Dr. Seuss and Read Across America Week have been synonymous for a very long time, but they are not one and the same. Read Across American Week is a celebration started and created by the National Education Association in 1997.  The first Read Across America Day actually took place on March 2nd, 1998.  This day, March 2nd, coincides with the birthday of Dr. Seuss.  For this reason, the Read Across America celebration often became tied to Dr. Seuss Day and Dr. Seuss week, but that is no longer the case, and the celebration of reading that is organized and promoted by the National Education Association has definitely evolved.

This year, their theme is create and celebrate a nation of diverse readers, and it’s no longer just one day.  It went from one day to one week to now, the NEA is encouraging teachers to celebrate diverse reading all year long.  Click HERE to access the page on their website where you can see 12 months of recommended books, authors, and teaching resources.  NEA is fully equipping you so that you can promote diverse and inclusive practices when you are reading these books.

Why no more, Dr. Seuss?

Going from a full week of Dr. Seuss to none at all is a pretty drastic change.  This shift happened for several good reasons. First, change is good. There are thousands of amazing authors having an impact on the minds and lives of people. Secondly and MOST important, there has been some information that, although it’s not new, has really come to the forefront about Dr. Seuss and the way that he conducted himself in the days and the years before he became this cultural icon.

I’m not going to tell you what to think because that’s not my job, but what I would like to do is encourage you to become aware, to equip yourself with knowledge and understanding. At the bottom of this blog post I will link to a couple of different articles that I have read and that I’ve found to be very, very helpful over the years as I have been doing my own research on Dr. Seuss and what it is that he said and did. I would love to hear your thoughts on these.

One of the articles talks about how six of the Dr. Seuss books that had been in publication up until 2021 were no longer going to be published because there were racist images and racist phrases that were being used.  Another article talks about some of the cartoon and caricatures that Dr. Seuss drew in the years again before he became this cultural icon.  The article talks about how many of the cartoons are racist and they are just not okay.  At the bottom of the blog I will list more articles because I want to encourage you to arm yourself and to equip yourself with information.

We always want to know who the people are that we are championing. I always encourage my students to understand that there is no perfect person in this world. We all make mistakes. We all trip up, and that’s okay.  Honestly, there is no way around it. There’s not a way for us to not make mistakes in this life, but there are some mistakes that you make that you will struggle to come back from. There are certain things that you say and that you do, ways that you treat people that make it very challenging for you to gain the respect and the trust of other people that you would want to be in your circle.

Dr. Seuss is back in the literacy conversation

So, Dr. Seuss, although he is long since passed away, has been brought back into this conversation because every single year we see that schools are celebrating Dr. Seuss and they are using books and texts written by a man who had very strong beliefs, very strong opinions about race and about people and about skin tone.  He expressed those beliefs through the words he wrote and the cartoons he drew to accompany those words.  Dr. Seuss is reentering these conversations because educators and parents and advocates are reflecting and saying, wait a minute, “How is it that we are spending whole weeks celebrating a man and author who intentionally wrote words and drew pictures that were hurtful, harmful, disrespectful, and racist?”  Caregivers, advocates, and educators are wondering why that same energy is not used to bring in and celebrate authors of a variety of backgrounds, people that are inclusive in their messaging and promoting love and acceptance.

People who say, “Dr. Seuss is dead and gone. You cannot hold a deceased person accountable for their actions.” That is correct. Dr. Seuss is deceased, but his work is not dead and gone. His work is very much alive. The inappropriate, insensitive, and racist words and images are still alive. Over the course of his life, from everything that I’ve read, he did begin to understand that what he was doing was incorrect and wrong.  His viewpoints and the way that he was articulating himself started to shift.  Through the friendships that he developed with people of different racial and ethnic backgrounds he began to see that his words and depictions of people from various racial and ethnic groups different from his own was hurtful and harmful.  Let me clarify, we can never say that all Black people are just like my one Black friend. All Chinese people are like my one Chinese friend. That’s ridiculous because nobody is just the same no matter your race, ethnicity, religious beliefs, etfc.  However, when you have an authentic experience, when you actually have a true, deep, real relationship with people of different races and ethnicities and religious backgrounds and gender identifications, then these words, these phrases, these issues, these concerns, become more than just “things”, than “words” than a “political stance.” They become human. They become a person. They become your friend.

