Hello! Every May, we release our #ILAChoices reading lists (which you can find here: https://t.co/ydcpoE0ng7), and our #ILAchat usually involves a discussion around using booklists. @TheLivBits is a perfect match because she makes her own Liv’s Lists booklists.
@TheLivBits and her mom, @cyndisueboo, came up with the idea of talking about not just books and resources, but also how to use literacy and literature as a way of inspiring activism in students. #ILAchat
@TheLivBits reached out to author @cylev to involve her in this #ILAchat. Not only is @cylev one of our #ILA18 panelists, but her book Watch Out for Flying Kids! won the 2016 ILA Social Justice Award, and her book The Youngest Marcher made the 2018 ILA Teachers’ Choices list.
Although several of our #ILAchat topics have covered #socialjustice and #equityineducation, this chat focuses on how educators can inspire their students to become activists. And we feel having a student’s voice in this conversation is especially powerful.
Hi Everyone! I’m Liv from #DurhamNH and I’m sooo excited to be here hosting #ILAchat!!!!! I’m NOT apologizing for all the exclamation points I use tonight!!!!! I'm THAT EXCITED to be hosting about a topic that's SUPER important to me!!!! #bookactivist#KidsCanTeachUs#LivBits
Hi Everyone! I'm Cynthia, a staff developer and consultant. I'm so excited to be hosting tonight's chat with the incredible @cylev and the oh so smart @thelivbits! Thanks for joining in! Can't wait to learn together! #LivBits#ILAchat
Kristie here, invited by @thelivbits, my fellow Wonderologist & all friend in #glitter. I'm an ELA Consultant & English professor, living in Ohio, Tweeting from Brooklyn. #ILAchat
So excited to hear everyone's thinking tonight! I have a feeling this chat is going to have me taking A LOT of screen shots! Thanks for sharing your thoughts about something I think about daily in my teaching and parenting life! #KidsCanTeachUs#LivBits#ILAchat
I'm Julie in KS, 9th grade ELA. I'll be jumping in and out, but I am VERY interested in this topic. My Ss are wrapping up a text set on indifference and will create posters next week to raise awareness on an issue/cause and urge others to not be indifferent. #ilachat
Hi everyone! I’m @KellyHoenie and I am a Literacy Coach @HilliardWolves in Hilliard, OH! Excited for tonight’s chat!! Spending time with @thelivbits is one of my favorite things to do!! #ILAchat
A1: #SocialJustice is about being aware. It's showing empathy for situations outside of your own. It's about continuous questioning, and a drive to seek understanding of humanity. Social justice demands action. #KidsCanTeachUs#LivBits#ILAchat
A1: My best #socialjustice definition comes from a #STUvoice, Helen Keller!!!! “Until the great mass of the people shall be filled with the sense of responsibility for each other's welfare, social justice can never be attained.”
#KidsCanTeachUs#LivBits#ILAchat#TheCynthias
#ilachat A1 Social Justice is what we seek to achieve as educators who want to prepare students for the world as they want it to be, not as it is. Social Activism is the intentional means we employ via curriculum to achieve social justice
A1. Social justice is concerned with naming and challenging injustices to imagine a better tomorrow. Activism isn’t innately concerned with justice. For example, Anita Bryant was certainly an activist, but she wasn’t too worried about oppression. #ilachat
A1. Social justice for me has to do with equity and access for all no matter what. Took a whole course on it and learned how privileged I am. Pretty eye opening when you see the word with a new lens. #ILAchat
A1: I learned what #SocialJustice was from a comment @drkmattson made my tweets. I’m so grateful she used that word b/c it made me curious!!! I learned a NEW way to think about my #LivBit work. Kids can learn IMPORTANT ideas on social media. #ThankUKristen#ILAchat#TheCynthias
A1: This quote speaks to me b/c it is me. Growing up dirt poor w/ limited opportunities, I would look for MYSELF in stories. I would look for OTHERS in stories. My only experience w/ activism was FROM books. #KidsCanTeachUs#LivBits#ILAchat
A1: I think you can be an activist FOR social justice, but I think social justice is the general concept of continually ensuring that privileges and opportunities are afforded to all, and that society is as close to equitable as possible. #ILAchat
A1: Social Justice = increasing opportunities for all & decreasing inequity. Activism = the actions we take to do both. In my case, it is activism for students and teachers across the country. I am an advocate daily for both. #ILAchat
It definitely IS eye opening! I am continually learning about the layers of privilege that have cocooned me my whole life, and reexamining my whole life and education experience through that lens. #ILAchat
A1: I think social justice is finding your voice and sharing it with others globally- not just those you know. It’s also a chance to teach others and make a difference!#ILAchat
A1 has to do with equity for all regardless of social standing. I have recently learned the importance of disturbing fishing it from racial justice #ILAchat
A2: Humans learn through stories. Social justice-minded curriculum that infuses critically conscious literature allows students to authentically empathize with communities they might otherwise subjugate through disconnection. #ILAchat
More than fairness, social justice is about equity. My students have troubles equating fairness and equity. Hard to give everyone the same resources when the needs are different across the board. #ILAChat
