Marcelle Haddix and Detra Price-Dennis’s “Urban Fiction and Multicultural Literature as Transformative Tools for Preparing English Teachers for Diverse Classrooms,” allows insight to how English teachers can enlighten their classrooms using Anti-racist education. It is believed that starting, “discussions of Urban and Multi-cultural literature hold great potential for transforming the practice of new English teachers,” so they give their students confidence into starting their own conversations about it when discussing the literature they read in class (Dennis 2). It is researched that teachers need to be culturally responsive and aware so they can address “the needs of a linguistically and culturally diverse classroom” (Dennis 3). Students are then more likely to be more comfortable with their teachers and will motivate them to go to them for help.

Students these days want to not only learn from their teachers, but to feel as though that they understand the students and how difficult life can be for them. Teachers need to be willing to talk about the tougher topics like the dangers of racism or a single story to the children. I will be sure to incorporate the ideas of adjusting the students approach to language, and how the racial lens should be adjusted so that students think about the how racism played a role in the stories on a deeper level.

Carrol Tama’s “Critical Thinking Has a Place in Every Classroom,” demonstrates methods on how to introduce and hang on to critical thinking methods in the classroom. The three principles described was: active learning, articulate thinking, and thinking about thinking. The first one identifies hands-on learning and that children will benefit from this and discussions rather than being isolated. Articulate thinking represents the idea that students learn “through talk, students build their knowledge base, extend their understanding” and readjust their judgement about certain situations (Tama 1). This can include gender-norms/issues with patriarchy, racism, other forms of identity, etc. The third principle was about students thinking about thinking. It encompasses the idea that students need to think for themselves and that “no one can instruct us how to do it” (Tama 2). Essentially, students need to understand that literature can open some areas of thinking on its own, aka what the author puts down and looking into his/her thoughts. Students go into a deeper level of thinking when acknowledging the other aspects and dimensions of the story. This would include how the audience feels and how the text can be interpreted opposite to what the author intended.

These critical principles are needed in classrooms today. As a future English teacher I want my students to have the skillset to be independent thinkers and ask questions that few have ever thought about when reading/discussing works in class. In terms of thinking by doing, I would tie in discussions or activities that would allow students to comprehend what the characters or author was thinking or trying to convey to the audience. When it comes to Articulate thinking and critical thinking(thinking about thinking) I would challenge students to debate with each other about their thoughts and ideas. I want them to hear each other out and learn from one another. Prepping for this will allow students to think on their own. While in the process of debating, they’ll keep in mind about the other thoughts that were brought to their attention. They can apply what they have learned to the work and/or writing being done in class.

Jeana M. Hrepich’s article “Failure and Persistent Inquiry: How Teaching a Digital Curriculum Serves as a Model for Lifelong Learning,” discusses how teachers need to become more resourceful with technology as a learning platform for their students. The author refers to how technology has helped students locate resources for research papers easily, but does contain drawbacks when she, “found that the inclusivity of the apps we used offered protections to young learners while also affording them authentic experiences within a participatory culture at school. This always was, and still remains, a central concern of [hers] for incorporating literacy and digital learning.”(Hrepich 2) She feels that students may not be able to find the quality databases needed. He uses the “Hero’s Journey” research paper as an example of the process that students would take to complete the assignment. She believes that utilizing Google Form would help the children zero in on their projects. The Google form would, “organize and collect data” and “was one way [she] sought to innovate the research project process, but with trepidation. [She] was all too aware of the notion… that ‘teachers often look for ways of fitting new technologies into classroom... and that ‘the task of integrating new technologies into learning is often realized by adapting them to, or adding them onto, familiar routines’”(Hrepich 3). She was right to be concerned about how the Google Form may not have much to offer innovation in the classroom. However, this strategy is useful to ensure that students are using the proper resources.

This passage taught me how technology is increasing its presence in the classroom and teachers have to be well adjusted to that environment just like the students. While being educated, I learned to go through school library websites to find the database websites so that I may find the resources I need. Although, when it came to searching for specific resources it can get complicated. Sometimes certain websites don’t have the topics I need. I probably would allow the option for the students to find the sources they need on their own or with my help. I would provide a Google Form as suggested to help them look for the sources they need if they have trouble. I want my students to know they can come to me for help, but I also want them to learn how to find what they need on their own so that they are not to dependent on others to solve their problems for them.

Kathleen Riley’s “Enacting Critical Literacy in English Classrooms: HOW A TEACHER LEARNING COMMUNITY SUPPORTED CRITICAL INQUIRY,” defines how teachers include Critical place- based education in English classrooms. Teachers must incorporate the components of critical literacy which involve literacy being seen as: “a form of socio-political action,” “a humanizing process,” how it “actively leverages multiple perspectives for meaning making,” “is community embedded and based on democratic ideals” (Riley 2). English teachers apply these broaden principles in their classrooms so that students can understand the world around them. The Adolescent Literacy Education Study Group was created to help teachers educate their students in a certain way so they can become aware about the problems that exist in the world. One of the teachers interviewed described how she felt that students should feel connected to what they were reading and use it to“indentify themselves, the world around them and view their place within the world around them” (Riley 5). One of the ways to ensure this was to negotiate with departments about eliminating the “no ‘I’ rule” in writing (Riley 5). This unique approach allows students more freedom to express their thoughts on the stories and novels they were reading. However, the students also need to realize that for some assignments they can’t just base everything on their thoughts.

This article emphasized that many English classrooms are fixed on the standardized test preparations. This study group was meant to help break that barrier and allow students to actually learn from their readings and not memorize to get a high score. I know I can use the strategy of eliminating the “no ‘I’ rule” in my class to some extent. I understand that for research papers, students can’t write: I think… because they have to get answers from resources. However, with certain assignments they should be allowed to express how they felt about the reading. How the author made them think about themselves and the world that they live in. Depending on the books that are assigned, I intend to create a balance between teaching them critical literacy along with prepping them for their SATs. It is important that while maintaining some standardization that still exists, students should learn how to apply what they read to the real world.