From everything that I’ve read, Dr. Seuss became aware of the fact that what he was doing and saying, the cartoons and the pictures that he was drawing were not okay. Sometime in the 1940s we start to see several other books coming out.  Instead of books like “If I ran the Zoo” and “To think I saw it on Mulberry Street“, we start to see books that much more clearly highlight the fact that Dr. Seuss has a different stance and perspective on many books that we have grown to truly love and enjoy and appreciate in our culture.  Books like, “Oh, the Places You’ll Go“.  This is a book that teachers read all the time to their students. It is a book that people gift to children, and to graduating young adults.  It is almost like he wrote these books to showcase and apologize for the other work that he did. The reality is however, that his previous work has not and likely will not go away.

So, how do we reconcile Dr. Seuss?

So, how do we reconcile this?

He did and said things that were, unjust, they were unforgivable. Unforgiveable, and yet. I personally believe in the power of forgiveness for my own mental health and well-being and peace. I believe that I have to release people for ME.   I’m not going to be angry with Dr. Seuss, right? I’m not going to be angry with a man who is literally dead and gone although his work is alive today. What I can be, is upset when these texts that are clearly and obviously and blatantly racist are being used in the school. I don’t care if you want to provide an example of racism in literature, you can do it in other ways. We can talk about racism and inappropriate caricatures and representation in other ways. We don’t need to use these texts that Dr. Seuss has written. Because these works however, are never going away, we as educators, have to decide how to govern ourselves.

Arm yourself with knowledge to reflect on why it is that you feel it is necessary to use Dr. Seuss texts in your classroom. What is the benefit here? What are students gaining by using his text in the classroom?

Reflection is a powerful tool that helps to bring about awareness, and then you can make a decision as to whether you want to accept what you have become aware of or reject it, and then take some action.

So, take a moment and reflect on the Dr. Seuss books that you typically  and traditionally use in your classroom. Then, think about if there are any other books that you can use to relay the same message or one the uses some of the very same rhythms and patterns and funny names and language. Finally, I encourage you to equip yourself with knowledge, to arm yourself with knowledge, to empower yourself with knowledge. We should be lifelong learners. Do your own research. Find out who Dr. Seuss was behind just “One fish, Two fish, Redfish, Bluefish“. Find out who he was beyond “The Lorax“. Find out who he was beyond “The Cat and The Hat“. Who is this man that we are elevating to such a status that we get completely crushed and upset when someone says that you shouldn’t use his work in your classroom. That’s something else to reflect on. When we’re holding on to something so tightly, this action begs asking the question, “Why am I holding on so tightly?”

In summary, before you pick up a Dr. Seuss book, or send home a flyer letting caregivers know about a week long “SEUSSebration”, 1) reflect on your why, 2) learn about who Dr. Seuss was and what it is that he did and believed, and 3) take some definitive action by deciding whether there some texts that you need to remove, replace.

Now that we know better, let’s do better

Dr. Maya Angelou said, “Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.”

Now that we know better, let’s do better. Read Across America Week, Read Across America Month, read Across America Year is one of the best opportunities to expose our learners to a variety of different texts. If we’re talking about reading across America, first of all, that means a variety of different authors. Dr. Seuss is not the only author in America. There are so many authors who have written some phenomenal texts. These authors should be featured in a classroom of young learners so they can see how wordplay can grow and evolve and shift and change based on an author’s experiences, based on an author’s humor, based on all the things that authors take in and then put out into this world as their written work.

If we’re talking about reading across America, then we need to acknowledge the variety of authors from coast to coast, from north and south and east and west, and then also acknowledge all of the students across America, whether they identify in the same way, racially, ethnically, socioeconomically, or religiously. I guarantee your students would love to see themselves and others represented in texts. Sometimes it’s cool to see the animals and the bears and the made up little characters, but it’s also really cool to see somebody that looks like you, somebody that talks like you, somebody that eats the same food that you eat and enjoys the same music that you do. It’s cool to explore the way that other people live AND it’s cool to see the way that you live being celebrated and represented on the page. Read Across America has taken a new direction over the last couple of years to really celebrate all of the children and young adults that are readers.

