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I’m going to age myself for a minute.  Many years ago when I was a child, we had vinyl records and cassette tapes that we used to listen to music.  There were two sides, the A-side and the B-side. The A-side of a single song usually featured a recording that was the  focus; something you would hear on the radio. The B-side (or “flip-side”) was a secondary recording, something that was not as popular or that didn’t receive as much airplay.  Oddly enough though, some B-sides have been as successful as, or more so than, their A-sides.

In education, I feel like I spend a lot of time on the A-side.  The one that is most visible; lesson planning, assessment, teaching in the classroom.  This side of teaching gets a lot of focus, at least in my working life.  It’s the side that demands most of my attention, can be very challenging, but also can be very rewarding. There are a lot of things to love about the A-side; it’s popular for a reason!

But this year, I’m thinking a little more about the B-side to being a teacher.  It’s been hard not to feel overwhelmed this fall.  There is always so much to do and teachers in their first five years often ask me when it gets easier.  Even at 25 years in education, I still feel this stress when I focus only on the A-side.  The side with all the to-do lists and never ending deadlines.   

But what is the A-side without the B-side?  I’m working this year on thinking about the other side, the part that isn’t always talked about, the side that helps me to be my best self when I’m with the students.  And so, I’m sharing with you, my B-side tracks.  It’s short, it’s non-exhaustive, but it’s also focused on something a little different than all of the practical parts of teaching.  

First track: Balance. I often feel off-balance in education.  I feel myself spending a long time working, planning lessons, units, while also assessing students and attending meetings.  These days, in truth, I’m coming home quite late and I start to wonder if I’ve bit off more than I can chew outside of my working day. In response, I’m trying to look at balance a little differently. 

Perhaps balance isn’t equal time spent on different tasks, but rather how I measure my effort and stress for each.  If I am going to be doing a very stressful task that requires a lot of thinking and learning at school, perhaps I’m going to balance that with something that is very fun and rewarding after school.  For example, spending a day in new professional development might mean for the evening I’m going to plan a movie and snack night with my kids or a walk along the beach with a friend.  If I know I have a long week ahead at work, I’ll spend my Sunday resting and reading a good book.  If I measure work/life balance only with time on task, it will always be off-balance.  I’m learning to recognize that the amount of time isn’t always in my control, but the quality of that time might be.

Second track: Beauty. This is my reminder to slow down; to take a few moments to notice the beauty around me.  That could be making time to watch the sunset and notice how lovely the sky looks. It’s stopping on my way into the school or the ETFO office to appreciate the changing leaves and flowers that might still be blooming.  It’s also just taking a moment to stop and appreciate artwork or music or those delicious snacks someone shared in the staff room. Focussing on these moments always seems to diminish the noise of the A-side tracks and reminds me that there’s always something to appreciate. It brings joy in a different way and it reminds me to take a different perspective when looking around the world.

Third track: Boundaries.  This word is sometimes misunderstood and can be guilt-inflicting!  I used to think that boundaries meant I’m just saying no to people and that they would be hurt, annoyed, or frustrated with me.  As I’ve grown, I’ve realized that boundaries are actually about knowing myself. It’s knowing what I need in order to stay well and to feel happy and be present for my students.  Boundaries aren’t selfish; boundaries are actually part of my self-care. 

For example, on the weekends, I’ve got a 1:00pm boundary.  Whatever I am working on at home, I insist that my 1:00pm boundary is in effect – I sit and read a book or watch tv or take a nap.  At school, I make sure I take an uninterrupted lunch break and, here’s the hard part, I try not to talk about work!  It’s not easy, but I try very hard to have work conversations limited to ten minutes if it’s necessary and try to talk about something social during the rest of lunch. This helps me to step away from work for a moment and it also builds community amongst staff  to share a little bit about ourselves with each other. And it’s a wonderful feeling to work with a strong and connected staff that feels like they can lean on each other.  I’ve noticed that it just makes our A-side tracks (co-planning, co-teaching, professional development) go so much smoother when we know one another outside of the parameters of work talk. 

