Issue link: http://educator.cta.org/i/1437090
Students, who have just read Kids Who Are Changing the World by Anne Jankéliowitch, eagerly discuss the social activism of students in the book. "I was impressed with Olivia Bouler, who took action when she heard about the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico," eighth grader Marlee Liniger tells her classmates, describing how the 11-year- old from New York partnered with the Audubon Society to sell her paintings of birds, raising $200,000 for gulf recovery efforts. Students are in the classroom of Josefa Bustos-Pelayo, whose love of reading inspires their passion for the written word. This old-fash- ioned book club is bringing students together, fostering critical thinking, raising awareness of impor tant issues, and letting students know that they, too, can change the world and make a difference. "Reading books is a way of opening students' eyes to the world," says Bus- tos-Pelayo, a member of the Hanford Elementary Teachers Association. Books for her program are provided via 2019-20 and 2020-21 innovation grants from CTA's Institute for Learning. The club, currently with 23 students, meets monthly during lunchtime. Occasionally special guests Zoom in; when the pan- demic wanes, Bustos-Pelayo will take students on field trips. "I recruit kids who love to read and some who are reluctant readers. I think it builds a sense of community, as stu- dents become better thinkers, better readers and friends." Her focus this year is on the environment, because of students' concern about climate change at the STEAM-centered school. They will read about Rachel Carson, whose influential book Silent Spring and other writings are credited with catalyzing the global environmental movement. "As the students read the works of authors and scientists, they will not only be learning content, but the craft of writing like a scientist and environ- mentalist. So, in the spirit of Rachel Carson as the mother of environmental studies, we will uncover her love for the environment, her social activism, her passion for writing, and be inspired by her unrelenting work." Students will read The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind by William Kam- kwamba, the true story of a 13-year-old Malawian boy who is thrown out of school when his family can no longer afford the fees, then sneaks into the library and learns how to build a wind- mill to save his village from a famine. Other assignments will be on the political environment. This Book Is Anti-Racist: 20 Lessons on How to Wake Up, Take Action, and Do the Work by Tiffany Jewell will encourage stu- dents in the book club to take action of their own. Bustos-Pelayo's book club was on hiatus during the pandemic shutdown, but in 2019 the club's focus was on Latino writers and Hispanic heritage. This was a natural fit, since she teaches in the school's dual immersion pro- gram, and the majority of students at Jefferson Academy are Latino. The Joy of Reading JOSEFA BUSTOS-PELAYO: "I recruit kids who love to read and some who are reluctant readers. It builds a sense of community, as students become better thinkers, better readers and friends." F O O D F O R T H O U G H T I S O N T H E M E N U W H E N M I D D L E S C H O O L S T U D E N T S AT T E N D T H E S Í S E P U E D E B O O K C LU B D U R I N G LU N C H AT J E F F E R S O N ACA D E M Y I N H A N F O R D. 26 cta.org