Why not take advantage of the opportunity to celebrate all the different ways that people live and celebrate and enjoy and worship in America and across the globe.  Why pigeonhole ourselves to just talking about one author and one experience?  Let’s celebrate the beauty of the students that are sitting in our classroom.

As teachers, especially as language arts teachers, but all teachers, we have made it our business, and we are passionate about helping our students to realize their potential and understand that their dreams can become reality. We spend time empowering our students to define success for themselves and then go after it.  So how then, as a teacher, do you then tell those same students that you empowered to define success and write down their ideas – all the silly thoughts and all the sad thoughts and all the angry thoughts and all the celebratory thoughts onto a page, and the students who you taught how to develop a character…. Now some of those students become published authors. Shouldn’t we read and celebrate their words and their journey?   In the Read Across America celebration, if we stay stuck in only celebrating one author and one set of books, we are literally telling our students that what they’ve done doesn’t matter.

I don’t know about you, but I want my students to see that all of the things that I encouraged them to do in my classroom, all the ways that I encouraged them to grow and to develop into who they are today, that it mattered. Their work was not in vain. I would rather pull a couple of Dr. Seuss books off of my shelf and replace them with the work of my students and your students and his, her, they, all of the students that we have developed and helped to grow.  I want to show them, not just tell them that they can believe in themselves and their work and their artistry. Yeah, I would without questions swap out some of those books, and I would encourage you to do the same thing.

If you really want to read across America this year, check out the National Education Association website for books, activities, virtual author visits, and teaching resources.

Remember to center equity, celebrate diversity, and value culture!

Jocelynn

Here are the articles I mentioned in the blog post:

Plus, people celebrate Christmas in several countries on EVERY continent. Yes, every continent: Africa, Antarctica, Asia, Australia, Europe, North America, and South America. 

This creates a special opportunity to learn about a familiar holiday in combination with the unique aspects of continents, countries, and individual communities. 

So, quick question, “How many years have you used the Christmas Around the World” Project with your students?”

How about pulling it out now? Take a look at it. You may decide to completely revamp it, or just tweak it a bit.

I bet that even if you have polished it up a bit lately, you have not looked at it in the way I am going to share as you continue reading.

Let’s go beyond the traditional and have students explore all aspects of Christmas; different people, perspectives, purposes, and passions. Allowing children to see why and how people celebrate is great for developing an appreciation and respect for differences. Children can enjoy their way of celebrating, while respecting someone else’s way of celebrating. 

Here are three ways to level up your Christmas Around the World project:

1. Notice and Wonder – Teacher Edition

Notice and Wonder – We often have students complete this thinking activity. Students are presented with a picture or a problem and asked to consider the possibilities for ways to approach or solve the problem, analyze the scene, or discuss different perspectives with peers.     

Using the notice and wonder activity can help you easily create a culturally responsive and relevant Christmas Around the World project.

What do you notice? – For example, what patterns stand out? Which continents, countries, and communities are represented? Which are not? Why?

How many countries from each continent are represented? To what is the number proportional – Population size, land mass, religious affiliation?

What do you wonder? For example, how can the large number of countries be equally distributed for the project? 

What challenges might students face completing research?

How will students learn about themselves/their thinking and perspective from completing this project?

Can students learn about their peers from discussion?

What will students learn about the world around them; similarities and differences, possibilities, perspective? What myths will be debunked?

Maybe this research will help unearth and then disprove a stereotype or two.

2. Consider removing the country where you and your students’ live from the list

Consider removing the country where you live. If you live in the United States, remove that from the list. The point of the project is to discover traditions of celebration from around the world. You can have a separate assignment for “Christmas in my Country”. 

case study analysis ebay, so it is still important to provide general information about Christmas in your country and community. You can give this presentation as an example of the types of information to gather.

3. What gifts have come from each country?

Christmas is all about gift giving. Considering your subject area, have students research “gifts” each country has given this world. Think in terms of inventors and their inventions, natural resources like minerals or petroleum, songs, etc. All the “gifts” connect to your subject area. 

For example, if a student in science chooses Syria, the student might discover “https://customteachingsolutions.com/write-about-a-time-you-maximize-an-opportunity-essay/” and the thought leaders who founded them.