And so, the B-side tracks.  Often not at the forefront of the day compared to the A-side of teaching, but no less important to educators. While it sometimes gets less airplay, it’s sometimes just as catchy and fun as other versions. The B-side helps me to enjoy the A-side, to give it the airplay it deserves and even have the energy to dance around a little.

Taking an additional qualification is something I have done many times both online and in person. I remember being a new teacher trying to take the ones that would help me land a new role in the school, like ESL/ELD or special education support. Juggling the demands of a course with work is no joke: between the assignments, readings, and discussion posts, AQs can really take up a good chunk of your evenings and weekends.

It had always been a personal goal for me to teach an AQ, though I wasn’t quite sure how to get started or even if I was ready. Serendipitously, my board put out a hiring posting for an AQ teacher pool. When the opportunity came up, I agreed immediately, especially since the course was in an area I feel particularly knowledgeable and passionate about – Teaching English Language Learners.

The experience of teaching an AQ for the first time was definitely one I will never forget. As someone who has primarily taught classes of children, it was a big shift to teach adults who also happened to be my colleagues. In many ways, I felt like I was a new teacher again, with all the anxieties stress that come with trying to plan an engaging lesson, getting all the assessments done in time, and doing my best to seem like I knew what I was doing.

So what is it like to teach an AQ for the first time? Here are a few takeaways I left with.

Teaching an AQ is a lot of Hard Work

When I started, I made the foolish assumption that the work would mainly involve teaching a curriculum that was already set up. But we soon discovered that we needed to adapt, change, and tweak the content to meet the needs of the class, and that some elements of the course were not working as planned. For example, the discussion boards that were set up could be confusing and redundant after in person sessions; the slide decks needed to be re-done to align with the alternating online/in-person format we were using.

Needless to say, it took hours of planning each week, and hours after class to assess and respond to student posts.

It is Daunting to Be Instructing a Course for your Peers

When you teach kids, there are clear and distinct differences between you and your students: being an adult, having a university degree, and being in a position of responsibility with children. Being a course instructor for your peers – fellow educators with a broad range of lived experiences and vast professional knowledge – is a completely different story!

Teaching an AQ is a great reminder that as educators, we facilitate learning and inquiry for students. Once I leaned into my own vulnerabilities as an instructor – embracing the idea that we could all learn a lot from each other – the course really became a joyful experience where everyone could share their strengths and areas of needs as educators.

Community Matters in the Classroom

Throughout the course, one thing we did intentionally from the beginning was build a sense of community with the group. Connecting over food, icebreakers, and discussions can go a long way, and as we all got to know each other the more supportive the class became of each other.  Our course curriculum involved a lot of presentations, which can be a bit of a nerve wracking experience for any person, including teachers. Creating a learning environment where classmates cheered each other on and held space for one another made the learning experience rich and rewarding.

The takeaway? Make time to build community in your classroom, whatever age they are!

It’s Inspiring to see New Teachers get Excited about Teaching

Our course had many new teachers in their first 5 years, which was fascinating for me as a pretty experienced teacher. Some of the students could have been in my own elementary school classroom years back!

I remember being a new teacher and how exciting it was to have a class, and also how exhausting and stressful it was. Spending so much time with teachers who were in that phase of their lives and also seeing the excitement that comes with learning new things was a good reminder of how much I have grown professionally and how great the teaching profession can be.

Co-Teaching is a Wonderful Thing

Being able to co-teach my first AQ with a colleague and friend was a great experience that took a lot of the pressure off planning, facilitating, and assessing a course while working full time during the day. It also really helped to have someone to debrief with after each session, discuss what was going well and what needed to be changed, and cover the class when one of us was running late or had to make an appointment.

Would I teach an Additional Qualifications Course Again?

