Issue link: http://educator.cta.org/i/1060790
F I N D I N G T H E C O U R A G E to be your inner self is a theme in many of the selections in CTA's 2018-19 California Reads – teacher-recommended books for all grade levels. Check out cta.org/californiareads for the full list. #californiareads In 1920s Cuba, an island filled with music, females cannot be drummers. But Millo Castro Zaldarriaga, a Chinese-Afri- can-Cuban girl, dreams of pounding tall congas and tapping small bongós. She practices in secret, till one day … "Drum Dream Girl: How One Girl's Courage Changed Music," by Margarita Engle (grades 1-2), is an inspiring, true story for dreamers everywhere. In "Red: A Crayon's Story," by Michael Hall (PK, TK, K), Red has a bright-red label, but he is, in fact, blue. His teacher tries to help him be red (let's draw strawberries!), his mother and others also try to help him be red, but Red is miserable. Finally, a brand-new friend offers a brand-new perspective, and Red discovers his real color. At the beginning of "Speak: The Graphic Novel ," by Laurie Halse Anderson (grades 9-12), Melinda calls the cops on an end-of-summer party, becoming an outcast as she starts her freshman year of high school. She's unable to tell anyone of the sexual assault she suffered at the party, and grows depressed and alienated. Finally, an art teacher helps her express with art what she has so painfully buried and find her voice again. Be True to Yourself Black Lives Matter at School Week G E T R E A D Y F O R Black Lives Matter (BLM) at School Week, Feb. 4–8, 2019. The week of action is organized by a national committee of educators who advocate for racial justice in education. BLM at School Week began during the 2017– 2018 school year, when thousands of educators wore Black Lives Matter shirts to school and taught lessons about structural racism, intersec- tional black identities, black history, and anti-racist movements during the first week of February. BLM at School Week demands the following actions: 1. End zero-tolerance policies and replace them with restorative practices. 2. Hire and mentor black educators. 3. Mandate that ethnic studies be taught in Pre-K–12 schools in age-appropriate ways. Lessons that educators teach during the week of action correspond to the 13 guiding principles of Black Lives Matter: Monday: Restorative Justice, Empathy and Loving Engagement Tuesday: Diversity and Globalism Wednesday: Trans-Affirming, Queer Affirming and Collective Value Thursday: Intergenerational, Black Families and Black Villages Friday: Black Women and Unapologetically Black For details on how to join the actions, lesson plans and resources see blacklivesmatteratschool.com and neaedjustice.org/ black-lives-matter-school. #BlackLivesMatterAtSchool. 10 cta.org In the Know N E W S & N O T E S