Society is driven by the mindset of the collective. Our raindrops of personality and perspective assemble to form the pooling pond that makes up our communities. Ebbing and flowing with each ripple, the mass surges on into a brave new world. This world is one to be revitalized by future generations. A drop cannot shift the circulation of the water as much as a rainstorm can flood the channels, disrupting the river鈥檚 rhythm. One idea may not cause grand societal change, but a generation with a belief can transform our world! Polluting the water with discriminatory thoughts and ideas bleeds into the mentality of the masses. Rather, through spreading ideas of inclusion, acceptance, diversity, and equity, we can shift the mindset of our society and leave a new legacy that lasts.听

Teaching with a multicultural, asset-based lens opens a new context for students, showing them an authentic view of our world and the world of the people that walked this earth before us. It is imperative to apply this beyond history lessons, but to all subjects. When learning mathematics, students are often taught about contributions from Euclid, Plato, and Archimedes, rather than the lesser-known, but just as significant, Abu Kamil, Muhammad ibn Musa al-Khwarizmi, the Subla Sutras text, and the Zhoubi Suanjing text. Through expanding and breaking down the predominately white perspective in which Western education is taught, students not only learn a richer historic truth but enter the world with diversity being a norm, rather than just an idea.

In the 1-2s, inclusion has been a top priority. Dissecting what we were taught during our education allowed us to build and design a curriculum centered around what mattered most to us鈥攖hat students leave with the beliefs and understandings that history is more than one race or gender鈥檚 accomplishments, that all people in the world deserve to feel loved, and that the world is larger than one鈥檚 individual experiences. These are big topics that even us teachers are still learning and exploring. But if we plant the seed now, we can grow a new society. A world shaped by the next generation embracing diversity and change.听

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I am currently setting up my classroom in the Early Elementary. My favorite task is building the classroom library. I will continue to add books to it throughout the year. My goal is to make sure that my bookshelf is inclusive. My hope is that the books displayed in the classroom celebrate and honor the population of our world. 听I have been reading online blogs to find new books to check out.听

One of the many online resources I am using is a list posted by Welcoming Schools titled, 鈥�鈥�. This list is packed with books that showcase marvelous and rich LGBTQ characters. Some books I have in my library already are: I am Jazz by Jessica Herthel & Jazz Jennings, Tango Makes Three by Justin Richardson & Peter Parnell, Pride: The Story of Harvey Milk and the Rainbow Flag by Rob Sanders, and Prince & Knight by Daniel Haack. Below are books on my reading list for the next two weeks. Please check out the resources on Welcoming Schools to see a wider selection. The lists will give you a brief summary of the books as well.听

Here are some picture books I would like to check out immediately:

• Families by Shelley Rotner and Sheila M. K
• The Bravest Knight Who Ever Lived by Daniel Errico
• The Different Dragon by Jennifer Bryan听
• Harriet Gets Carried Away by Jessie Sima
• Maiden Voyage by Jaimee Poipoi
• A Tale of Two Daddies by Vanita Oelschlager

Here are some chapter books for older kids that I would like to read:听

• Zenobia July by Lisa Bunker听
• The Stars Beneath Our Feet by David Barclay Moore听
• The House of Hades by Rick Riordan
• Captain Underpants and the Sensational Saga of Sir Stinks-A-Lot by Dan Pilkey

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Environmental activism is a topic that鈥檚 easy to love in the classroom and one I personally feel strongly about. Last fall, the 1st and 2nd grade students drafted postcards expressing their love for the earth, to send to Governor Jay Inslee, as a show of support for the Youth Climate Strike. Students are invested and often passionate about the health of beloved places and animals, but how inclusive are our lessons on environmental health? Liz Kleinrock, an anti-bias anti-racist educator, writes in her essay 鈥淗ow Inclusive is your Teaching About the Environment?鈥�

鈥淭eaching students to respect the environment and participate in sustainable practices is just one part of tackling the issue. We must also help them understand that climate change and institutional racism go hand in hand.鈥�

