Last week's post by Ashley Boyd and Janine Darragh hit at exactly the right time for me. I was getting ready to start a new semester and was going to teach my two classes remotely. For us "remotely" means live, synchronous class meetings through a Zoom format. The fact that we are holding school at a university at all is both an act of politics and an act of capitalism. Universities need the tuition money in order to keep the doors open as they receive less and less of their funding from state resources and more and more from, grants, endowment, and other sources.
I think it is wrong when we pretend that we are neutral actors in the classroom. We are not. What we teach, who we call on, or who we allow to maintain the conversational floor are all micro, and perhaps in some cases, macro political acts.
My current YA syllabus (see link) is political and an attempt to be a more inclusive teacher of diverse books; books that more closely align with the students who are in my classroom. It has been engaging as I have spent a bulk of the summer intentionally reading more diverse books and expanding my range.
I have also spent the month of August look back at past contributions from guest contributors. I have been ignoring my own and, frankly, I tend to sing one note a bit too often. However, for the rest of this post I am going to link to a few of my posts and the post of others that have been overtly political and perhaps with a call to action is one way or another.
I think it is wrong when we pretend that we are neutral actors in the classroom. We are not. What we teach, who we call on, or who we allow to maintain the conversational floor are all micro, and perhaps in some cases, macro political acts.
My current YA syllabus (see link) is political and an attempt to be a more inclusive teacher of diverse books; books that more closely align with the students who are in my classroom. It has been engaging as I have spent a bulk of the summer intentionally reading more diverse books and expanding my range.
I have also spent the month of August look back at past contributions from guest contributors. I have been ignoring my own and, frankly, I tend to sing one note a bit too often. However, for the rest of this post I am going to link to a few of my posts and the post of others that have been overtly political and perhaps with a call to action is one way or another.
Past Post by Dr. Bickmore
The first post I look back to is a reaction I had to a statement by Secretary of State DeVos.
A Diverse Reading List for Betsy DeVos
I still think she is tone deaf to the needs of diverse students in every possible way. For example, school choice means nothing if students do not have the means to get themselves to get to that school. What if the school of choice is full? What about this attend to the supposed waste in education, but fully fund education.
I think the books I suggest are good starting point.
A Diverse Reading List for Betsy DeVos
I still think she is tone deaf to the needs of diverse students in every possible way. For example, school choice means nothing if students do not have the means to get themselves to get to that school. What if the school of choice is full? What about this attend to the supposed waste in education, but fully fund education.
I think the books I suggest are good starting point.
My second post is my brief review of one of the most important works of YA nonfiction in the last several years.
Blood Brother: An introduction to Jonathan Daniels
I can't say enough about this beautiful and tragic work. Rich and Sandra Neil Wallace do a remarkable job of illustrating the power of being and ally and the reminder that it is not without a cost.
Blood Brother: An introduction to Jonathan Daniels
I can't say enough about this beautiful and tragic work. Rich and Sandra Neil Wallace do a remarkable job of illustrating the power of being and ally and the reminder that it is not without a cost.
I have written frequently about gun violence in a variety of ways. On June, 15, 2016 I wrote directly in response to the Pulse night club shooting.
Say His Name!
I return frequently to some version of Janelle Monae's song "Hell You Talmbout." This post and a few other moved me to collaborate with Shelly Shaffer and Gretchen Rumohr in the production of an edited, and yes, political book, Contending with Gun Violence in the English Language Arts Classroom. What you don't have it yet? Make sure your school library has a copy or two. As you explore this book you will find an abundance of great classroom suggestions.
Say His Name!
I return frequently to some version of Janelle Monae's song "Hell You Talmbout." This post and a few other moved me to collaborate with Shelly Shaffer and Gretchen Rumohr in the production of an edited, and yes, political book, Contending with Gun Violence in the English Language Arts Classroom. What you don't have it yet? Make sure your school library has a copy or two. As you explore this book you will find an abundance of great classroom suggestions.
Posts by Other Contributors
Robert Prickett
Rob is a colleague that I just don't see often enough. Every conversation I have had with him has left me already looking forward to the next one. In January of 2016, Rob responded to the current political climate and pointed to some YA books you might consider.
Ugh! The No More Political Talk Except for this Last Blog about YAL & Politics & Activism
In the course of this commentary he provides a wealth of book--fiction and nonfiction that you might consider sharing with your students.
Ugh! The No More Political Talk Except for this Last Blog about YAL & Politics & Activism
In the course of this commentary he provides a wealth of book--fiction and nonfiction that you might consider sharing with your students.
Alice Hays
Alice Hays is another one of those wonderful ASU graduates who leave Tempe, Arizona and enacts change where she is. Alice has been talking about YA literature and Social Activism as long as I have known her.
