The Blog

Harmful Books vs. Harm-Exposing Books abar books education ela joy literacy reading May 17, 2023

I guess that the nuance in knowing the difference between a book that exposes harm and one that is harmful isn't as clear for everyone as it may be for me. Let me change that. 

There are books that cause harm. Harm, in this case, refers to offense or insult. These are books that lead the...

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Florida is Burning #disrupttexts books curriculum education ela inclusive literacy reading Feb 03, 2023

I know you've been watching the news and you've probably been watching our videos on social media. We can't stop talking about what DeSantis is doing, and here's why: 

1. These book banning are racist and oppressive in every way. He hides behind certain vague phrases to appease his political...

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Did you know picture books used to be really racist? #antiracistedu #carbte #disrupttexts books ela picture books racism reading Oct 17, 2022

CONTENT WARNING: Some graphic, dehumanizing, and racist imagery is included in this blog for the purpose of education, analysis, and evidence. 

Picture book illustrations of children of color have really positively evolved over time in the United States. Early depictions were painfully...

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We Have a Racist Imagination #antiracistedu anti-racist schools antiracist antiracistedu books diversity educational equity ela inclusive racism Sep 06, 2022

That might sound harsh. It might make you feel defensive. No, I'm not just talking to white people. Yes, this is to everyone. 

Think about it: the way our media (books included) have centered Whiteness and kept us in the shadows has certainly shaped the way people see others and themselves....

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Studying Lula in To Kill a Mockingbird #antiracistedu #carbte #disrupttexts abar books classroom curriculum education ela literacy Jul 15, 2022

I know people really love this book and they struggle to let it go. One of the biggest hesitations expressed is that it's a great fodder for conversations about race(ism). However, my response to that is: it's written by a White woman and it is therefore limited in its scope. There will be...

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Diversifying Your ELA Themes #antiracistedu #carbte #disrupttexts curriculum diversity ela Dec 08, 2021

 

Unit themes are at the core of most English Language Arts (or ELA) classrooms, which begs the questions: what are you teaching beyond books? How are your course themes also a proponent of social justice and critical literacy? This is what #DisruptTexts means when they explain that work...

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More Than Words Can Describe csp ela poetry resources social emotional learning Dec 19, 2019

This blog post is straight from our classrooms!

From Roberto:

A couple of weeks ago, I used writing to promote some social-emotional learning with students while fostering community in the class. I used a picture from the New York Times publication titled “40 Intriguing Photos to Make...

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Unit: Fighting for Our Lives csp ela middle school resources social justice Sep 27, 2019

Young people are leaders of the future. They will be running this country, our institutions, and our lives, and yet, here they are fighting for their lives and ours. I’m speaking about both the earth/climate change issues, but also gun control, racism, and other matters. Young people have...

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Unit: Language & Liberation #carbte #disrupttexts abar antiracist antiracistedu bipoc classroom csp curriculum education ela indigenous resources social justice Aug 05, 2018

I work toward welcoming marginalized voices into my classroom while moving my students toward a stance grounded in love and freedom. As a student, I never encountered a curriculum that did that. When I first became an educator, I struggled to find examples of curricula or lessons that effectively...

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