The best teachers I know teach their students to critically interrogate *every* text they read. They teach both Morrison & Shakespeare. Baldwin & Frost. Contemporary YA & 19th century novels. They reject the idea that they are mutually exclusive. They build & imagine a new canon.
So much of what we've been taught is "valuable" literature comes from a consensus that kept many ppl out of the room. There is enormous value in a lot of canonical work, there are also enormous problems. Who is included? Who isn't? The best educators name & address that directly.
One of the things that I've found most encouraging over the past several months are the ways so many educators have reexamined what books they are teaching. Who have thought more critically about how to use literature to help their students see themselves, and to see others.
This is why the work of folks in organizations like #DisruptTexts is essential. It both builds a community for educators looking to transform their curriculum and pedagogy, and gives them the tools with which to make that transformation possible.
You can follow @ClintSmithIII.
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