March is National Reading Month. As a literacy coach, I love there is a month set aside with a literacy focus. Just as I tell people I am black 365 days a year and the celebration of my heritage and history cannot be contained to one month, I also believe you should read 365 days a year. It does not have to be for a long time, but you should engage in and explore various texts throughout the year.
Throughout this month, I will share various read alouds and books I love.
First up is the book I Keep Getting Mad: A first grader’s struggle with understanding and dealing with anger. This book is written by Isaiah Wesley Thompson, a student at Milwaukee College Preparatory School. It was published December 2017 and is a book my sons grew to love. I have twin boys who happen to be in the first grade just like Kurt, the main character in this story. I was glad to find a book that related to my children right where they are in life (yes, my two little guys find themselves in trouble at school sometimes). What was even better was finding a book written by a student featuring a black male. I think every elementary educator should add this book to his or her classroom library. Check out one of my twin sons reading the book in the video below.
Amen about shoving Black History into one month a year and celebrating MLK on one day. What a tragedy that many African-American leaders (including NAACP) have fallen into this dismissal time of the year, January and February to celebrate our heritage and contributions we had to this country. We should celebrate all year long.I just had this conversation with someone else.Aunt Sue
It’s really important. Twenty-eight days isn’t enough time. I asked my boys what Black History Month was about and they told me it was the celebration of Martin Luther King Jr. If I want them to know more about their heritage and black history, I can’t just focus on it one month of the year.