By incorporating quarterly independent reading projects into her curriculum, this English teacher ensures that every student reads culturally responsive literature.
Teachers can increase student engagement by consulting with small groups of students about their classroom experience. When students see their ideas being put into action, they become more invested in their education.
When the Dallas Texas Public Schools District decided to show its fifth-graders Red Tails, an action-adventure film based on the Tuskegee pilots who formed the country’s first black aerial combat unit, it was a tremendous idea. The district felt students would be inspired by the story of these men who fought segregation, integrated the Army and were trained as combat pilots for the United States during WWII.
When we encourage our students to consider how power and privilege affect them, we must also anticipate that they’re going to want to do something about injustices they see.