If a math student decides to study India, the student may learn about the famous mathematician Srinvasa Ramanujan who made significant contributions to the math community with little formal training.

Still a Christmas favorite – check! 

Connection to the content – check! 

Learning about culture – check! 

Connection to the standards – check!

Cheers to a culturally responsive and relevant “Christmas Around the World” Lesson!

Jocelynn

Do you want to chat with me about your Christmas lesson? Click the image below to schedule a call today.

By using culture-centered teaching practices, students feel affirmed, welcomed, and celebrated for several reasons. First, teachers use the culture of the students inside and outside of the class as a vehicle through which instruction is given. Second, teachers structure rules, expectations, and disciplinary actions with the students’ cultural practices in mind. Third, students see themselves represented in the lessons taught, the books read, and the history studied.

Implementing these three components into the classroom makes it easier for the teacher to create the personalized learning environment students need to thrive.

Affirming Students through Culture-Centered Instruction

Ensuring that students feel emotionally supported and encouraged in the classroom is vital to academic achievement, social development, and personal growth and maturity.

So, what does this look like?

1. Validate students through the use of culture-centered curriculum resources that teach their history right alongside that of their peers. In this way students are given multiple perspectives of events and are able to critically analyze and discuss the significance of an event. For this reason, students can use a critical lens to determine their place in the larger scope of history moving forward.
2. Encourage students by not only telling, but showing them that they can accomplish any goal. Show them examples of  success traversing different career paths. Provide examples of success and achievement in a variety of areas with people that look, identify, and believe similarly.
3. Support students by allowing them to show up as their full and authentic selves in classroom discussion.  Provide all students multiple opportunities to critically engage in examining a variety of perspectives.

Welcoming Students through Culture-Centered Instruction

When students are received into an inviting and genuinely approving classroom, they are able to trust that the classroom is a space where they can relax enough to learn and explore.

So, what does this look like?

1. In a culture-centered classroom, the curriculum includes learning the history of, reading stories about, and exploring the contributions of a varied and diverse people. Sharing a balance of perspectives enables students to trust in, connect with, and see value in the curriculum. Students see that all people are welcome, because there is a priority on sharing a diversity of people’s stories in the classroom.

2. Inviting students into a classroom where they matter makes them feel welcome. How do students know they matter? They see themselves and their peers reflected in the lessons taught, the decor on the walls, and the disciplinary structure enforced. Students take greater interest in lessons that help them not just learn the curriculum, but more about themselves, their peers, and the world around them as they study. When they see diversity reflected in the decor and decorations there is a warmth and familiarity that lends to trust.  Another key way to help students feel welcome is by disciplining them in a way that reflects an understanding of their customs, beliefs, and traditions. This shows care and concern for betterment, not just a desire to scold.

3. All students should proudly wear hairstyles, adorn clothing, and converse in a way that is natural and uplifting.  Hair is a crown. Encouraging students to wear their hair in different styles is one key to creating a culture-centered classroom. Whether straight, curly, or in cornrows, students are confident in their ability to succeed academically. In addition, students should feel comfortable adorning traditional garbs. Students should feel free to wear a variety of brands and styles. Finally, students should be welcome to use their native tongue in class in addition to the majority language spoken. Helping students to understand the different contexts in which certain language patterns might be necessary is important, but should not be an expectation that limits the students’ ability to learn. 

Celebrating Students through Culture-Centered Instruction

Creating a classroom culture of celebration is not just empowering for students, but it is enjoyable for teachers.  Foster a love of celebrating the unique qualities, cultural practices, and beliefs of self and others.

So, what does this look like?

1. A culture-centered curriculum teaches about a diversity of people, beliefs, and traditions. More importantly teachers intentionally present beautiful and challenging truths. Many curriculums only present a dark, depressing story of certain people and places. It is important to make sure there is a balance of both victories and defeats shared about all people, places, and perspectives. Appreciation comes from knowing the entire story. In this way, students can truly celebrate their story and the story of others.
2. Include both historical and current examples of people that represent excellence. Show this in the classroom curriculum, on posters, and in books. It ensures that students see success from many perspectives. Celebrate the journey. Honor success. Observe perspectives. Celebrate diversity. Help students identify gaps in areas of success by intentionally representing different people, places, and perspectives. Students can identify spaces to use their genius.
3. Celebrate the diversity of ways in which students learn. Youth learners, like adult learners, prefer to learn in certain ways. Incorporating different different teaching methods, styles, and approaches ensures that student learning needs are placed as a priority. Ask students how they prefer to learn. Evaluate whether you are teaching in a way that best suits you or your students. Determine what it will take to adjust the approach.