In conversations with students, it is important to include that climate change disproportionately affects Black and Brown people in America and across the world. The environmental movement often ignores that fact, as well as the fact that BIPOC activists historically played, and continue to play, enormous roles in environmental activism worldwide. My role as a white educator is to actively work to decenter whiteness and colonial narratives when teaching about climate change and environmental activism. When talking about history in the classroom, we ask 鈥淲ho gets to tell this story? Whose perspective is missing?鈥�.Those questions can also act as a springboard to inclusive teaching of environmental issues Kleinrock writes, 鈥淲hen we include multiple cultural and historical perspectives in our teaching about environmentalism, our students learn that intent and impact do not always align.鈥� That lesson is equally as important as learning environmental stewardship as we strive to foster an inclusive and deep understanding of environmental issues.听

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Jordan Taitingfong鈥檚 blog post as part of a series on Diversity, Belonging, and Racial Justice titled 鈥淭he future of childhood will be built by the youth鈥� addresses the vital role children play in dismantling the systems of oppression in our society. She writes, 鈥渃hildren have radical ideas for the future. Our job is to create spaces that center their voices while giving them tools to understand the world so they can create something better.鈥�

Children are capable of big things. As Taitingfong writes, our job as adults and teachers is to give children tools to activate that ability. 果冻传媒 empowers young people to engage in that work from the time they enter their 果冻传媒 journey all the way through fifth grade. In Class Meeting, students collaborate to enact creative problem-solving in their community. During Math Vitamin, students learn and use complex mathematical vocabulary beginning in preschool鈥攂ecause when kids engage with those concepts year after year, they deepen and contextualize their understanding of high-level mathematical thinking.

Just as we teach children the vocabulary to approach mathematical concepts at a young age, we should also prioritize teaching students the language they need to talk about equity. When we give students the vocabulary to define, recognize, and talk about racism, sexism, and other forms of discrimination, we empower them to be able to speak up when they notice injustice. Awareness is the first step to developing understanding, which is a stepping stone to action.

Taitingfong writes:

Through my work, I center children鈥檚 voices. I recognize the power, wisdom, and understanding children bring when we create spaces where we respect them. Giving them words like ableism, racism, and xenophobia allows them to engage. Recognizing play as an expression of voice allows us to see their understandings as they shape the world.

In the same way that disability justice must center people with disabilities, and racial justice movements must center Black, Indigenous, and other People of Color, a vision for the future of childhood is incomplete without our youngest pushing it forward. A future of childhood built on belonging can exist. If we support them, our children will forge it in ways only they can imagine.

果冻传媒 is built around the creativity, independence, and community-mindedness of children. We can continue to emphasize high-level vocabulary words and make conversations about equity and systems of oppression a regular practice, giving students the 鈥渢ools to understand the world so they can create something better鈥�. (Jordan Taitingfong, )

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When we are at 果冻传媒, we are in the city of Seattle, which is the ancestral land and home of the Duwamish Tribe. The Duwamish people lived here for 10,000 years and still live here today. We at 果冻传媒 honor with gratitude the land itself and the Duwamish People.听

This is a land acknowledgment. Land acknowledgment in public spaces has become more and more common around the region and the country鈥攜ou might have encountered it at meetings, events, or noticed words of acknowledgement posted in visible areas. It is not a new practice鈥攁s stated on the Duwamish Tribe website, 鈥�Land acknowledgment is a traditional custom dating back centuries for many Native communities and nations. For non-Indigenous communities, land acknowledgment is a powerful way of showing respect and honoring the Indigenous Peoples of the land on which we work and live. Acknowledgment is a simple way of resisting the erasure of Indigenous histories and working towards honoring and inviting the truth.鈥�

Why is it important to know whose land we live on? Indigenous history is American history, and by learning the cultures and histories of Indigenous Peoples we honor those histories and counter the narratives of discovery and colonial power.听 鈥淎cknowledgement by itself is a small gesture. It becomes meaningful when coupled with authentic relationship and informed action鈥� ()

