YA Realistic Fiction Book Review: Abawi, Atia. A LAND OF PERMANENT GOODBYES.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Abawi, Atia. 2018. A LAND OF PERMANENT GOODBYES. New York. Penguin Random House. ISBN 9780399546853

PLOT SUMMARY

Tareq, a Syrian boy, does not want to leave his home and his family, but the war-driven country leaves the residents no choice. His family falls victim to a deadly attack that takes the lives of some of his family members. The journey to escaping the town they once called home is nothing short of a deadly one. Along the way, Tareq is separated from his father and sister only to reunite and face the decision of separating again and negotiating their spot on the refugee-filled inflatable that will make the treacherous journey across the deadly waters to claim asylum in the European nations. 

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Tareq, the main character, is a kind young man who genuinely  cares about his family and even strangers. His Syrian refugee life on the run, navigating unfamiliar territory and languages in order to help his family seek asylum is a true representation of the struggles and hardships refugees encounter in their fight to a better life. Following Tareq’s journey from Syria to Germany is filled with dark elements as the reader is learning about the different rebel groups and the true to life examples of executions, interrogations, bribes, scams, negotiations and other means of control such as the hardships refugee women face of ownership as sex slaves. The adventure is depicted with details making the setting realistic and aids in the reader's imagination with descriptions of the tarnished cities. His personal narrative explains the hate refugees experience in every country they settle into as Tareq explains every country is quick to get the refugees to continue their journey going north. 

This story is filled with  heart-wrenching deaths of innocent lives lost, ambitious attempts of escapism, treacherous life and death situations that impact the reader to reflect on refugee status, seeking asylum, immigration and political tensions in our world today. Tareq emulates kindness in all his actions even when he is torn to pieces himself physically, mentally and emotionally. Despite the tragic events he and his remaining family experience hope and the happy ending is nothing short of amazing as his brother,Salim, who was presumed dead, makes contact and gives the ending a hopeful and happy ending. An epilogue describes Salim’s own unknown journey and Tareq’s attempt at starting his new refugee life. A glossary is provided to explain the different figurative meanings to the terms used throughout such as Arabic, Turkish, Greek and Dari. 

EXCERPTS/ AWARDS

Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books, 01/01/18

Kirkus Reviews starred, 12/01/17

New York Times, 03/04/17

Publishers Weekly starred, 11/13/17

School Library Connection, 03/01/ 18

School Library Journal Starred, 12/01/17

Voice of Youth Advocates (VOYA) starred, 12/01/17

Kirkus Reviews starred (December 1, 2017): “ The narrator’s philosophical asides allow readers just enough distance to balance the intimacy of the suffering witnessed along the journey while helping to place the Syrian crisis in global and historical context as part of the cycle of humanity.”

Publishers Weekly (November 13, 2017): “ Newfound friendships and stories of volunteers pulling refugees from the Aegean provide elements of hope in this upsetting yet beautifully rendered portrayal of an ongoing humanitarian crisis.”

School Library Journal (December 1, 2017): “An inspiring, timely, and must-have account about the Syrian refugee disaster and the perils of all wars; best supplemented with nonfiction information for research purposes.”

CONNECTIONS

I absolutely sobbed throughout the entire story. Putting myself in Tareq’s shoes gave me another perspective into the life of refugees and the struggles they face whether emotional, physical or mental. This humanitarian crisis is one that is never ending and discussing it can be of benefit to those who are unaware of it. 

This story is absolutely appropriate to the Young Adult audience and gives a lot of information on Syrian family life, refugees, muslims and organizations that are at the center of political conflicts. 

This novel travels through many cities and continents and so providing a map or a globe alongside this title can definitely aid in the reader’s geographical reference for the places mentioned throughout the novel. 

Jolin, Paula. IN THE NAME OF GOD. ISBN: 978-1-51816-669-3

Williams, Tad. CHILD OF AN ANCIENT CITY. ISBN: 978-0-8125-3391-0

Schami, Rafik. A HAND FULL OF STARS. ISBN: 978-1-62371-712-4

YA Realistic Fiction Book Review: Reynolds, Jason. THE BOY IN THE BLACK SUIT.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Reynolds, Jason. 2015. THE BOY IN THE BLACK SUIT. New York. Athenium Books for Young Readers. ISBN 978-1-4424-5950-2.

PLOT SUMMARY

Mathew has returned to school, a few weeks later than everyone else as his mother has passed away. In order to fulfill a high school requirement he has to take a job and ends up working with Mr. Ray, owner of a funeral home. His father has suffered an accident and is recovering at a rehabilitation center while Matt is working through his own grief and learning to grow up, but finds comfort in each funeral he works. Through his grieving process he finds comfort in recipes his mother has left behind specifically for him to get through the rest of his life without her. His first love finds him through the tough girl that is hard to rattle named Lovey. Their connection to having lost their moms is one in common, but a similar story with a familiar and tragic ending shocks them both. 

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Matt, the teenage main character, who also narrates the coming of age story is a believable character to whom young adults can relate to. Each character surrounding his life comes and goes and is involved in a different part of his life. The setting shifting mostly between the funeral home where he works, his home in a rough area where he encounters his father’s alcoholism and memories of his beloved mother to his time spent with Lovey all set the tone for each part of the story. The theme of loss and grief are very present throughout as Matt mourns his mother’s passing, yet he finds comfort in the funerals and burials which he works. Although the theme that follows is serious and downhearted the ending is a romantic and hopeful one. Lovey and Matt share the memory of Lovey’s mother's tragic death through different viewpoints, but it brings a special connection between them causing her to break down through the one thing that can break her emotional wall. 