A2: Most of the Ss I work w/ have limited opportunities, similar to my own as a kid. I see some kids gravitating to books, like I did. I see others reject books, for reasons deeply personal I'm sure. I know books can change circumstances. #KidsCanTeachUs#LivBits#ILAchat
A2: Books compel me to think more deeply. Books bring ideas to me I might not have considered. Books change me over and over again. Books carry messages I’m meant to have in my brain and in my heart. #bookactivist#KidsCanTeachUs#LivBits#ILAchat#TheCynthias
A1 Social justice is the ability to begin by deconstructing the world as we know it through questioning power and privilege. Then reconstructing it to work towards more just images of what the world can be through action and advocacy for change. #ilachat
A2. This Q gets to the purpose of literature pedagogy. Literature, & all texts really, can be a vehicle to discuss broader socio-political issues within students’ lives, communities, & world. Literature can shed light on how the political always impacts the personal. #ilachat
A1: Literature is the perfect vehicle for introspection, for consideration of those different than you, & for discussion. The classroom can be the only safe space to discuss social issues that affect Ss...if you create & nurture that environment. #ILAchat
#ilachat
A2. If the literature we teach is classified as canonical, so too are the values that this literature promulgates.
Likewise, when we recognize characters struggling for change, as readers we are inspired to struggle likewise in reallife
A2 (1): I'm not sure where I got this (I'm not this clever), but literature can serve as both a mirror and a window. It can reflect students' lives back to themselves and make them feel valued and validated, which is SO important, especially as we talk about #ownvoices. #ILAchat
@juliaerin80 had a really beautiful answer to Q1 a while back that I wish I could remember. I'm not sure I could define it in 240 characters but I do think it begins in acknowledging that the world is structurally injust. #ILAchat
A2: literature gives you examples, details, stories, on what has been done, being done and what could be done. It provides guidelines for defining and Imolementing acts of social justice. #ILAChat
A2 I'd include all forms of literature, including film & documentary, to teach #socialjustice & activism bc its relevant & accessible to students #ILAchat
So I just got out of hearing a great live panel I think @thelivbits would enjoy and would inform this discussion. Since I have to drive home I’m wondering whether to sit in my car for 40 minutes to continue with #ILAchat 😁
Q2. There is nothing better than literary fiction to evoke empathy. When a student reads they are hearing with the ears, seeing with eyes, and feeling with the heart of another. NOTHING else can so closely create that experience..than reading. #ilachat
A2 (2): It can also serve as a window to see the #ownvoices of other lived experiences, building empathy and understanding. Students both need to feel empowered by their own stories and inspired by other people's stories. #ILAchat
You're here! Kiran's @tedx talk is gaining watches! Many people on this chat have helped. Talk about social activism! You are a mother who has supported your son in speaking up for what is right to a global audience. Proud to be his teacher #ILAchathttps://t.co/ydplNd3dFy
Also, @MisterMinor had a really beautiful answer to Q2. What kids practice in texts, they'll practice in life. I'd extend that to say what we practice in our classrooms, students practice in life. We have to model activism in texts and in our tangible teaching practices. #ILAchat
A2 (3): Empathizing with and wanting to change the injustices visited upon others are a natural result of reading and learning more about other people. Literature can show us how to be better, how to live better, how to love better. #ILAchat
A3: Pairing fictional texts with non-fiction allows students to experience multi-genre + multi-model understandings of social justice issues. Fiction alone allows us to ignore or minimize, non-fiction alone may create a mindset of research rather than action/compassion. #ILAchat
A3 Pairing books is a great way to teach fiction + NF. We've Got a Job (NF) + The Watsons Go to Birmingham (fiction). The Youngest Marcher (NF) + Let the Children March (fiction) #ILAchat
A3: It’s super important for kids to be FILLED with ALL kinds of stories from ALL types of people. It’s one of the ways we learn empathy and compassion for other people’s situation #bookactivist#KidsCanTeachUs#LivBits#ILAchat#TheCynthias
A2: Kids need adults who patiently make suggestions about the power of books. Kids needs other KIDS who make suggestions about the power of books. Kids need access to books that matter to their lives. #KidsCanTeachUs#LivBits#ILAchat
A2: For many students, literature becomes that much needed call to action. So proud of @MrsReadVEM and @MrsHopfVEM in my district for always helping students discover the “what now” piece after reading. Readers should ask, “What am I inspired to change?” #ILAChat
A2: Literature teaches empathy through characters. By teaching students how to put themselves in others’ shoes, we can ignite their passion for social justice. #ILAchat
Q2. #ilachat Literary fiction creates empathy. We read the story of a single human..we become that person. Literature is the intersection of humanity..all humanity.
