Read Outside Your Bubble

Nita Creekmore is a distinguished educator and instructional coach consultant. As the founder of Love. Teach. Bless., Nita has dedicated her career to enhancing literacy education through diverse texts and supporting teachers in their instructional journey. She is also the co-owner (with her husband Michael) of Creekmore Conversations, LLC, a consulting firm specializing in building school relationships and parent education. Visit www.love-teach-bless.com to learn more about her work or follow the handle @LoveTeachBless on Instagram.

• Foreword by Charnaie Gordon xiii My Why xv What Does the Title of This Book Mean? xvi Why I Wrote This Book xvii The Pathway xviii What You Will Find in This Book xix Let’s Reflect xxi Chapter 1: What Is a Bubble? 1 Bubble 1 Reading and Your Bubble 2 Making a Change 3 Why Should We Read Beyond Our Bubbles? 5 Beginning to Step Outside Your Bubble 6 Let’s Reflect 12 Chapter 2: Expand Your Relationship Bubble: Relationships and Reading 13 Relationships 13 Community Is the Heart 14 Let’s Cultivate Love in Our Community—In Our Relationships 15 Community Meetings + Reading + Connecting Outside Your Bubbles 16 Getting to Know the Students in Your Learning Community 17 Let’s Visualize 18 Knowing Your Students as Readers 20 Expand Your Everyday 23 Let’s Reflect 24 Chapter 3: The LEAP Framework for Inclusive Texts 25 Framework 25 The Learning Ladder 27 The LEAP Framework 32 Learning Using the LEAP Framework 35 Let’s Reflect 39 Chapter 4: Learning: Seeing Mirrors with Inclusive Text 41 Learn 41 Let’s Visualize 42 The Importance of Mirrors 43 The Reflection of Mirrors Cultivate Engagement 44 Cultivating Active Readers 45 Creating an Inclusive Environment 45 Let’s Reflect 53 Chapter 5: Learning: Opening Windows with Inclusive Text 55 Learn More 55 Let’s Visualize 56 Why Are Windows Important? 57 Looking Out the Window Cultivates Engagement 57 Cultivating Active Readers through Windows 58 Creating an Environment of Windows That Cultivates Compassion 59 Let’s Reflect 66 Chapter 6: Learning: Gliding through Sliding-Glass Doors with Inclusive Text 67 Learn Some More 67 Let’s Visualize 68 Why Are Sliding-Glass Doors Important? 69 Gliding through Sliding-Glass Doors Cultivates Engagement 71 Cultivating Active Readers through Sliding-Glass Doors 73 Creating an Environment That Promotes Sliding-Glass Doors When Reading 74 Readers Often Forget about Sliding-Glass Doors 77 Let’s Reflect 78 Contents xi Chapter 7: Equitable: Integrating Inclusive Texts in Equitable Ways 79 Equity 79 The Impact of Inclusive Texts and Equity 80 Whose Book Is Not Displayed? 82 Integrate Inclusive Texts Equitably 83 Community and Equity 86 Let’s Reflect 87 Chapter 8: Access: Getting Inclusive Texts into Everyone’s Hands 89 Access 89 Ways to Get Access to Inclusive Books 91 Make Teaching and Learning with Inclusive Texts Accessible 95 Let’s Reflect 97 Chapter 9: Purposeful and Professional Learning: Building Skill and Routine to Transform Teaching and Learning 99 Purposeful and Professional Learning 99 Before Professional Learning 100 Planning for Professional Learning 102 Integrating Inclusive Texts Professional Learning Pathways 108 Take Time to Reflect on Professional Learning 111 Continue the Professional Learning 112 Let’s Reflect 113 Chapter 10: Banned Books = VIBs (Very Important Books) 115 Banned? 115 A Reframe: VIBs (Very Important Books) 117 Using Our Voices 118 Teaching Today with Book Bans Swirling Around 119 What’s Next with VIBs? 124 Let’s Reflect 125 Epilogue 127 References and Resources 129 About the Author 131 Index 133