EXCERPTS/ AWARDS

Booklist, 02/01/15

Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books starred, 02/01/15

Christian Library Journal, 03/01/16

Coretta Scott King Author Honor, 2016

Horn Book Magazine, 03/01/15

Kirkus Reviews, 10/15/14

Library Media Connection, 05/01/15

School Library Journal, 06/01/15

Booklist (February 1, 2015 (Vol. 111, No.11): “Though it gets off to a slightly slow start, Renold’s second novel quickly becomes a superb, character-driven story.”

Kirkus Reviews (October 15, 2014): “ Reynolds writes with a gritty realism that beautifully captures the challenges-and rewards- of growing up in the inner city.”

School Library Journal (October 1, 2014): “ The author’s seemingly effortless writing shines in this slice-of-life story, which covers a lot of the protagonist’s emotional ground.”

CONNECTIONS

This coming of age, young adult novel filled with grief and loss can be powerful to a reader experiencing or has experienced the same. The story takes a while to get started but the ending is definitely a tear-jerker. 

This novel fits perfectly alongside stories of change, feelings, emotions, and growing up. Realistic fiction can fall under many different topics but this one will go well with overcoming suffering and growing up to be responsible. 

Moon, Sarah. SPARROW. ISBN 978-1-54908-703-5

O’Keefe, Susan Heyboer. MY LIFE AND DEATH BY ALEXANDRA CANARSIE. ISBN 978-1-56145-387-0

Shusterman, Neal. ANTSY DOES TIME. ISBN 978-0-329-75614-7

YA Realistic Fiction Book Review: Stone, Nic. DEAR MARTIN.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Stone, Nic. 2017. DEAR MARTIN. New York. Crown Books for Young Readers. ISBN 978-1-101-93949-9

PLOT SUMMARY

Justyce McAllister, high school senior at the top of his class attends a prep school in an area completely different from his rough neighborhood. He is destined to attend an Ivy League school next year, but certain events make his year a difficult one. His intelligence and good record make no difference to a police officer who arrests him based on profiling. He turns to his personal writing project where he’s studied Dr. Martin Luther King’s teachings and writes to him looking for answers to the injustices he faces. Justyce and his best friend  Manny go out one day to clear their heads about the stereotypes and injustices they face as young boys of color, but then their world changed in a matter of minutes when an off-duty officer decided the boys were a threat to the public as they were blasting their loud music in Manny’s Range Rover. Justyce is now faced with uncontrollable public scrutiny  that conveys the exact opposite of his true character and justice is not served for Manny’s death because of a mistrial that will never be tried again. 

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Justyce, the teenage protagonist and narrator of the story, alongside his main character friends are very relatable to the young adult audience. Their high school experiences of friendships, relationships and romance coincide with teenagers everywhere. The conversation amongst the teenagers include dirty jokes, word play, and they’re funny enough to make the reader laugh. The stereotypes for people of color are represented very accurately in the story as even Justyce mentions a moment when he realizes he shouldn't have been wearing his hood and shouldn’t have had his hands in his pocket, so maybe he wouldn’t have been profiled by the police as he was walking late at night. His Halloween costume of dressing as a thug in an attempt to highlight unity with his friends dressed as different stereotypes backfired as it was used in the media to defend people’s assumptions of him using it as evidence to show his background from his rough neighborhood. 

The message of stereotypes, prejudice, and social injustices are highlighted when Manny’s father, CEO of a company, shares his experience of struggling to be given an equal chance to move up in his career, with the boys. His story is shared as a warning to the boys as they will experience this in their lives and teaches them how to accept it, but how to move forward as well. The death of Manny is a common social injustice event that recurs in our nation and so this message of stereotyping and how people of color have to react and comply with law enforcement shows the injustice they face in difficult situations that can turn violent very quickly. The ending is not a happy one for Manny, but a hopeful one for Justyce. He is able to continue his education and his relationship with Sara Jane, his white girlfriend, which also faced its share of criticism by Justyce's mother.

EXCERPTS/ AWARDS

Booklist starred, 08/01/17

Booklist starred, 02/01/18

Horn Book Guide, 04/01/18

Horn Book Magazine, 03/01/18

Kirkus Review, 08/15/17

New York Times, 11/12/17

Publishers Weekly, 07/31/17

School Library Journal, 09/01/2017

Booklist starred, (August 2017 (Vol. 113, No. 22)): “Teens, librarians, and teachers alike will find this book a godsend in assisting discussions about dealing with police, as well as the philosophical underpinnings of Kind’s work.”

Kirkus Reviews (August 15, 2017): “ Though constrained, the work nevertheless stands apart in a literature that too often finds it hard to look hard truths in the face.”

School Library Journal (September 1, 2017): “ The main characters are well balanced and will resonate with teens.”

CONNECTIONS

Displaying this book alongside other books related to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. will be a benefit for young adults as this book is so relevant to the young adult audience while exposing them to Dr.  Martin Luther King teachings. 

A great connection to this book would be for readers to write a letter to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. about any one of the societal injustices mentioned in the book. Putting themselves in Justyce’s shoes and connecting with the book through a different medium. 

Reynolds, Jason. ALL AMERICAN BOYS. ISBN 978-1-51818-613-4

Alyse, Charity. OTHER SIDE OF THE TRACKS. ISBN 978-1-51607-483-9

Magoon, Kekla. HOW IT WENT DOWN. ISBN 978-1-48985-568-8

Ai Summer Newsletter -A. Cervantes

Using Ai assisted technology to create a newsletter was interesting as I’ve never used any Ai tools in my life. My initial prompt was, “generate summer newsletter for elementary school grades 1st-5th with activities, book recommendations, and contact information for Laredo public library.” I chose these grade levels because of grade levels that participate in the Accelerated Reader program. ChatGPT generated a lot of information such as an introduction, activities to explore, book recommendations , community events, and contact information for the Laredo Public Library. There was a lot of information that needed to be tailored to fit your specific needs. I thought this was interesting because I would think it would include a space for the librarians name versus a principals name, considering it being about books recommendations and more. Here is the link to this first ChatGPT summer newsletter. 

Two team members of my group and I entered our own prompts into ChatGPT and discussed our findings. My two other team members got more similar results to each other, mine varied a little more than theirs. I put specific grade levels and I believe that generated different and more specific activities and books because of it. We decided to use the newsletter that generated more similar results and all collaborated with Canva in order to create a colorful and attractive newsletter to potentially use in the future. This end result can be used to share on social media platforms and printed as well. Reusing this template can be helpful for each updated newsletter and implementing planning and scheduling as part of the content creation process (from our LinkedIn content creation modules) will definitely help to stay organized and share content with a automaticity and consistency.

I analyzed the book recommendations that ChatGPT generated across all three prompts and The Very Hungry Caterpillar, Charlotte's Webb, The Magic Tree House, and Percy Jackson were in each of the group members prompts. That shows how the Ai tool has some consistency with the general idea of the prompts. 

Also, I thought it was interesting how the activities generated for my prompt was so different than my team members. I really liked the outdoor activities it generated and how specific it was to each grade level. I really liked the newsletter we used for our project as it contained more specific information that the library offered such as the library events, which can be kept up on the fridge and an easy reference for parents and students when thinking of the library during summertime.  The book recommendations were by grade level and good titles for go to books. The author interview was interesting; however, I think using a more updated author would be of benefit to be able to relate to the current times. The reading tips was something useful to promote reading at home. 

Using ChatGPT was a great tool to use as it helps create a general outline for your work with creative and fun ideas, and gives you the ability to change and modify as you go. It was so fascinating to see how quickly it generated all the information as well. Creating a newsletter on your own can take a good amount of time and so this was very helpful. I will definitely enjoy using this tool in the future to help me save time and give me new ideas for purposes such as a newsletter. 

YA Graphic Novel Book Review. Ying, Victoria. 2023. HUNGRY GHOST.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Ying, Victoria. 2023. HUNGRY GHOST. New York. First Second. ISBN 979-83-687-0768-6

PLOT SUMMARY

Valerie, a high school girl, tries to be the good daughter her parents expect her to be, but struggles with her mother’s way of loving her. She struggles with body issues and does what she thinks is necessary to please her mother and to keep thin. Her image of being thin blinds her of true happiness. An accident leaves her family mourning her father’s death and Valerie struggles to continue being the perfect daughter as she struggles with problems of her own. Through conversations with friends and family she finds it in herself to seek help and ultimately be truly happy with her body and herself. 

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

The main characters are very relatable as we see Valerie struggling with an eating disorder and envying her best friend who finds happiness in life itself. The graphic novel follows a sequential order that is easy to read with language relevant to that of the young adult audience. The illustrations are very accurate in representing the setting following the characters across the world to Paris and facial expressions which show Val’s feelings. Words in French followed by conversation bubbles to give context to the words give the story a unique style that allows the reader to challenge their knowledge of pronouncing the french language. The story immediately begins with Valerie's eating disorder and her constant struggle to find the right time to empty her stomach while with friends, during family gatherings and on her trip to Paris, the only exception was when she was grieving for her father and her mother was not emotionally well to constantly bombard her with her consumption of food. 

With the help of her aunt, she learns that her mothers way of loving her will not change and she needs to find a way to be good for her mother. This will mean she needs to be good to herself first. As she fixes her relationship with her eating disorder she fixes her relationships with her mother and best friend, who she body shamed out of jealousy for her self-love. This coming of age, fiction, graphic novel leads the reader through the difficulties faced by young girls who deal with the pressure of society to be thin causing health problems and relationship strains. Readers will enjoy a happy ending to a rough journey of an eating disorder.  

EXCERPTS/ AWARDS

Booklist, 03/15/23

Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books, 03/01/23

Horn Book Magazine, 09/01/23

Kirkus Reviews starred, 03/01/23

Publishers Weekly, 02/13/23

School Library Journal, 02/01/23

Booklist (March 15, 2023 (Vol. 119, No.14)): “Ying’s soft artwork, colored in pastel pinks and blues, nicely evokes Val’s emotional journey through facial expressions and body language.”

Horn Book Magazine (July/August, 2023): “The story shows how Valerie’s condition prevents her from enjoying such activities as  Lunar New Year feast or a Paris class trip while her curvy best friend helps model healthier body image.”

Kirkus Reviews starred (March 1, 2023): “A gorgeously wrought, therapeutic story filled with tenderness and honesty.”

CONNECTIONS

This story is a great read and appropriate for the young adult audience. I enjoyed how the story was very straightforward, simple language, soft colors and accurate illustrations. The father’s death was not too emotional but the mother’s grieving process was very impactful. 

Integrating self-love journaling after reading this story can give students the opportunity to get their thoughts on paper and remind them of what they don’t tell themselves on a daily basis. 

Providing students with a list such as “Everything BUT Social Media” to give themselves a break from the endless scrolling will get them outside and detox their minds from the unrealistic expectations most young adults are influenced by. 