After this first AQ, I am certain I would do it all over again. The work is rewarding, fun, and it amazes me to have the privilege of having a role in another teacher’s learning. It adds a new and rich chapter to my career as a teacher, and reminded me of the power of re-learning and rediscovering joy in work within an entirely new context.

Of course, hindsight is a gift – I know exactly what mistakes to not make, and what kinds adaptations to the course I can make to help it run smoothly. Unlike teaching kids, educators are not shy about telling you exactly what you can do as an instructor to be more organized!

Take an AQ with ETFO

ETFO offers an extensive selection of additional qualification courses that are facilitated by many of our amazing colleagues. Visit https://etfo-aq.ca/catalogue/ to find a course that aligns with your professional learning goals.

For several years now, I’ve had the privilege of being part of our school’s Eco Committee, working alongside passionate staff and students to make small but meaningful changes for our planet. This year, I had the opportunity to reflect on ‘why’ this work matters so deeply to me. I realized that my connection to nature has been a constant thread throughout my life — even as far back as grade 3, when I was proudly part of our school’s “Green Team.” Back then, we promoted recycling, reminded classmates to turn off the lights, and helped bring life back to our school courtyard. Looking back, it’s clear that this early spark for environmental stewardship has continued to guide me ever since.

Being an Eco Lead this year has been an inspiring journey of meaningful learning, connection, and discovery. Recently, I had the wonderful opportunity to attend a professional development session hosted by Peel Eco Schools in partnership with Toronto Region Conservation. The experience was rich with practical strategies and heartfelt perspectives from the Outdoor Education Team and members of the Indigenous Education Team. 

One of the resources shared was the book Treaty Words: As Long as the Rivers Flow by Amiee Craft, a powerful resource to incorporate Indigenous voices and histories into our eco work. It reminds us of the importance of our relationship to the land. A line that truly resonated with me from the book was, “she knew it was a privilege to be there”—on the land, witnessing the transitions of nature and understanding our role within those relationships.

Our afternoon was spent intentionally preparing for our outdoor space. We used materials like milk bags and newspapers to create our very own sit spots. Once we entered our outdoor space and found our quiet sit spots, we took time to reflect on our responsibility to the land. It made me think deeply about how we have a duty to care for it, to leave it as we found it, and to ensure that our presence honours the delicate balance of nature. This sense of responsibility is a living practice rooted in Indigenous teachings about respect, reciprocity, and renewal, a perspective beautifully shared through Treaty Words.

We settled into “sit spots”. Special places where we can pause, observe, and connect deeply with nature. As I sat in my spot, despite the busy sounds of traffic on Hurontario to my left and a construction truck repairing pavement to my right, I was amazed at how slowing down made me feel. I noticed the beauty in the grass, how a spider delicately moved from one leaf to the next using its web, and the countless ladybugs dotting the greenery like little jewels. After a quiet 10 minutes of connecting with the land, we were equipped with macro cameras that allowed us to zoom in on the tiniest details of life around us. The macro cameras took a simple, tiny flower that I might normally overlook and revealed stunning close-ups of vibrant colors, intricate textures, and miniature structures. A hidden world of wonder right at my feet! That tiny flower is now the wallpaper on my phone. A small reminder that even amongst the noise and hurry, there’s a world of hidden wonders waiting right at my feet.

Sit spots are more than just a quiet place outdoors. They are invitations to practice mindfulness and patience, encouraging us to observe the environment with all our senses, seeing, smelling, feeling, and even tasting where safe and appropriate. This kind of connection nurtures respect for living things and fosters a sense of belonging within the natural world.

I encourage every educator and student to find their own sit spot. Whether it’s a patch of grass at school, a local park, or a garden corner at home, taking time to slow down and really notice the smallest creatures and plants can bring unexpected joy and a renewed sense of care for the environment.

