For Everyone by Jason Reynolds
For Every One by Jason Reynolds
Reviewed by Robin Mchammel, Yesenia Morales, Elaine Norris,
Daniel No, and Michelle Mendoza
Biography:
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| (Miller, Shawn. Reynolds 2020) |
Jason Reynolds read his first book cover to cover when he was 17. Today, American writer and poet, Jason Reynolds is an award-winning and #1 New York Times bestselling author for his Track Series including novels Ghost, Patina, and Sunny. Reynold’s books follow an array of awards. Reynolds was born in Washington, DC, and grew up in Oxon Hill, Maryland. Although he wasn’t much of a reader, he started writing poetry from the young age of nine. His love for poetry followed him throughout college, where he graduated in 2005 from the University of Maryland. “Somebody told me they were giving away dream-come-true vouchers,” Jason says in regards to his move to Brooklyn after graduating. Shortly after, he learned that nothing is given away. Although he felt discouraged at different points in time, he was encouraged by friends who introduced him to other methods of expression. Realizing that there are many ways to express the complexity of people, he discovered a love for language that he could express in his own way. Then, he found his voice and the voices of the many unheard and underserved kids.
Reynolds understands that families from urban neighborhoods result in children who are unsupervised for longer periods of time, for that reason, he wants them to have representation. He feels that these children that often go disregarded deserve someone to tell them they’re visible. In his younger days, Reynolds witnessed the struggles of the young people of these urban neighborhoods. At the same time, his experience varied because he had friends who supported his emotional growth. Reynolds hopes to write books that these children feel connected to.
Jason Reynolds writes for kids, all kids. He understands young people because as he grew up, he didn’t leave behind the difficulties of being young. He remembers, he gets it. Reynolds discusses themes of identity, antiracism, courage, and forgiveness in his novels. Reynolds’s goal is to write books that aren’t boring because he wants young people to read more. Through his novels, Reynolds makes space for these kids, he tells their stories in a way that doesn’t linger in the trauma, but rather tells them there’s hope.
Review:
Originally performed at the Kennedy Center for the unveiling of the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial, Jason Reynolds’s extended Poem For Every One encourages readers to pursue their dreams. The book itself is split into four sections with each one detailing how it feels to pursue one’s dream, no matter what that dream may be. The poem opens with Reynolds’ own experience of desperately wanting to achieve his dreams of being a writer, but falling short. He makes sure to emphasize that this writing does not come out of place of expertise, but “a place of raw honesty and love” (Reynolds 5). It then goes into a series of affirmations of how it is okay and expected to be afraid of your dreams, focusing on how our dreams may not work out in the way we imagined them, The poem ends with asking the reader, commonly referred to as “Dreamer,” to hold tight to their passion and use their will to succeed to guide them through life. Jason Reynolds’s For Every One is a valid tool in the high school classroom because it encourages students to stay true to themselves and follow their dreams, no matter how afraid they may be.
Reynolds has an amazing talent of being able to make the reader feel that the text is directed at them. Throughout the poem, he uses “I,” along with “you,” and “us.” By using these pronouns, Reynolds makes the reader feel included in the text. This allows the reader to see themselves in the poem and in Reynolds. It is no longer Reynolds merely talking to the reader, but an entire conversation. This conversational tone also allows the message to be said more freely. At the heart of the text is the message, “You can do it,” and by having it said casually, it makes the message more attainable. There are not many abstract images or metaphors throughout the text; most of it deals with Reynolds’s own shortcomings and his life. When he does talk to the reader, it is in simple phrases such as, “I’m on the right track” (Reynolds 94) or “I haven’t gone through it all” (Reynolds 8). When he does use metaphors, they are told in plain language. By doing so, the text becomes accessible to all students. Moreover, the text itself focuses on all dreams, not just artistic ones. This deliberate choice allows any students to see themselves in the text. It does not matter if the student wants to be a world-renowned artist or a high school teacher, their dreams matter and should be viewed as such. This message that no matter who you are or what your goal may be, you should be yourself and follow your aspirations, helps make this text useful to the classroom.
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| (Ilori, For Every One) |
Instructional Resources:
This link will help students study and learn poetic devices used. They will be able to recognize faster and better understand the techniques and effectiveness of the poems.
- This website allows for students to take the perspective of being the writer. They are able to hands on learn the process of writing poetry and discover the choices that must be made to finalize the draft of the poem
- This website is used to learn about the author. It is useful to learn the author’s background to justify and understand the actions, words, and messages the author shares within his writing to better understand the intentions and perspective.