Fung, Rosena. AGE 16. ISBN 978-1-77321-833-5

Tamaki, Mariko. THIS ONE SUMMER. 978-1-46685-852-7

Spears, Katarina. THE TRAGEDY OF DANE RILEY. ISBN 978-1-25012-480-7

YA Novel In Verse Book Review: Sones, Sonya. 2001. WHAT MY MOTHER DOESN'T KNOW.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Sones, Sonya. 2001. WHAT MY MOTHER DOESN’T KNOW. New York. Simon&Shuster. ISBN: 978-0-689-84114-9

PLOT SUMMARY

Sophia, describes her relationships with the different boys she dates and explains what she feels with each one. When she finally meets “Mr. Right and a half,” who was not someone she initially expected to ever like, she overlooks what everyone will think and openly embraces her love for Murphy, the boy everyone would joke about. 

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

The characters, high school students, are very relatable to the intended young adult audience. Their experiences are consistent with high school crushes, friendships, dating and relationships. We follow Sophia throughout her school year as the poems in verse set the setting for Halloween, Thanksgiving break, Christmas break (even though she is Jewish) and New Years. While her friends are away on vacation and she decides to make a staycation of her own, they communicate their adventures and goings on via email, which sets the tone for teenagers pre-text message time period. The conversations they have are typical of teenage girls about feelings, dreams and advice. Sones does a great job revealing Sophia’s innermost feelings about Dylan the boy she thinks she’s in love with, Chaz the online stranger who she deletes for making her feel uncomfortable and Murphy, who turns out to be her Mr. Right. At the same time, she describes her relationship with her mother which is a quiet and difficult one. The novel in verse is told in first person and has a unique style with the free verse sometimes rhyming, some long and some short pages. The language helps the reader imagine the story and it is easy to read page after page. 

EXCERPTS/ AWARDS

ALA Notable Children’s Books 2002

Book Links, 05/01/04

Book Report starred, 03/01/02

Booklist starred, 11/15/01

Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books, 12/01/01

Kirkus Reviews starred, 09/15/01

Kliatt starred, 11/01/08

New York Public Library Books for the Teen Age, 2002

New York Times, 09/16/01

Publishers Weekly starred, 10/15/01

School LIbrary Journal, 10/01/01

School Library Journal, 10/01/01

Voice of Youth Advocates (VOYA) starred, 10/01/01

Book Report (March/April 2002): “ Female readers of any age will love and identify with Sophie as she weathers the storms of growing up and the scary, unfamiliar emotions that accompany first love.”

Kirkus Reviews starred (September 15, 2001): “...the text gets at the emotional state of this girl so completely and with such intensity that a conventional narrative framework would simply dilute the effect.”

School LIbrary Journal (October 1, 2001): “Sone’s poems are glimpses through a peephole many teens may be peering through for the first time, unaware that other are seeing virtually the same new, scary, unfamiliar things (parents having nuclear meltdowns, meeting a boyfriend’s parents, crying for no apparent reason.”

CONNECTIONS

This novel in verse is perfect for the young adult 12 and up. It can be great for a booktalk about relationships as Sophia struggles with her parents arguing more than she’d like. Being able to talk with others who may be experiencing the same at home can give them a shoulder to lean on and someone to confide in. 

A great activity could be for students to write an email to their friends instead of texting their message. This would help them relate to the communication style from the e-mailing days. 

Researching Jewish customs and traditions can be an extension to Sophia’s experience growing up. 

Han, Jenny. ALWAYS AND FOREVER, LARA JEAN. ISBN 978-1-48143-048-7

Greenwald, Lisa. KALE, MY EX, AND OTHER THINGS TO TOSS IN A BLENDER. ISBN 978-0-399-55639-5

Yoon, Nicola. INSTRUCTIONS FOR DANCING. ISBN 978-1-52471-899-2

YA Anthology Book Review: Jensen, Kelly. 2018. (DON’T) CALL ME CRAZY. New York. Algonquin Young Readers.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Jensen, Kelly. 2018. (DON’T) CALL ME CRAZY. New York. Algonquin Young Readers. ISBN 9781616207816

PLOT SUMMARY

This anthology of 33 contributions is told by different people who uniquely tell their story of different mental health areas through essays, poems, and graphics. The importance of mental health and the different arenas from definitions, physical experiences, life and death situations and different ways of coping or dealing with this are covered in this collection. 

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Over the years mental health conversations have evolved from being seen as something scary to talk about to being more normalized as people are becoming comfortable talking about it and helping others be heard as well. In this collection of stories we read how the word “crazy” is what people would use to define someone with a mental health issue. Shaun Hutchison, explains that words have definitions but they don’t define a person, each person can define a word based on their experiences such as his experience with depression as he says “depression does not define me because you cannot define a person.” Heidi Heilig in the chapter of “Crazy meets culture” talks about how some people are lucky enough to get help and people who are not so fortunate are judged and seen as lazy. This addresses the stereotypes associated with mental health awareness. 

Definitions, terminology and diagnoses are mentioned throughout with different points of views. We see graphic images of Gemma Correll personifying her overthinking through labels of a train passing through and around a city, a strong representation of self-inflicted cutting by Yumi Sakagugawa and photographs of Adam Silvera’s meaningful HGO (Happiness Goes On) tattoo showing that life can go on. In the chapter “to be okay" we are able to see the different ways of coping such as seeking professional help, medication plans, and different kinds of therapies. The works of these authors help unmask the truth of mental health awareness and become a voice for people to find and join in. The resources provided at the end, “keep the conversation going” contain fiction and nonfiction books, films, online resources and hotlines as well as contributor biographies which give more insight into their lives. 

EXCERPTS/ AWARDS

Booklist, 09/01/18

Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books, 11/01/18

Kirkus Reviews, 07/01/18

Schneider Family Book Honor, 2019

School Library Journal starred, 08/01/18

Booklist (September 1, 2018 (Vol. 115, No.1)): “ With this diverse array of contributors offering a stunning wealth of perspective on mental health, teens looking for solidarity, comfort, or information will certainly be able to find something that speaks to them.”