Let’s all continue to nurture our connection to nature,  because when we look closely, listen deeply, and feel fully present, we discover that the world around us is alive with stories, beauty, and lessons waiting to be learned.

One of the things that I prioritize at the start of the school year is establishing positive relationships with students. The reason I focus on relationships is because I understand that they can support student engagement, promote their academic performance, and foster a healthy learning and working environment.

To support this work, on the first day of school, I had students complete a mini student profile. Some of the questions I asked on the profile included their preferred name, pronouns, hobbies, interests, allergies, before and after school responsibilities, and any other pertinent information they felt I needed to know. I did this as a way for students to privately share information they may have needed me to immediately know so I could respond appropriately and put the necessary support in place.

Then for the first two weeks of school, I began each day by facilitating community circles where I asked students low-risk questions as a way for me learn about them and for them to learn about each other. I also had students complete a What I Bring questionnaire as a way for them to reflect on some of the knowledge, gifts, experiences, and cultural identities they bring to the classroom while I gained insight to their funds of knowledge so I could leverage those funds to support their learning during the school year. Following the completion of the, What I Bring questionnaire, I had students use the information to create a flag that I posted in the classroom to serve as a reminder to both them and me that they have and bring a lot of knowledge and experience to the classroom even if they may have gaps in language or literacy knowledge or have specific learning needs. At all times, I strove to maintain a calm, positive disposition while being genuinely interested in their questions, responses, and general comments.

Yet despite my best efforts, I felt like I made minimal gains in establishing positive relationships. Part of the reason may be due to my time away from the classroom and direct work with students. In previous posts I’ve shared that for the last four years I was assigned to work in the literacy department at my board’s central office where I worked primarily with educators and other board personnel.

Sensing that I needed support in the form of insights on how to establish and build positive relationships with students, I found and read the article, Improving Students’ Relationships with Teachers to Provide Essential Support for Learning, by Sara Rimm-Kaufman and Lia Sandilos. In the article, the authors share insights to the importance of building positive relationship with students, provide educators with tips on how to do so, and present a list of Do’s and Don’ts that can help and hinder relationships. Some of the tips they share include,

• Interact with students in a responsive and respectful manner
• Offer students help in achieving academic and social objectives
• Know and demonstrate some knowledge about individual students’ backgrounds, interests, emotional strengths and academic levels
• Acknowledge the importance of peers in school by encouraging students to be caring and respectful to each other
• Avoid becoming irritable or aggravated towards students.

Reading these tips, I felt affirmed that some of the ways that I had already been working towards establishing positive relationships were captured on their list. One thing I had yet to deeply consider was the importance of peer relationships and how those relationships can help or hinder student engagement in learning. To help students nurture their peer relationships, when creating the seating plan, I asked them to select one friend that they wanted to sit in their table groups. I did this to ensure students were part of the seating plan decision process and so they had a friend sitting in their group. Of course this came with some minor hiccups, kids talking during instructions and being silly but for the most part students seemed happier and most completed assigned tasks.

From the Do’s and Don’ts list I gained insight to the importance of spending time with each student individually, especially those who may appear difficult or shy, and avoid giving up too quickly on developing positive relationships with students who may appear challenging. Students who appear challenging, benefit from good teacher-student relationships as much or more than their peers who may appear easier to connect with.

Yet I think the most important insight I gained from reading the article and further reflecting on my work with students is that establishing, building, and nurturing positive relationships with and between students takes time and a continuous effort. At some moments, I may want to rush the process so I can focus on teaching them the curriculum but as Zaretta Hammond writes in her book, Culturally Responsive Teaching and the Brain: Promoting Authentic Engagement and Rigor Among Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Students, “In culturally responsive teaching, relationships are as important as the curriculum”. As the first month of school ends, I’m pleased to share that I can see clear signs that students are beginning to respond positively to my efforts from their words and actions. Yet I am aware that I need to remain dedicated to the work of continuing to nurture relationships with students to ensure that our relationships continue to blossom.