A3. Topics addressed in literature can be paired w/ NF texts (articles, videos, nonfiction poems, etc.) to deepen understanding of the topics. Students can learn about the topics from macro (history, politics, sociology) & micro (the personal, narrative) perspectives. #ilachat
A3: Kids need to hear stories we can identify with but ALSO stories that challenge us to think more deeply about hard ideas. We also need photos, videos, music!!!! Loads of experiences with books and media!!!!! #bookactivist#KidsCanTeachUs#LivBits#ILAchat#TheCynthias
A2: Using literature to teach about social justice and activism is an external mediator between teachers and students. Students see others inspiring them through books- which might never happen without the great literature we have! #ILAchat
A2) The panel I saw just now was at the @HBStoweCenter, next to the historic homes of Harriet Beecher Stowe and Mark Twain. The walls were aligned with covers of books past and present that continue to inform. From Stowe’s “Uncle Tom’s Cabin” on, literature makes change. #ILAchat
A2 Literature provides a shared experience for students to explore ways in which they can relate as well as new perspectives gleaned from characters or situations. Stories connect us as humans, build compassion and empathy, and inspire us to take action. #ILAchat
A3: A perfect way to create text sets, which were mentioned earlier in the chat, is to organize by a social justice issue, adding timely info text, historical nonfiction to the poetry & prose. Even more diverse perspectives included this way, which is key. #ILAchat
Was it a window, a mirror, and a doorway from our Characteristics of Culturally Sustaining and Academically Rigorous Classrooms literacy brief? https://t.co/ZmLG9tEknj#ILAchat
A3: I am a HUGE fan of genre crossovers! NF texts, poetry, music, and art can built not only subject-matter context but thematic context for fictional texts. In the #HISD curriculum, I use @TEDTalks a LOT to address themes in texts and give students other perspectives. #ILAchat
A3: fiction often incorporates the feelings of the author of the social group the author represents through the characters comments and actions. Fiction can also create a world in which that world illustrates how things might go by function #ILAchat 1/2
A3: I would like to see more emphasis on the fact that civil rights battles are ongoing. Racism wasn't fixed when Rosa refused to move. Half the battle is gaining rights, the other half is maintaining rights. Contemporary lit offers a great opportunity to highlight this. #ILAchat
A3: nonfiction can do the same thing by showing how ideas are currently being presented & formatted in a real world setting. When using both fiction & nonfiction then Ss can compare and contrast & use the information as a jumping off point #ILAchat
A3: Don’t get me wrong...I love the notion of the text set, but also like to push it a step further. You’re not just “balancing fiction and nonfiction.” If you’re doing it right, you’re fostering a community of readers who explore issues from all sides and take action. #ILAchat
Such a great idea! I did something similar with anthologies (in lieu of portfolios) where Ss created six-word memoirs as their "theme" and organized found & original texts of varied genre around those memoirs. So cool! #ILAchat
A3
You can teach ted talks via their transcripts to amplify and contest motifs and themes in canonical literature, thus showing the literature's relevance/irrelevance and demonstrating that the vernacular voices (ted speakers and students) can impart important ideas. #ilachat
A3 A variety of text types are important for social justice work. Teaching children to read billboards, commercials, the cereal aisle or even the clothing department can teach them about hidden messages, social norms, and ways we can be manipulated by text. #ILAchat
Q4: What books, texts, and other resources can educators use to guide conversations around social justice and civil rights issues and to inspire students to take up a cause? #ILAchat
I want to hear everyone's definition of "activist". I also would love to hear thoughts on being an activist for your own community versus activism for a community we aren't a member of. #ILAchat
A4. We read a great book @hblang about how women could not play little league. Ss wrote letters to the commissioner of little league in 1950 sharing their opinions #ILAchat
Q4: What books, texts, and other resources can educators use to guide conversations around social justice and civil rights issues and to inspire students to take up a cause? #ILAchat
Q4: What books, texts, and other resources can educators use to guide conversations around social justice and civil rights issues and to inspire students to take up a cause? #ILAchat
A3 Biographical stories of people who have taken a stand for social justice & news articles that depict historical and current events are important windows for the children into the world around them. We cannot shield them from life. Rather we must include their voices. #ILAchat
True—I don’t think adding other media takes away from the value of books. It’s also important that literature allows kids to experience what it’s like to be someone not like themselves, characters with different experiences. I believe this builds empathy in real life. #ILAchat
A3: Kids need to hear stories we can identify with but ALSO stories that challenge us to think more deeply about hard ideas. We also need photos, videos, music!!!! Loads of experiences with books and media!!!!! #bookactivist#KidsCanTeachUs#LivBits#ILAchat#TheCynthias
Q4: What books, texts, and other resources can educators use to guide conversations around social justice and civil rights issues and to inspire students to take up a cause? #ILAchat
A4: I think it's important to read widely about equity and anti-bias curricula in professional texts, but I think as far as inspiring students, inquiry is the way to go. It can be as simple as asking at the beginning of the year, "What problem do you want to solve?" #ilachat
A4: One example: We have had a Cree elder come in and talk about Residential schools and have read some books about them as well as part of our Truth and Reconciliation education. If you can connect with "experts", do it!
#ILAchat
A4: working with a teacher right now who is letting students choose their own book. Their final project is to answer the question, “should books be banned?” Not a revolutionary assignment, but a great starting point to get kids thinking 🤔 #ILAchat
A3: Using both fictional nonfiction is important because everyone responds to different genres and media. It also allows you to compare and contrast different types of characters and people #ILAchat
Q2. There is nothing better than literary fiction to evoke empathy. When a student reads they are hearing with the ears, seeing with eyes, and feeling with the heart of another. NOTHING else can so closely create that experience..than reading. #ilachat
A4 #ilachat read To Kill a Mockingbird against current events 2 see how frighteningly relevant Lee's novel is (African American Incarceration, Gun Control, Black Lives) and then have the guts to let your students speak their truth and let the chips fall. https://t.co/NQsKZUX46H
Q4: What books, texts, and other resources can educators use to guide conversations around social justice and civil rights issues and to inspire students to take up a cause? #ILAchat
Q3. Literary fiction can also approach subjects that non-fiction hasn't even begun to touch on..fiction is a game changer for many social issues. Just think of the fictional books that have actually changed history. #ILAchat
A4 I'd be remiss if I didn't mention @Wonderopolis, since @cyndisueboo & @thelivbits are fellow Wonderologists! Love to use this as a conversation starter for all ages & to empower Ss to pursue their own #wonders#ILAchat
I think being an activist means that you are regularly engaging in activities that further the cause that you're interested in. Being an activist for a community you're not a member of is more about amplifying #ownvoices and using privilege to make a space for others. #ILAchat
A4: You should know Pulitzer Prize winner Kendrick Lamar. You should be talking about Childish Gambino's #ThisIsAmerica. Acknowledge the conversations that have begun within the culture. We ain't doing nothing new. #ILAchat
I think it’s important to listen to those who have been doing the work so that we are not making assumptions about what the work is. The issues might not be what I think they are when taking to those impacted by the inequity #ILAChat
I want to hear everyone's definition of "activist". I also would love to hear thoughts on being an activist for your own community versus activism for a community we aren't a member of. #ILAchat
Yes! Some of the fifth graders we work with just completed a unit on unlikely friendships and watched a powerful video about a woman who befriends her shooter and works with @eji_org to help free him from prison. https://t.co/F3fUy2mDz7#ILAchat
Yes, even giving Ss a platform. They see inequities but often feel powerless to make change happen. Ss need guidance and support to make the dream a reality. That’s where adults come into play. #ILAchat
A4: Songs of protest/cultural critiques like Rage Against the Machine’s “Killing in the Name” and J.Cole’s “Neighbors” allow students to see simple acts like pressing “play” as activism #ILAchat
Q5: How can technology be leveraged to help deepen students’ understanding of social justice issues and make students feel like part of a larger community? #ILAchat
Also, students can write biographies focusing on activists & change-makers in their own lives! Our history typically focuses on One Really Important Person, but movements are about more than a singular figure; they're about ordinary people fighting for justice. #ILAchat
A3 Biographical stories of people who have taken a stand for social justice & news articles that depict historical and current events are important windows for the children into the world around them. We cannot shield them from life. Rather we must include their voices. #ILAchat
There are Twitter accounts for organizations that are doing this work. I've used Tweets and Twitter threads multiple times this year as mini-mentor texts and evidence/information builders. #ILAChat
A5: Recently, I’ve seen many educators eyes opened to the power of young people’s voices. Student activism has also exposed many educators whose reactions are tools of propagation for systemic inequity. Students are bringing problematic beliefs into the light! #ILAchat
Yes, even giving Ss a platform. They see inequities but often feel powerless to make change happen. Ss need guidance and support to make the dream a reality. That’s where adults come into play. #ILAchat