Kirkus Reviews (July 1, 2018): “While the loose structure disorients at times, making some entries feel randomly thrown together, the raw, informational approach to the subject matter will highly appeal to young people who crave understanding and validation.”

School Library Journal (August 1, 2018): “Opening up about mental health is difficult but necessary,  asserts the editor of this thought-provoking anthology.”

CONNECTIONS

This anthology of mental health topics is suitable for the 9-12 grade level, it can be overwhelming for anyone younger as the confessions and conversations are more suitable for the older age group. The organization of this collection was not in a particular order, but it does give the book its own unique style.

Inviting students to create a graphic image in support of mental health awareness month and display alongside other titles that speak on mental health awareness, health & wellness, and social issues will provide a great range of resources for students to look into. 

Mental Health is a touchy subject and some students fear to talk to anyone about what is going on in their head. Providing students with lists of resources to reach out such as counselors or organizations that provide support will give students a more well-rounded area of support. 

David, Anthony S. INTO THE ABYSS: A NEUROPSYCHIATRIST’S NOTES ON TROUBLED MINDS. ISBN 978-1-78607-705-9

Jamison, Kay R. TOUCHED WITH FIRE: MANIC-DEPRESSIVE ILLNESS AND THE ARTISTIC TEMPERAMENT. ISBN 978-0-684-83183-1

Kolker, Robert. HIDDEN VALLEY ROAD: INSIDE THE MIND OF AN AMERICAN FAMILY. ISBN 978-0-525-56264-1

Environmental Scan of Educational Technology- April Cervantes

Environmental Scan of Educational Technology 

April Cervantes

My hometown of Laredo, Texas is a fast-growing gateway city to Mexico. The weather is very hot in the summertime, and so far our highest temperature this summer has been 115 degrees fahrenheit. For some reason, the rain always bypasses us and when it decides to actually rain, everyone goes crazy on facebook posting their videos. According to Schoodigger.com, a site which uses statistics from the Department of Education, reports that the community for the school I work in, J.W. Arndt E.S.,  is made up of "99.9% hispanic students and 0.1% are white. 95.2% receive free or reduced lunch. " The majority of our students transition to the feeder pattern middle and high school. Few students venture out to the magnet schools around town. The language spoken is English and Spanish. There are people who only speak one or the other. 

Photo from https://www.cityoflaredo.com/

The pandemic of 2020 helped a lot of families in my community with exposure to mobile learning devices and education technology. Before the pandemic our students only had a class set of 7 ipads per classroom to use for Accelerated Reader purposes. If any online testing needed to take place, the class would have to follow a rotation schedule in order to use the computer lab. During the pandemic our district moved quickly to secure funding for mobile learning devices for each student. As we began transitioning from remote to hybrid learning our district made sure each student had a device in order to attend remote instruction daily. The neighborhoods had buses equipped with wifi throughout the corresponding areas for those who did not have access to the internet. 

Logo from https://aes.uisd.net/

Students, siblings, parents, grandparents, uncles, aunts, teachers, husbands and wives were all part of the learning curve to our virtual learning platforms. Students were logging on from phones, ipads, home computers or laptops. I will never forget the moment my student’s parents unmuted their mics to give me encouraging words as I could not figure out how to display my document camera that was being powered by adapters, HDMI cables and the works. My dad, who works in IT, was doing his best to help me solve my technical difficulties and yet we struggled. We were all new to this digital learning platform and I can proudly say, the post- pandemic teaching with educational technology comes easier to me. 

The majority of our parents at my school work in labor jobs such as construction, oil fields, mechanic shops as well as retail stores and restaurants. Broadband internet access is not an issue for most of our community. The majority of our students have wifi at home and every student is issued a mobile learning device. They are able to take their MLD home and use them for homework purposes. Most of our students do have a form of technology at home such as ipads, phones or personal computers. During the pandemic there were a couple of families that did not have internet access, but didn’t go without, as our district provided personal hotspot devices for those in need. Our school is equipped with wifi throughout the entire building so students are able to work from any part of the campus. The district provides a lot of technological help to parents and students with their MLD's and more. 

                     

                                   Screenshot from https://www.uisd.net/287376_2

According to the 2023 UISD ESSER “Return to Excellence” plan, the district allocated $10.6 million for online programs for academic support and $2.9 million on technology and infrastructure.  Technology programs are used daily on campus and in classrooms. At our campus, every classroom is equipped with interactive flat panels, eiki projectors, and charging carts. The district has licenses to many applications and programs, which are used to monitor student benchmarks as well as provide daily opportunities to use personalized lessons as extensions to lessons. Our district requires BOY, MOY, EOY testing on platforms such as iReady math and reading, Amplify, and MAP Fluency. Reports are generated and submitted to the district for student growth data purposes. Teachers use this data for instructional purposes in order to regroup small groups or better prepare for after school tutorial lessons. The teachers use the IFP’s for teaching and use many of the applications available such as IXL to do whole group skill building or play interactive games for ELAR, MATH and Science lessons. 

Screenshot from document of ESSER plan.

The school librarian serves as the campus IT for Instructional Technology. They offer professional development sessions during planning or afterschool for website compliance. For example, her PD session included the do’s and don'ts for using images on your teacher webpage, accessibility options that need to be turned on for visually impaired visitors to the site and anything that may be audited by the district or state. She has offered PD sessions on how to use the newly installed IFP’s, not just how to navigate around it and how to operate it, but also for integrating its technological purpose into learning. I personally have used interactive lessons where students use the IFP pen to mark their answers and show their work, which also adds to the TTESS domain for implementing technology. Some teachers who consider themselves tech illiterate opt-out of using technology for teaching purposes. 