Looking for new Canadian books for your literacy program? The Ontario Library Association has the Forest of Reading program which lists their top ten books published every year in Canada. Students vote for their favourite book and they make great choices! Each age grouping is named after a tree found in Ontario. This blog features some of my favourite winners from the Blue Spruce program. Many schools run the program and you can find the books in your school library or your local public library.

Are You a Cheeseburger?  By Monica Arnaldo Blue Spruce Winner of 2022

It’s easy to bring Science, Art, Drama, and Writing to life with plenty of laughs as Grub the raccoon finds a seed named  Seed in the trash and they become friends.  Grub hopes that Seed will grow cheeseburgers so he plants and tends Seed with care. The pair become friends as they see the world from different angles above and below ground, giving us a chance to talk about different viewpoints.

 Before reading this book I like to check students’ background knowledge and show photos of raccoons.  We can all share what we already know about these “trash pandas” and find answers to our questions. I also like to have seeds on hand for students to examine. This story gives an opportunity for outdoor experiential education where we can look for seeds on plants growing outside and learn about the various ways seeds travel.

The idea of growing a cheeseburger is also a wonderful jumping off point for creating art. Students could draw cartoon style trees that can grow pizza, fries, chocolate cake or whatever they can imagine. There is a nice music tie-in with the song, “On Top of Spaghetti”, which has a meatball that gets accidentally planted and grows into a meatball tree. 

Give this book a try, your students will be very happy!

Harley the Hero by Peggy Collins

Blue Spruce Winner 2023

Any story about a heroic dog will be a class favourite. Harley is an exceptional service dog who works with an elementary teacher. Harley saves the day in more ways than one by making the classroom a very special place every day and taking care of the teacher and a frightened student when the fire alarm goes off.

Based on a real dog named Stanley and an Ontario elementary teacher, this book gives us the opportunity to understand more about invisible disabilities like PTSD and how helpful service dogs are. Students will benefit from learning the protocols for how to treat a working service dog as they are becoming more and more common and students may be able to share experiences they have had with service dog encounters in public.

A natural extension of this story is to research and write about pets and to collect stories of the benefits that pets have on people’s lives.  On the flip side, students also enjoy sharing ideas about animals that would not make good pets. Once their imaginations are engaged it’s time to have them demonstrate their thinking by creating an ideal pet. They can write, draw, build or dramatize their ideas. This kind of open-ended task gives students a chance to express themselves in their preferred format and they can have the freedom to explain what makes their ideal pet in writing or by sharing orally with the class.

Happy Reading!

Brenda

As November 11th approaches I’m sharing some Canadian resources I have used successfully with elementary students. Let’s note that 2025 marks the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II.  Although we have not yet achieved world peace, there have been many examples of diplomacy in the decades since WWII ended. Our acts of Remembrance demonstrate the strong desire to build a war-free future and to honour the freedom granted to us by those who helped defeat facism.

A Bear in War by Stephanie Innes and Harry Endrulat, illustrated by Brian Deines 

(Silver Birch Express Honour Book 2010)

During World War One, a young girl slips her teddy bear into a care package for her father, a medic posted to the trenches of France. Although her father dies in the battle of Passchendaele, his belongings are shipped back to his family, along with the toy bear, which today sits in the Canadian War Museum in Ottawa. Source

I find this book can be used effectively in both primary and junior grades. The small stuffed bear featured in this book is on display at the Canadian War Museum in Ottawa and there is a section of their website dedicated to the story of Teddy including a short video created in 2021. 

This touching story stresses the importance of mail to the soldiers. Our students can write letters today to veterans in their community. Our local branch of the Royal Canadian Legion is helpful in collecting and distributing letters. Giving students an authentic writing task will can be very motivating. I like to set up the lesson by reading the story A Bear in War and then offering writing prompts for students to write to those who have served in the armed forces.  Depending on the age and stage of the class, there could be some students who write in partners or small groups. For the youngest students I often model our shared writing on chart paper before they begin.