- This link leads to a video of Jason Reynolds speaking his own words. The video helps appeal to the visual and auditory ways of learning to feel the power of the words they read.
- This interview details more of Reynolds's writing experience. The origins of the poem are discussed as well, giving more insight of the poem as a whole.
- Due to the nature of the poem, it is important that students know how to read it aloud. This website writes out tips and suggestions for how to read a poem out-loud and effectively.
- Another poem by Jason Reynolds. Students can compare the two poems and look for similar messages and poem tactics.
- This website has useful links about the power of poetry and its uses. In addition, students can submit their own poems and read others!
This is an activity that helps kids brainstorm about their dreams by using a cluster map. Then, children are encouraged to set goals in the future (in 5 years, in 10 years, etc.)
This group activity allows kids to pair up and share their goals and future vision. Then, all their aspirations are put together on a Vision board.
Instructional Activity:
Preview:
Activity Title: Read - Discover - Empower - Inspire
Goal of the Activity:
The goal of this activity is to inspire students that have read Jason Reynolds’s short poetry book For Every One to think critically upon the ways in which they may have been discouraged by others from following their dreams, to question the motives of these people (racism, classism, sexism, etc), and ultimately to empower themselves for their own success. The activity will require students to reflect upon the main theme of the text, look within themselves and their individual experiences, as well as applying the moral of the story as a lesson that they can then pay it forward to inspire others.
California Common Core Standards:
Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of primary and secondary sources, connecting insights gained from specific details to an understanding of the text as a whole.
Determine the central ideas or information of a primary or secondary source; provide an accurate summary that makes clear the relationships among the key details and ideas.
Evaluate various explanations for actions or events and determine which explanation best accords with textual evidence, acknowledging where the text leaves matters uncertain.
Analyze in detail how a complex primary source is structured, including how key sentences, paragraphs, and larger portions of the text contribute to the whole.
Evaluate an author's premises, claims, and evidence by corroborating or challenging them with other information.
Resources and Preparation:
Link to the Activity Handout:
Teachers, click Here to access the downloadable handout to edit/customize as necessary!
Instructional Plan:
Once the students have completed reading Jason Reynolds’s short poetry book For Every One, they will fill out the handout attached above then discuss as a class. The activity asks that the students think critically upon a moment (or moments, anywhere between 1-2 examples) from their lives in which someone has deterred them/told them they could not fulfill a life goal or milestone (such as graduating high school, becoming a doctor, owning their own successful business, going to college, becoming a politician, etc).
Then, the students fill in the “reasoning” behind why the individual said they would not be able to achieve these goals (e.g., “you’re not smart enough”, “college is too expensive”, “there has never been a ____ president, so you will never become one”, etc).
The teacher can use this activity as an opportunity to discuss social realities that are vaguely mentioned/discrepancies in the novel (discussing the reality of the differences of privileges/disadvantages in racial, social, gender, and economic classes, based on the reactions of the students, in order to guide the conversation so students develop critical thinking skills about the world outside of their text).
Upon reflection, the students are prompted to challenge this discouraging way of thinking by finding one or two lines from For Every One that empowers them. Using this, the student must then interpret their line(s) of choice and explain how it works in the framework of For Every One, explaining why this line is significant to the poem as a whole.
Then, the student is then directed to use either the same lines (or pick a different line if they so choose) that they think would be empowering for another student, teacher, stranger, or friend to inspire them to achieve their goals. Ultimately, the students will be using their understanding of the text as a means of better understanding themselves and the world around them, as well as potentially inspiring and supporting others in their achievements as a result.
As a final exercise, the student will reflect on the structure of the poetic form of the novel, considering how the text would be impacted by a different format or style.
Bibliography
“About.” Jason Reynolds, www.jasonwritesbooks.com/about.
Krug, Nora. “How a Kid Who Didn't Read a Book until He Was 17 Grew up to Become
a Literary Star.” The Washington Post, WP Company, 23 Oct. 2017,
www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/books/he-didnt
read-books-as-a-kid-but-jason-reynolds-wants-to-make-sure-your-kids-do/2017/10/23/ed4b55da-9d4c
11e7-9083-fbfdd6804c2_story.html.
Ilori, Yinka. “For Every One.” Marssaié Studio, www.marssaie.com/for-every-one.
León, Concepción De. “Jason Reynolds Is on a Mission.” The New York Times, The New York
Times, 28 Oct. 2019, www.nytimes.com/2019/10/28/books/jason-reynolds-look-both-ways.html.
Miller, Shawn. Jason Reynolds. Portrait. 2020.