Technology is ever-evolving and we have seen this in the classroom, in the library, as parents and anywhere a child is involved. My district offers summer learning opportunities for many areas and I hope to attend a session titled, “Tech Tools for Classroom Management.” Staying up to date and always learning technological advances is vital to our fast-developing way of teaching and learning in this digital world. I hope to continue inquiring and attending sessions that will make me better equipped as a future librarian.

YA Book Review, IF YOU COME SOFTLY By: Woodson, Jacqueline

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Woodson, Jacqueline. 1998. IF YOU COME SOFTLY. New York. G.P. Putnam’s Sons. ISBN: 0399231129.

PLOT SUMMARY

Jeremiah, a black boy, from Brooklyn is comfortable being himself in his familiar surroundings. He begins the school year in a new prep school where he meets Ellie, a white Jewish girl, and they both fall in love after crossing paths in the hallway on the first day of school at Percy, their private school in New York City. Miah, who’s famous parents are separated, begins the school year keeping his life to himself in order to avoid criticism of his parents separation. Ellie, who has been abandoned by her mother twice before, has a hard time trusting anyone to stick around. Both teenagers, despite their relationship that must face societal criticism, work hard to ignore the dirty looks and unsolicited comments. Ellie is fortunate to meet Miah’s mother. Unfortunately, the day before Miah was set to meet Ellie’s family a senseless act of violence tragically changed their lives forever. 

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

The main characters are very relatable to the young adult audience as they experience first-love and trust with one another.  The viewpoints of Ellie and Miah are told through different chapters. The story is told through Ellie’s narration. Alternating between Manhattan and Brooklyn, we see Ellie and Miah discover different unknown areas to their interracial relationship. Their love is perfect to each other, but not to the rest of the world. When a woman asks Ellie if she was okay when seen walking with Miah, she experiences what white women think when seeing their young love in public display. Woodson does a great job of explaining varying viewpoints of race as Miah’s dad warns him of never running through a white neighborhood and Ellie’s sister leaves her with doubt about dating a black boy. The ending, which was prefaced at the beginning, gives a powerful impact to themes of race and racial prejudice.

REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

ALA Notable Children’s Books, 1999

Book Report, 03/01/99

Booklist, 10/01/98

Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books, 10/01/98

Horn Book Magazine, 11/01/18

Margaret A. Edwards Award, 2006

New York Public Library books for the Teen Age, 1999

School Library Journal, 12/01/98

Texas: Lone Star Reading List, 2000

Voice of Youth Advocates (VOYA), 12/01/98

Book Report (March/April 1999): “ The conflicting forces are not the two kids’ families, but society in general. In one touching scene, Ellis is upset when a young black woman gives them a  dirty look after she kisses him. SHe wonders if it will always be this way.”

Booklist ( Vol. 95, No. 3 (October 1, 1998)): “...the sudden violin ending is a devastating shock that seems stuck on, though it does make us go back and reread the story for clues, and they are there.”

School Library Journal (December 1998): “This fine author once again shows her gift for penning a novel that will ring true with young adults as it makes subtle comments on social situations.” -Tom S. Hurlburt, La Crosse Public Library, WI.

CONNECTIONS

This young love, interracial romance was a great read as I patiently read through the history of the families and saw the relationship develop. It is perfect for the intended Young Adult audience. 

The young adult audience will enjoy the relatability to the high school students and the choices they make when coming across love, which will give the readers comfort as they overcome the obstacles to their relationship. The ending will definitely cause a thought-provoking feeling. 

I enjoyed reading this realistic fiction of interracial dating and cried so much at the ending because of the sharp turn of events. 

This romance novel can spark a discussion about family life, school, responsible-decision making and prejudice and racism. 

Other books about interracial dating and prejudice & racism:

Velasquez, Gloria. ANKIZA (ROOSEVELT HIGH SCHOOL, BOOK 5). ISBN 978-1-55885-309-6

Budhos, Marina Tamar. ASK ME NO QUESTIONS. ISBN 978-0-41694-920-6

Draper, Sharon M. ROMIETTE AND JULIO. ISBN 978-0-689-84209-2

YA Book Review, THE POET X By: Acevedo, Elizabeth

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Acevedo, Elizabeth. 2018. THE POET X. New York. HarperTeen. ISBN: 978-0-06-266280-4

PLOT SUMMARY

Xiomara Batista, a teenage girl who lives in Harlem, finds herself fighting to defend or scare off all the cat-calling from men because of her developed body. Compared to her studious and “genius” twin brother, who also secrets of his own, she channels her feelings through her writing and conceals it from her religious and strict mother. Upon her mother discovering her writing, she faces the unwillingness to accept her daughter committing sin by her written thoughts and burns her journal of poetry. Her father who has been present yet not, tries to intervene to no avail. It is up to Xiomara to find the help she needs to be able to sit with her mother and bring all what has been hidden to light in hopes of her mother understanding the power of her words spoken and not. 

CRITICAL ANALYSIS 

The Printz award-winning, coming of age, novel in verse covers the themes of Latino culture, discovering sexuality, body image and emotional strength. Xiomara’s life as a first generation Latino, catholic daughter, brought her up to be obedient for most of her life until she became self- aware of her interests in boys, discovering her sexuality and becoming close with Arman who is her first in many things. Her mother who witnesses her display of affection in public punishes her at home and limits her from the privileges of having a cell phone, checking in as she arrives home, and not being allowed to be on her own. This shows the strong will of her mother as her father is present, but does not enforce discipline in the household. Her brother, also hiding a secret love, is respected and trusted above Xiomara as he is a male and reflects the family dynamic in a Latino household. Xiomara’s parents' relationship history is not one she looks up to and so she struggles with her own moral compass making decisions grounded by her religious beliefs and her own personal judgment. 

