To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.
—Ralph Waldo Emerson
Deepen Your Understanding
Did you read the opening quote? Take a moment to pause and linger on Waldo’s words. (Did you know Emerson went by Waldo?) I discovered this quote when I was in high school. I kept a tattered spiral 8×8 notebook with handwritten quotes inside. Looking back through the brittle pages decades later, I recognize that many of the quotes tug at defining identity.
Figuring out who you are is not new to humanity. It is a timeless quest, and as years turn, we have deepened our understanding of the importance of identity and how it is shaped.
I’m glad to share this week’s articles with you because they are rich in the ways they deepen our understanding of and commitment to strengthening students’ identities. You’ll find ideas about assessment, whole-group instruction, and picture books related to building identity—plus more, as always.
Shine on,
Ruth Ayres
Editor in Chief
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Listen to the “Honoring Student Identity” episode on the Big Fresh podcast. Cathy Mere joins the podcast for a conversation about uplifting student voices and using mentor texts to help kids discover the stories they can write.
Mary Lee Hahn is a bit flummoxed when a parent asks about her management system at an open house. The experience sparks reflection on what makes a classroom community gel.
Are you looking to engage with a community of instructional influencers? Join me on LinkedIn to continue conversations from the Big Fresh and connect with other educators who are just as smart and funny as you are.
In this course, Stella Villalba teaches us how to discover, honor, and share student stories throughout the school year. With special attention to multilingual learners, Stella walks educators through a process to intentionally connect and uplift students so they are positioned to learn and grow.
New members-only content is added each week to the Choice Literacy website. If you’re not yet a member, click here to explore membership options.
Becca Burk guides us in using self-portraits as an assessment tool for early writers. Becca shares a rubric, self-portrait samples, and practical next steps for her kindergarten writers.
Katie Linder reminds us of the importance of listening to (or ignoring) our own inner voices when delivering whole-group instruction. Katie guides us in using our inner voices to make in-the-moment decisions that sharpen lessons.
In this Choice Numeracy article, Mandy Robek uses picture books to help her students build their identities as mathematicians. Mandy shares the process and a book list.
In this video, Dana Murphy shows how she leads her fifth graders with a kinesthetic reminder of classroom norms before beginning independent work.
New members-only content is added each week to the Choice Literacy website. If you’re not yet a member, click here to explore membership options.
In this Picture It, Ruth Ayres captures the evidence of a teacher well prepared for the day.
In this PD2Go, encourage teachers to strengthen students’ identities with an article by Tara Barnett and Kate Mills and a video by Katie Doherty.
Quote It:
The joy of leadership is seeing others achieve more than they thought they were capable of.
—Simon Sinek
That’s all for this week!
