You are here for:

Mirrors and Windows: Connecting with Literature Through the Lens of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (Part One)

Wednesday, June 22, 2022

Do Now

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• Pull up these slides at: https://bit.ly/3N2RbkX

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• Complete the SEL check-in on slide 2 and share

out at your table.

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Let’s Start With a Check In

Which fruit do you enjoy the most in the summer?

Today’s Learning Flow

General Housekeeping & Introductions

TED

Talk

Inventories and Demographics

Break

Curriculum and Literature

Workshop Time

Welcome and Overview

A little about us…

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Michele

Special Education Teacher, Winthrop

Ursula

Grade 1 Teacher, Winthrop

Jen

Grade 5 Teacher, Winthrop

Jim

Grade 5 Teacher, Winthrop

Carla Lucas

Grade 1 LTS Teacher,

Winthrop

Assumptions for Our Time Together

• We are all learners.

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• We believe that our students are capable of developing skills.

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• We want to teach.

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• We strive for an equitable learning environment.

Norms for Our Time Together

Be mindful of our time commitment.

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Honor the confidentiality of discussions.

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Show grace to all.

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Take care of you.

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Own the impact of your actions and words.

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Is there anything else that you need from me or the group?

Personalized Learning in Melrose Public Schools

Our District Goals for the 2021-2022 School Year

Our Learning Targets for Today

To examine changes in the ELA curriculum

over time

through the lens of DEI

To categorize a classroom collection of books through the lens of DEI using an inventory tool

To begin to develop a critical look at classroom libraries through the lens of DEI

Why “Windows and Mirrors”?

Missing Adventures: Diversity and Children’s Literature / Brynn Welch, Ph.D.

Partner up and take a walk…

• How does this resonate with you?

• How does this match with your experience with children's literature?

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• How does this match with your reading curriculum?

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A Look at Diversity

2020 U.S.

Census Data, Population Under 18

DESE School Profiles, Boston MA 21-22

DESE School Profiles, Malden MA 21-22

DESE School Profiles, Melrose MA 21-22

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Some other facts to consider when thinking about diversity and representation:

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• In 2019, 4.3% of the under-18 population in the United States had a disability - Seeing, Hearing, Concentrating or remembering, Walking or climbing stairs, Dressing or bathing (ages 5+), Doing errands alone (ages 15+).

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• 1 in 5 children in the U.S. have learning and attention issues such as dyslexia and ADHD

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• Poverty rates for people under the age of 18 increased from 14.4 percent in 2019 to 16.1 percent in 2020.

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• 1 in 4 children in the U.S. (approximately 18 million) are children of immigrants

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• Between 7 and 9% of youth identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or queer. (Movement Advancement Project)

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Taking an Inventory

Inventory

Original Blank Book Inventory

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First Grade Book Inventory

5th Grade Textbook Inventory

DEI, Core Values, and Literature

Picture Books & Core Values

Some Questions I Asked Myself…

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• What is the purpose of this book?
• Do the text and illustrations represent the people and cultures portrayed respectfully?
• Can this book be used with multiple grades?
• Does the plot or theme of the book lend itself to a connection to our core values?
• Do I have variety of books representing DEI and REACH?

REACH Core Value Alignment

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5th Grade Inventory

5th Grade Textbook Inventory

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Reading Anthologies Inventoried

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• Fast as the Wind, Houghton Mifflin, 1993
• Storytown, Harcourt, 2008
• Reading Street, Pearson, 2013
• MyView, Savaas, 2020

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I inventoried the main characters of the primary selections for each textbook.

I looked for examples of:

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• Black Community
• Latinx
• AAPI
• Indigenous Peoples

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Break for Lunch

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We will resume at 1:15 in the open area of the Learning Commons.

You are here for:

Mirrors and Windows: Connecting with Literature Through the Lens of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (Part Two)

Wednesday, June 22, 2022

Do Now

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• Pull up these slides at: https://bit.ly/3N2RbkX

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• Go back and review the data on slides 26-33.

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• Do Now : Watch the video on slide 40. What do you

think of Professor Bishop’s perspective? What does

it mean for diversity to “go both ways”?

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Afternoon Learning Flow

Do Now: Watch the Welcome Back Video on the next slide

Workshop Time

Wrap Up/ Jamboard

Check out the links to Additional Resources

Mirrors, Windows and Sliding Glass Doors /

Professor Rudine Sims Bishop

Professor Rudine Sims Bishop

Professor Rudine Sims Bishop

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Professors Michael Smith and Jeffrey Wilhelm argue that “promoting pleasure reading is a civil rights issue. Data from major longitudinal studies show that pleasure reading in youth is the most explanatory factor of both cognitive progress and social mobility over time. Pleasure reading is a more powerful predictor than even parental socioeconomic status and educational attainment.”

~ The Benefits of Reading for Pleasure (Edutopia)

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Workshop Time

How will you spend your workshop time?

Additional Resources

Click here to view other resources to explore!

Summarizing Our Time Together

Add your thoughts to our Jamboard:

• How did you spend your workshop time?
• What stuck with you?
• Did you learn something new?
• Is there something you can implement from today’s PD?
• Do you have a burning question?
• What are your next steps in your classroom?

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Thank you all so much for attending!