Literacy Matters - Vol 21 - Winter 2021

this unique experience about her, so she only listened, allowing them to discuss and come up with ideas. However, she reached out to the school counselor and administration to share what was discussed and met with the student later to understand her situation better. Also, she met with the group the following day, sharing available school and community support and discussing possible action steps the students may take (see Table 2).

collaboration promote a space where students can explore options for dealing with traumatic instances while resisting feelings of hopelessness (Crosby et al., 2018), first through the character’s eyes and then sharing personal testimonies. As the vignette showcases, by sharing our own stories related to characters and themes presented in novels, students bear critical witnesses of others’ experiences, learn how to express empathy, have hope, and build resilience (Fisher

Organization

Website

Available Resources

et al., 2020). They build a real community that supports student agency. Through purposeful planning, the use of various YA novels, and teacher willingness to bring taboo conversations in classrooms, teachers can be part of the process of sharing personal traumatic experiences and bearing critical witness of our secondary students (Dutro, 2019; Mirra, 2018). (For step-by-step guidance for classroom implementation, see Table 3.) This type of opportunity could also be shared with younger students, using children’s novels and

Love Is Respect

https://loveisrespect.org

Explains the differences between healthy and unhealthy relationships. Provides information on how to keep yourself safe from dating violence and support others in abusive relationships.

Literacy Matters Critical Literacy Matters National Domestic Violence Hotline National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (Youth)

https://www.thehotline.org

Provides information on identifying abuse and getting help.

https://suicidepreventionlifeline. org/help-yourself/youth

Helps teens take care of themselves and help others

experiencing suicidal thoughts. Links to resources for dealing with mental health issues, bullying, and abuse. Table 2 Resources for Teens Dealing with Trauma

At the end of the novel, students voluntarily shared their thoughts and questions about the motive and reasoning for Tariq’s death, with many commenting on how the killing was racially motivated. This sparked a new classroom discussion related to race, culture, and historical/racial trauma. One student asked the percentage of young, Black males in the juvenile system, with another asking what racial profiling meant. It was important for Mrs. Miller to provide these few minutes for students to share, discuss, and use their phones to look up answers to their questions. Conclusion Our students are questioning how to deal with the personal or societal issues they face, such as the heartbreaking reality of traumatic events and inequality. As students in American classrooms come from an increasing variety of racial and cultural backgrounds, the literature used to teach them needs to reflect this diversity and their many unique experiences (Bishop, 1990; Nieto, 2018; Wolfsdorf, 2018). Nevertheless, many teachers self-censor classroom book selection due to fear of outsider reactions, concerns their cultural identity does not match the students or characters in the book (Ayers & Ayers, 2014; Collins, 2017; Tatum, 2005), or an incorrect belief that YA literature is not complex “enough.” In both substance and style, the novel analyzed and discussed in this article provides an example of how secondary educators could teach their students to think critically. Dialogue and

developmentally appropriate discussion (see Table 1 for resources for locating books). Building rapport with students and having a healthy, positive teacher-student relationship is needed to trust that the classroom is a safe and respectful community. Without a thorough understanding of addressing sensitive topics and students in a classroom, there is a risk of harming students rather than engaging them in self-discovery and growth. Therefore, before incorporating these types of discussions, the teacher should read the novel and consider ways to share personal testimony with students, potentially related to one of the traumatic themes. Based on the traumatic themes discussed in the novel, teachers could prepare a list of school and community resources to support students’ disclosing of traumatic experiences or hardships. Having additional materials readily available also provides supplemental information for student questions and may lead to students’ desire to further research for understanding. Teachers should be upfront with conversation norms and expectations and plan ways to invite students to share their testimonies. Some options are literature circles or journal entries. It is also essential to work with students to choose follow-up activities that allow them to take action. Finally, teachers should have a plan for students who may feel uncomfortable with specific topics or testimonies and establish expectations together with the students. Teachers and students need to keep in mind required reporting guidelines, staying apprised of required reporting incidents. Teachers should have a relationship with school counselors and administrators to ensure two-way communication.

| 18 | Literacy Matters | Volume 21 • Winter 2021

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