate and respect cultural identity in our classroom?" This book will weave in beautifully to our Who We Are, “We Are Family” unit. These prompts help young learners engage with themes of identity, self-expression, heritage, and community in meaningful ways.

I have a long way to go to incorporate the learnings in this book and my most recent learning in a district/school-wide PD called Working for Racial Justice in Elementary School Classrooms. Here I learned about the foundational knowledge and tools to address anti-bias and anti-racism in the classroom. We explored foundational concepts of race, racism, and anti-racism and learned how to identify and address dehumanizing language. I also gained strategies for empowering myself and my students to recognize and stand up to hate speech and to interrupt, ask questions, educate, and echo against hate speech. As a takeaway from both of these courses, for personal accountability, I want to do a classroom library book audit and remove and add more literature to my room that supports a commitment to an antiracist community.

In Chapter 4, what seems significant is that Sonja Cherry-Paul emphasizes the need to move beyond surface-level diversity and into critical literacy practices that challenge stereotypes, disrupt bias, and support the development of students' racial literacy—even at a young age. As a first grade teacher, this aligns strongly with the understanding that early literacy is not just about decoding words, but also about decoding the world.

One particularly powerful takeaway might be:

"Children are never too young to start thinking critically about fairness, justice, and identity. In fact, they are already forming ideas—our job is to help guide those ideas in affirming, truthful, and liberating directions."

Next year I would like to read the book, We Are Still Here! Native American Truths Everyone Should Know, written by Traci Sorell. I would focus on the Affirmation prompts of, “What are you understanding about what it means to be Indigenous? and What are you learning about resistance and resilience of the Native Peoples?”

Next year, I would like to read, Our Skin, A First Conversation About Race, written by Megan Madison and Jessica Ralli. I would use the Affirmation prompts of, “What are you learning about the uniqueness of skin color? What are you learning about how we all get our color? What do you admire about your skin color? This would be a great read-aloud for the beginning of the year when we do our self-portraits.

I loved Bridget’s ideas above about, More Than Peach: Changing the World…One Crayon at a Time! written by Bellen Woodard. I will be using this book, along with, Our Skin, at the beginning of the year next year. I would use the  Awareness prompts  and pathways to discuss “the skin-colored” crayon.

To carry this work forward, I plan to revisit a few key chapters and re-read some of the picture books we used during the year over the summer, jotting down reflections and ideas for future lessons. I’ll also set aside time in August to map out a few anchor texts and discussion structures for the fall, so I can begin next year with clarity, momentum, and a strong foundation for continuing antiracist teaching. One of my summer reading goals is to read more of the picture books from ARRR and think of art lessons to go with them.

As a teacher I meet with every family prior to the beginning of the school year to find a bit more about their strengths, priorities and needs.  We are currently writing a “Who We Are” unit for IB and plan to incorporate more about our families structures and identities into our learning. 

The discussion about “white gazed” made me think all learners write and tell about what they know FIRST…and we need to start there.  Each Monday we do a “weekend window” writing in kindergarten where students tell about an experience from their weekend.  We begin by orally sharing it in our morning meeting THEN writing – this is an example of writing and telling about what they know first. 

I read “The Night Before Eid” with my students during Ramadan and with the help of a kindergarten parent – it was amazing.  My favorite part of the experience was watching the joy on one of my students faces, who recently moved from Afghanistan, while we learned.  Next year I am particularly interested in talking about traditions and artifacts from celebrations. 

I’ve said this earlier in this padlet, and I’ll say it again, I have been working really hard to curate my collection of books to be more representative of our community. It is difficult work but I believe worth it – this was a powerful quote for me. 

I believe our school, and my classroom, are safe spaces.  As a teacher, my relationships with students are at the heart of everything we do and my teaching this last few months have focused on being a heart protector and ally for all individuals in our community. 

I was struck by the quote “once a stone is tossed, or a word is spoken, it cannot be taken back (pg. 165).”  We center our classroom learning about this idea during our lesson about “Charlie”  and the pain of what is said or done REMAINS even after you have apologized – it leaves a mark on our heart. 

I’ve thought a bit about “one-sided truths” and think it is a very powerful.  In every situations there is more than one-side and understanding all perspectives is super important. 

Also “Whose stories and experiences are etched in stone” had me thinking about those who have the language and experiences of the majority. 

One passage in this chapter stated, “The current landscape of book censorship and banning creates additional challenges to teaching and learning about activists and activism (pg. 224).”  My own personal “micro-activism” in this sphere is to READ and share books from these lists with my community. 

I’m not sure how I will approach activism in my kindergarten classroom, but I feel like I have some good places to begin facilitating age appropriate conversations in kindergarten.  I really, really, love good books to support this!!!!!

Kirsten – what about beefing up the activism portion of our “Salmon” unit?  I really think Billy Frank Jr. and “being a salmon protector” is a great person to start with? 

The imagery and the dandelion really sat with me this entire book and the following quote struck me particularly, “Dandelions are a call to seek and know love even in the bleakest landscapes…Growth just isn’t possible without love (pg. 254).”  Last summer I visited Auschwitz and one thing that struck me were the volunteer flowers growing in crevices and cracked concrete – I wonder if they grew during the war too?  Did they represent hope to the victims?  That is what they represent to me and I hope to grow my students with love and seeing. 

One final thought.  To me, reading = Joy + Access + Identity and that is the intention with which I teach.    

Pg. 12 "What we do with the books we make central in our teaching moves us forward." This simple sentence has a lot of impact. As she states that representation is not enough we need to teach into antiracism.

Pg. 22 "To truly love we must learn to mix various ingredients- care, affections, recognition, respect, commitment, and trust as well as honest and open communication." All these ingredients are important in making our students feel accepted and willing to ask questions.

I also want to state that I do not see myself as the keeper of knowledge in my classroom and I try to bring many voices into the conversation. When it comes to an antiracist framework for teaching I will draw upon others that can speak to different social identities.

1) center BIPOC in texts

2) shatter silences around racism

3) learn about community activists

4) recognize cultural, community, and collective practices

5) teach racial literacy

Thinking about the critical lens of "awareness" and this concept of truth being love resonates deeply for me. Truth should not strive to belittle or hurt but rather unite in love.

I loved reading, My Papi Has a Motorcycle by Isabel Quintero when I was a librarian. The book was a Washington Children's Choice nominated book awhile back (2021), so I had the good fortune to read the book to the K-3rd graders. The author is a daughter of Mexican immigrants and strives to reflect the personal identities of her community. I look forward to re-reading this book with very intentional lenses- gentrification, immigration, and importance of community/family.

I love the book, Uncle John's City Garden by Bernette Ford! I am an avid gardener and I love being a part of a community garden in Bellingham. I love that this book is autobiographical! This book has all of my favorite things wrapped up under one cover! Gardening, family, feeding people and the power of nature. Loved it and will definitely read it to my class this year.

A book that I want to read again next year is Berry Song by Michaela Goade. This book fits really well into our IB unit around the theme of Where we are in Place and Time. I love it because I grew up on an island and we did a lot of berry picking (mirror) and I love it because it focuses on the importance of respecting and connecting with nature and how important that is for indigenous people. I think that a lot of children can think of traditions/stories/songs that they have learned from older generations. This book just has so many layers! I will focus on:

Affirmation: What are you learning about the various ways they spend time together and interact with their environment?

Awareness: (teach the word: indigenization) What can be learned from this story about Tlingit people and caring for the earth? I also love that pathway: This story provides a vision for living in ways that respect and honor the land.

I am excited about reading A Crown for Corina (flower lover that I am!) I think that this book would fit right into our Who We Are unit! We talk and share a lot about family traditions. I love that each flower has a special story.

Awareness: How do people's identities shape their life experiences?

I loved having family members share their passions with the class this last year and hope to find more opportunities this year as it allows us to open deeper to each other.

I look forward to reading Berry Song written and illustrated by the amazing Michaela Goade. Sharing who she is and why she does what she does ties nicely in with the above importance of modeling the building blocks necessary for community.

I would say that we strive as educators to create safe spaces for all our students to thrive regardless of their identities. I sometimes get caught up on the how part of discussing about race and racism. I want all students to be able to participate in the ways that make them feel they are valued and safe whether that be through art, words, etc..

If/when racialized issues occur I think the thing I would want is to be part of a team for response. I am a slow processor and need others to be my sounding board.