The Vimy Oaks by Linda Bailey, illustrated by Brian Dienes 

(Silver Birch Express Shortlist 2018)

Canadian Leslie Miller was at Vimy Ridge in World War I and he sent home acorns from some trees he admired there. The acorns that were planted grew into oak trees that are still alive in Scarborough, Ontario on the former site of Miller’s farm. This book helps us tie history and science together along with the poetic writing style from Miller’s journals and letters.  It is wonderful to study oak trees in the fall as the different varieties show their colours. I recommend this read aloud for grades 2 and up. There is also more information at this government of Canada link.

Government of Canada Resources for Veteran’s Week

It is best to order these resources well in advance of Remembrance Day.  There are materials including bookmarks, cards, posters, and publications with lesson plan ideas for elementary grades.

https://veterans.gc.ca/en/remembrance/classroom-materials

Books of Remembrance

The peace tower in Ottawa is an iconic Canadian symbol but my students are usually not aware of the special room that holds the Books of Remembrance. Each day a page is turned as Canadians remember those who have given the supreme sacrifice for their country.

Silver Cross Mothers

I find this particular topic very emotional and is suited to grade 7 and up. It is important to know your students before beginning a lesson.  Every year one mother is selected to represent all mothers and lay a wreath at the Remembrance Day service in Ottawa.  She is called the Silver Cross mother and she will have lost a son or daughter who died while in service in the Canadian Armed Forces. Learn more here.

Liberation 80

My mother had clear memories of the 1945 Victory in Europe celebrations and how people poured into the streets of Liverpool where she was a student, singing and all night. To commemorate the 80th anniversary of the end of WWII there is information available from the government of Canada, including a selection of video clips where veterans recall the end of the war.

Lesson Plans from Veteran’s Affairs Canada

Here you can find over 130 lesson plans regarding Remembrance in Canada, provided by Veterans Affairs Canada.  There is a search tool that can help you find lessons by age and topic.  For example, here is a lesson for primary grades on Flowers of Friendship, explaining Canada’s role in the liberation of the Netherlands and the annual gift of tulips sent to Canada.

Thank you for helping your students understand Remembrance Day.

Brenda

How do I identify the reading levels of the students I teach? This is a question that remains at the fore of my mind as I begin the school year. I pose this question thinking about how in previous years in my role as a classroom teacher I would often hear my colleagues discuss their concerns about students reading below grade level and wondering what that meant. To clarify, I wanted to understand how they determined when a student was or was not reading at grade level to inform my knowledge and work with students because I found determining students reading levels a somewhat subjective and confusing practice.

At that time, I did understand that if a student had yet to consolidate the foundational reading skills needed to decode and comprehend texts when they were beyond the primary grades, they were likely to be reading below grade level. Yet I wondered once a student had acquired those foundational reading skills, how did I and other educators determine their reading level.

Also, while I understand that science-based reading assessments such as a MAZE (a reading comprehension assessment), a vocabulary screener, and an oral reading fluency test (ORF) are valid and reliable reading assessments that provide insight to students reading competencies particularly when they are beyond the primary grades, I think screeners are only one important but initial step in gaining insight to students reading abilities and reading levels.

Specific expectation C1.1, Using Foundational Knowledge and Skills to Comprehend Texts, calls educators to leverage the foundational language skills identified in Strand B to support students in practicing and further developing their reading comprehension skills. The skills and knowledge that students should use to read and comprehend texts listed in specific expectation C1.1 include using knowledge of words, grammar, cohesive ties, sentence structure, and background knowledge to read texts of various levels of complexity depending on the grade level. In fact, the only difference between the grade level expectations in specific expectation C1.1 is the complexity of texts that educators should use with students.