I’m shamelessly promoting now, but our goal with #digital4good is to celebrate Ss and the work they do the positively impact their schools and communities. Those stories need to be told Ss inspiring Ss #ILAchat
This documentary is a great example of how students can read (or hear) Baldwin's written words, climb into them, and apply the experience and observations he described to multiple historical contexts, as well as the current day. #ILAchat
Technology is a powerful connector. Just like we use it here now, students can research about a variety of issues and reach a larger audience to connect and collaborate to broaden awareness and support. #ILAchat
Q5: How can technology be leveraged to help deepen students’ understanding of social justice issues and make students feel like part of a larger community? #ILAchat
A5. The Internet offers a broader avenue to share ideas, findings, and allies. Technology also offers opportunities to express multiple literacies and modalities that extend beyond traditional print. #ilachat
A4: There are so many great books about the characters that are well known. I love the books that show how everyday people are changing the world! She Persisted, Shaking Things Up, Anybody’s Game for example. I think using News clippings too with kids is important!#ILAchat
A5: Leverage is a fancy word, but to me using tech isn't a CHOICE. Ts need to see how POWERFUL tech is b/c it's our life!! Tech makes connecting/sharing/responding/ sooo much easier. Kids leverage tech power ALL THE TIME. Let them #KidsCanTeachUs#LivBits#ILAchat#TheCynthias
Q5: How can technology be leveraged to help deepen students’ understanding of social justice issues and make students feel like part of a larger community? #ILAchat
A5: Tech can help Ss grow their understanding in really powerful ways. I've always known this, but @thelivbits has shown me ten-fold. She generates more passion and drive for her causes using tech tools. I'm in AWE of what she's accomplished! #KidsCanTeachUs#LivBits#ILAchat
A5: I’d say I love the world MORE b/c of what I’ve learned from being a connected learner. My #LivBIt work is GLOBAL b/c of tech. I'm connected to people I would have NEVER met. So if you want kids to LOVE, LEARN, and DO MORE for the world, get them connected! #ILAchat@becalzada
A5: Use of tech can also help Ss understand the power of audience, especially if they use social media platforms to share their work. I look at the narrative Ss consume here and get excited! So much authentic text opportunities to support. #KidsCanTeachUs#LivBits#ILAchat
The amount of time one spends with a character when reading a book can often overshadow that in a two hour movie, but good character development and story can create empathy in any medium. #ILAchat
A5: Young people are consistently shamed for their social media presence, but they are so much more connected with the world around them than generations before. Leveraging this idea of constant connection for positive impact allows them to be empowered. #ILAchat
Exactly! Schools that handled the walkouts last March the best were proactive and connected students to resources. It was about the goal/cause and not just skipping school #ILAChat
A5 (1): Hooray! I'm so excited about this question! (And I think I've talked about this in an #ilachat before, but...) This year I had students analyze Twitter threads as a new genre as part of a social justice movement deep-dive.
#ilachat A5 Allow students to create their own student driven student populated @tedx event and let them speak their truths on the TEDx stage, creating a +digital footprint and making an actual change in the world https://t.co/hPnqXOqLdG
Technology is a powerful connector. Just like we use it here now, students can research about a variety of issues and reach a larger audience to connect and collaborate to broaden awareness and support. #ILAchat
Q5: How can technology be leveraged to help deepen students’ understanding of social justice issues and make students feel like part of a larger community? #ILAchat
A5 Tech can be the best connection to diverse perspectives. It truly eliminates barriers like time & geographical location. Bring in speakers via @zoom_us, connect Ss via @GoogleForEdu. Tech is only evil if we don't teach its responsible & productive use. #ILAchat
Q5: Students are able to find commonalities when connecting with schools that are so different than them. They can see they are fighting for the same thing. Look at the way Parkland’s platform was opened up to students from all over. #ilachat
Q5: How can technology be leveraged to help deepen students’ understanding of social justice issues and make students feel like part of a larger community? #ILAchat
A5: Students are empowered to judge accuracy and bias of information when we teach them digital literacy. This sets them up to be just & caring citizens #ILAchat
A5 (2): It was a great way to show students how much great work is happening here, how people use the various functions of Twitter to craft an argument and create a cohesive thread, and that a platform that they use can be a launching pad for a movement. #ILAChat
A4: The BreakBeat Poets from @kevincoval and @haymarketbooks is filled with social justice poetry. #ILAchat Allow students a choice of poems from the collection and allow them to write their own poem on any topic they are passionate about.
