Friday, July 31, 2020

Children's Books to Encourage Racial Awareness

How do we teach children about racial awareness?
How do we etch the foundations of equality in such little minds and hearts?
How do we talk about race when kids are said to not see color?


Start small.
Start with introductions.
Start with books.
Teach where you can.
Let them learn when they can.





Hair Love 
Written by Matthew A. Cherry
Illustrated by Vashti Harrison


Fiction-- Realistic

Seven year old, Zuri, attempts to style her think, kinky hair while watching an instructional video, narrated by her mother. Stephen, her father, attempts to help her style her hair. The two of them enter the hospital to see Zuri's mother wearing a scarf and sitting in a wheelchair. She removes the scarf, and we see that she is bald, a side effect of chemotherapy.

Awards
Winner of the Academy Award for Best Short Film (Animated) at the 92nd Academy Awards
Winner of the Black Reel Awards for Outstanding Independent Short Film

Matthew A. Cherry's Website
http://www.matthewacherry.com/

Website Emphasis on Hair Love
http://www.matthewacherry.com/hair-love

Oscar Winning Short Film of Hair Love
A seven minute animated short film of a father, Stephen, his daughter, Zuri, and her hair.





Schomburg: The Man Who Built a Library
Written by Carole Boston Weatherford
Illustrated by Eric Velasquez


Non-fiction-- Biography
Grades: 3-5 and 6-8

Rican Arturo Schomburg, a Puerto Rican boy who moved to America, was told by his fifth grade teacher that "Africa's sons and daughters had no history, no heroes worth noting". After hearing this, he dedicated his life to ensure that future generations learned about Africa and and African American's powerful heritage.

Information on Rican Arturo Schomburg

Carole Boston Weatherford's Website

Ruby Bridges Goes to School: My True Story
Written by Ruby Bridges



Non-fiction-- Autobiography
Grades: Pre-K and K-2

You can also find other books by and about Ruby Bridges for older children!
Check out the following:
  • Through My Eyes by Ruby Bridges (Grades 5-7)
  • The Story of Ruby Bridges by Robert Coles and illustrated by George Ford (Grades: 2-3)
  • Ruby Bridges: A Brave Child Who Made History by Jeri Cipriano (Grades: Pre-K and K-3)

Additional Information on Ruby Bridges

Malcolm Little: The Boy Who Grew Up to Become Malcolm X
Written by
Illustrated by


Happy in Our Skin
Written by Fran Manushkin
Illustrated by Lauren Tobia


Let it Shine: Stories of Black Women Freedom Fighters
Written by Andrew Davis Pinkney
Illustrated by Stephen Alcorn


The Day You Begin
Written by Jacqueline Woodson
Illustrated by Rafael Lopez


The Snowy Day
Written by Ezra Jack Keats


The Youngest Marcher
The Story of Audrey Faye Hendricks a Young Civil Rights Activist
Written by Cynthia Levinson
Illustrated by Vanessa Brantley-Newton



Non-fiction-- Biography

Nine year old, Audrey Faye Hendricks, was the youngest known child to be arrested for a civil rights protest in Birmingham, Alabama in 1963. The picture book follows her story as she listens and watches the grown ups around her talk about segregation.




Awards and Honors
ILA Teacher's Choices
CBC/NCSS Notable Social Studies Trade Book
Chicago Public Library's Best of the Best
Carter G. Woodson Book Award of NCTFSS
Great Lakes Great Books Master List
Comstock Read Aloud Book Award Honor
ALA Notable Book
Bank Street Best Children's Book of the Year Selection Title
Rhode Island Children's Book Award Nominee
Eureka! Excellence in Nonfiction Award Honor Title
Wisconsin State Reading Association's Reading List
Washington State Towner Award Nominee
Julia Ware Howe Young Reader Award

Simon & Schuster's Publishing Website

Cynthia Levinson's Website

Website Emphasis on The Youngest Marcher


Tuesday, July 21, 2020

Adult Books for Racial Awareness

Adult Books for Racial Awareness

Over the past few months, we have seen a shift in the world. Moving from one event to the next, we, as Americans, need to keep ourselves informed of the past and present so that we can help guide each other to a better future.

"Read more.
Learn more.
Change the globe."
-Nas

I have seen numerous books being brought to light on racism. The following thirty books are the top most searched for books over the past few months. Some of these books are ones that I have seen information on, looked interesting, are in my Amazon cart, or have already been read. Take a sneak peek of the last three, additional books that are already on my shelf.

