Read Outside Your Bubble

Learn how to foster student engagement, cultivate empathy, and encourage a love of reading by bringing diverse literature into the classroom Using an instructional coaching framework, Read Outside Your Bubble introduces teachers to a new mindset for helping students develop literacy and become lifelong readers. By building an accessible and inclusive literacy curriculum, you can pique students' interest in the world outside their #bubbles. “Bubbles” are identity markers of race, religion, orientation, and socio-economic status. In this book, instructional coach and parent Nita Creekmore takes a conversational and research-backed approach to introducing her L.E.A.P framework, which guides you through the process of crafting your curriculum. You'll also learn how to develop lesson plans that increase compassion, cultivate empathy, and encourage a love of reading and history. Follow the research-backed L.E.A.P. framework to choose diverse reading selections for K-12 classrooms Learn step-by-step techniques for creating an inclusive curriculum that engages students in literacy Help turn students into lifelong learners by encouraging them to think beyond their own circumstances and think critically about the world around them Teach students how to compare and contrast themes and ideas across content areas The primary audience is teachers, curriculum coaches, curriculum specialists, instructional coaches, and homeschooling parents will appreciate the practical, future-minded approach in Read Outside Your Bubble. This book brings diversity into classrooms in a way that will prepare students to participate in the creation of a more inclusive world.

Foreword by Charnaie Gordon xiii  My Why xv  What Does the Title of This Book Mean? xvi  Why I Wrote This Book xvii  The Pathway xviii  What You Will Find in This Book xix  Let’s Reflect xxi  Chapter 1: What Is a Bubble? 1  Bubble 1  Reading and Your Bubble 2  Making a Change 3  Why Should We Read Beyond Our Bubbles? 5  Beginning to Step Outside Your Bubble 6  Let’s Reflect 12  Chapter 2: Expand Your Relationship Bubble: Relationships and Reading 13  Relationships 13  Community Is the Heart 14  Let’s Cultivate Love in Our Community—In Our Relationships 15  Community Meetings + Reading + Connecting Outside Your Bubbles 16  Getting to Know the Students in Your Learning Community 17  Let’s Visualize 18  Knowing Your Students as Readers 20  Expand Your Everyday 23  Let’s Reflect 24  Chapter 3: The LEAP Framework for Inclusive Texts 25  Framework 25  The Learning Ladder 27  The LEAP Framework 32  Learning Using the LEAP Framework 35  Let’s Reflect 39  Chapter 4: Learning: Seeing Mirrors with Inclusive Text 41  Learn 41  Let’s Visualize 42  The Importance of Mirrors 43  The Reflection of Mirrors Cultivate Engagement 44  Cultivating Active Readers 45  Creating an Inclusive Environment 45  Let’s Reflect 53  Chapter 5: Learning: Opening Windows with Inclusive Text 55  Learn More 55  Let’s Visualize 56  Why Are Windows Important? 57  Looking Out the Window Cultivates Engagement 57  Cultivating Active Readers through Windows 58  Creating an Environment of Windows That Cultivates Compassion 59  Let’s Reflect 66  Chapter 6: Learning: Gliding through Sliding-Glass Doors with Inclusive Text 67  Learn Some More 67  Let’s Visualize 68  Why Are Sliding-Glass Doors Important? 69  Gliding through Sliding-Glass Doors Cultivates Engagement 71  Cultivating Active Readers through Sliding-Glass Doors 73  Creating an Environment That Promotes Sliding-Glass Doors When Reading 74  Readers Often Forget about Sliding-Glass Doors 77  Let’s Reflect 78  Contents xi  Chapter 7: Equitable: Integrating Inclusive Texts in Equitable Ways 79  Equity 79  The Impact of Inclusive Texts and Equity 80  Whose Book Is Not Displayed? 82  Integrate Inclusive Texts Equitably 83  Community and Equity 86  Let’s Reflect 87  Chapter 8: Access: Getting Inclusive Texts into Everyone’s Hands 89  Access 89  Ways to Get Access to Inclusive Books 91  Make Teaching and Learning with Inclusive Texts Accessible 95  Let’s Reflect 97  Chapter 9: Purposeful and Professional Learning: Building Skill and Routine to Transform Teaching and Learning 99  Purposeful and Professional Learning 99  Before Professional Learning 100  Planning for Professional Learning 102  Integrating Inclusive Texts Professional Learning Pathways 108  Take Time to Reflect on Professional Learning 111  Continue the Professional Learning 112  Let’s Reflect 113  Chapter 10: Banned Books = VIBs (Very Important Books) 115  Banned? 115  A Reframe: VIBs (Very Important Books) 117  Using Our Voices 118  Teaching Today with Book Bans Swirling Around 119  What’s Next with VIBs? 124  Let’s Reflect 125  Epilogue 127  References and Resources 129  About the Author 131  Index 133