Discover and read the best of Twitter Threads about #DisruptTexts
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My work right now is focused on curriculum, but not just on diverse text selection. For me, itās about embedding anti-bias, anti-racist pedagogies into my daily practices in big and small ways, but relentlessly so. #ClearTheAir #DisruptTexts
Another one of my goals is to become more active as a role model and mentor to the AAPI Ss in my school as the Ss organization faculty advisor. Because of the Model Minority myth, too often AAPI Ss needs as ignored or underserved. #CleartheAir
My librarian and I are co-facilitating a social justice book club which has so far gotten a great response. Out first selection was Just Mercy and Ts stayed for almost two hours after school to talk! Our next meeting will be focused on action we can take. #CleartheAir
This week, Ss consider the voices & perspectives that may be missing from texts like The Things They Carried, starting w/some reflection that considers the voices & perspectives they center in their own lives and who OāBrien centers in the text... #DisruptTexts #aplangchat 1/ 
Students selected articles from the @nytimes Vietnam in ā67 collection: nytimes.com/column/vietnamā¦ #DisruptTexts #aplangchat 2/
Here are some examples of responses from Ss when prompted to consider additional perspectives #aplangchat #DisruptTexts 3/
Do you teach Gatsby, Raisin, any American Lit and/or the āAmerican Dreamā? Hereās a #DisruptTexts source for you... npr.org/2018/10/01/649ā¦
Also recommend this paired textāCarlos Bulosanās America is in the Heartāespecially in light of #FilipinoAmericanHistoryMonth. āWe are the living dream of the dead. We are the living spirit of the free.ā #DisruptTexts
And lookāmade you a printer friendly copy of the excerpt for close reading with Ss. :) #DisruptTexts #FilipinoAmericanHistoryMonth docs.google.com/document/d/1Mbā¦
Catching up on #TheEdCollabGathering sessions I missed yesterday dayāand YES to EVERYTHING my #DisruptTexts co-Founder and friend @juliaerin80 says: We are living in a historic time, a true renaissance of multicultural #yalit.
Like Julia, I didnāt have these texts as a teen. What a difference it would have in my life; what a difference it can make for our Ss now.
Itās an amazing time for #yalit. Will you be a T who engages in this moment or let it pass by? #TheEDCollabGathering #12 #DisruptTexts
Itās an amazing time for #yalit. Will you be a T who engages in this moment or let it pass by? #TheEDCollabGathering #12 #DisruptTexts
I could listen to @juliaerin80ās booktalks all day and šÆ agree w/this: āJason Reynolds has written the book for everyone.ā I have 3 boys, ages 8, 11, & 13 ā and all three are reading @JasonReynolds83ās Track series, 11-yr-old read #MilesMorales, & oldest read #LongWayDown 2X.
So as many know, me and @Tolerance_org Social Justice Standards = š. Love how framework works as a foundation & guide for any unit of study, grades K-12.
Ex. Here are essential ?s based on the standards on a unit of study on the idea of HOME.
Thread.
#TheEdCollabGathering #7
Ex. Here are essential ?s based on the standards on a unit of study on the idea of HOME.
Thread.
#TheEdCollabGathering #7
In #AmericanLit, we can explore the idea of HOME throughout the entire year ā and #DisruptTexts ā starting w/Native and indigenous literatures. #TheEDCollabGathering #7
Some related questions to explore: How have First Nations people defined home? How is home tied to land and language and culture? #TheEdCollabGathering #7 #DisruptTexts
Thread.
Of the many things I learned co-presenting w/@teachkate was how we approach planning from different starting pts. Kate, master of rdg workshop, starts w/skills, then texts, then essential ?s. Meanwhile, I start w/essential ?s, texts, then skills. #TheEdCollabGathering #7
Of the many things I learned co-presenting w/@teachkate was how we approach planning from different starting pts. Kate, master of rdg workshop, starts w/skills, then texts, then essential ?s. Meanwhile, I start w/essential ?s, texts, then skills. #TheEdCollabGathering #7
But no matter where we startāwhether we start with the skills kids will need to apply to new texts independently or the essential questions they can wrestle and grapple withāwhat is NOT a starting or ending point is the text.
#TheEdCollabGathering #7
#TheEdCollabGathering #7
We should stop treating texts & the "canon" as if they are fixed.