Hosanna promotes racial awareness with conversation series | News ...


1.) The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness by Michelle Alexander

The New Jim Crow

Find more information, here.

2.) So You Want to Talk About Race by Ijeoma Oluo

Picture of So You Want to Talk about Race

Download a free group discussion guide, from Seal Press, here.

3.) The Color of Water: A Black Man's Tribute to His White Mother by James McBride

The Color of Water: A Black Man's Tribute to His White Mother Cover Image

Check out James McBride's website, first, and a special page on his book, here.

4.) The Master Plan: My Journey from Life in Prison to a Life of Purpose by Chris Wilson

The Master Plan by Chris Wilson and Bret Witter

You can find more information, here, including a short, audio clip to sample.

5.) Stamped from the Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America by Ibram X. Kendi

Picture of Stamped from the Beginning

Check out Ibram X. Kendi's website, here. Be sure to check out his extensive list of awards for his book!

6.) Why are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria?: And Other Conversations About Race by Beverly Daniel Tatum

Why Are All The Black Kids Sitting Together In The Cafeteria? - 2 ...



7.) White Fragility: Why It's So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism by Robin DiAngelo

White Fragility - By Robin Diangelo (Paperback) : Target

8.) How to be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kennedy

How to Be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi: 9780525509288 ...

Another one of Ibram X. Kendi's books have made the cut! Check out the webpage for this one, here.

9.) The Fire Next Time by James Baldwin

The Fire Next Time by James Baldwin, Paperback | Barnes & Noble®

10.) The Color of Law: A Forgotten History of How Our Government Segregated America by Richard Rothstein

The Color of Law: A Forgotten History of How Our Government ...

11.) Just Mercy by Bryan Stephenson

Amazon.com: Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption ...

12.) The Half Has Never Been Told: Slavery and the Making of American Capitalism by Edward E. Baptist

The Half Has Never Been Told: Slavery and the Making of American ...

Take a moment to read up on some information pertaining to the history of the events in the book on the NY Times Post, here.

13.) Between the World and Me by Ta-nehisi Coates

BETWEEN THE WORLD AND ME--TA-NEHISI COATES--ARC Proof! Few In ...

14.) Sister Outsider by Audrey Lorde

Reading Audre Lorde's “Sister Outsider” After Charlottesville - Los ...

15.) Washington Black: A Novel by Esi Edugyan

Washington Black: A Novel | Atomic Books

16.) An Autobiography of Malcom X: As Told to Alex Haley

The Autobiography of Malcolm X: As Told to Alex Haley: Malcolm X ...

17.) Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Americanah | Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

18.) Born a Crime by Trevor Noah

Born A Crime : Trevor Noah : 9781473635302

19.) The Sun Does Shine: How I Found Life and Freedom on Death Row by Anthony Ray Hinton

Anthony Ray Hinton's "The Sun Does Shine" Is Oprah Book Club Pick

You can find further information on the books mentioned above on Forbes' website, here.

20.) me and white supremacy by Layla F. Saad




Me and White Supremacy by Layla F. Saad

21.) Reproductive Injustice by Dana-Ain Davis

Reproductive Injustice: Racism, Pregnancy, and Premature Birth by Dána-Ain Davis

22.) Eloquent Rage: A Black Feminist Discovers Her Superpower by Brittney Cooper

Eloquent Rage: A Black Feminist Discovers Her Superpower by Brittany Cooper

You can find further information on the books mentioned above on the Strategist's website, here.

23.) The Color of Money: Black Banks and the Racial Wealth Gap by Mehrsa Baradaran


24.) For Jobs and Freedom by Robert H. Zieger

race america us usa united states black white coloured racism injustice books knowledge education power policy violence george floyd

25.) The Origin of Other by Toni Morrison

race america us usa united states black white coloured racism injustice books knowledge education power policy violence george floyd

You can find further information on the books mentioned above on World Economic Forum's website, here.

26.) Parable of the Sower by Octavia E. Butler


27.) This Bridge Called My Back by Radical Feminists of Color

This Bridge Called My Back, Fourth Edition: Writings by Radical ...

28.) We Are Not Yet Equal: Understanding Our Racial Divide by Carol Anderson and Tonya Bolden

Amazon.com: We Are Not Yet Equal: Understanding Our Racial Divide ...