Last October in the 1st and 2nd grades, we celebrated Indigenous Peoples鈥� Day. We read about the Duwamish Tribe, created land acknowledgement signs to post in visible places, and listened to stories told by Duwamish and Coast Salish peoples. Together, we sought to learn the history of the land we call home鈥攚ho lived here first, what happened, and how Indigenous voices can be amplified, acknowledged, and acted upon today. We aim to continue. Through regular and thoughtful acknowledgement that our school is on Indigenous land, we create a practice of the ongoing and intentional pursuit of truth, awareness, and inspiration to action.听

Learn more about Land Acknowledgement here:

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Written in response to the Mill Neck International article, .

As more and more hearing educators and families learn more about deafness, Deaf Culture (lowercase d 鈥渄eaf鈥� implies medical deafness, capital D 鈥淒eaf鈥� signals Deaf Culture and whose within it), and sign language, more and more conversations arise regarding the 鈥渄ebate鈥� between cochlear implants and sign language. For years the debate has gone something like:听

Hearing person: Cochlear implants are the only way to go because we want our children to be able to hear and talk just like us!听

Deaf person: Sign language is the only way to go because it allows us access to our community and rich cultural history.听

Both points of view have valid opinions, research, and feelings behind them. I鈥檓 not here to pick a side or tell anyone how to support their d/Deaf children and students. But I am here to say that sign language, beyond being a rich cultural language, can be an incredibly meaningful accessibility tool for d/Deaf people, diverse learners, and students with disabilities.听

In 2013, Klaudia Krammaer published a research review, combining a huge amount of research deafness, sign language, its effects on language development, and how it affected children with and without cochlear implants. The central conceit of this review was that sign language is deeply beneficial for all children with hearing loss whether they wear a cochlear implant or not. So, I鈥檓 here to say that, regardless of if a child has an implant, regardless of the level of their hearing loss, we should all be using sign language (I鈥檓 using the term 鈥渟ign language鈥� since there are hundreds of different types of sign language and they all show similar language development results).听

Sign language does not have a negative effect on the development of spoken language. It is actually the opposite! And this is something we see when we use baby signs for our infants and toddlers. I have a hearing student who came into class at a little over a year old and was having challenges communicating their needs. After introducing them to some key sign language phrases, they were able to begin asking for help both verbally and signed, communicating if they wanted milk, water, or food, and their physical behaviors with other children decreased due to this language access. This child is now 18 months old and is right on track with verbal language development. No delays have occured because we used ASL, in fact, it supported them as they jump-started their communication skills. This example is with a hearing child, but this type of experience is seen with d/Deaf children with implants as well.听

Used in a classroom, sign language can support all students鈥� language learning and brain development. It鈥檚 widely accepted that different people learn in different ways and it is being researched more and more that using our bodies can activate and help our brains retain and learn information more concretely. As a body-based and visual language, sign language can support d/Deaf students having access to a language that meets their needs, and it can also support hearing students working on developing other language skills.听

Sign language can deeply support nonverbal children and children who have challenges finding their voice. In work with young children, we work with children with disabilities. We work with students whose development is on a different path than the majority of people in their classes. Whether a student is nonverbal all the time or becomes nonverbal due to a nervous system override when something stressful happens, sign language can be a deeply valuable tool. Not only can it support nonverbal students in making their immediate needs met, but it can help them create connections and feel more supported than if they kept being asked to communicate in a verbal or verbal-centered way. It simply allows our spaces to be more accessible and equitable for students of all abilities and students with different processing needs.听

Finally, sign language makes spaces more equitable for d/Deaf people. Starting this equity early on in the home and at school can make a world of difference as d/Deaf children grow. While they will always be d/Deaf, they do not always have to be marginalized for their hearing differences if they have access to sign language in their everyday life. Whether a child has an implant and is simultaneously working on learning verbal language or they are Deaf and proud not to engage in verbal languages, sign language supports our ability to communicate with our children and students, and makes d/Deaf children feel they have access and space in a hearing dominated world.听