Q4: What books, texts, and other resources can educators use to guide conversations around social justice and civil rights issues and to inspire students to take up a cause? #ILAchat
A5: Technology immediately enables students to step out of the limitations of their physical communities. Of course, books, tv, etc. offer that, but these new tools offer a level of interaction, give and take, that was not there before. #ILAchat
One of my fave activities this year was our (urban) gr 2s Skyping with a class in a rural community (blue state/red state)! #skypeintheclassroom#ILAchat
A5: I think there's a lot to be said about how we're using technology right now-- discussing complex issues online, connecting with people we deeply admire (coughcoughcough @CodyMillerELA cough). There's something to this #ILAchat we should explore.
Q5: How can technology be leveraged to help deepen students’ understanding of social justice issues and make students feel like part of a larger community? #ILAchat
Exactly! Schools that handled the walkouts last March the best were proactive and connected students to resources. It was about the goal/cause and not just skipping school #ILAChat
A6: I've learned a TON watching the Ss activists and what they've done. They've really taught adults how powerful social media platforms. I am not surprised at all, but I know many who are. Kids get these spaces and their power. #KidsCanTeachUs#LivBits#ILAchat
Q6: How has the current wave of student activism influenced conversations around social justice? How can current events be used to develop new literacy practices in schools and classrooms? #ILAchat
A5: Technology helps us see beyond the walls of our school or classroom. When students can watch a video, see a post or read about their choice-in the matter of seconds -they are able to connect more and even differently. They can connect with others. #ILAchat
A2: Literature shapes the lenses through which we view the world. Research shows that Ss increase empathy when reading and discussing characters. #ILAchat
A6: It’s so important for Ts to see HOW student activists today use social media to share and grow their message!!!! Take Parkland as an example, the students there understand how to share their message AND how to counter mis-information. It’s impressive. #KidsCanTeachUs#ILAchat
A5: With so much access to information and the ability to organize, students can research a topic of their choosing, and explore ways to connect to the issue. Organize a rally, contact senators, design posters, host a podcast...#ILAchat
Q5: How can technology be leveraged to help deepen students’ understanding of social justice issues and make students feel like part of a larger community? #ILAchat
A6. Student activism isn’t new, of course. It’s important for students to understand the history of student activism, and understand how certain activists get magazine covers while other activists are neglected or vilified. #ilachat
A6: Recently, I’ve seen many educator’s eyes opened to the power of young people’s voices. Student activism has also exposed many educators whose reactions are tools of propagation for systemic inequity. Students are bringing problematic beliefs into the light! #ILAchat
I've posted a little bit about exploring Twitter threads as a new and emerging genre, and people have seemed interested in how that works (including some #HISDELA teachers and #ILAChat members), so here's a general overview!
A6. The current visibility of student activism shows the various literacies students already draw on to make change. Students are making change. Let’s stop bemoaning “kids these days” and start supporting the change-makers! #ILAchat
#ILAchat It’s one thing to tell students “This is what we believe as a community.” But when a kid reads a book that creates an opportunity to see the world through another’s POV, and engage emotionally, that’s a more powerful experience.