We Are Still Here is very important to share around Indigenous Peoples' Day and in our opinion and informational writing units.

The history that I was taught (I know I am not alone) was so eurocentric/racist. I remember having my own epiphanies in high school, "why am I not hearing all the other perspectives of this event (I understand now that this still centers white colonizers but hey I was young and unaware)?", "what was it like in the US prior to white colonizers?" and "what more am I missing?"

Skin Again seems like it would compliment Our Skin. Love that this book is so simple but so powerful. Misconception of racial identity based on generalizations occurs when you don't take the time to get to know people. This book is fabulous.

I love We Have a Dream: Meet 30 Young Indigenous People and People of Color Protecting the Planet! This is such a great launching point into further discovery about these amazing humans as well as into our own local protectors. I also love that Dr. Sonja Cherry-Paul specifies that using the language and terminology of the author allows us to respectfully and whole heartedly listen to their words.

SCP says that holding ourselves accountable for the mistakes that we will make (rather than minimizing/concealing them) shows families that our relationships with them matter.

I can't think of an activist that I have silenced. I do talk to my students whenever we do a biography report/study about thinking about the people represented and who might be left out (POC, women).

My students have a better understanding about the history of Whatcom County. We learn about local indigenous people and talk about the Elliot treaty and how people have been treated in our community. I also always teach about the Pledge of Allegiance and remind kids that we are working on liberty and justice for all and that it is going to take all of us to make sure that this is something that is a truth for our country.

The quote that is sticking with me is from page 225. "We're in the business of building humans who can do more than just what we assign them in the classroom..." Antiracist teaching branches our beyond classrooms and schools and into communities, transforming students' lives"

I am exciting about using the book We Have a Dream by Dr. Mya-Rose Craig. This book is going to be a great resource for many of our IB units. I will focus on affirmation and awareness questions and then hopefully some activism from the kids!

The book lists throughout the book and toolkits at the of chapter 7 should make this work easier for us! Thank you for the opportunity to join this book club.

Even in our Bellingham promise we talk about how all children are loved But while this is true all children are loved we need to include in this statement that all families are loved. This also has me thinking about how schools are a the hub of the community and how to include those people of the community who may not have students at our schools but are looking for connection and could be amazing opportunities to learn from. Before book the art of storytelling was the way to share lessons, knowledge and culture.

2. Mentor text selection can make my reading curriculum and instruction move me closer to teaching for liberation. When I think about our Lucy curriculum and her text selection are mostly white characters or animals but I need to be including more BIPOC, LGBTQ+, multilingual, and also showing joy and not just the struggle. Important questions to ask kinders....“Who do I see? Who do I not see? What feels like me?”

1. Center BIPOC

2. Recognize Cultural, Community, and collective practices

3. Teach Racial Literacy

4. Shatter Silences around racism

5. learn about community activists

When reading about lenses of Affirmation she said "Educators can facilitate in way that help students to recognize this in the book they read and discuss with peers." This resonates with me because it allows the teaching to be organic and when thinking about Kindergarten our teaching often occurs during play and conversations among peers and not always in the books. ANd I am thinking about how even just affirming in a conversation during play can translate to interest in reading/listening to diverse books. In the awareness section the part the resonates is that truth is love.

2.I read I am Golden and I am not sure I would use this particular book for kindergarten or maybe just use parts of it there is so much to unpack for 5 years and would require alot of preteaching because there is so much figurative language. But I see this book as a good tool to start that conversation and using the questions How does this text reflect the identities and lived experiences of the characters/people? Also what are you learning about the characters? I would follow up with how to show kindness to others and explore how we are the same and different.

One place that I would like to see changes in our curriculum is through emergent reader and decodable books. When students are emergent readers, finding books that are engaging is difficult and if we had access to more books that where children can find themselves.

Of significance to me was "...representaton matters. Representation is important, and yet, it's insufficient. We must do more. What we do with the books we make central in our teaching moves us forward." (Cherry-Paul, pg. 12). It truly is not only the what, but the how.

What resonates with me is, "Do the books in their classrooms make children feel seen, valued, cherished, loved, and that they matter?" I pride myself in showing and acting in ways that hopefully make children feel this way as part of our classroom family. We need to model for children the acceptance of each individual and who they are; and that who they are is a perfect version of themselves. I definitely have books in my classroom that celebrate our differences, and feel that I need more books for children to help them see themselves and their identities reflected.