All in all, the message from Krammaer鈥檚 review, and the message I have gathered after working in the Deaf community with students with and without implants, is that there is no harm that can come from using sign language. There are only neutral and positive outcomes. If you are looking for more ways in which to make your classrooms or other educational spaces accessible to many different students, including d/Deaf students, sign language is a wonderful tool as well as a beautiful way to integrate a wide array of cultures into the classroom.听

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The blog ; from the website, the ACPA Commission for Social Justice Education, is an enlightening article about the opinions and thoughts of Paul C. Gorski on language and action connected to the social justice movement. In particular, the terms diversity and multiculturalism used to hold value and meaning that went hand in hand with the actions that spoke truth to what those words represented within the social justice work. Paul C. Gorski is an educator, activist, creative writer, and scholar whose life鈥檚 work is about social justice. In agreeing with Paul, there seems to be a double edge sword in regards to the advancement of awareness and acknowledgement of the social justice movement in the 21st century. More of our society recognizes that systems of oppression and injustice need to change. However, the other side to that coin lies within capitalizing on the same movement that is trying to deflect the institutionalization of diversity and social justice causes. In agreeing with Paul, I see more and more higher institutions selling car stickers and merchandise that represents the social justice movement and yet I see no real cause and effect from the sells themselves. Such as, donating part of the proceedings to creating programs within schools that are immersive within the social justice cause. Or partnerships with local businesses with educational institutions to create a coalition of active participants.听

Language can be translucent, one word can hold different meanings at different times. Paul has recognized that and has witnessed the words 鈥渄iversity鈥�, 鈥渋nclusion鈥� and 鈥渆quality鈥� appropriated systematically within institutions, as he says 鈥渟prinkle them with glitter and feign the appearance of institutional change, the same way so many people use Safe Space stickers.鈥� I believe there needs to be more done than just buying for the cause. That can be a good start and then the continuation of becoming aware and recognizing the changes that need to be accomplished through actual action. I see signs, posters, and t-shirts that recognize the change that needs to happen but then where does it go from there? Lastly, Paul concludes with a self-reflection on how he, as an active contributor for social change, can continue to raise awareness and at the same time, back those same objections with actions that reflect on the belief of making an actual change within the social justice movement. I myself, am beginning my journey for social change that first recognizes the work that needs to be done and finding the courage to make my convictions into reality.听

After reading the blog; 鈥�鈥� written by from TEDtalks, had me thinking about how our world is constantly changing and evolving to express new ways of being while at the same time challenging the status quo. The blog focuses on a woman from Kenya named Kakenya Ntaiya who challenged the status quo within her village about the traditional roles for women. Such as get married and have children before the age of 12.听 Instead, she had a dream to become a teacher and open a school in her village for other girls to have the opportunity to continue their education and see where their interests take them. However, before Kakenya could continue her education in a college in America, she still had to go through the traditional ceremony of womanhood in her village. It was a painful procedure that had her heal for several weeks, and afterwards, she was able to attend Randolph Macon College in America. After attending graduate school, Kakenya had the opportunity to open her own school in her village named The Kakenya School of Excellence. Where girls from the village could attend and gain a good education for their future.听听

In the schooling realm there are a lot of different avenues to get an education, however there is not enough access to that education. Especially, within the specific context of cultures and regions around the world. This blog featured a region within Africa that has limited access to education and even more so within the female population. In Africa, women have a considerable amount of responsibility that they have to uphold, otherwise there would be serious consequences and or disgrace. Education is then pushed away to the side and girls become women at a fast pace. For Kakenya to open a school within her Maasai village shows how powerful her belief is about the importance of education is for everyone, including girls. Education has the power to change lives and even change ideas within traditional cultures. Passions can fuel change and progress and Kakenya showed that to be true.