29.) God's Bits of Wood by Ousmane Sembene

African Writers Ser.: God's Bits of Wood by Sembene Ousmane (1987 ...

30.) They Were Her Property: White Women as Slave Owners in the American South by Stephanie E. Jones-Rogers


You can find further information on the books mentioned above on WBUR's website, here.


The following books are currently on my shelf!
31.) Sundown Towns: A Hidden Dimension of American Racism by James W. Looewen

Sundown Towns: A Hidden Dimension of American Racism - Kindle ...

32.) Long Walk to Freedom by Nelson Mandela

Amazon.com: Long Walk to Freedom: The Autobiography of Nelson ...

33.) The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot

The Immortal Life Henrietta Lacks (cover).jpg

Teaching Children About Race Resources (Part One)

Social Justice Books: A Teaching for Change Project


Wow! This website is incredible! There are so many resources to help teach your children about the African and African American culture and history. There are a plethora of books for all ages and reading levels.

Below, you will find the emphasis, the corresponding website, the age groups, and my top book choices on each topic! Please note that this does not even touch base on the selection of books they have available! The best way to find a book that is best for you, your child, etc. is to visit the site yourself, peruse the topics, and click on the individual books for further information.


Emphasis on "Black History"
https://socialjusticebooks.org/booklists/black-history/
Books are available for the following: early elementary, upper elementary, fiction for middle school
non-fiction for middle school, young adults, and even educators!

  • Me and Momma and Big John by Mara Rockliff
  • No Mirrors in My Nana's House by Ysaye M. Barnwell
  • So Tall Within: Sojourner Truth's Long Walk Toward Freedom by Gary D. Schmidt
  • Hidden Figures: Young Reader's Edition by Margot Lee Shetterly (See my other post about this book!)
  • Bud, Not Buddy and Elijah of Buxton by Christopher Paul Curtis
  • One Crazy Summer by Rita Williams-Garcia (See my other post about this book!)
  • We are the Ship: The Story of Negro League Baseball by Kadir Nelson (See my other post about this book!)


Emphasis on "Africa"
https://socialjusticebooks.org/booklists/africa/
Books are available for the following: elementary, middle, young adult, adult, educators, and, additionally, information with organizations and articles!

  • Bintou's Braids by Sylviane Diouf
  • Mama Africa!: How Miriam Makeba Spread Hope with her Song by Kathryn Erskine
  • Sing to the Moon by Nansubuga Nagadya Isdahl


Emphasis on "Afro-LatinX"
https://socialjusticebooks.org/booklists/afro-latinx/
Books are available for the following: elementary, middle, high school, and adults!

  • Drum Dream Girl: How One Girl's Courage Changed Music by Margarita Engle
  • Islandborn by Junot Diaz
  • Schomburg: The Main Who Built a Library by Carole Boston Weatherford (See my other post about this book!)
  • The Walls of Cartagena by Julia Durango


Emphasis on "Black Panthers"
https://socialjusticebooks.org/booklists/civil-rights-teaching/black-panthers/
Books are available for the following: elementary, middle, high school, adult, and, additionally, a section on black power!

  • The Black Panthers Speak by Philip Foner
  • Revolutionary Suicide by Huey P. Newton
  • The ABCs of the Black Panther Party by Chemay Morales-James


Emphasis on "Changemakers"
https://socialjusticebooks.org/booklists/changemakers/
Books are available for all age groups.

  • 10 True Tales: Young Civil Rights Heroes by Allan Zullo
  • The 100 Greatest Americans of the 20th Century: A Social Justice Hall of Fame by Peter Dreier
  • 101 Changemakers: Rebels and Radicals Who Changed U.S. History by Michele Bollinger and Dao X. Tran
  • She Takes a Stand: 16 Fearless Activists Who Have Changed the World by Michael Elsohn Ross


Emphasis on "Civil Rights Teaching"
https://socialjusticebooks.org/booklists/civil-rights-teaching/
Books are available for all age groups.
Within this emphasis, there are multiple subtopics to choose from including, but not limited to,;

  • Children's Titles
  • Young Adult Titles
  • Background Reading
  • Biographies
  • Black Panthers
  • Brown v. Board of Education
  • Freedom Schools
  • March on Washington
  • Montgomery Bus Boycott
  • Selma
  • SNCC
  • Voting Rights


Emphasis on "Economic Class"
https://socialjusticebooks.org/booklists/early-childhood/economic-class/
Books are available for all age groups.

