Book Review – It’s Me by Jeff Kubiak

Book Details

Book Title:  It’s Me by Jeff Kubiak
Category:  Middle-Grade Non-Fiction (Ages 8-12),  57 pages
Genre:  Children’s/Middle Grade, Non-fiction, own voices
Publisher:  EduMatch Publishing
Release date:   November 14, 2020
Content Rating:  PG. Although the book reads like a graphic novel, it does contain topics dealing with racism and other social issues.

Meet the Author and Guest Post

Jeff loves children’s literature , “One Drop of Kindness” is Jeff’s first published children’s book. It’s Me reads like a fun graphic novel, but it is entirely non fiction. Every character in the book is a real student, or educator. It is so important for us to give access, equity, inclusion, and compassion to all those we meet. “Seeing” each
other and embracing our differences are jewels to life! Jeff taught for ten years as an elementary school teacher in grades 4, 5, and 6 and has seven years of administrative experience. He’s always looked at education from a different lens: from someone who hated and struggled with school. Jeff vows to always do his best to help increase opportunities for all students to feel heard, noticed, celebrated, challenged and safe. Jeff works hard to push back against the old model of “Industrialized Education” and fight compliance. There is not a day that goes by that he is not looking ahead to improve teacher pedagogy, student engagement and digital access for all. Being a former world class swimmer and coach and looks at education from perspectives that others don’t. Jeff knows what it takes to fail, struggle, win and go through the daily challenges that we all face. Jeff is based in California and can be found at jeffkubiak.com, Twitter at @jeffreykubiak and httpss://jeffkubiak.blogspot.com/.

Guest Post

Are you a Cheerleader, or Cheer Follower?

Sometimes we lead the cheers, and sometimes we follow them as a supporter. Which one are you?

As an educator, part of my mission, my why, my passion, is to cheer for the students I serve. I love to lead those cheers, but sometimes, I may not be in the right place, at the right time, and I may need to join in and follow the celebrations. Either works at times, and both are important, in my opinion.

Cheer All students? Sometimes Cheer Each Individual Child? Yes

Is there a difference? To me, there is. When we say ALL, it can mean several things. It can include putting the entire student body into one big casserole dish and expect them to get the same thing from it. Our support, empowerment, cheering, servitude, and mission, must be to look at EACH child, and cheer them on for what they are accomplishing.

Sometimes that will look the same. Other times, it may be different. However, when I cheer, I want to LEAD my excitement, enthusiasm, pride, support, and joy that is solely focused on what that individual may have accomplished, achieved, or overcome. Even in a group project, a relay, a team effort, ALL members do not give the exact same thing. Nor should they.

Because I choose to serve students, it is important for me to look at each one individually and equitably. And with that, my relationship with EACH child will be different as well. For they all come to us with different challenges, advantages, trauma, passion, deficit, passion, and much more. So it is my job to slowly build up trust, and a genuine caring for who that individual is.

In my new book, It’s Me, I really tried to capture this mantra. Every page shares an honest, unique, and sometimes courageous poem or vignette of an individual. These poems are powerful. The stories are real. EACH student and educator shares something that may be difficult, and puts them in a vulnerable position. However, it helps spark the conversation that I believe is so important in our world today. Whether we are speaking about race, inclusion, diversity, identity, ability, deficits, language, or any other barriers, we must truly see EACH person for who they are, and what they offer.

Don’t be afraid to have a difficult conversation. Don’t be afraid to cheer as a leader, or as a follower. But, if we could all take a moment to be more patient, responsive, and empathic in our approach toward EACH person we encounter, I think our world would just shine a little bit more.

connect with author:  website ~ twitter ~ facebook ~ instagram ~ goodreads