My classrooms have always seemed like a miniature United Nations. The cultures, ethnicity, and beliefs that were represented by the students in my classes created a gorgeous quilt. But while that quilt was colorful and created from a variety of textures, my classroom library and the libraries in the schools where I served did not reflect that same gorgeous quilt. Quite often my library and the school libraries were filled with books featuring white main characters and any characters of color were either nonexistent or relegated to the role of sidekick.
According to educator Rudine Bishop Sims, that near invisibility in literature, which has been the case for students from communities who have been historically excluded in mainstream culture, “…suggests that books and literature, while often pleasurable, are in some sense apart from them. And for children that do see a reflection of themselves in the curriculum, the impact can create an exaggerated sense of importance and value in the world.”
Thanks to an increasing number of books written by authors from historically marginalized communities and featuring characters that represent all of the diversity of our students, that lack of inclusion is being erased. Educators and schools committed to culturally relevant teaching practices and equity can now take advantage of this proliferation of culturally rich and representative literature, assess their libraries, and begin to address the lack of diversity on our library shelves.
So, in order to authentically support inclusion for all our students’ identities, it is necessary to provide mirrors for students to see their own identity, culture and experience. Additionally, for our students to understand and learn about how diverse our world is we must give them windows, via this wide array of literature, that offer views different than and outside of a student’s own life and identity.
According to the National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP), “Broadening the horizons of your students enables them to accept other cultures and validates the differences within your school population.” With so much divisiveness surrounding our students in the world today, isn’t acceptance something we should be fostering in every corner of our schools?
That purposeful attention to what books and resources are available in our classroom and school libraries can set the stage for a welcoming culture in our schools.
In a post written by staff at All4Ed.org, “Culturally responsive library programs take into account not only the content and sensitivity of lessons and supporting materials, but also what items are being purchased for the collection, what materials are being displayed or recommended to the school community, what voices are invited into the school or library for author visits or artists in residence, and what impact the work taking place within the library has on the global community.”
With these emerging authors and growing body of culturally diverse literature, we all have work to do. For educators and librarians wanting to audit their book selections, NAESP suggests that they use the CREW method (https://www.tsl.texas.gov/ld/pubs/crew/index.html) which gives specifics, or refer to the California State Department of Education’s Ten Quick Ways to Analyze Children’s Books for Racism and Sexism.
In addition, here’s a short list of links to library associations you may or may not be familiar with. They all offer Young Adult Literature Awards and lists to help you grow and expand your culturally relevant libraries:
American Indian Library Association:
Black Caucus American Library Association:
Young Adult Library Services Association
And here are some phenomenal books featuring characters from diverse backgrounds that I think ought to be in every classroom or school library (FYI - each link will take you to a small box that allows you to purchase these books directly from my website):
NotYourPrincess: Voices of Native American Women Edited by Lisa Charleyboy and Mary Beth Leatherdale
Dreaming in Indian: Contemporary Native American Voices by Lisa Charleyboy
· March, Book One by John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, and Nate Powell. Book 1 of the March Trilogy.
· On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous by Vietnamese author Ocean Vuong
As we head into the frenzy of Back to School season, let’s take the time to examine what books are on our shelves. Let’s embrace all of the practices and strategies that support a culturally relevant and authentic experience for our students and families. Let’s be sure we are offering books that represent a wide diversity of race, gender, socioeconomic status, disability, culture, and family composition. Let’s maintain a book collection that not only reflects the communities where our schools reside but that also reflect the global community that we are all part of. Let’s create a sense of belonging for all of our students so that they develop the awareness, empathy, and compassion necessary to be good global citizens.
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