  • The Fair Housing Five & the Haunted House by the Greater New Orleans Fair Housing Action Center
  • Happy Little Soccer by Maribeth Boelts
  • Last Stop on Market Street by Matt de la Pena (Also available in Spanish! Ultima Parada de la Calle Market by Matt de la Pena!)
  • The Magic Mirror by Zetta Elliot


Emphasis on "Hair"
https://socialjusticebooks.org/booklists/hair/
Books are available for the following: early elementary, elementary, young adults, and adults!

  • Hair Love by Matthew A. Cherry (See my other post about this book!)
  • Happy to be Nappy by Bell Hooks and Chris Raschka
  • Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut by Derrick Barnes (See my other post about this book!)


Emphasis on "Policing"
https://socialjusticebooks.org/booklists/policing/
and
https://bookshop.org/lists/policing
Books are available for the following: young adult, adult nonfiction, and adult fiction!

  • The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas (Also a movie!)
  • Invisible No More: Police Violence Against Black Women and Women of Color by Andrea J. Ritchie
  • Teaching for Black Lives by Ryan Watson, Jesse Hagopian, and Wayne Au
  • Say Her Name by Zetta Elliot
  • The Day Tajon Got Shot by Beacon House Teen Writers

Friday, July 10, 2020

Grant Writing Notes


Rockis Videos
Video hosted by Toni Rockis
President & CEO of Granted Inc. and Grantmamas, Inc. 

Hosted Monday, January 25th of 2016

Foundation Proposals:
Community— smaller, found in own area
Independent and Family— “quite a bit of money goes into family foundations”
Corporate—largest sector

Eight “Typical” Sections of a Foundation Proposal
1. Executive Summary
                The executive summary is the most important section of your proposal and should be the last proposal section you write. You should tie in your title to your last sentence! Always ask people to read your proposal!

Executive summaries should include the following information:
1.       Who you are
2.       The name of your school
3.       What you want to do
4.       How you want to do it
5.       How you will evaluate how well you’ve done
6.       The impact you’ll have on your target audience
7.       The amount of money needed

2. Description of the School
                The purpose is to introduce your school/district to the foundation, establish the ability to reach said goal/objective/activity, and align your schools’ mission and services to the foundation’s mission and interests.
One should also think about providing proof of your school’s 501©3 nonprofit status or your National Center for Education Statistics. Private/charter schools may need to provide your Employer Identification Number. A list of school board members and contact information are also good items to add.
Add in the numbers! Number of students in your district, your school, the grade level you teach, the number of students in your classroom, and the number of students eligible for free or reduced lunch.

Seven “typical” items included in a school description:
1.       The school’s mission statement/vision statement
2.       An interesting statement(s) about your school’s history (only if available/applicable)
3.       School and/or district demographics and the audience you’ll be serving
4.       Information and expertise on your school staff to complete the proposed project
5.       Similar/relevant programs your school has undertaken
6.       Any volunteers you may be using and their areas of expertise
7.       The structure of your school board such as the size and membership.

3. Need for the Project
                The need statement explains the problem you’re identifying in your proposal, supports the need for your proposed project, and identifies your proposed solution to fix this problem.

Four “typical” items include:
1.       A short description of the school’s problem/need that your proposal addresses and potentially when the problem/need is the greatest (morning, afternoon, after school, week days, weekends, etc.)
2.       A brief description of your target audience such as- number of students, the grade levels you will reach, the demographics (ethnicity, money, etc.)
3.       A brief description of the geographical area your project will serve such as your school’s immediate area, all the schools in your district, school-aged children in your community, schools surrounding your district
4.       A brief description of how your project will address the problem and improve the situation for your students/target audience

When there is a problem, find a need, then it will lead you to a solution!



4. Description of the Project
                The description of the project/project management plan/timeline are often called the “meat”/”heart” of the proposal. The need statement mentions the problem, while the description refers to the workable solution.

Description of the project must:
1.       Match the funder’s priorities by explaining what you intend to do while clearly addressing the funder’s priorities
2.       Show how the project will solve the problem or need you’ve already identified in the need statement
3.       Should be Clear, Concise, and Compelling (three c’s) and consistent with the other parts of your proposal (a fourth c)
4.       Discuss recruitment procedure for recruiting target audience members--media outreach, professional referrals, payment of stipends, etc.
5.       Include project goals and objectives
6.       Address personnel needed to complete the project
7.       Discuss sustainability of the project beyond the grant funding
8.       How you will use a press release/press conference/other “press” to your grant after it’s awarded

“You want readers to visualize how your project will be implemented. You must establish your school’s credibility and convince the funder your school knows how to successfully run the project.”

