It is one thing to teach literacy but it is another to teach critical literacy. Beth Gress, a third grade teacher, states that "When my students are engaged from a critical perspective, they comprehend beyond, under, over and around their previous level of understanding" (as cited in McLaughlin and DeVoogd, 2004, p. 35). Critical literacy means that students understand the text at a basic level but they also have context for and about the text, they can ask higher order questions independently, and they can take something away and apply to their everyday life. Students need to be taught skills and then practice those skills to be able to achieve critical literacy. I like how McLaughlin and DeVoogd remind teachers that this process takes time and educators need to "be patient, thoughtful risk-takers as we strive to create a classroom atmosphere that encourage and challenge students to become critically literate" (McLaughlin and DeVoogd, 2004, p. 35). They suggest that teachers use the Guided Comprehension 5-step direct instruction process (McLaughlin & Allen, 2002a) as the strategy instructional framework. This process includes explaining, demonstrating, guiding, practicing, and reflecting (McLaughlin and DeVoogd, 2004, p. 37). One strategies from McLaughlin and DeVoogd's article that I particularly liked was the switching strategy. Examples of switching included gender switching, theme switching, setting switching, body-style switching, clothing switching, emotion switching, ethnic/race switching, language switching, and relationship/organization switching. In the story Red: A Crayon's Story by Michael Hall students could utilize the theme switching strategy. First I would explain the strategy. McLaughlin and DeVoogd describes theme switching as (2004, p. 47):
"Make up a different story with the opposite theme or a different but closely related theme as a way to look at the story in a different way. If the theme is "peace is good," imagine a story in which "force is good." How does that change the story?"
After I explain the strategy I would demonstrate the strategy and guide students through using it with peers. I would then have students practice independently. We would come back together to debrief. In Red: A Crayon's Story, a theme that could be switched is overcoming doubt and believing in yourself could be switching for doubting yourself and giving up. The story would change because Berry (the purple crayon) would not come and encourage Red crayon. Red would be depressed and his other crayon friends would continue to bully him. The theme switching strategy would allow students to critically think about the text and create their own questions through discussions with their peers.
Red: A Crayon's Story can be paired with Rescue & Jessica: A Life-Changing Friendship by Jessica Kensky and Patrick Downes and Last Stop On Market Street by Matt De La Pena. These books can be paired with critical literacy strategies to allow students to acquire empathy. All of the books have characters that many students may not have similar experinces with. These are 'window' books because they allow students to see another perspective. In addition to focusing on different perspectives, these books allow readers to find the beauty in every situations. Another unique aspect about these three books is that the authors all have a unique, deep connections to the books. They are heavily reflected in the characters of their books.
Some lesson plans and teaching guides for the books are listed below.
Last Stop on Market Street
A Ride with Nana and CJ: Engagement, Appreciation, and Social Action by Rudine Sims Bishop - This lesson takes a critical three pronged approach to the text. It focuses on engaging with the book, appreciating the literary and artistic qualities, and thinking about social justice issues. This is a great guide for the book!
Rescue & Jessica: A Life Changing Friendship
The Candlewick Press Teachers' Guide can be found on Scott Magoon's website. Scott Magoon created the realistic and detailed illustrations. This guide includes the following sections: discussion questions, vocabulary connections, classroom activities, community engagement, service learning, and creating a postive school culture.