I read A Day With No Words by Tiffany Hammond, illustrated by Kate Cosgrove. This book was used during my morning meeting social skills building time. We have such a diverse classroom with our abilities and needs that we could, through prompted discussion, relate to the needs that Aidan has and how his voice is just as important as any others. One place that I still struggle with my classroom interactive read alouds are the areas of Authorship (moving beyond who is the author/illustrator) and Activism. There are so many texts that support conversation around being an upstander and I would like to learn more about how to extend into other areas of activism.

The reflection questions leave me thinking, again, about how I really need to revamp my classroom library. We know a lot about each other and care for each other, but I need ways for students to connect to their lives through learning and literature.

I have read Berry Song, written and illustrated by Michaela Goade, with my class. We use mirrors and windows to make connections to the text. We find that although some of our experiences are different, they are also the same in many ways.

When it comes to discussion of race and racism, I am still in a place where I am not sure how to respectfully approach the conversation. I want to honor the conversations and want to conduct them in a way that is age appropriate for the grade level that I teach. I don't always feel equipped to respond since I do know really know how to respond. I have watched others and their responses, but that is about all of the guide that I have had. I honestly think that PD about how to respond with real-life situations as models would be very helpful.

When I read the reflection questions, "Who's responsibility is it to address racism?" is an easy one for me to answer. I think it is all of us. We just need the tools to know how.

The K-12 Reflections box on pg. 193 was surprising to me. I don't really remember learning about many of these things while in school. I remember learning about Christopher Columbers (In 1492 Columbus sailed the ocean blue) and the Civil Rights Movement, but that was about it. It makes me question did I learn about it and not remember, did I learn about it, but it wasn't given much emphasis, or did I not learn about it at all?

I was given the book "Our Skin" from our admin. I have not read it with my class yet, but this is a book that I would like to try, especially with the focus around Awareness. I do not feel that this book needs a "unit" for it to be read. I teach 2nd grade and I think it is a perfect fit.

I think that my school community faces issues of race, as well as a lack of knowledge of student background and its effects on student behavior. The people that are working to improve these issues are primarily white people from this area and are trying the best that they can. However, I believe there needs to be more learning about a student's background and history to help support in the needs that they have or misconceptions that others have about students.

I would like to try and read The Light She Feels Inside by Gwendolyn Wallace abnd illustrated by Olivia Duchess. I think it would be a good starting point to really define what is activism and how people are activists and what motivates people to become activists.

What was significant to me is the Student and Teacher toolkits of Critical Lenses For Antiracist Reading. I am making a copy and keeping it close by to help guide me while working with diverse books and topics.

2. I have been thinking about books that I used to teach (like Strega Nona) no matter who my audience was, just because I loved the book so much. I have really moved away from this. For one thing, I have 20 books selected for me by the Washington Children's Choice Picture Book committe. But I'm not always comfortable with the amount of books from this list that represent white characters or animals. I'm now wondering if it is important to push back on these books that have been preselected for me because how am I going to teach for liberation if 50% or more of the books I read to kids are about animals or imaginary creatures? And then I wonder, if I teacher for liberation, how do I not center on Whiteness? (See #3)

3. Here's my area of focus for this chapter. Dr. Cherry-Paul talks about how she understood the importance of mirrors for her students to see themselves refelcted in books. She talks about how the original idea of windows, mirrors, and sliding glass doors presented by Dr. Bishop in 1990 has been distorted so that we focus more on windows than mirrors, where the original intention intended a focus on mirrors, then windows. When teachers lead with windows, they are still speaking to the dominant group, which continues to center Whiteness. So now I'm wondering, how do I make sure that mirrors is what the focus is on. Have I been leading with Windows instead of mirrors? And what is the true difference? What does this mean for teaching with books? How does one make sure the masses learn about and value other cultures and traditions without focusing on Windows in that moment?

Affirmation: The best I can do is to provide a plethora of books that reflect a myriad of lives. Unfortunately, I can only know my students sort of well since I see them in a group for 30 minutes a week. Some students at school, that's all the time I have with them. Others come visit the library when they can be out of class, and obviously I get to know those students better. What I end up with after 20 minutes of teaching is 10 minutes to interact with 30 students. So what do I really know "in depth" about my students' "racial and cultural identies, the values instilled in them by their families and communities, their joys, hopes and dreams?" (Page 35). At best I can figure out who plays soccer, who likes to craft, who loves their little siblings...