Therefore, because students need to read texts of various levels of complexity as they progress through the elementary grades and their ability to read increasingly complex texts to a certain degree informs their reading level, I think I need to better understand some scientific measures of text complexity so I can better select texts that align with students reading level and further support their reading development.

To better understand the relationship between text complexity and students reading levels, I read the first chapter in the book, Text Complexity: Stretching Readers with Texts and Tasks (2020), by Douglas Fisher, Nancy Frey, and Diane Loop. From reading the first chapter, I learned that when thinking about text complexity I should consider three overall facets that include:

1. The qualitative measures of the text. This includes the levels of meaning, clarity, structures of language, and knowledge demands placed on the reader.
2. The quantitative measures of the text. This includes sentence length, syntax, and vocabulary.
3. The reader and task. This includes the qualities of the reader utilizing the text, meaning their cognitive capabilities, motivation for reading, background knowledge, and what the reader is tasked to do with the text.

Beyond learning about the three overall facets of text complexity, two additional ideas continue to resonate with me and will inform my practice going forward. The first idea was contained in the comments regarding the relationship between the reader and the task. Meaning, identifying and understanding the purpose for reading is a critical component of text selection. This further translate to mean, when I select a text to use with students, both they and I must understand my purpose for selecting the text and what I want students to gain from engaging with it.

For example, is my goal to support students in further practicing or developing certain reading skills or strategies? Do they need to build background knowledge or further develop their knowledge in general on a certain topic? Is my intention to promote a joy of reading by sharing an engaging story or help them recognize the value of reading by sharing what I believe to be vital information or is my purpose a combination of these items? The first insight I gained from reading this chapter is that I need to be more intentional and transparent with myself and students regarding the texts I use to teach and what I want them to gain from engaging with them.

The second idea that continues to resonate with me is that when students are motivated to read, they can far exceed educator expectations of what they should be capable of reading; and instructional practices can contribute to or detract from a student’s motivation to read. In the chapter the authors cite research that identifies five teaching practices that foster motivation and five that destroy it. The five instructional practices that positively impact reading motivation include:

1. Relevance
2. Choice
3. Success
4. Collaboration
5. Thematic units

While the five instructional practices that demotivate students to read include:

1. Nonrelevance
2. Excessive teacher control
3. Difficult lessons
4. Frequent individual work
5. Disconnected units

Providing the right amount of motivation while remaining mindful of the practices that can demotivate students to read is another insight that I gained from reading the chapter.

I still think that determining students reading levels is a somewhat subjective and confusing practices but from learning about the three facets that determine a texts level of complexity, the reader and task being one of them, I’m now less focused on determining students reading levels and more on determining their reading abilities then using texts that support them in becoming more confident competent critical readers of various texts.

As educators, we understand the importance of representation in the books we offer our students. Many of our classroom libraries have stories that reflect diverse cultures, identities, and experiences, however, one area that continues to be underrepresented is people with disabilities.

Books that portray characters with visible and invisible disabilities are not only valuable for students who share those experiences, but also for building empathy, awareness, and inclusion among all readers.

Think about it. Have you ever seen a student’s eyes light up because a character in a story uses a wheelchair, just like them? Or because the main character uses an AAC (augmentative and alternative communication) device to speak, just like their sibling? That moment of recognition can mean everything.

When students see characters who move through the world in a similar way, whether navigating hallways in a wheelchair, facing anxiety in a noisy classroom, or interpreting social cues through the lens of autism, it can validate their experiences. It tells them, You belong here. Your story matters. On the flip side, when these characters are missing, it can send an unintended message: You don’t belong in stories.

Books about disability are for everyone. Why? Because inclusive literature builds empathy, challenges stereotypes, and opens the door to meaningful conversations around inclusion, fairness, and everyday kindness.

But here’s the thing, even with a growing awareness of diversity in publishing, books that accurately and respectfully depict characters with disabilities remain limited.