Fiction to Action: YA Literature to Inspire Social Activism by Dr. Alice Hays
Her post is a perfect companion to last week's post and fits in this group for sure.
Fiction to Action: YA Literature to Inspire Social Activism by Dr. Alice Hays
Her post is a perfect companion to last week's post and fits in this group for sure.
Jennifer Cameron Paulsen
If I am not mistaken, Jennifer is primarily a social studies teacher, but a huge advocate for YA Literature. She and I have guard many doorways at ALAN Workshops over the years.
Imagining the Past & Envisioning the Present through Young Adult Literature
She can surely provide you with a wealth of resources if you want to bridge the ELA and the SS classrooms and curricula. I will be forever grateful that she introduced me to Candace Fleming.
Imagining the Past & Envisioning the Present through Young Adult Literature
She can surely provide you with a wealth of resources if you want to bridge the ELA and the SS classrooms and curricula. I will be forever grateful that she introduced me to Candace Fleming.
Gretchen Rumohr
How do we think critically about political events? How do we understand the media coverage--left, right, and center? How do we respond? Gretchen is one of most calming influences in my life, but that doesn't mean she isn't without an edge.
Teaching the Angry--or Peaceful--Mob with YA Literature by Gretchen Rumohr-Voskuil
Looking back at this post seem especially important since it was written before the current political wave of social unrest and protest and the political convention-or was this even the forerunner and foreshadowing moment of tensions and misunderstanding to come.
Teaching the Angry--or Peaceful--Mob with YA Literature by Gretchen Rumohr-Voskuil
Looking back at this post seem especially important since it was written before the current political wave of social unrest and protest and the political convention-or was this even the forerunner and foreshadowing moment of tensions and misunderstanding to come.
Arianna Drossopoulos
I gave a shout out to the products from ASU, but I would be remiss if I didn't mention Susan Groenke and her students at the University of Tennessee. One of those is Arrianna.
Books as Refuge: Turning to YAL During Times of Uncertainty by Arianna Drossopoulos
This is another post that shouts out to be included in this collection.
Books as Refuge: Turning to YAL During Times of Uncertainty by Arianna Drossopoulos
This is another post that shouts out to be included in this collection.
Ashley D. Black
Do we forget? Do we cover up? Do we just ignore and pretend? I recently meet a white woman in her 50s who grew up in Tulsa, OK. She explained to me that she knew absolutely nothing about the Tulsa Race Massacre (Riots?) until the Watchman series on HBO arrived.
Dreamland Burning: A Charge to Make Sense of the Present by Interrogating Our Past by Ashley D. Black
Ashley post on Dreamland Burning is a great introduction to the even and how YA fiction addresses the time period. One might ask "Is it even possible to get an accurate, unbiased report of any unsettling event?" I hope so, but it probably takes more time and patience that we often allow ourselves before we spout an opinion.
Dreamland Burning: A Charge to Make Sense of the Present by Interrogating Our Past by Ashley D. Black
Ashley post on Dreamland Burning is a great introduction to the even and how YA fiction addresses the time period. One might ask "Is it even possible to get an accurate, unbiased report of any unsettling event?" I hope so, but it probably takes more time and patience that we often allow ourselves before we spout an opinion.
Deborah Van Duinen
In light of the anniversary of 100 years of women's suffrage in the United States, I can't skip this one.
Herstory YA Literature to read together during Women's History Month by Deborah Van Duinen
I think we need to constantly remind ourselves about the level of inequity that still exists between men and women--in our work places, in the number of acts of micro aggression that a women will experience compared to men, and how much of the work within most families that women are simply expected to do automatically.
Herstory YA Literature to read together during Women's History Month by Deborah Van Duinen
I think we need to constantly remind ourselves about the level of inequity that still exists between men and women--in our work places, in the number of acts of micro aggression that a women will experience compared to men, and how much of the work within most families that women are simply expected to do automatically.
Morgan Jackson
The last one for this post (There are more browse around the contributor's page.) is by Morgan Jackson a local Las Vegas teacher. I can't believe that it took us so long to meet. Morgan has jump right into the local and national YA community as soon has she was made aware of the existence of ALAN and other organizations.
YA Literature as Protest by Morgan Jackson
Are you wondering where to start? Have all of these posts troubled how you think about literature and literature instruction in the classroom? If so, you are ready for Morgan's post. If you are still wondering and pondering if classrooms are political, well you need Morgan's post.
YA Literature as Protest by Morgan Jackson
Are you wondering where to start? Have all of these posts troubled how you think about literature and literature instruction in the classroom? If so, you are ready for Morgan's post. If you are still wondering and pondering if classrooms are political, well you need Morgan's post.
Until next week.
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