It’s been a little more than a year since I started Moore English. (For a chuckle, you can check out the first post here.) This project has been helpful for me because writing about my teaching has helped me to think through my instructional choices. As a result, I have also sought out more inspiration from other teachers. I am reading more (and more) from other teachers, and that has only broadened my perspective as an educator. In particular, I am moved by Disrupt Text. This means I am often adding new texts to my instruction in an effort to provide my students with more representative and equitable reading. Of late, this has encouraged me to seek out some alternative texts to pair with The Great Gatsby and to consider the role of heroic thinking in education.
This also means that I am constantly in the process of finding new texts to bring into the classroom. And I have learned a lot about why, when, and how to seek out new texts and work them into existing curriculum. Because that process is tricky and rarely discussed, I want to share my insights with you. But this is a sizable subject, so I’m going to put together my first series and break this down. For the next three weeks, we will be talking new texts.
- This week, we will talk about when and why to seek out new texts.
- Next week, we will talk about how to find high-quality texts for instruction.
- Finally, in three weeks, we will talk about how to implement a new text.
Why Add a New Text?
Although my curriculum has specific units, often with a larger text at center, there are often circumstances in which I find it necessary to seek out or introduce a new text. I know it’s time to add a new text when I find myself in these situations:
- Student needs and interests suggest the need for a new text.
- Curriculum limitations indicate the need for a new text.
- Scheduling problems require a new text.
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Student Needs Require a New Text
Data Speaks: Most of the time when I seek out a new text, it’s the result of student needs. Oftentimes, the data shows me that my students are not developing as I expected. For example, my sophomores work on the concept of synthesis during a thematic unit about courage. Two years ago, my students worked through the poems and short stories I usually use for this unit, but their writing suggested they had not mastered synthesis. They could compare and contrast texts, but they hadn’t moved beyond. When this happened, I had to seek out next texts!
Response to Intervention: I also seek out new texts based on individual student needs. For example, if a student or a group of students struggles with inference and if I have already exhausted my go-to texts for teaching inference, I will seek out another text for a mini-lesson on inference. This is usually the model of my Response to Intervention (RtI) groups: students struggle with a concept or skill but exhaust my usual bag of tricks. If my usual bag of tricks don’t work, we try something new!
Anticipating Concerns: In my earlier years, I also failed to have back-up texts for students or parents who objected to and/or were triggered by a text, so these situations also challenged me to seek out new texts.
Curriculum Limitations Indicate Need
Representation Matters: As Disrupt Text points out, the literary canon has its limitations, especially in areas of representation. This is where I most frequently challenge myself to seek out new texts. Of late, I am most-excited to consider the poem “Us vs. Them” (it’s free) with my juniors because it provides an alternative perspective on the American Dream. For more thoughts on creating a representative classroom library, check out this post.
Curriculum Ages: Additionally, curriculum ages, so texts that were once relevant may not always age well. For example, our textbook has an article about the advent of the Internet–this article has not aged well. It’s not even a particularly compelling historical artifact. Needless to say, this kind of text required me to seek out a new piece of informational text.
Current Events: It goes without saying that curriculum cannot often anticipate current events, so when a current event becomes the topic of conversation in my classroom or when a current event enters into the school-wide consciousness, I seek out new texts. This happened most recently with Kyle Korver’s “Privileged.”
Student Interests: Similarly, sometimes my students are just really interested in a topic, so I will occasionally seek out specific texts based on their interests. For example, two years ago, my AP Literature class was fascinated with women in literature. Their conversations were strongest when they applied feminist criticism to literature. For this reason, I sought out new texts, including “Editha” by William Dean Howells.
Assessment Needs: Unfortunately, this is often the reason I most frequently seek out new texts. As curriculum ages and evolves, assessment also has to age and evolve. I am a big believer in the importance of using engaging, relevant texts on assessment. While I do not love writing assessments, this is the place where I often find myself looking for new texts. This year, for example, I revised my Modernism Test so it included a cold read from “Winter Dreams” rather than a hot-read from The Great Gatsby.
Scheduling Encourages a New Text
While it brings me no joy, sometimes the bell schedule dictates the need for a new text. This is especially true on Fridays when there is an assembly. As it turns out, in a class period shortened by an assembly or late start, I can’t always fit my anticipated lesson. Of course, I could swap reading and annotating for task cards or another activity, but sometimes I need my kiddos to read and discuss. When the schedule gets screwy, I sometimes I have to reach for a new text.
Unfortunately, my own health and absences can sometimes require a new text. If I am not able to be at school because of curriculum writing or professional development, I am often reticent to leave certain texts with a substitute. While I try to simplify sub plans, I sometimes find myself reaching for a new text in this situation.
Epilogue: The Old and New
Sometimes you don’t need to add a new text. Sometimes you do. And there are a thousand different reasons to seek out a new text. Of course, students can always find their own texts, especially if the need for new is driven by student interests. But classroom texts should also be able to meet student needs and should not be restricted by curriculum. I hope this list helps you find the freedom to seek out a new text. I hope it inspires you to seek out something new. Next week, we’re going to talk about the process for finding a new text!
Photo by Ivory Mix