The language used throughout is authentic and representative of her Dominican culture and gives meaning and exposure to the Latino culture. Poetic terms are explained throughout as well, giving clarification and shedding light on Xiomara’s passion for the written word. The read is a slow one that peels back layers of Xiomara’s life carefully developing the female protagonist's life with each decision she makes. The ending is not immediately a happy one. There is strength and courage in Xiomara’s approach to speaking up to her mother and showing her true self, with the help of friends and family. The relationship with her mother shows adversity in both the mother and X’s efforts to accept one another for who they are, while at the same time encouraging one another to follow their interests. 

REVIEW/EXCERPTS

ALA Notable CHildren’s Books, 2019

Booklist, 11/01/17

Kirkus Reviews starred, 01/15/18

Michael L. Printz Award, 2019

Odyssey Honor, 2019

Pura Belpre Author Award, 2019

School Library Journal starred, 07/01/18

Voice of Youth Advocates (VOYA), 02/01/18

Booklist (November 1, 2017 (Vol. 114, No.5)): “The story, though centered around the family drama, explores other poignant themes facing girls today, driving into human, sexuality, the psychological impacts of going through and early puberty, and how girls have to fend off advances from men– as well as the slut0shaming stigma that simultaneously can come from women.”

Kirkus Reviews starred (January 15, 2018): “The happy ending is not a neat one, making it both realistic and satisfying.”

School Library Journal (July 1, 2018): “ Encouraged by her English teacher to claim her voice, Xiomara’s performance of her verses will be “the most freeing experience of [her] life.”

CONNECTIONS

This read is a great one for the intended Young Adult audience for ages 14-18, as it reaches to many experiences young girls and women experience such as cat-calling and feeling of having to fight to protect your body against unsolicited comments from men and women. 

This read made me reflect a lot on my younger years, making me think of decisions I made as a young adult and how looking back I probably should have thought twice about things I did. 

The style of verse in the novel makes the book an easy one to read and it gives an interesting twist to a young adult novel. 

Other Novels in Verse:

Engle, Margarita. WITH A STAR IN MY HAND: RUBEN DARIO, POETRY HERO. ISBN: 978-1-53442-493-7

Elhillo, Safia. BRIGHT RED FRUIT. ISBN: 978-0-593-38120-5

Miller-Lachmann, Lyn. EYES OPEN. ISBN: 979-87-6561-011-4

 

YA Book Review, LAST NIGHT AT THE TELEGRAPH CLUB by: Lo, Malinda

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Lo, Malinda. 2021. LAST NIGHT AT THE TELEGRAPH CLUB. New York. Penguin Random House. ISBN: 9780525555254.

PLOT SUMMARY 

Lily Hu, a high school student, lives in San Francisco Chinatown. She is studious and talks about her plans for her future, but her year ends up being more than just worrying about academics. She makes a friend, Kathleen, who joins her at The Telegraph Bar, a lesbian bar. Her family is already under watch by the FBI as her father’s immigration papers have been confiscated and she is forced to make a very tough decision as an incident at the Telegraph Bar will expose her secret whereabouts and her identity as a lesbian.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Lily’s school year begins as normal, but slowly sees changes in her thoughts and interests, as young adults experience during this time in their lives. Her life as a good Chinese American daughter is one of obedience until she realizes she is interested in women and makes a connection with her first white friend Kathleen. Through their interest in an ad for Tommy, a male impersonator, at the Telegraph club they both discover feelings for one another and a connection of love. From that point on she is constantly exploring her feelings and interests. She manages to sneak out of her house to attend the Telegraph club late at night without anyone suspecting she is not home. Throughout the historical realistic fiction read,  there are timelines with dates of Chinese American history to give context to the time period as well as Chinese foods that are enjoyed by the Chinese culture. The language includes some Chinese symbols and meanings for words at the bottom of the pages. There is historical fiction throughout as Lily’s father is threatened with deportation through McCarthyism. The reading is carefully crafted to gradually develop with a strong ending. Lily makes the big decision to express her true self to her family, knowing that in that time it could cost her the relationship with her family and even her father’s immigration status. Her transformation and acceptance for her true self is a slow one. This is a queer-love story filled with transformation, change, love and courage. The author’s note contains inspiration for the story, language used at the time, Chinese American history of the 1950’s, and information on lesbians, gender and community. 

REVIEW EXCERPTS

Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature Award, 2002

Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books starred, 12/01/20

Horn Book Magazine starred, 03/01/21

Kirkus Reviews starred, 12/01/20

Michael L. Printz Honor, 2022

School Library Journal starred, 02/01/22

Stonewall Book Award, 2022

Horn Book Magazine (March/April, 2021): “interspersed flashbacks that detail the personal histories of Lily’s parents and Aunt Judy and timelines of world events further put the 1950s Chinese American experience into context for readers.”

Kirkus Reviews starred (December 1, 2020): “...Lo skillfully layers rich details, such as how Lily has to deal with microaggressions from gay and straight women alike and how all of Chinatown has to be careful of the insidious threat of McCarthyism.”

School Library Journal (January 1, 2021): “ Lo’s prose comes alive when describing Lily’s blossoming awareness of desire; readers will be enthralled with her breathless, confusing experience of seeing the long-awaited Tomy Andrews and finally expressing her feelings for Kath.”

CONNECTIONS

This read is a good read for the young adult audience  for ages 14 and up as it may be too overwhelming for a younger teen. 

The read is a slow one, but has a very strong ending. There is a lot of history throughout the story, which gives for a more courageous ending as the topic of homosexuality, lesbian, gay was not culturally accepted and there were many efforts to suppress this lifestyle during this period in history. 

This read leads to a good conversation for internal struggle, LGBTQIA+ and Asian American themes. 

Other Books on LGBTQIA+ and Chinese American Fiction:

Talley, Robin. PULP. ISBN: 978-1-33501-290-6

Lee, Stacey. OUTRUN THE MOON. ISBN: 978-0-14-751691-6

Lo, Malinda. A SCATTER OF LIGHT. ISBN: 978-0-525-55530-8

Pedagogy Before Technology-April Cervantes

  

Pedagogy Before Technology

April-Renee H. Cervantes

The student’s from Generation Z have a different view of what technology is. When covering historical fiction in my children’s literature class I came across the subject of how history is different for each generation. According to Marist Mindest, for the entering college class of 2023,  “it has always been illegal to drive while holding a hand held cell phone while driving in New York state”(The First Marist Mindset List Is Released 2019). In my millennial memory, I grew up seeing my parents using their cell phones while driving and did not see any laws coming into effect for banning cellphone use until I was in high school. The article lists how Gen Z grew up with normalcy to modern technology which differs from how previous generations gradually saw technology as they grew older. I personally feel the millennials got to witness the implementation and beginning stages of technology and its usefulness to everyday life. 

Because this generation grew up with technology all around them it completely reframes its use in the classroom. The availability of computers, interactive flat panels amongst other technology are normal to them, whereas when the millennials were in school they had to go to a computer lab, teachers taught with overhead projectors which required using transparencies, and eventually seeing eiki projectors with screens. Now, technology has students experiencing more steps in bloom's taxonomy through quick access to technology at the touch of a button. In a video from common sense media, when talking about Bloom’s taxonomy it mentions, “In thinking how technology affects this model consider Bloom's digital taxonomy. This updated version aims to expand the skills associated with each level as technology becomes a more ingrained and essential part of learning,” (Bloom's digital taxonomy). This updated version includes verbs for each part of bloom’s taxonomy but are fit to include technology in the higher-order thinking process. 

In today’s classroom, I believe technology is both a tool for learning and the foundation upon which we build learning because a lot of learning happens through applications on the ipads and mobile learning devices because most programs have personalized lessons such as IXL and iReady amongst others. At the same time, it is the foundation for teaching because learning is fun and technology catches their attention with the many different videos, games, interactive recording, review of skills and more on many different applications available to them. Bloom’s digital taxonomy uses verbs for the key terms that are technology focused such as for the creating step, the verbs are, “producing, programming, filming, video blogging, wiki-ing, publishing, videocasting, podcasting” (Churches, Bloom's Digital Taxonomy 2008). These are important verbs because they are specific to the use of technology for learning. I think students learn through technology, but it is also essential in the classroom in order to teach them with their interests in mind. 

Librarians which serve as instructional partners to classroom teachers assist in collaborating on lessons outside the classroom as a different way of learning using the skills and expertise the librarian has. Therefore, including educational technology for a teacher preparing to be a librarian will set them up for a more positive experience to where they will be able to help classroom teachers by including technology to extend the lessons outside of the classroom. Kathy Schrock’s webpage of Bloomin’ Apps is a truly helpful tool for anyone in education wanting to implement technology into teaching. For example, she shows how Tumblr can be used for blogging for the understanding part of the revised bloom's taxonomy (Schrock, Bloomin' Apps 2022). The page is organized to show apps according to Bloom’s Revised Taxonomy. As a teacher training to be a librarian, I think it is crucial to become familiar with apps that support Bloom's revised taxonomy as it ties into everything I’ve been learning in preparation for my certification. Bloom’s is an integral part of research based models that form the basis for my job as an instructional partner and information specialist. Integral because technology is a huge component of learning for our 21st century learners and having a strong background of knowledge for the many different technologies out there will help me better support my students. 

The technological landscape in schools is one that varies throughout our nation. In the past 10 years I’ve been a teacher I have seen more access to technology both at school and at home. Our school provides each student with a mobile learning device, which can be used at school and at home. During the pandemic our district provided buses equipped with wifi in nearby neighborhoods in order for students to be able to attend virtual, hybrid or remotely. Beyond providing access to technology devices, I believe the change in technological landscape for instance personalized learning plans, use of analysis and interpretation of data to better approach instruction has a more direct purpose for students. For example, in the article of Career and Technical Education: Software Options, using technology to better prepare student for future employment opportunities was an innovation space I enjoyed reading because they mention, “A CTE space needs to prepare students for an uncertain future with jobs that have not even been conceived of yet” (Software Options 2019). Teaching students  to use software for jobs that will require everything technology is evolving into will benefit the Gen Z students. This does not affect teachers; it only helps garner an array of skills that will help the 21st century learners to be well-rounded and use their repertoire of skills. It only makes them a better teacher for students and staff in this fast-changing field of technology-driven education. 

Sources

Bloom’s digital taxonomy. Common Sense Education. (n.d.). https://www.commonsense.org/education/videos/blooms-digital-taxonomy 

Churches, A. (2008, May 26). Bloom’s Digital Taxonomy. Andrew Churches. 

Clarity Innovations. (2019). Software Options. K-12 Blueprint. https://www.k12blueprint.com/sites/default/files/Software-Options_0.pdf 

The First Marist Mindset List Is Released. Marist Institution. (2019, August 21). https://www.marist.edu/w/marist-news-the-first-marist-mindset-list-is-released 

Schrock, K. (2022, October 20). Bloomin’ Apps. Kathy Schrock’s Guide to Everything. https://www.schrockguide.net/bloomin-apps.html