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I am a huge fan of A Mighty Girl. In their 鈥淎bout Us鈥澨� section, they describe the website as 鈥淎 Mighty Girl is the world鈥檚 largest collection of books, toys, movies, and music for parents, teachers, and others dedicated to raising smart, confident, and courageous girls and, of course, for girls themselves!鈥� A Mighty Girl consistently posts entries that are current and relevant to today鈥檚 issues.听 I use this website as a resource to find new books to read and to learn more about people that I should be paying attention to. My students, of all genders, have enjoyed these recommendations.

The blog post I want to highlight is titled, 鈥淲omen Saving The Planet: 25 Kids’ Books About Female Environmentalists鈥�.听 This top 25 list features women from different backgrounds. The short and succinct descriptions help readers get an idea of who these women are and why they are important. One of the figures spotlighted is environmental activist Greta Thunberg. She is an inspiration to many. Kids can relate to a teenager who raises her voice to fight for change. Her speeches are readily available to watch online. For younger readers, a picture book titled Greta and the Giants: inspired by Greta Thunberg’s Stand to Save the World is an accessible introduction.

Books that I have added to my reading list after reading this blog post:

1. Greta and the Giants: inspired by Greta Thunberg’s Stand to Save the World written by Zoe Tucker and illustrated by Zoe Persico

2. Seeds of Change: Wangari鈥檚 Gift to the World written by Jen Cullerton Johnson and Illustrated by Sonia Lynn Sadler

3. Shark Lady: The True Story of How Eugenie Clark Became the Ocean’s Most Fearless Scientist written by Jess Keating and illustrated by Marta Alvarez Miguens

In her blog post, Karol Silverstein writes about her own experience with rheumatoid arthritis. This piece was both poignant and informative. She shares her own experiences talking to children who are curious about her disability. Silverstein describes her goal of making sure diversity includes people with disabilities. 鈥淎lthough I鈥檓 writing here mostly about the benefits of exposing non-disabled readers to accurate, multidimensional disabled characters, it鈥檚 important to note that for kids who have disabilities and health challenges themselves, seeing themselves represented in media is incredibly important.鈥�

Building our classroom libraries, it is beneficial for students to see well written characters in their books that do not share the same background or experience. However, seeing yourself in books is much more important. The author talks about how a reader can feel less isolated in the world knowing that someone else feels the same way and is going through similar things. 鈥淚 felt soul-crushingly alone as a teen. The value of having a book like Cursed available to me back then would likely have been immeasurable.鈥� Silverstein鈥檚 young adult novel, Cursed, is waiting for me in my giant pile of books.

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In today鈥檚 global platform, there is a lot to be discussed. Such as, the political atmosphere, climate change, social justice issues, poverty, health and wellness, etc. With all of these conversations, there is one area of the population that seems to be intentionally left out, the youth.

Throughout history there have been momentous change within a society as in the Civil Rights movement, Labor movement, Women鈥檚 movement and so on. All of these movements and more entailed people who shared a common idea of righting the injustices in their world. However, when publicizing the efforts made, the media focused on the adults taking action and creating a new change. That is just one side of the coin, the other side is the youth, there were many instances that the youth took up action when it was needed.

For example, the Labor movement children were working in factories with the environment being horrendous for the mental and physical health. They were working seven, twelve hour days with no breaks throughout the day and not attending school. These kids had enough and decided to advocate for themselves and performed strikes until they succeeded with new child labor laws which tied into the Labor movement for all.

For the Civil Rights Movement, students from schools around the country performed strikes that even led to black student leaders getting arrested and jailed for long periods of time. There are hundreds of stories that involved children defending moral obligations and fighting injustices in their communities and beyond.

This knowledge should be taught throughout schools in the 21st century to equip students with the awareness needed to expand their way of looking at the world and to know that you do not need to be an adult to help bring forward change that is needed in the world.听听

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