S10 Episode 6: Inclusive Literacy Practices with JoEllen McCarthy

09/16/21 • 37 min

The books we chose to read to students and have in our classroom hold power. In this episode, 3Ps in a Pod hosts Mary and Marlys continue their focus on literacy from last week’s episode to this conversation with JoEllen McCarthy.

McCarthy is an educator whose work centers on the power of books and how to use books as co-teachers. In this episode, she shares the importance of books that represent and tell the stories of people from a variety of identities, cultures, and lived experiences. Mary, Marlys, and McCarthy share several strategies for staying alert to these books, including:

Cooperative Children’s Book Center from the University of Wisconsin-Madison
Kirkus Reviews
A Default in Our Stars, an article by Linda Sue Park in School Library Journal
Reading for Social Justice from Learning for Justice (previously Teaching for Tolerance)
The Strong Classroom Assessment from The Educator Collaborative
JoEllen McCarthy on Twitter and Instagram
HeartprintBooks on Instagram
Layers of Learning by JoEllen McCarthy

Along with how to find and reflect on heartprint books, McCarthy talks about how to use these books to invite conversation that will nurture community, agency, respect, and empowerment. Conversely, she also shares how to address books that may do harm.

McCarthy also unveils the books she is currently excited for others to read. Be sure to check out the Arizona K12 Center’s group 3Ps in a Pod: An Education Podcast Community to talk about what recently published children’s books you love to share with students in your classroom!

Learn more about the Arizona K12 Center at azk12.org.

Cooperative Children’s Book Center from the University of Wisconsin-Madison
Kirkus Reviews
A Default in Our Stars, an article by Linda Sue Park in School Library Journal
Reading for Social Justice from Learning for Justice (previously Teaching for Tolerance)
The Strong Classroom Assessment from The Educator Collaborative
JoEllen McCarthy on Twitter and Instagram
HeartprintBooks on Instagram
Layers of Learning by JoEllen McCarthy

Learn more about the Arizona K12 Center at azk12.org.

Previous Episode

S10 Episode 5: Inclusive Literacy Practices with Dr. Tracey Flores

Does your English language arts teaching center your students’ voices? In today’s episode of 3Ps in a Pod, hosts Mary and Marlys talk with longtime educator Dr. Tracey T. Flores about how literacy efforts can help students feel “loved, honored, and celebrated in really important ways.”

Flores is an assistant professor of language and literacy at the University of Texas at Austin where she teaches Language Arts Methods and Community Literacies in the K-5 teacher education program. Before moving to Austin, Flores worked in Phoenix-area schools including Creighton School District and Glendale Elementary School District.

Flores shares about the importance of supporting students’ stories and voices through literacy efforts and how she does that through classroom teaching and also independent writing groups like Somos Escritoras, a creative space for Latinx girls.

She also shares about her upcoming Virtual Literacy Connections series with the Arizona K12 Center. Join Flores for Amplifying Youth Stories and Voices: Expansive and Embodied Writing Pedagogies for K-12 Classrooms in this September's Virtual Literacy Connections series by registering at this link.

Learn more about the Arizona K12 Center at azk12.org.

Next Episode

S10 Episode 7: LGBTQ Inclusion and Support in the Classroom with Nat Duran

What does it look like for teachers to create inclusive and supportive spaces for the LGBTQ students and teachers in our communities? Join 3Ps co-hosts Donnie and Angelia in this week’s episode to hear from Nat Duran, the youth project manager for the Illinois Safe Schools Alliance.

Donnie and Angelia first talk with Duran about the work of the Illinois Safe Schools Alliance and Duran’s recent work with the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, & Medicine.

Duran shares both about the importance of teachers supporting LGBTQ students and what creating safe environments for LGBTQ students looks like. First and foremost, Duran encourages teachers to listen to the students themselves. As Duran notes, students are the experts in their lived experience. Duran also mentions particular tips and strategies for how to review how welcoming and inclusive your classroom is for students of all identities.

Here are the linked resources Duran mentions in this episode: