A Kaleidoscope of Books
By: Samantha Erny-October 2014
If you have ever looked into a kaleidoscope you will see a variety of colors and shapes. As you turn and shake it, new colors and shapes will appear. It is never the same image and the colors continue to change. It is a never ending thrill of imagination through your eyes. If you step into a teacher’s classroom you will see the same thing. Students that come from different nationalities, races, religions, sexualities, and disabilities. Each and every one of those students comes with a heart to learn, with a mind full of adventures, ideas, and different perspectives…a kaleidoscope of experiences.
If you walk into a classroom today to see what kids are reading, what do you see? Do you see a Caucasian male as the main character in the book? Are women and minorities playing supporting roles?
“Of the three thousand two hundred children’s books published in 2013, just ninety-three were about people of color” (Myers, 2014). “Sixty-two of those books will featured people with disabilities. Only two out of sixty-two disability stories will feature someone of color. Asian and Hispanic characters were not represented at all” (Pirofski, 2014).
In a class of twenty-four students, approximately twelve of them will come from a minority. “Almost fifty percent of children in this country are of African American, Hispanic, American Indian and Asian American heritage” (Riecken, 2014). That is almost half of a class coming from different places, backgrounds, and families that can all add a wealth of knowledge and diversity to your classroom.
Not all children are given the same opportunities throughout the world or even the United States. Some will experience more and different kaleidoscopes of opportunities than others. Multicultural children’s literature allows children to read about people from different ethnicities, religions, and disabilities. This allows the reader to see themselves or someone else in literature.
Why does students seeing themselves in books matter to children?
In stocking classroom libraries with a variety of books, teachers allow children to see literature about others who look different and live differently. The kaleidoscope of opportunities that are being presented are endless. Findings have shown that readers that can make connections to themselves, their world and their community are overall better readers (Riecken, 2014). Children must find themselves in the books they read. The reality of this situation is that white children are given more relatable opportunities to see themselves in books than children of color. As educators, we want children to be able to make connections with what they read. “White children whose experiences are most likely portrayed in books, can make more text-to-text, text-to-self, and text-to-world connections than can children of color” (Huges-Hassell, Barkley, & Koehler, 2009, p. 4).
Each student comes with something that can be shared and added to the class. Everyone has something we can learn from. When teachers set up a classroom that feels unsafe for a student or where they do not share with the class, they are not only hurting that student but they are short-changing the class on what they could learn from that student (Fish & College, 1992). Classrooms need to be a place where children from all cultures feel safe.
Reading books such as “Seeds of Change” by Jen Cullerton Johnson, helps children to take a bigger look into the world around them. “Seeds of Change” is a story about the first African American woman to win a Nobel Peace Prize (Amazon, 2014). “Amazing Faces” by Lee Bennett Hopkins, created a book of poems to express the feelings that we all mirror on our faces. These poems reiterate that every person has a story to tell and our face portrays a unique blend of feelings, history and background (Amazon, 2014). Both of these books gives students the mirror or window in a person’s life. The books presented throughout this article are all books that can be used for children’s multiculturalism literature.
Windows and Mirrors
Windows offer us a different take on life and help us understand the multicultural nature of the world we live in (Bishop, 1990). Windows help to show us the lives and experiences of others. They provide experiences to help us understand this diverse world and build connections to other humans (Cunningham, 2013).
When we provide readers with a mirror of their own life, it provides something that is more than relatable. It allows students to make connections to see their own lives and cultural experiences reflected through someone else’s life (Cunningham, 2013). It makes them realize that they are not the only person in this world experiencing the things they are facing. These mirrors help readers find their own life experiences reflected in books that they read. Students need to see pictures, text and authors who look just like them on book jackets just like white children (Gang, 2008, p. 32).
In analyzing windows and mirrors, our eyes will be opened to help us understand the world we live in is not what it should be. We realize that racism exists and the equality of all does not exist. Take that window of opportunity and place it in the hands of the children. Make them realize that they have a place in society and have a responsibility just like you to do something about this unfairness.
“After all, when the lighting is just right can’t a window become a mirror?” (Cunningham, 2013).
How do I incorporate a kaleidoscope of books?
Children need window and mirror books to not only feel safe but also to give children the opportunities to see the world. Multicultural books will help children find themselves and see their world in a new way through someone else’s shoes. Teachers have an important role in making sure that the diversity of books is presented to their students. “Textbooks do provide opportunity for students, but their omission of diversity is something that cannot be ignored. Textbooks have reduced the opportunities for children of color to develop their reading proficiency” (Gang, 2008, p. 30–31). Teachers need to fill their book shelves with mirror and window books for all. Everyone needs to do research and investigate on different types of books that are out there that they can use in class lessons and for their students to use for independent reading.
Teachers and parents need to acknowledge that every story has window and mirror possibilities and arming students with stories where their background is represented in a positive light will foster a feeling of safeness and validate their life experiences. We need to discuss themes in books to unload window and mirror opportunities(Cunningham, 2013). Below in the first genre you will find a resource for adults and for children in selecting appropriate multicultural literature.
In examining a teacher’s lessons and her library of kaleidoscopic books, we find that we can never be done growing as teachers. We need to continue to push beyond our boundaries and comfort zone. Teachers teach the way that they do because that is where they feel safe and comfortable (Landt, 2006, p. 695). In reality, they need to take these moments of uncertainty and use them to push themselves past their own boundaries. Opening our eyes to the world around us will help to open our students’ eyes. Making students more educated about the kaleidoscope of books we present to them about the world around them will help in fostering a safe classroom for all to share.
The kaleidoscope of opportunities, dreams, and experiences we can provide through books is endless. Books are not just about learning to read but also comprehending and relating to books. Books are about finding something new about yourself and giving the equal opportunity for all to have these goals met. Books are more than books. They are a kaleidoscope into an unimagined world.
Click here to find a note from the author, Shane W. Evans, on his book “Olu’s Dream”.
To find more multicultural children’s literature please check out this website.
Author’s note: It took 18 years of my life before the world of diversity and color opened up to me. And the kaleidoscope and books that have been presented to me during that time since is something that I never thought would ever happen. I did not realize there was a bigger world out there till I stepped onto the college stage. My kaleidoscope became much larger with more colors and was ever changing with each day and each ticking hour while I walked around the campus of Indiana University. Through that time I have come to see the importance of a classroom that incorporates multicultural children’s literature into it. Children need a place where they feel safe. Learning only happens in an environment that fosters one that is safe. As a future educator, I feel the need to make sure that all students no matter their race, disability, or religion feel welcomed and loved in my classroom. In the end when we all trust each other that is when extraordinary things take place.
Genre #1: This is a how to select a multicultural book for teachers or parents
Getting started:
In scanning the pages of the book and also the summary on the back of the book, you should be able to tell whether or not a book is fit for multicultural children’s literature. This how to should help in easing the selection of multicultural literature.
How to select a multicultural children’s book:
1. Analyze the characters. Make sure the characters change, grow, and show depth throughout the story. Characters are unique and should be described without stereotypes or bias. The relationship among characters should represent people within cultures and people of different cultures.
2. Investigate the setting. Make sure it seems natural to the culture that is being portrayed in the story. See that the characteristics such as clothing and food are depicted accurately.
3. Inspect the style of how the book is written. The dialogue should be what is native to the culture. The content should be easily understood by members of that culture and other readers. Non-English words should be used and spelled correctly.
4. Evaluate the theme. Make sure there are many aspects of the culture being presented without bias throughout the book. The theme should be the same to all cultures and represent the culture correctly.
5. Study the social issues and problems presented within the culture. Make sure that they are described thoroughly and accurately. Social issues should not be simplified.
6. Explore the minority characters that are in the book. These characters should be shown as leaders and are able to solve their own problems. Whites should not be seen as owning all the power while cultural minorities are playing the supporting roles in the background of the book.
7. Study to see if the book is culturally authentic. Question the author’s credentials on writing the book. If the author is an insider to the culture, their insight is likely to culturally authentic. A book written from an outsider’s perspective may or may not be culturally authentic.
8. Investigate to see if the book has won any awards. Search websites to find out if the book has won an award. The award might also be listed on the front cover of the book. If the book has won an award, there should be little doubt that it is culturally authentic. Here are some of the awards you are looking for: Coretta Scott King, The Pura Belpre, Tomas Rivera, Sydney Taylor, Americas Book Award for Children’s and Young Adult Literature, and Mildred L. Batchelder Award are among some of the multicultural awards that are given to children’s literature.
Bookmark for selecting a Multicultural Book for Students
Genre #2: Obituary of a student’s desire to read
References
Bishop, R. S. (2014, September 30). Mirrors, windows, and sliding glass doors. Retrieved from Reading is Fundamental: http://www.rif.org/us/literacy-resources/multicultural/mirrors-windows-and-sliding-glass-doors.htm
Cunningham, K. (2014, September 30). “What does this book have to do with me?” why window and mirror books are important for all readers. Retrieved from The Open Book: http://blog.leeandlow.com/2013/02/04/what-does-this-book-have-to-do-with-me-why-mirror-and-window-books-are-important-for-all-readers/
Fish, L., & College, S. (2014, October 26). Building blocks: the first steps of creating a multicultural classroom. Retrieved from Critical Multicultural Pavilion: http://www.edchange.org/multicultural/papers/buildingblocks.html
Gangi, J. M. (2008). The unbearable whiteness of literacy instruction: realizing the implications of the proficient reader research.
Huges-Hassell, S., Barkley, H. A., & Koehler, E. (2009). Research Journal of the American Association of School Librarians. Promoting equity in children’s literacy instruction: using a critical race theory framework to examine transitional books, 4.
Landt, S. M. (2006). International Reading Association. Multicultural literature and young adolescents.
Michie, G. (2014, October 24). On the importance of mirrors for students (and teachers). Retrieved from Huffington Post: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/gregory-michie/on-the-importance-of-mirr_b_5604494.html
Myers, W. D. (2014, October 1). Where are the people of color in children’s books? Retrieved from The New York Times: http://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/16/opinion/sunday/where-are-the-people-of-color-in-childrens-books.html?_r=1
Pirofski, K. I. (2014, October 21). Race, gender, and disability in today’s children’s literature. Retrieved from Critical Multicultural Pavilion: http://edchange.org/multicultural/papers/literature2.html
Strauss, V. (2014, October 1). How common core’s recommended books fail children of color. Retrieved from Washington Post: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/wp/2014/09/16/how-common-cores-recommended-books-fail-children-of-color/
Wilfong, L. G. (2007). International Journal of Multicultural Education. A mirror, a window: assisting teachers in selecting appropriate multicultural young adult literature, 4–11.