Goal: broad statement; conceptual and abstract; difficult to measure.

Example Given: Children will learn to read better. (One cannot measure how a child reads “better”. What is a “child” and/or the age group? This is too broad and has unattainable meeting standards.)

Objectives: S: specific, M: measurable, A: achievable (I have always learned attainable, but this seems to hit closer to home when writing a grant!), R: relevant (I have always learned attainable, but this seems to hit closer to home when writing a grant!), and T: time-bound.


Six Steps for Writing Measurable Performance Objectives:
1.       Decide the change you want to occur.
a.        Example Given: Increase the reading scores of 5th grade students at White Oak Elementary School.
2.       Decide how you will measure the change.
a.        Example Given: Increase the reading scores of at least 65% of the 5th grade students at White Oak Elementary School.
3.       Decide how much change you need for the activity to be successful.
a.        Example Given: Increase the reading scores of at least 65% of the 5th grade students at White Oak Elementary School by 1.2 grade levels on the Wide Range Achievement Test.
4.       Decide how quickly you can expect results.
a.        Example Given: Increase the reading scores of at least 65% of the 5th grade students at White Oak Elementary School by 1.2 grade levels on the Wide Range Achievement Test within one academic year.
5.       Determine how much it will cost.
a.        Example Given: Increase the reading scores of at least 65% of the 5th grade students at White Oak Elementary School by 1.2 grade levels on the Wide Range Achievement Test within one academic year at a cost of $8,000.00.
6.       Write the objective.
a.        Example Given: Increase the reading scores of at least 65% of the 5th grade students at White Oak Elementary School by 1.2 grade levels on the Wide Range Achievement Test within one academic year at a total cost of $8,000.00.

ALWAYS use the same wording/verbatim for your objectives. Remain consistent and repeat when needed!

Frequently Used Objectives:
1.       Behavioral: a human action is desired
2.       Performance: a behavior occurs within a specific timeframe under a certain proficiency level
3.       Process: the way something occurs/the “end” in itself
4.       Product: a tangible item is developed

Personnel Needed:
1.       Staff recruitment plan and quick hiring of grant-funded staff including the job descriptions for all key project personnel
2.       Previous grants the school has won and implemented efficiently and effectively including the experience, qualifications, and awards/honors received by proposed project staff
3.       Awards or honors your school or board members have received
4.       Recognition your school has received from the target audience
5.       Relationships with past and proposed partners
6.       Brief description of board members’ experience and support of proposed project

Project Sustainability: the ability of the project to sustain itself after the initial funding is gone.
                Basically, how the project will continue to excel in your school!
Ways to Show Project Sustainability:
1.       Similar grant makers funding similar programs in your school
2.       Tax levy budget to cover program once seed money is gone
3.       Resource guides live on beyond the life of the grant
4.       Train-the-trainer models have a life beyond the initial grant period
5.       Fundraising, especially with community partners, to keep a project going after funding is gone
6.       Dues, fees, in-kind donations or “pay what you can” can keep a program going
7.       Government funding streams, local or state, to take over a program once it becomes successful

5. Project Management Plan and Timeline
                The project management plan is the “blueprint”. You should design this to be visually appealing in some sort of table, chart, or other visual. It is easier/faster to read tables than large chunks of wording (I think of PowerPoint slides and how often people write too much!) Visuals also show organization and understanding of the scope.
Included in the Proposal:
1.       Goal(s) and objectives
2.       Specific project activities that lead to meeting your goal(s) and objectives
3.       Date you will initiate and complete each project activity
4.       Person(s) responsible for accomplishing each activity
5.       How and when you will evaluate the progress of meeting each activity

Involvement in the Development of Activities:
1.       Individuals with program expertise
2.       Individuals with background information on the topic at hand
3.       Individuals who are committed to the target audience (the deeper the better!)
4.       All individuals will be involved in the day-to-day activities and be responsible for the results


***Part III has 6. Evaluation of the Project, 7. Project Budget and Budget Justification, and 8. Appendices

Children's Books to Encourage Racial Awareness

How do we teach children about racial awareness? How do we etch the foundations of equality in such little minds and hearts? ...