How often do we start & end w/the "text": reducing literature to content to be consumed v. a means to invite Ss to develop skills & grapple with big, important questions? #DisruptTexts #TheEdCollabGathering #7
How often do we start & end w/the "text": reducing literature to content to be consumed v. a means to invite Ss to develop skills & grapple with big, important questions? #DisruptTexts #TheEdCollabGathering #7
Thread. šš½
This review right here is what #DisruptTexts is up against. The racism, classism, and intellectual elitism in the @WSJ review is symptomatic of the systems that keep the ācanonā in tact.
This review right here is what #DisruptTexts is up against. The racism, classism, and intellectual elitism in the @WSJ review is symptomatic of the systems that keep the ācanonā in tact.
And the truth is, this reviewerās bias is also the bias that many Ts haveāeducated (indoctrinated) in the ācanon,ā we will show a clear bias toward the texts that make up not only our reader identities but that validate our expertise as educators. #DisruptTexts
We teach what we know.
But what we know ā and how we come to know and understand texts, how we determine their value ā has been typically limited to a rather narrow (and unchallenged) definition of āgreat literature.ā #DisruptTexts
But what we know ā and how we come to know and understand texts, how we determine their value ā has been typically limited to a rather narrow (and unchallenged) definition of āgreat literature.ā #DisruptTexts
#DisruptTexts friends, itās confession time. Share a traditionally canonical text ā or many ā that youāve never read (or faked read) and the impact, negative or positive, thatās had on you. Do you feel you missed out? How did not reading said text affect your opportunities?
Iāll go first: Pride and Prejudice, Grapes of Wrath are the first two that come to mind. BUT I could put countless others that I could count as having not read because I really didnāt understand them at the time and couldnāt tell you a thing about them.
Discussion of āgreat literatureā must include critique of systems that decided & still decide what qualifies as āgreat.ā The āCanonā is a construction: it was constructed & is maintained by interests that arenāt necessarily inclusive of the full range of human exp. #DisruptTexts
Too often I see real critiques of the ācanonā met with a brief acknowledgment of the importance of diverse texts but then a doubling down of the value of the ācanonā / āgreat literatureā / āclassicsā #DisruptTexts
When legitimate concerns about #RepresentationMatters are brought up, the response is either outright defensiveness or performative agreement. #DisruptTexts
For anyone reading Dr. DāAngeloās White Fragility and #ClearTheAir: a thread that illustrates many of the principles outlined in the book. Here @MrKitMath rightly points out the ways in which the erasure of the contributions of POC gets perpetuated and the responses are textbook.
Thank you, @MrKitMath, for pushing back on this nonsense. When we donāt critically examine SYSTEMS of racism and fail to intervene to disrupt those systems, then we are more than complicitāwe are active participants.
This is particularly problematic in predominantly White spaces which become an echo chamber of Whiteness even when those participating donāt realize it. Itās this lack of realization where systems draw their power.
I think the default thinking for some/many Ts is Us v. Them, Ts v. the system (admin, parents, etc).
But Ts are also part of the system. Our job isnāt to passively transmit or accept some ācanon.ā
Ts ā along w/Ss ā can & do have a role in actively shaping it. #DisruptTexts
But Ts are also part of the system. Our job isnāt to passively transmit or accept some ācanon.ā
Ts ā along w/Ss ā can & do have a role in actively shaping it. #DisruptTexts
Itās my belief that itās Tsā professional responsibility to actively pushback on texts and practices that are harmful to kids, to advocate for change. āWeāve always done it this wayā and āI canātā thinking is how the systemāand all its inequitiesāgets perpetuated...
... through tacit acceptance, silence, and a refusal to see that 1) thereās a problem, 2) itās also my problem, or 3) I have the power and responsibility to change it.
Today in #room290, this is what #DisruptTexts looked like: after reading several articles relating to the Vietnam War (our whole class novel is Fallen Angels by Walter Dean Myers), we created a list of perspectives that haven't read yet: Who's voice is missing?
And because I had purposefully left out the perspectives of the Vietnamese, Ss pointed out how we hadn't yet heard not only from that point-of-view, but also surrounding countries. Then we ended class reading this wonderful piece by @viet_t_nguyen #DisruptTexts
"The tendency to separate war stories from immigrant stories means that most Americans donāt understand how many of the immigrants and refugees in the United States have fled from wars ā many of which this country has had a hand in." #DisruptTexts nytimes.com/2015/04/26/opiā¦
Yesterday during an in-service meeting, I love that we were asked to reflect on the following questions:
1) Why do you teach?