Awareness: I love this statement "Antiracist educators also work to help students develop an awarenss of racism and an understanding of how racism functions systematically" so that they can disrupt the status quo and promote equity and justice. I see this already happening as I have watched my 20 year old daughter grow up as a much more tolerant and accepting person than I was raised to be. I know Bellingham is a traditionally racist town but our school system is doing a really good job of facing that head on. Kids really are coming out of our school system being comfortable using pronouns that the older set fumbles with and seeing the colors of the world as a mosaic instead of something to categorize and fear. She knows that she is priviliged (I don't think we ever talked about that when I was growing up). She wonders how to go after what she wants in life without stepping on others to do so.

I was thinking about using picture books with older students more. 5th graders are reading "Stamped" by Jason Reynolds in their classroom, so they are having a lot of conversation about race. One prompt that could challenging dominant narratives: "The narrator in My Two Border Towns describes the border as a place where 'two countries meet and become one.' How is this different from how borders are often described in the news or by politicians? Why do you think the author chose to show the border this way, and whose voices or experiences might be missing from other descriptions of borders?"

Another prompt that would get kids thinking about identity: "The main character moves fluidly between two languages, two countries, and two cultures. How does the author show that having multiple identities is a strength? Can you think of a scenario where you were asked to or tempted to choose between two parts of your identity—how could you use the narrator's example to resist that pressure?"

I also need to create space for ALL students to share personal connections and validate their experiences. For multilingual students especially, I need to find a way for them to respond in their home language.

Teahers are getting PD on this - 5th graders are reading through the book Stamped by Jason Reynolds and having rich discussion in their classroom. I just remember you commented (Kirsten) last time I took this course and I am going to get ahold of the book you mentioned "We're Gonna Keep on Talking" by Matthew Kay.

In reflecting on where I am on the path to racial literacy, honestly, I need to start a concrete plan. I'll begin by seeking out Kay's book, and I'm sure there's a podcast that would help me acquire precise language to recognize, analyze, and discuss race and racism with students and colleagues. Do you have a recommendation? I want to be able to facilitate meaningful conversations about both historical and contemporary racial issues but I need to learn more.

I read the book Where are you From. Here are some prompts I could use:

*In the story, the girl shares special things about her family, her memories, and the places that are important to her. Think about what makes you special and unique. What are some things about your family, your favorite places, or your memories that help show who you are? Turn and talk with a partner about one special thing that makes you, you.

*Sometimes people ask questions because they want to learn about us and be our friends. Other times, questions might make us feel like we don't belong. What are some kind questions we can ask our classmates when we want to learn about them and make them feel welcome in our classroom?

I want to consider how the book from Chapter 4: We are Still Here might build a past/present connection with who belongs in a place (Is it whoever began here? Is it if you were born here? Is it anyone who lives here? Is it all of us?) By looking at a people who have always existed in a place and who feel that they have to fight for their belonging in that place, I wonder if we can get to a discussion about immiagrants also having to fight for a place here.

Prompt 1:

Ask students: "In We Are Still Here, we learn that Native American people have lived on this land for thousands of years and continue to live here today. Think about what 'home' means to the Native American communities in the book. Now think about people who move to a new country. How might both Native American people and immigrants feel strongly connected to a place they call home? What makes a place feel like home for different people?"

Prompt 2:

Ask students: "The book shows us how Native American families today keep their traditions, languages, and stories alive by sharing them with younger generations. How is this similar to what immigrant families might do when they move to a new country? Why do you think it's important for both Native American communities and immigrant families to pass down their cultures, languages, and traditions?"

I wonder if talking about how these groups have to hang on so tight to their identity will get kids to wonder why it is so different for these groups of people compared to those who "belong" because of their citizenship. It could be the beginning of a bigger discussion about who deserves citizenship in a place, and what happens to the human experience when laws dictate that certain people can't belong here.

