Teach With April

 Sex and Gender-Based Systems | Engaging Conversations About Gender By April Federico      Watching Woke Read Alouds: It Feels Good to Be Yourself , I was really struck by how Ki keeps young learners engaged in such an intentional and developmentally appropriate way. What stood out to me most was how they invited children into the read-aloud instead of simply reading to them. By asking students to repeat words like transgender and anatomy , Ki helps make vocabulary that may initially seem unfamiliar feel less intimidating and more accessible. I also noticed how strong the literacy foundation was from the very beginning. Before even starting the story, Ki introduces key book concepts like the author, illustrator, and even the spine of the book.      This especially resonated with me because during my observation in a second grade classroom, I had to explicitly teach students what an author is, what an illustrator does, and what an illustration means. ...

 "What is Neurodiversity?" By Caroline Miller | Viewing Neurodiversity As An  "Asset" By April Federico     Based on the article from the Child Mind Institute, the neurodiversity movement reframes neurological differences not as deficits to be cured , but as valuable variations of the human experience. This perspective strongly resonates with my own experience working in special education, where I witnessed firsthand that many students labeled as “behind” or “difficult” were often some of the most creative, insightful, and innovative thinkers in the classroom when given the right support. The argument that neurodiversity is an asset rather than a setback rests on three primary ideas: inherent cognitive strengths, the importance of inclusive environments, and the development of a strength-based identity.      Rather than viewing conditions such as ADHD or autism as purely restrictive, the neurodiversity framework emphasizes the unique cognitive adv...

 My "Troublemaker" By April Federico     My "canary in the coalmine" has to be Josh, in Mrs. Marroquin's class where I do my observation hours for this class. However, there are several "troublemakers" in that class to the point where Mrs. Marroquin has to do the "tree pose" with them, which would be much easier than putting a canary to sleep with toxins from a coalmine. But, if I had to choose a single canary, it would be Josh. Josh, from the very beginning, sat in the back, alone. He was constantly talking to EJ and he was profusely making faces to the point where Mrs. Marroquin threatened to send him to the principal's office. I remember making a "side note" while reading the class a story about food from other cultures, saying "Ms. F knows the making of pasta sauce all to well because I'm half-Italian!" And somehow my eyes met his, and he made a face. But here's the thing: is he doing it to be funny? To cop...

  Don't Blame The Student: A Reflection of Shalaby's "Troublemakers" By April Federico       In Troublemakers , Victoria Shalaby uses a research method called "portraiture" to offer a compassionate, human-centered look at four children: Zora, Lucas, Sean, and Marcus, who have been labeled as "problem kids" by their schools. Rather than focusing only on classroom behavior, Shalaby observes them in their homes and communities as well, highlighting their strengths and positive qualities outside of school. Zora and Lucas attend a mostly white, affluent suburban school, showing that so-called “troublemaking” isn’t just an urban issue but can emerge anywhere rigid school systems clash with students’ needs.       Sean and Marcus attend a racially and economically diverse urban school, where their experiences demonstrate how disciplinary systems shaped by the "supremacy of whiteness" can disproportionately punish students of color. Shalaby presen...

 A Reflection of Meghan Forbes's "Classroom Tour" and Alfie Kohn's "What To Look For In A Classroom" By April Federico      Before you read this: I apologize for mixing up the reading assignments, but I hope you at least got a taste of Finn from my last blog post! From my perspective as a former special education teacher, watching Megan Forbes’s middle school classroom tour through the lens of Alfie Kohn really highlights a tension between aesthetics and accessibility. I was initially told while decorating my classroom that “less is more.” And in special education, “less is more” isn’t just a preference, it’s necessary. Classrooms filled with bright colors, layered posters, and hanging decorations can easily overwhelm students or pull their attention away from learning.       Pro tip when you go into your first year of teaching: focus on classroom policies and management before decor.       While Megan’s classroom feels welcom...

 Argument of "Literacy With An Attitude" by Patrick J. Finn  By April Federico In the preface to Literacy with an Attitude , Patrick J. Finn completely reframes the narrative that the American education system is “failing.” Instead, he argues that it is actually doing exactly what it was designed to do: providing different types of literacy depending on a student’s social class. One idea that really stood out to me is the distinction between “functional” and “powerful” literacy. Finn explains that working-class schools tend to focus on compliance and producing dependable workers, while more elite spaces foster confidence, authority, and critical thinking. As Finn puts it, “First, there is empowering education, which leads to powerful literacy [...] Second, there is domesticating education, which leads to functional literacy” (Finn, ix) To me, this highlights how functional literacy keeps systems running, but powerful literacy is what actually allows people to question, naviga...