So what can educators do? Evaluate and choose your books accordingly. The resource by Chloë Myers and Hank Bersani Jr. offers practical ways for evaluating whether children’s books challenge or reinforce ableist thinking. Consider the following questions to determine if the book is a good fit for your library.

Does the book promote ableism by ignoring people with disabilities? Does the book address a diverse range of characters, including children of various ethnicities, abilities, and backgrounds? For example, do the images show children in wheelchairs, wearing hearing aids or using portable oxygen tanks?

Do the illustrations promote ableism by addressing disability in stereotyped ways? For example, does the book show children with various abilities, taking on roles like playing basketball, playing on swings, climbing, singing, making choices using pictures and assistive devices?

Who in the story has agency? Are people with disabilities always the recipients of the efforts of others or are they portrayed with value? For example, are the characters depicted as engaging and contributing to their community? Does it show their abilities and strengths rather than focusing only on their limitations?

These questions are not about canceling books. They are about becoming more intentional with our choices. Every book you choose has the power to shift thinking, shape self-concept, and build understanding. Begin by exploring a title a month. Consider involving your students. It is okay to say, “I’m trying to find books that do a better job of representing all kinds of people. Let’s explore together.”

I’ve been reading “Tacky the Penguin” at the beginning of the school year for decades. This story goes from uproarious laughter to fear and tension and ends with our unlikely hero, Tacky, saving the day. This picture book can be read over and over with the same results, children will ask for it again and again.  It’s perfect for early in the year when students are trying to fit in with a new crowd of classmates and need the reminder that it is not just ok to be yourself, we need you to be yourself, not a copy of someone else. The writing style of Helen Lester and the playful illustrations by Lynn Munsinger allow for plenty of dramatic gestures, voices and rhythms. Readers immediately identify with Tacky, who is constantly left out by his snooty companions. He is different, an odd bird. Don’t we all feel that way at times?

Dramatic Gestures

As the story opens, the companions (Goodly, Lovely, Neatly, Angel, and Perfect) greet each other quietly and politely. At this point I pause, put the book down and reach out to shake the hands of  a few of the students and calmly say things like, “Good Day”,  “Lovely to see you”, “How good of you to be here”. Then I slap my own leg to imitate Tacky’s greeting which is a loud “What’s Happening”.

We might also take time to imitate the penguins marching neatly in a row compared to Tacky’s random movements, followed by graceful dives and splashy cannonballs. These actions come into play later in the story as Tacky uses his actions to defeat the hunters.

Rhythm

When the hunters arrive they have stomping feet and on one of my readings I realized that if I kept stomping at the right tempo I could read the entire hunter section to the beat. Genius! Students join in and stomp along with me as we meet and defeat the terrifying hunters.

Voices

It is key to get Tacky’s singing in an off-key, dreadful voice.  I add in sound effects to imitate his accordion and then blare out “How many toes does a fish have?”. In contrast, the companions need to sing “Sunrise on the Iceberg” in a refined, melodic way. The Hunters have a growling, mean voice since they are talking about catching the penguins and want to “march ‘em with a switch”. Students join in with a “Grrrrrr”.

Each time the story is read, the students become more familiar with the ideas of inclusion and acceptance.  They see the importance of owning your individuality and using your strengths to help others. Plus Tacky the Penguin brings joy to the faces of children who have just come in from a recess where they felt alone.

Follow Up Activities

-a little research on penguins for science class;

-creating new lyrics for the songs in the book for your writing period;

-adding rhythm instruments for music time;

-act out the story for drama or create the illustrations as tableaux;

-add some math and learn about the fraction in Tacky’s marching sequence;

-vocabulary to discuss:  odd, companion, graceful, tacky, switch (as a noun), clasped:

-have a Tacky day and encourage students to wear something they love.

Tacky the Penguin was first published in 1988 and is still going strong with several follow up stories that feature this funny and lovable character. I hope you get a copy and have as much fun as I do!

Happy Reading!

Brenda