2) How do you teach?
3) What do you teach?
4) Goal for this year
My responses:
1) Why do you teach?
2) How do you teach?
3) What do you teach?
4) Goal for this year
My responses:
Why do I teach?
Short answer: My parents. All my life, I had a deep respect for education and itās importance (note: not grades, but education). My parents taught me that education is power.
And I still believe that education is our most powerful tool for social change.
Short answer: My parents. All my life, I had a deep respect for education and itās importance (note: not grades, but education). My parents taught me that education is power.
And I still believe that education is our most powerful tool for social change.
How do I teach?
With authenticity: I try to be as authentic as possible and I invite Ss to bring their full selves into the room as well. Every lesson, I plan through the lens of authenticity: Is this something relevant to Ss? Is this what reading/writing look like in the world?
With authenticity: I try to be as authentic as possible and I invite Ss to bring their full selves into the room as well. Every lesson, I plan through the lens of authenticity: Is this something relevant to Ss? Is this what reading/writing look like in the world?
Back to school and feeling both exhausted and energized! So many good conversations yesterday and today around curriculum, diversity, and equity. Proud to be a part of such a great group of Ts as we #DisruptTexts together! Canāt wait to meet the kids Monday!
To my Ts friends here, thank you all for your support of not only this work, but for your daily brilliance. My #HFellows #squad... donāt know where Iād be without you. ā¤ļø @TchKimPossible @arcticisleteach @tianasilvas @AnnaOz249
Feeling especially grateful to @ChristieNold @ValeriaBrownEdu @mrsjjee @juliaerin80 @thel0rdbyr0n @SchleiderJustin @mel_katzz @DingleTeach I am continuously inspired by your honesty, courage, and deep thinking. Words arenāt enough but maybe this will help...
More #BeyondLiteraryAnalysis #mentortexts for #CrazyRichAsians! Not one but two breakdowns of pivotal scenes from the film. Love using mentor texts like this to show Ss the intentional choices that creatives make in their craft. #DisruptTexts
And hereās another #BeyondLiteraryAnalysis #mentortext for #CrazyRichAsians from @VanityFair #DisruptTexts
And in case you missed it, donāt forget about this excellent analysis of a scene from #BlackPanther #DisruptTexts
Great #mentortext using soundtrack from #CrazyRichAsians! Have Ss write an analysis of how a song works in a particular scene in film! #DisruptTexts #BeyondLiteraryAnalysis #MovingWriters ew.com/movies/2018/08ā¦
BTW, not only am I thoroughly appreciating this film on a personal level, I am out of this world happy reading all the think pieces and analyses of itāand thereās so much to unpack! The clothing, set design, language choices, everything. #CrazyRichAsians
I mean. This mahjong scene. This choices here in what to explain, what doesnāt need to be explained. #DisruptTexts #mentortext #BeyondLiteraryAnalysis vox.com/first-person/2ā¦
#CrazyRichAsians opens today! No, it doesnāt represent all Asians or Asian Americans. But I saw it last week & despite being neither East Asia or crazy rich, I was emotional watching it. Itās one thing to read the books but quite another to see the story on the big screen.
Itās just one story, and one very small story in the wide range of what it means to be a person of Asian descent in the world.
But when there are so few āmirrorsā and āwindowsā (Bishop), Iāll take ALL the storiesāand demand more. #CrazyRichAsians #DisruptTexts
But when there are so few āmirrorsā and āwindowsā (Bishop), Iāll take ALL the storiesāand demand more. #CrazyRichAsians #DisruptTexts
So today Iām going to #DisruptTexts on my timeline with Tweets about amplifying #CrazyRichAsians and the myriad artistic accomplishments of all people of Asian descent.
And congrats to @jonmchu & the entire cast! Iāve been a fan since a Ss recād the book & havenāt looked back.
And congrats to @jonmchu & the entire cast! Iāve been a fan since a Ss recād the book & havenāt looked back.
So I'm going to post some links.... All purchases go to supporting initiatives I am a part of/helping to lead. Recently had somebody reach out asking for my Venmo to compensate me for all they learn from me on Twitter. I appreciate that. Here are additional ways...[THREAD]
#Educolor is my heart home. It is where familia, intense dreaming, and powerful activism centered around educational equity starts and ends for me.