I like @CodyMillerELA's insight of it being a verb. I think it's the acknowledgement of inequity + the active participation in and, occasionally, organization of events that disrupt inequitable systems. I honestly have the worst time trying to parse out these big words. #ILAchat
That's true! Are classrooms connecting through Twitter chats like this so that students can share ideas and get new perspectives from around the world? Could be an interesting project. #ILAchat
A6: I think the #MarchforOurLives movement has shown both kids and adults what's POSSIBLE if a group of people work together in a focused and persistent way and take advantage of the resources and tech available. Man, those kids are great at Twitter. #ILAchat
A6. Student activism isn’t new, of course. It’s important for students to understand the history of student activism, and understand how certain activists get magazine covers while other activists are neglected or vilified. #ilachat
A6: Research tells us that choice, challenge, and authenticity are a few key factors for motivating our Ss, so what are we waiting for? We have to address what’s current and help our students navigate finding that strong voice for social justice-readers are leaders. #ILAChat
Q6: How has the current wave of student activism influenced conversations around social justice? How can current events be used to develop new literacy practices in schools and classrooms? #ILAchat
A6 OMG, the examples Ts who are marching in KY for a plethora of issues are inspiring AMAZING discussions, authentic persuasive writing & speeches, & showing Ss that they can protest peacefully to make change. #ILAchat@jcpsforward@KCTE_LA
A classmate just presented on reading this book to her class and asking her students which names they preferred to be called. Some wrote English names, some wrote their Korean names, some used different alphabets... #ILAchat
Back to the panel I just heard: @thelivbits would’ve had something to say about the negative portrayal of social media. Older panelists admitted they weren’t on it. But these speakers are good, giving people, and we need more of those online. #ILAchat
A5: Young people are consistently shamed for their social media presence, but they are so much more connected with the world around them than generations before. Leveraging this idea of constant connection for positive impact allows them to be empowered. #ILAchat
A6 (ctd): If anything, I hope that the current movement inspires more teachers to give kids access to the information and then get out of their way and coach from the sidelines! They can DO this work, and often do it better and more creatively than we can. #ILAchat
It hit hard because I'm about to leave graduate school and in all these years of education I've had one professor ask me what I prefer to be called. I had to wait until after my 26th birthday. #ILAchat
A6 in my classrooms it’s sparked a lot more conversations about how even as 5th graders they have a voice and they should use it. I think it’s important to keep that momentum and make sure they know how to gather information and form@opinions #ILAchat
A6: Recently, I’ve seen many educator’s eyes opened to the power of young people’s voices. Student activism has also exposed many educators whose reactions are tools of propagation for systemic inequity. Students are bringing problematic beliefs into the light! #ILAchat
A6: I think kids have found their voices. I think they have also learned that they can use their voice to make a difference. Kids have role models through technology that they never would have had. #ILAchat
And it gave me an attitude. I started making demands. I'm not Dolche or Maria or Dolce-Marie or just Dulce. My name is Dulce-Marie. After she gave me the option, I became an activist for my name. Teachers are powerful. #ILAchat
The more you connect to online, the more good you see. People who avoid being connected to avoid the bad are missing out on what might enrich their lives. #ILAchat
A5: I’d say I love the world MORE b/c of what I’ve learned from being a connected learner. My #LivBIt work is GLOBAL b/c of tech. I'm connected to people I would have NEVER met. So if you want kids to LOVE, LEARN, and DO MORE for the world, get them connected! #ILAchat@becalzada
Q7: What kinds of literacy projects help students understand and promote social justice? How can such projects create authentic learning experiences around activism? #ILAchat
#ILAchat I think fiction has a special role to play in promoting social justice in the classroom. What better way to develop empathy than by getting inside another’s head—and heart?
Absolutely #ILAchat There comes time when giving voice to the issues in the world are no longer a demonstration of partisanship but a demand for what is decent
A6 OMG, the examples Ts who are marching in KY for a plethora of issues are inspiring AMAZING discussions, authentic persuasive writing & speeches, & showing Ss that they can protest peacefully to make change. #ILAchat@jcpsforward@KCTE_LA
A6: Our students @GBNPanthers have been organizing town halls and student-run discussions with our @FlipThe6thIL@PeterRoskam district. While he ducks and dodges the real issues our students care about, they have forced him into considerations we never thought possible. #ILAChat
Q6: How has the current wave of student activism influenced conversations around social justice? How can current events be used to develop new literacy practices in schools and classrooms? #ILAchat
Important reminder! Thank you for keeping that in the front of our minds. Important to tell students that too. students have always had a voice #ilachat
A6: As a T, I've always TOLD S's they can make a difference ; we've read books, watched videos and talked about it. We, as a class or school put some action to our words, but now they SEE and BELIEVE that they can make changes themselves.
