Using Books As Mirrors, and Other Magical Middle School Approaches to DEI

With carefully curated book offerings, students of Concordia International School Shanghai often seem themselves reflected in literature they explore, explains team lead and middle school language arts teacher Constance Leung. (image supplied)

In the vibrant world of international education, educators like Constance Leung are helping students authentically embrace diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) through the potent use of literacy education. As a team lead and middle school language arts teacher at Concordia International School, Constance has been instrumental in adapting existing units to emphasize social justice, empowering students to become passionate advocates through literature. And she’s not afraid to enlist the support of some impressive allies, from top quality authors to experienced professional development partners.

Adapting Units to Emphasize DEI and Social Justice

Constance’s journey is powered with a strong dose of influence from the traditional Teachers College Readers and Writers Workshop model from Columbia University. Throughout her teaching career, which includes stints at ISF Academy in Hong Kong and Shekou International School in Shenzhen, she has leaned into the TC workshop model’s focus on mini-lessons and conferencing. Despite her appreciation for structured pedagogy, Constance sometimes finds the content and mentor texts lacking in diversity and relevance for her students.

“Being a Chinese teacher on the Western side, I’m always looking for books that inspire—not just the same book about the white boy on the mountain with the dog,” Constance explains. “As much as I love Tiger Rising, there’s only so many times you can teach it in third grade, fourth grade, and fifth grade.”

Determined to provide her students with more meaningful and inclusive materials, Constance sought out books by diverse authors tackling a range of social issues. She incorporated works by authors like Jasmine Warga, Kelly Yang, Christina Soontornvat, Erin Entrada Kelly, Alex Gino, and Nic Stone, whose stories delve into topics such as race, disabilities, mental health, and neurodiversity.

“These are the books and lessons I want my kids to be taking away,” she says. “When they actually dig deep into the issues, they understand the nuanced layers and themes in the texts. It becomes like a mirror of themselves.”

Developing a New Capstone Unit for More Meaningful Outcomes

Building on her commitment to student empowerment, Constance collaborated with Aaron Moniz from Inspire Citizens to develop a new capstone unit for her eighth-grade students. The unit, called The Power of Pen and Paper, aims to synthesize the skills learned in previous years while allowing students to advocate for issues they are passionate about. Engagement is boosted by a strong element of personal choice that pairs a human concept such as perspective, challenge or growth with a literary concept like author comparison or an exploration of a specific narrative technique.

“I loved being an [International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme] exhibition teacher and wanted to bring that opportunity to the middle school,” Constance shares. “Aaron helped me take this idea and turn it into an actual, tangible unit.”

The capstone unit encourages students to choose their own topics and select the medium that best represents their message—be it an essay, documentary, or another creative format. “I want them to be able to show their learning in a way that’s meaningful to them,” Constance explains. “It’s about using all the skills they’ve learned to advocate for something they’re passionate about.”

Building a Better Unit Through Professional Collaboration with Inspire Citizens

Working with Inspire Citizens and Aaron Moniz has been pivotal in bringing Constance’s ideas to fruition. “Aaron really just kind of brought my ideas alive and into reality,” she says. “He helps me develop certain parts of my units that I just need a thought partner for.”

Aaron’s support was instrumental in developing the new capstone unit, which debuts later this year.  “He helped me build a lot more open-endedness and suggested using the social justice standards to embed those ideas into the unit,” Constance explains. 

She values the partnership as it aligns with her commitment to global citizenship and empathy. “Having a thought partner with Inspire Citizens allows me to bring all those ideas and values that I grew up with to my students,” she notes.

In addition to working with Aaron, Constance actively seeks professional development opportunities, engaging with literacy experts like Pernille Ripp and Rebekah O’Dell. “In order for me to be a teacher, I always have to show the students I’m also a learner,” she emphasizes. “You have to show the best example in that way.”

Embedding DEI and Social Justice in Literacy Instruction

Constance’s approach to embedding DEI and social justice goes beyond selecting diverse texts; it’s about intentional lesson design that fosters critical thinking and self-reflection.

Constance uses TQE (Thoughts, Questions, Epiphanies) method developed by Marisa Thompson to foster full engagement in her classroom discussions.

One of her key strategies is teaching annotation. “I want them to make their reading visible,” she says. “At first, I had to guide them, but soon their annotations became beautiful—full of sticky notes and different colored highlights.”

She also emphasizes academic discourse by providing students with sentence stems and discussion strategies. “We build in open-ended discussion questions that become more conceptualized as we progress,” she notes. “Students start to create their own questions and engage in deep analysis.”

Using the TQE (Thoughts, Questions, Epiphanies) method developed by Marisa Thompson, Constance fosters full engagement in her classroom discussions. “You see them arguing with each other and challenging each other,” she says. “It’s great to watch.”

Her goal is to help students understand and discuss complex social issues, drawing connections between the texts and their own lives. “A lot of the reflections I get back are from students saying they really connected with the character for specific reasons,” Constance shares. “They don’t realize it when they first open the book, but it becomes a powerful experience.”

Innovating Literacy Instruction for Today’s Learners

While Constance values the foundational elements of the Readers and Writers Workshop model, she believes in adapting it to meet the needs of her students.

“What stands true is their attention—you only have them for that 10 minutes before you lose them,” she acknowledges. “But I think it’s important to innovate and not be tied down to a scripted curriculum.”

She incorporates various strategies, such as self-assessment through recorded discussions and providing rubrics for annotations. “It’s not supposed to be threatening,” she assures. “It’s for them to hold themselves 

accountable.”

Constance also leverages her international background to relate to her students. Growing up in international schools across Asia, she understands the unique challenges her students face. “I want to bring global citizenship, empathy, and understanding of other people’s stories to my students,” she reflects.

Empowering the Next Generation through Literacy

Through the portal of literature, students are able to explore DEI and social justice in pursuit of a more authentic global citizenship. (image supplied)

Constance’s innovative approach to literacy education is making a significant impact on her students. By embedding DEI and social justice into her curriculum, she is not only enhancing their reading and writing skills but also empowering them to become thoughtful, empathetic global citizens.

“Reading and writing is a way for them to advocate for themselves in whatever they choose to,” she concludes. “I want them to be able to use all the skills they’ve learned to build their ideas and passions.”

Through her dedication and dynamic collaboration with organizations like Inspire Citizens, Constance is paving the way for a more inclusive and empowering educational experience—one that prepares students to navigate and positively influence an increasingly connected world.

For more ideas about how to benefit from Inspire Citizens collaborations, see Inspired Coaching.