MEJ Editor 2018, Best Practices & Teaching Tips, Classroom Materials, Cody Miller, Kathleen Colantonio-Yurko, Literacy, Peer Reviewed, Secondary, Young Adult Literature

Centering LGBTQ People of Color with Young Adult Literature in Secondary ELA by Cody Miller & Kathleen Colantonio-Yurko

As English language arts teachers, we believe young adult literature offers an avenue for voices and experiences that are largely ignored by canonical texts. LGBTQ voices are among those omitted from many English language arts textbooks. In the past, we relied heavily on young adult literature to provide our students LGBTQ texts. However, the mostly … Continue reading Centering LGBTQ People of Color with Young Adult Literature in Secondary ELA by Cody Miller & Kathleen Colantonio-Yurko

MEJ Editor 2017, Authors, Gender Lens, Humanities, Literary Theory, Literature, Melanie Magana, Narrative, Original Prose, Young Adult Literature

Beauty and the Beast Triptych: Re-imagining Stereotypes and Gender Roles by Melanie Magaña

[Ed. Note: At the end of this Introduction, readers are directed by links to the three pieces comprising the triptych.] Introduction I’ve had a bit of a love-hate relationship with the story of Beauty and the Beast ever since the Disney movie put it on my radar.   On the one hand:  dancing teacups! Catchy tunes! Bookworm … Continue reading Beauty and the Beast Triptych: Re-imagining Stereotypes and Gender Roles by Melanie Magaña

MEJ Editor 2017, American Literature, Best Practices & Teaching Tips, Literature, Peer Reviewed, Poetry, Secondary, Sharon Rudnicki, Young Adult Literature

Addressing Racial Injustice Through Allyship: Teaching to See by Using Poetry by Sharon Rudnicki

(Note: The editors have chosen to partially redact a form of the n-word that appears when quoting Kendrick Lamar's lyrics.) Introduction     In 2016, America was treated to two excellent television series that focus on the life of O.J. Simpson, FX’s American Crime Story: The People v. O.J. Simpson and ESPN’s O.J.: Made in … Continue reading Addressing Racial Injustice Through Allyship: Teaching to See by Using Poetry by Sharon Rudnicki

MEJ Editor 2016, American Literature, Authors, Barbara Lehman, Elementary, Jongsun Wee, Literature, Post-Secondary, Secondary, World Literature, Young Adult Literature

Read Them Together: Paired Book Reading for Global Literature by Jongsun Wee & Barbara A. Lehman

[pdf version here: Wee-Lehman-ReadThemTogether] Abstract:  The need for global literature is growing as the society rapidly becomes more diverse. This study documented American children’s responses to global literature when it was paired with a home country book. The data were collected in a third grade classroom in a midwestern state. The results showed that in paired … Continue reading Read Them Together: Paired Book Reading for Global Literature by Jongsun Wee & Barbara A. Lehman

MEJ Editor 2015, Elementary, Jongsun Wee, LGBT, Preservice, Secondary, Young Adult Literature

Minnesota Preservice Teachers’ Perceptions of LGBT-Themed Children’s Literature by Jongsun Wee

[pdf version here: Wee-Perceptions of LGBT-themed Children’s Literature] Diversity is an important topic that preservice teachers need to explore a great deal before they launch their career. The state of Minnesota recognizes the importance of understanding diverse learners in education and lists it in standard 3 in Minnesota Standards of Effective Practice for Teachers  (see: … Continue reading Minnesota Preservice Teachers’ Perceptions of LGBT-Themed Children’s Literature by Jongsun Wee

MEJ Editor 2015, Classroom Materials, Literature, Michael MacBride, Young Adult Literature

Students Teaching Teachers to Teach Students by Michael MacBride

Every semester I tell my students that I learned from them, and I'm sure this is something that most teachers say, or at least think, at the end of the semester. This last semester, Fall 2014, I thought my students should take this to the next level by writing their own pedagogical essays. The logic … Continue reading Students Teaching Teachers to Teach Students by Michael MacBride

MEJ Editor 2015, Elementary, Kandi Heenan, Literature, Secondary, Young Adult Literature

Teaching The Giving Tree by Kandi Heenan

[pdf version here: Heenan-TeachingTheGivingTree] Introduction The struggle is real. Defending the significance of using literature across the curriculum is something many instructors face—especially teaching “kid’s books.” Lessons, moral or academic, can be gained from any type or genre of literature. Children’s books specifically, even those as perceivably simplistic as works by authors like Seuss and … Continue reading Teaching The Giving Tree by Kandi Heenan

MEJ Editor 2015, Classroom Materials, Elementary, Laura Cattrysse, Literature, Young Adult Literature

Sendak’s In the Night Kitchen: Unusual History of Censorship by Laura Cattrysse

[pdf version here: Cattrysse-Sendak’s In The Night Kitchen] Every child has their favorite fantasy book that mom and dad read every night five times before they can actually fall asleep. Maurice Sendak's book In The Night Kitchen is a fantastical story that parents actually enjoy reading because of Sendak's clever rhymes and other-worldly, yet relatable … Continue reading Sendak’s In the Night Kitchen: Unusual History of Censorship by Laura Cattrysse

MEJ Editor 2015, Elementary, Jennifer Thiel, Literature, Secondary, Young Adult Literature

Approaches to Teaching Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Jennifer Thiel

[pdf version here: Thiel-Approaches to Teaching Charlie and the Chocolate Factory] Introduction Charlie and the Chocolate Factory was one of the most popular children’s books in the last 50 years. The following essay is about certain options of how this book can be used in a teaching context. In the beginning I will focus on … Continue reading Approaches to Teaching Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Jennifer Thiel