Reading with Mrs. Shivers

Homophobia and heterosexism are unfortunately permeating the world of childrens toys, media, and literature in ways we must be more aware of. In looking for positive and negative examples of sexual orientation in childrens literature and media, what I discovered was that it was difficult to find any mainstream items portraying homosexual parents in any normalizing way. Even as much forward progress toward acceptance we've made as a society, when it comes to children, we are still modeling almost exclusively hetero examples for them. This part of many children's social identity, as a child of two moms or two dads, is nearly invisible commercially. What is present in terms of modeling are examples such as these:   Barbie can be bought separately, but the messaging is clear here, she is supposed to marry Ken. This is what both the dolls and the Barbie cartoon consistently adhere to in the storyline and marketing. Even in trolls, an otherwise positive motivational movie, bo...

I contacted five people from a variety of backgrounds and ask for their personal definition of both culture and diversity. These were their responses: Ella: Culture is everything that embodies an ethnic background.   Whether it be the type of food, clothing, music, etc.   It represents their beliefs and way of life. Diversity is what makes everyone unique and different.   Everyone has their own thoughts and ideas, sense of style and taste. Summer: Culture- I believe a person’s culture is their traditions, their way of life. It can be based on how they were raised, the community they live in, or just something they’ve adapted for themselves & their family. It can be in their clothing, food, holidays, beliefs, attitude towards life, how they live, etc... Diversity is having different cultures, races, beliefs, religions, nationalities, loves, etc... I think it just means having a difference from someone or something else. Nera: Culture is a way of life ...

If a major catastrophe had devastated my country and I had to leave as a refugee, I would take these three items: This Angel Necklace This was a joint gift from my mom and my mother-in-law. My mother-in law gave the charm, and my mother supplied the chain. It represents the coming together of our blended families, and is something I could pass down to my children. It helps me remember to focus on what is good in my life, and the angel reminds me there is always someone who loves me, regardless of where I go. My Cookbook This cookbook contains my families favorite dishes. Years ago for a class I compiled copies of recipe cards from generations of great cooks, and we refer back to it often for what is considered the best of comfort food in my home. Food is central to every family gathering of ours, and a way to relive important memories as well as teach lessons from my grandmothers. The Family Storybook My father assembled this book based on years of research tracing my famil...

What does support mean to me? It means a lifeline, literally a life preserver in times of trouble. My father was a boater. He was always worried about his children around the water. Even when we proved ourselves proficient swimmers, he still insisted we wear a life jacket. I believe this was mainly to help him feel better, especially once we were adults! This life jacket is what I picture as my supports in life, what I need to feel like I can make it through challenges, even if they are day to day items I am used to doing. It is the routines I follow, people around me, and the standards that instruct my teaching. In my daily environment, those supports take the form of several people and items. First, my husband is the greatest source of support in my life. He works hard to provide financially for our family which allows me to work in a much lower paying job that I love. Charlie listens helps me think through challenges, and provides support with our children and home as well. My sc...

I love these quotes because they are about playing not with standard toys, but by using your mind and imagination. The second quote about getting to know people reminds me of all the hours we spend playing games, and how the competition has made many lasting memories with our family and friends.  This was my very favorite baby growing up. Almost every picture from my childhood has "Baby Beans" in it. (She has beans in her bottom to help her sit up.) Even when she lost her hat, got dirty, and scuffed her face paint, she remained my most cherished possession. In times of hurt and trauma growing up, she was my comfort. I still have her in a box as an adult.  Music has always been an essential part of my life. My parents did not have the money for dance lessons, so when my Grandmother bought me this ballerina, she was my way to pretend I could be a dancer too. She came with cassette tapes that I could play and dance around the room just like the doll. When I was a ...

This quote may seem a little unorthodox, but it is truly how I approach relationships. The core in any relationship,  must be truthfulness and authenticity. There is nothing more important in my opinion than being true to yourself, and presenting yourself as exactly who you really are. When you can really be who you are, you can develop lasting quality relationships and partnerships. These partnerships are essential for career success, emotional well-being, and for making a difference in the life of someone outside yourself. My husband Charlie and I have been married almost 15 years. He is my rock, my partner, and my very best friend. We met in college, and anyone who knew us then would say we were opposites. What we have learned over the years, however, is that if we reserve judgement and remain open to communication, we are actually far more alike. A positive relationship not only supports, but helps you move forward in life. In our marriage, we've been through...

We exist in community, and though we are only one person, we can be that one that makes a positive difference in a child's life. There will be many people in and out a a child's life. Some will help the child develop, others will hinder. I want to leave the right mark. I feel like this sums up the goal of child development for me. As caregivers we help the child progress from focused on themselves to seeing others, and hopefully then preparing them for responsible citizens as they learn to care about others across the world. Each child is unique. Its my job to connect and help each student I work with succeed in their own way.

It is midyear at school, and the high stakes assessments have begun. Are the students on track? Will they be ready to go on to third grade? How should the intervention be modified if students are succeeding? There are more questions than time, but the common theme is always this: What data do you have to back up your answer? Which means, what assessments have you done to confirm your anecdotes about this child’s learning? Short answer then is, yes, I believe some form of testing is necessary. Done the right way it does not have to be a necessary evil. So then, if we are going to test, what should that assessment look like, and how should the students be measured? Traditional schooling measures how students perform in two core areas: reading and math. In the upper grades, we also test social studies and science. In the United States we use the Common Core Standards, and assess students in such a way that they are prepared based to pass state testing based on the No Child Left Behin...

My father was a pastor. In the Christian marriage ceremonies he performed, people recited versions of the same traditional vows: I take this man/woman to have and to hold, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, till death do us part. Divorce, however, changed my family forever when I was a child. My father and mother divorced when I was four years old. She moved into a small apartment across town. My sisters (twins aged 5) and I were to begin spending half of each week, literally 3 ½ days at each of their houses. My day to day world was very different as my stay at home mom went to work. As for my father, he had begun dating already, and about a year later, he remarried. My new stepmother came with two boys of her own from a previous marriage. With new rules and ideas about what we should do, my new stepmother was seen as an intruder. She practiced what she called “tough love”, at a time I had no interest in another mother. Two year...

Children develop based on their life experiences. Their brains process information, learn lessons, and connect memory to language to emotion. Babies seek and receive attention, and each of these experiences strengthens or weakens the connections in the brain (Berger, 2016). This week I chose to look at mental health as it is experience driven and a personal issue close to my heart as well as my own child’s development. It was not until I was an adult that I found out my grandmother was diagnosed with bi polar disorder. She was always just a little different, but we just chalked that up to the hardships she faced from poverty and a “tough” marriage. Turns out both my grandmother and father struggled with mental health issues. Growing up with this type of father meant you just never knew what mood he may be in. There were days we were off and running, going quickly from activity to activity. Other days he would be sullen and as children we would serve as his cheer section. At the ...