Issue link: http://educator.cta.org/i/1470295
Inspiring Love, Empathy and Compassion Educator Ryan Brazil and class build awareness with 'Anti-Bias ABC's' By Julian Peeples I N A S C H O O L named Love, Alameda fourth grade educator Ryan Brazil and her class are inspiring compassion, sharing the joy of words like "hope," "empathy" and "voice" in their newly published book, "Anti-Bias ABC's." The book features anti-bias-related words for each letter of the alphabet, along with descriptions and illustrations penned by Brazil's students. The mission to spread love has come a long way since Brazil first had the idea to write a book with her class — "Anti-Bias ABC's" can be purchased on every major online bookseller, at Target and at local bookstores like Ala- meda's Books Inc., which invited Brazil's class to sign their books at an event in May. "We're really excited. Our hope is that people learn from this and then they can teach other people about it," says Brazil, a member of Alameda Education Association. "We want to inspire love, empathy and compassion." Brazil says that she had 26 students at the beginning of the school year and decided to write an alphabet book with her class, with each student getting a letter to write and draw about. e class discusses social justice every day and Love Elementary School has an anti-bias group. Brazil came up with the idea to do their alphabet book on the topic and brought it back to her students, who embraced it and charged ahead with the creation. A great deal of thought was put into the words that were selected for each letter, and Brazil's students discussed the m erits of each to make th e tough deci sions about w hich would make the cut. "Why do we want to do open-minded instead of oppression," Ryan Brazil, top, and her fourth-graders hold copies of their book. 38 cta.org Social Justice