Reflecting on the question: How can you include the work of thee activits in your teaching? I'm remembering that I introduced a book to a couple of third grade classes that is a compilation of young activists, this was after I shared a book about a civil rights activist in January. That book had a hold on it for weeks because so many students wanted to read it. I should have taken that as a cue. My students would clearly love to hear more about kids that are trying to make a difference.

I read We Have A Dream. Prompt 1: The young people in We Have a Dream saw problems in their communities—like dirty water, polluted air, or disappearing animals—and decided to do something about it. Think about your own neighborhood or community. What is one thing you notice about nature or the environment that you wish was different? If you could be an activist like the people in the book, what would you want to protect or change? How could you get started, even in a small way?

Prompt 2: In the book, we learn that some communities—especially those where Indigenous people and people of color live—don't always have clean parks, safe water, or fresh air. Sometimes this happens because of unfair decisions made a long time ago or because people in charge don't listen to everyone's voices equally. Why do you think it's important that everyone, no matter what they look like or where they come from, has clean air to breathe and safe places to play? What could we do to make sure all communities are treated fairly when it comes to taking care of our planet?

Reflecting on the final reflection question: In what ways do the books you've made accessible increase students' confidence and foster their love of reading? Over and over I see brown children grabbing books from my displays that have other brown children in them. I see my Spanish speaking students hightailing it to my Spanish language book collection and coming away grinning - or, asking for more books like the ones they have already read. Kids are learning to love reading when they find something they identify with and since I think at Sunnyland there are less kids to identify with (we are about 65% white I think, with just a handful of newcomers learning English) books are a real solid way they can find someone or something to identify with at school.

Part 2-

The lens of affirmation resonates with me the most because every child deserves to feel respected and valued for who they are. It can sometimes be difficult to thoughtfully provide specific affirmation to all students in a classroom where I am just getting to know names, so I try to focus on respecting all students and start from there and expand upon that as I get to know them. I try to affirm positive strengths I see and try to support and inspire all students to learn.

Looking back, I noticed there was not a great deal of diversity in the stories that were emphasized in school.

Reading Wild Berries, by Julie Flett, which included words from the Cree language, reminded me how meaningful it can be for students to see different cultures, languages, and family experiences.

I like the idea of encouraging students to think beyond simply recognizing differences by exploring empathy, family, community, and respect. Looking at perspectives of who is the story being told by, who is it about, and how the characters connect with one another could be used during literacy discussions to develop critical thinking, while encouraging students to feel valued and included.

2. What else stood out was the importance of honoring each student's identity and experiences. My intention is to help students feel valued, listened to, and respected, even in the often short time I am with them.

3. I liked A Crown for Karina because it highlights family, creativity, and community. I would ask questions like, How does Karina's family support her? and What strengths does each character bring? I think this book would work well for K-3 lessons on family, community, and belonging.

I feel prepared to respond to situations depending on the circumstances. I also recognize that talking about race can be sensitive, and people often have different perspectives, so I would approach them thoughtfully and in alignment with the school's expectations.

I read We Are Still Here! Native American Truths Everyone Should Know. I could use the prompts: "Who are the creators of this text?, How do their identities influence their work?, and What is their purpose for creating this book?" These would work well in elementary social studies or literacy units that explore history, culture, and multiple perspectives.

What stood out to me was the idea that helping students understand different perspectives can build empathy and respect. Learning about people's experiences can help students make connections between the past and present.

I read Where Are You From? and I liked the prompt: "On the surface, asking someone where they're from can seem like a question that isn't harmful. What are you learning about how this question made the main character feel? How can this question be a microagression?" This would fit well in literacy or social-emotional learning lessons about identity empathy, and respectful communication.

This chapter reminded me that activism can take many forms, including caring for our communities and the environment. I appreciate the idea that students can learn they have the ability to make positive changes through everyday actions as well as by learning about people who have advocated for others.

I read Young Water Protectors: A Story About Standing Rock. I like the awareness prompt: "Who benefits and who may be harmed by the decision to construct the pipeline at Standing Rock?" This book would work in elementary social studies or science units about environmental stewardship, and indigenous history.

One of the most valuable parts of this chapter was the student and educator toolkits of critical lenses for anti-racist reading. I appreciate that they have clear guiding questions and prompts that can be used in different grade levels. These tools are practical ways to encourage thoughtful discussions and help students think more deeply about the texts they read.