#ILAchat
A7: Here’s an ex. from Ohio. This 3rd grader could research ANYONE who fights for #socialjustice. Her job was to tell their story. I'm soooo proud she decided to tell my #LivBit story!! See me right there? I never dreamed I’d be b/w Rosa Parks and Ruth Bader 😳 #ILAchat@lburkins
A7: My @JTM_IB colleague @AlexKameen has done amazing things with his classes through a year-long critical service learning experience that asks students to research/identify/take action on a need in their communities while reflecting on the process of change-making. #ILAchat
A7: I think inquiry and choice reading go hand-in-hand here. If we want kids to feel passionate about getting involved in the world, we have to first give them the opportunity to be involved in their own learning and personal growth. #ILAchat
A7 I owe appreciation to so many! Thanks to @NMSI for giving me the opportunity to share & learn w/ Ts and Ss across the country. Thanks to @thelivbits for being so full of energy & hope. Thanks to @jcpsforward for continuing to be my #PLN, even though I am in Ohio. #ILAchat
A7: Authentic research/social action projects that force students out of their high school comfort zone and allow them to work with peers in an effort to better their community. #ILAchat
Q7: What kinds of literacy projects help students understand and promote social justice? How can such projects create authentic learning experiences around activism? #ILAchat
A5) Today’s social movements are largely built through social media, where people from all over unite through a common cause. Hashtags blogging, posting videos have brought attention to incidents that few would know about beyond a local community. #ILAchat
Q5: How can technology be leveraged to help deepen students’ understanding of social justice issues and make students feel like part of a larger community? #ILAchat
New literacy practices HAVE to be around digital literacy for activism to have an effect on social justice. Watch the twitter accounts of the @AMarch4OurLives kids to see how savvy they are and still overwhelmed by the fake news environment they are immersed in #ILAchat
A7 we are an IB school so 5th grade does exhibition. Ss research a problem and take action. It’s been awesome to see the things they are passionate about and their excitement in making a difference #ILAchat
A7: Giving students the choice of following a passion and sharing their voice to make a difference involves so much literacy! Reading, organizing thinking, planning how they intend to share and then sharing their thinking! It’s purposeful and powerful #ILAchat
A7 #ilachat@noraraleighB & I were upset that there were negative comments on this students @tedx talk & then we realized that learning that when you use your voice 4 change there will be those who don't like it is part of the life lesson. @arunac111https://t.co/ydplNd3dFy
A7: My freshmen use Google slides to create a poster that raises awareness on a topic, issue, cause, headline, etc. that they believe people are indifferent to. #ilachathttps://t.co/tvZDGAE2vD
#ilachat Also, seeing yourself mirrored in a book is tremendously validating, especially if you’re marginalized. So that’s another way books promote social justice through story.
A7: I think inquiry and choice reading go hand-in-hand here. If we want kids to feel passionate about getting involved in the world, we have to first give them the opportunity to be involved in their own learning and personal growth. #ILAchat
A7 Using a critical literacy framework for teaching, this work should be build around issues important to the children. So the projects should arise from a need the students believe should be addressed. Here's a great @ILAToday E-ssentials piece https://t.co/jvIXJ7SKBo#ILAchat
Leaving this chat LIFTED and SOOOO INSPIRED! Thanks so much everyone! Most esp. to my fab partners in crime @thelivbits@cylev! Loved doing this w/ both of you! And shout out to @ILAToday for supporting us through the process! #KidsCanTeachUs#LivBits#ILAchat
Thank You @ILAToday for giving this topic a platform and letting us host this incredible chat 📚🌎 Special thanks to Wes!!!! Thank you for helping organize all of us!!! Don't you want to meet me in person now??? Hehehehe!!!
#KidsCanTeachUs#LivBits#ILAchat#TheCynthias
@cylev is appearing at #ILA18 as part of a panel discussion, and she is featured in the #ILA18 Children’s Lit Day special event. Only a handful of tickets are still available! Make sure to register ASAP if you want to attend: https://t.co/VVQuxOLcrW#ILAchat
#ILAchat if you read Baldwin - balance it with Thomas Sowell. Many classrooms are hopelessly biased and present a partial picture that does more harm than good . A4
Thank you sooooo much #THECYNTHIAS!!!! I love you both TOOOOO much!!!!! And thank you for always believing in me!!!! I want to put more GOOD in the world!!!! I am soooo happy you help me do that!!!! 💓 #heartbeeps#KidsCanTeachUs#LivBits#ILAchat
A+++++ to activism being a community effort-- decenter yourself, decenter your classroom, involve caregivers and communities and non-traditional spaces. #ILAchat
Sorry - The Program for International Student Assessment. It's the test used to compare different countries performance and what has led Finland to become such a popular place to study as they have scored #1. #ILAchat
Go @noraraleighB ! And can't wait for your @TEDx talk that you gave at our event on 4/21 to come out in the next week!!! Don't miss it people! #ILAchat
A7: Our grade 3 S's have a Freezie sale. They then choose a charity to research. They then choose a way to try to persuade their peers that we should donate the money to that charity. #ILAchat
