Let's admit it: of all the ages of life, probably the hardest to get through are the middle school years. In a time when one is desperately trying to figure out who they are, one of the greatest fears for most middle schoolers is being a "nobody." Humiliation can be defined as being ridiculed for being different from the status quo, or perhaps worse, being invisible.

And the media doesn't help. From its portrayal, it seems that the epitome of being "someone" is being a tv or movie star or a sports celebrity. Glamor, glitz, chest thumping, and loud lives are depicted as normal and routine. All needed, the media likes to tell us, in order to be a "somebody."

As a teacher, there is nothing more frustrating than seeing impressionable, young minds being turned towards such shallowness. After teaching hundreds and hundreds of students, many who idolize such behavior, I find myself more and more drawn towards role models who are on the other end of the spectrum: people who are ordinary, simply going about their everyday lives, who suddenly decide to do something extraordinary--not for the fame that it eventually brings, but because they believe in a cause that is larger than themselves.

This blog is a compilation of books, websites, and films that celebrate those who I call Extraordinary People. Their stories are an inspiration--to put it mildly. Some of them are extraordinary because they endure hardship unlike anything any of us have ever known and yet refuse to lose their humanity and dignity. Others are extraordinary because they decide to follow their passions and ultimately display a genius that shines on for centuries. Still others are so because they find a cause worth fighting for and choose not to give up despite tremendous obstacles.

My hope is that in reading and listening to these stories and exploring these websites, middle schoolers will find role models who are truly worth emulating and discover within themselves the desire to become their best every single day.

Through My Eyes by Ruby Bridges


Reading grade level: 3 - 8

Pages: 64 p.

Book summary and analysis: "When I was six years old, the civil rights movement came knocking at the door." So starts the book Through My Eyes, a first-hand account of school integration in the 1960s, told by Ruby Bridges. Following a timeline, this book details the historical events that Ruby lived in order to enforce the desegregation of Southern schools and includes a brief account of her life as an adult. Full of information not just about herself but about those who helped and supported her, readers gain a deeper understanding of what it meant to live through such violent times and the strength that it took to do so in order to make change. Pay close attention to the many photographs; their reading is equally disturbing and enlightening.

Book includes: an introduction by Harry Belafonte, a preface from Ruby, many photographs of the time, quotes from articles written during the event and from those involved with the process, photo credits for reference, and a jump rope rhyme called "Ruby B."

A 1999 Parents' Choice Gold Award winner.

Additional curricular connections: 1960s, segregation, African American history, the human spirit, civil rights movement

Links:
Author's website: http://www.rubybridges.com/
Discussion lesson plan: http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/lesson-plan/through-my-eyes-discussion-guide
To review & purchase: http://www.amazon.com/Through-My-Eyes-Ruby-Bridges/dp/0590189239
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