#DisruptTexts is a little thing we have going on recognized by @NYTimesLearning and @chicagotribune so let's keep disrupting the literary canon and all THAT.
teespring.com/stores/disruptā¦
teespring.com/stores/disruptā¦
This. Looking back to my early teaching life, my biggest concerns as a T were so *small* ā
I spent too much time focusing on management when I should have focused on relationships with kids. On seeing, really *seeing* them. 1/
I spent too much time focusing on management when I should have focused on relationships with kids. On seeing, really *seeing* them. 1/
Too much time focusing on content when I should have focused on character.
Too much time focusing on having answers rather than seeking the right questions.
Too much time focusing on ārulesā versus the rights of my students to read, to write, and to speak authentically. 2/
Too much time focusing on having answers rather than seeking the right questions.
Too much time focusing on ārulesā versus the rights of my students to read, to write, and to speak authentically. 2/
When we put too much focus on the small things (like I did)ālike quizzing kids on discrete pieces of information, answering every study guide questions, or taking points off for a comma spliceāour teaching becomes small.
Worse, Ss learning becomes small, too. 3/
Worse, Ss learning becomes small, too. 3/
Lots of Ts talk abt Ss "voice"ābut what does that really mean? And how can we honor Ss who are often marginalized, esp. in class discussions that require complexity v. platitudes. TY @LadyOfSardines for sharing this. Will definitely be using! #DisruptTexts medium.com/@ursulawolfe/dā¦
I did something similar when Ss read "Raising a Black Son in the US" by Jesmyn Ward. I asked Ss to 1) select a passage/excerpt that stood out to them from the text and 2) respond to any part of the essay. Collected these via Google Form.
Then I copied/pasted answers in a doc, alternating between excerpts from the text they selected & Ss responses. Passed copies out next day (removed any names) and we read them all aloud around the room. So some kids were reading Ward's words, others reading a classmate's.
One of the things I commonly hear Ts say about our work as educators is that we need to prepare kids for college or the world (hopefully both).
Iāve said that myself, so Iād like to unpack that a little. A thread... 1/ #DisruptTexts
Iāve said that myself, so Iād like to unpack that a little. A thread... 1/ #DisruptTexts
Preparing kids for college and/or the world is a line of reasoning Iāve often heard used to justify practices that Ts believe will help kids succeed.
We need to give homework, tests, exams b/c thatās how theyāll be measured. 2/
We need to give homework, tests, exams b/c thatās how theyāll be measured. 2/
Or that Ss will need to know X, Y, or Z b/c thatās what college professors expect.
In the ELA world, this line of reasoning justifies teaching everything from the 5-paragraph essay to isolated grammar practice to reading Shakespeare. 3/
In the ELA world, this line of reasoning justifies teaching everything from the 5-paragraph essay to isolated grammar practice to reading Shakespeare. 3/
Looking for your favorite visuals, charts, infographics that answer the question (in any way): What is America? Who are Americans? What does it mean to be American? and any related questions. Building a #DisruptTexts unit for #AmericanLit! āš½
And just found this resource! mentalfloss.com/article/59646/ā¦
Reading a few conversations online recently, I've been thinking a lot about the urgent need for us as Ts to do some hard, internal work of unpacking the identities we bring to the classroom. (Thread, a long one šš¾) /1
Teaching is an intensely human activity. We know that the best teachers are those who know that teachingāand Ssācannot be standardized. We teach who we are. This is what can make our practice so powerfulāeven transformativeābut also dangerous. /2
We bring all of our identitiesāand the experiences that informed themāinto our teaching. So we have to interrogate the ways in which these experiences have shaped our practices and relationships with kids. /3
Yesterday at #ctj_pd workshop, @Klind2013 asked, "What does it mean to #DisruptTexts?" My initial response was to frame it w/in the context of our classrooms. And so #DisruptTexts for me involves at least two related and necessary moves: /1
1) Replace problematic texts to make space for the rich literary & intellectual history of POC. Consider the themes or essential ?s explored in the curriculum & ask: whose voices, what points-of-view are not reflected in our study? Who is being centered? Then find those texts. /2
This may require some honest, difficult conversations w/colleagues. It will mean, as @TchKimPossible pointed out yesterday, talking about racism, how it manifests itself in our choices, about voices we value and those we do have not. There will be discomfort and defensiveness. /3
