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Let’s Step Up by Anne Lee
July 14 was a day of great highs and lows. A group of almost 500 educators congregated in Leesburg, Virginia for the Scholastic Book Fairs Reading Summit. We heard from Nancie Atwell, Donalyn Miller, John Schu, Sara Pennypacker and many others. Our spirits were buoyed by the power of independent reading and the strength of a community committed to raising readers and critical thinkers.
Educators hugged Clifford, smelled books inspired by Mr. Schu, and were challenged by Donalyn Miller to commit to one change in the upcoming school year to support independent reading.
Then….the horrors in Nice on France’s Bastille Day.
I am on a plane again as I was when I wrote my last blog post. Today I sit next to an elegant African-American couple who took out The Book of Daniel and prayed when they sat down. As the plane took off, I prayed too and even genuflected. It felt necessary to make the sign of the cross today. Faith feels like all we have left, that and community, starting first here in Row 24 of United Flight 379 headed to Orlando.
It was a rough week and I continue to worry about our children. A friend schooled me recently that worry serves no purpose. So I am driven to action by the words of Dallas Police Chief, David Brown, that society must step up.
I need help Nerdy Book Club community and maybe some of you do, too.
What books can I share with my soon to be fifth grade daughter to help her process the horrors that are occurring?
When she returned home to Orlando after the Pulse attacks, she took me aside in our kitchen and whispered in my ear: “Mommy, is it safe?” After I took a moment to confirm that I understood what she was asking, my mom voice reassured: “Yes, Honey, we are safe.” My adult brain wasn’t so sure. She could see through that – the response was too quick.
Perhaps as a community we can step up over the coming weeks and create lists of great books to share with children that can provide understanding and healing.
Perhaps school counselors and social workers can guide us to some strategies to talk about these kinds of questions with truth and reassurance.
Perhaps school leaders can share ideas on how to welcome families and staff back to school with support for the inevitable anxieties that will manifest campus-wide.
Now is the time to deploy those books we know are life savers just as our Police Officers must go out every day and risk their lives to protect us.
Let’s step up together.
The quote by Dallas Chief of Police, David Brown, is part of this article by Peggy Noonan – well worth the read: Three Great Men Talk About Race
Nerdy Book Club 
I will start with creating a classroom where students feel safe and also feel comfortable raising their fears, and treat each other with respect, even when they are fearful of opposing things. It starts with me, but once it becomes them, it spreads from my room to their out of school lives.
This event was less than a mile from my house–how did I miss it??
I’m going to put an idea out here, inspired by Lester Laminack, several years ago. He challenged us to provide children with small notebooks and pencils that they could carry around to write down random acts of kindnesses that they notice through their days and to give opportunities to share observations during morning meeting or some other designated time. It could be that someone holds the door for someone else, or someone let’s their mom go before them in line at the grocery store. The point is to help children see that despite all the bad we hear of on television, there’s still many, many more good people in the world. It puts me in mind of my 5th grade teacher, Mrs. Zatti. Every day she had us share current events, but discouraged us from bringing in anything that was negative or likely to cause anxiety. I even got in trouble one day for bringing in pictures of our car after an accident my mother had been in. I always wondered about that, but maybe Mrs. Zatti was trying to protect us and keep us innocent a little longer. Or maybe she wanted us to see that despite the gloom and doom, there’s a lot of good in the world. So, I think I’ll start checking out the back to school ads (that are showing up way too early) and use Lester’s idea again this year.
I love this idea and will share and do the same. Thank you!
Wow. I had no idea this summit was held in Virginia! I live in the southeastern corner of the state – Portsmouth / Hampton Roads.
Also – I have nominated you for the Bloggers Recognition Award!
https://hotshotheadlines.wordpress.com/2016/07/17/getting-personal-25-bloggers-recognition-award/
We are certainly sorry that you missed the event. There are free resources posted for all on Scholastic.com under reading summit resources.
Thank you for the encouragement and vote of confidence.
Dear All:
I think that when we look at our children and ask how can we make them better people, people we don’t want moved to violence we need to give them books to read that they can comprehend. The book I would suggest is *Any Small Goodness* by Tony Johnston. I like this book because: 1. It really is a series of short stories which children will find east to read. 2. The stories tell of small accomplishments that make a big difference. 3. It shows a real life side of Los Angels, not just the unattainable Hollywood side. 4. With its Latin leanings it introduces a very different way of looking at the world. a way many of our students may have never imagined and in dong so it may erase some of prejudices.
Rescuing a cat and delivering Christmas trees are all things kids can do! It’s great to shoot for the stars but not many of us can invent new machines to harness the wind, or fly around the world. Doing the simple things, I believe, is the only way to make a difference in every community. This book makes that case and that is why I would recommend it to any 5th grader.
Sincerely, Mary Anne O’Rourke, Librarian St.Thomas More Cathedral School Arlington, VA 22203 morourke@stmschool.org
On Sun, Jul 17, 2016 at 5:01 AM, Nerdy Book Club wrote:
> CBethM posted: ” July 14 was a day of great highs and lows. A group of > almost 500 educators congregated in Leesburg, Virginia for the Scholastic > Book Fairs Reading Summit. We heard from Nancie Atwell, Donalyn Miller, > John Schu, Sara Pennypacker and many others. Our sp” >
Thank you very much. I will definitely pick up this book . Love, service, community, and faith the antidote to all the rest.
Thank you very much for the book recommendation and the reminder of the power of service and paying it forward.
When faced with tragedies, I seem to always have Mr. Rogers’ voice in my head, “…look for the helpers.” There are some discussion resources (esp for younger children) on the Mr. Rogers Company site http://www.fredrogers.org/parents/special-challenges/tragic-events.php with good ideas. In that vein, I looked to picture books and thought of some focusing on community and people working together sometimes in reaction to tragedy or violence – Lend a Hand: Poems About Giving, The Streets are Free, Zetta Elliott’s City Kids Series starting with Dayshaun’s Gift, Smoky Night, and The Harvey Milk Story. There are others to talk about empathy and getting along and more – Each Kindness, Skin Again, The Enemy: A Book About Peace, If You Plant a Seed, I Too am America. I know there are many more. Also, I am Yoga is one that would help young students when they need calming and to feel in control. I especially like it with Emily Arrow’s video. I know there are more books out there, but would love to see other suggestions.
Thank you so much for all of these wonderful book recommendations. I will be reading and sharing them.
Also, specifically in response to the civilian and police deaths here in the U.S., Rich in Color had a post earlier this week focused on YA level materials – http://richincolor.com/2016/07/activism-and-self-care/
Anne, I don’t have a book ,”yet” but I do have some ideas. I am a retired educator ( National Center for Families Learning , Louisville, KY). I am also African American. Children need to understand each other. Conversations starters that build on what children have in common are a great place to start.
With care Bonnie Lash Freeman Sent from my iPhone
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This is not a book, but a whole program, geared toward helping children learn to understand and accept each other. It is being used around the world. I daresay there are adults who need a remedial course.
http://operationrespect.org
I have seen several posts today that have more resources and suggestions: Great Kid Books: Power of poetry for our children: Hope with Wings http://greatkidbooks.blogspot.com/2016/07/power-of-poetry-for-our-children-hope.html?spref=tw and What Can We Do? http://readingyear.blogspot.com/2016/07/what-can-we-do.html
Don’t forget about the Teaching Tolerance website. They have great ideas. I’ve been looking into their Perspectives curriculum http://perspectives.tolerance.org/