Affirm, Welcome, Celebrate

A culture-centered classroom is one where students feel affirmed, welcomed, and celebrated through the instruction provided every day. Students also learn to affirm, welcome, and celebrate others. Everyone benefits from this classroom culture. Both academic and personal success is achieved.

Cheers!

Ready for more? Check out this blog post: 6 Ways to Create a Culturally Responsive Classroom

Take your students learning to the next level with these digital mini courses for teachers – CHECK THEM OUT HERE!

Each year, educators are becoming more aware of these terms, but what do they really mean?

Most importantly, why is it beneficial to create a culturally responsive classroom?

Alright, so here is the skinny. And I mean skinny, because these concepts have been researched and written about for years by people such as Jacqueline Irving, Gloria Ladson-Billings, Geneva Gay, and Zaretta Hammond. I encourage you to read one of their books or scholarly articles.

Culturally Responsive/Relevant Pedagogy

Culturally responsive pedagogy (CRP) encourages teachers to observe the cultural and ethnic make up of the students in their classroom for the purposes of incorporating practices, language, and texts from those cultures and ethnicities to both affirm these students and positively educate other students.  

Culturally relevant practices are an extension of culturally responsive pedagogy. In this, teachers are encouraged to be culturally competent, meaning they have the ability to understand and effectively communicate and educate students of multiple racial and ethnic backgrounds. To do this teachers must be aware of their own world view, cultural practices, and social norms. Then, they must be willing to learn and understand other world views, cultural practices and social norms. 

Benefits of Using CR Pedagogy

So, why is utilizing culturally responsive and relevant pedagogy beneficial in the classroom? 

I could answer this question now, but first I want you to take a minute and think about the brief descriptions I provided above. Think about the students you typically educate, the dominant social norms, and prevailing cultural practices. Then, list three reasons why you think incorporating this type of pedagogy would be beneficial in your classroom.

Ok. Hold on to that list. You may want to add a few more reasons at the end.

Essentially, I believe the answer to this question comes back to the purpose of education. If the purpose of education is simply to relay information from one source to a recipient, then there is no need for most of the pedagogical strategies we teachers employ. However, if the purpose of education is to develop students who think critically, reflect intentionally, and question thoughtfully, then a culturally relevant curriculum does that. If the purpose is to prepare students, both personally and academically to engage in a diverse world with empathy, compassion, and conviction, then a culturally responsive pedagogy is designed to also do that.   

CR Pedagogy Propositions

Ladson-Billings states that, “culturally relevant pedagogy rests on three criteria or propositions: (a) students must experience academic success; (b) students must develop and/or maintain cultural competence; and (c) students must develop a critical consciousness through which they challenge the status quo of the current social order” (160).

Essentially, students experience academic success because their racial and ethnic identity is affirmed through representation. These students are not always being asked to relate to experiences and concepts for which they have no knowledge base or point of reference. Instead, cultural bridges are built between prior knowledge/experience and new concepts to aid in more complete understanding.

Just like the teacher, students in a culturally responsive classroom are encouraged to reflect on their own world views, cultural practices, and social norms. Then they are guided through lessons that examine the world views, cultural practices, and social norms of their classmates and others across the world. Students who see themselves and members of the global community represented and valued in the classroom are able to engage in more robust discussion of a variety of topics, are challenged to think about concepts and problems from multiple perspectives, develop an appreciation for, and understanding of differences. Employing a culturally responsive pedagogy allows for the discussion of difficult, but necessary topics like injustice, inequalities, and social and economic disparities due to race, class, and gender.

While engaging in self reflection, studying rigorous texts and concepts, and navigating profound and sometimes difficult discussions, students develop a “critical consciousness through which they challenge the status quo of the current social order”(Ladson-Billings, 160).

Simply put, by creating a culturally responsive classroom we are empowering students of every racial and ethnic background to learn and grow more deeply, more purposefully, and more completely.

Wow!

Cheers to intentional teaching,

Joce

P.S. Subscribe to my email list to get a FREE Culturally Responsive Unit planning resource!

Looking for in person or virtual training and coaching to develop a culturally responsive environment at your school? Check out The Intentional Teacher Series and contact me to schedule!

Citation:

Ladson‐Billings, Gloria. “But Thats Just Good Teaching! The Case for Culturally Relevant Pedagogy.” Theory Into Practice, vol. 34, no. 3, 1995, pp. 159–165., doi:10.1080/00405849509543675.

A+ for creating this space for your students to thrive.

But what about you? The teacher. What motivates, encourages, and informs you?

One key element you should consider adding to your classroom wall is a display just for you. It is your classroom after all. “Oooops! Did I just type that in real life?” I know there are other bloggers, administrators, and coaches saying to minimize the teacher footprint in the classroom. I get it, and I agree for the most part. Get rid of your huge desk and shelves filled with professional texts. Do not, however, erase your identity from the classroom.

Find a space on the wall near your desk or podium and encourage, support, or educate yourself.  This little addition is what I like to call my Professional Power Up space. It is an area filled with little reminders of greatness, tokens of strength, and dollops of wisdom to keep me going through my day.

Creating a classroom culture where students thrive begins with the teacher. YOU are the leader in the classroom. You set the tone from the moment the students walk through your classroom door until the bell rings. So, make sure the atmosphere nurtures you as well.

Keep in mind that just like every other display in your classroom, the Professional Power Up space needs to change from time to time. You may want to refresh your power up pieces based on the academic, sports, or calendar seasons. You don’t want this to be stressful.

Here are some examples of Professional Power Up spaces I have created.

Remember, these are just examples. This is the type of display that inspires me. Maybe you love a painting. Hang that. Maybe you have a rocking chair that was your grandmother’s. She inspired you and sitting in that chair while doing a read aloud energizes you.

Two things I love about the Professional Power Up space is 1) it allows your students and colleagues a chance to know you a little better. When your students know about you, they begin to trust you. They see that you are a person who needs encouragement and motivation, a person who is seeking to be inspired. 2) The Professional Power Up space is a conversation starter. Your students will want to know why you added something to your space. What a great way to start a conversation that is appropriate, but not purely academic. It is often these types of conversations that inspire students to do more and be more.

If you really want to take it to the next level, have your students create their own Power Up space. This could be a small area of their desk or binder. It should be located somewhere they can see it every day. This is a great idea for a beginning of the school year activity. Then, students can refresh it at the beginning of every quarter.

What I’ve found is that students liked my space so much they started to either create one on their own, or ask if it could be a class project. It gave them a sense of ownership in the class and provided an opportuity for self reflection and growth.

Taking time to think about who we are and what makes us happy is so important. One of the first steps in creating a classroom where students thrive is making sure you, their teacher, their cheerleader, their facilitator, their guide are able to find joy. The students can sense when you are running low. So… “Power Up”!

Cheers to creating a little slice of motivation!

CTS

Have you started back to school already?  Are you in the middle of the school year, or are you preparing to head back into the classroom? Either way, I hear the school bells ringing because this blog is back in session!

So, whether you’re knee deep in a novel study, or just arranging your flexible seating I’ve got a few topics I think you’ll find interesting and helpful moving forward.

One of the most important characteristics of a successful classroom is the environment. Inside the space that is room (insert # here), the dynamic should be noticeably different. It is more than just the smell or the colors on the wall. More than the flexible seating or neatly lined desks. The atmosphere in your classroom sets the mood, the tone, and the pace. The atmosphere energizes the neurons or zaps the curiosity.

No matter how great the lesson plan, your students will not have a growth experience that transcends your classroom and this one grade level unless you consider a few key elements.

Ready to energize?!

Great! Over the next few weeks we will discuss all things atmosphere.  Transforming the atmosphere to transcend all expectations. Hmmmnnn… I like that. Transforming to transcend. What do you think? Will you join me?

Tune in next week. Same day, same site.

Cheers to transformation!