The Importance of Diversity in School Libraries This post contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, Book Riot may earn a commission. This post on diversity in school libraries is sponsored by Get Booked: The Handsell. Get Booked has added a weekly bonus episode called The Handsell! The book market here in the UK is experiencing a boom, at least in my opinion. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing – it means there’s tons of choice out there for children of all ages. But what about diversity? In the past I’ve run a “Read Woke UK” reading competition aimed at slightly older students and hoped to celebrate diversity in UK YA. I have since made it my mission to not only fill the library with as many diverse stories as possible, but to bring in authors who have had as many varied experiences as possible. Alex’s visit opened the eyes of many students who saw him, as some of them may have seen themselves going down the same path as he did in his youth. It goes way beyond just statistics, though. Sarah’s response to this was:
Teaching Multicultural Literature (Nov. 02) How do you teach multicultural literature? If you'd like some new ideas, watch for an upcoming professional development television series that focuses on teaching multicultural literature at the high school level. Teachers, authors, teacher educators, and literary scholars are sharing their perspectives to create the eight-part series funded by Annenberg/CPB and produced by New York Public Television (Channel 13/WNET). The series demonstrates four different approaches to teaching multicultural literature: response-based strategies, inquiry learning, critical literacy, and cultural studies. Dale Allender, NCTE associate executive director for the secondary level and lead content consultant for the series, explains that "good teachers employ a variety of approaches and each one complements the other. There will be two programs showcasing each approach, explains Deborah A. The working title for the series is "Beyond the Canon." Just a Sampling of What You Might See A Way to Affirm
Gender, Race, and Class in Media: A Critical Reader Multicultural Fiction for Teenagers | Madison Public Library The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie. 2007Budding cartoonist Junior leaves his troubled school on the Spokane Indian Reservation to attend an all-white farm town school where the only other Indian is the school mascot. American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang. 2006Alternates three interrelated stories about the problems of young Chinese Americans trying to participate in the popular culture. Presented in comic book format. The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation. Vol. I, The Pox Party by M.T. Bamboo People by Mitali Perkins. 2010Two Burmese boys, one a Karenni refugee and the other the son of an imprisoned Burmese doctor, meet in the jungle and in order to survive they must learn to trust each other. Before We Were Free by Julia Alvarez. 2002In the early 1960s in the Dominican Republic, twelve-year-old Anita learns that her family is involved in the underground movement to end the bloody rule of the dictator, General Trujillo.
Equity Through the School Library | by Joy Mancuso-Mohsen | EveryLibrary | Medium There is a startling lack of diversity in children’s literature. School librarians around the country are hard at work trying to fix this problem and bring real diversity to their school’s collection. The problem is alarming: only ten percent of all children’s books were written by or about people of color. For the past twenty years, the Children’s Cooperative Book Center (CCBC) in Madison, Wisconsin, has collected data about diversity in children’s literature. School librarians work to champion the diverse literature available. Equity Audits. Collection Development. Professional Development. Improved Library Marketing. In addition, school librarians market their books outside of the libraries, to families and community members. Joining a National Discussion. Seeing a child’s face light up when they see themselves in a character is one of those moments school librarians live for.
Teaching Multicultural Literature: A Workshop for the Middle Grades Workshop 1: Engagement and Dialogue: Julia Alvarez, James McBride, Lensey Namioka, and more In New York City, Carol O'Donnell and her students explore themes of multiple worlds and dual identities. They read poetry by Diana Chang and Naomi Shihab Nye, the novel The Color of Water by James McBride, essays and short stories by Gish Jen, Khoi Luu, Lensey Namioka, and Julia Alvarez, and a monologue by Tina Lee. Through a series of innovative drama, role-playing, and writing activities, students examine the social and cultural experiences of the characters, and reflect on their own definitions and experiences of identity. Go to this unit. Workshop 2: Engagement and Dialogue: Judith Ortiz Cofer and Nikki Grimes The workshop begins with a profile of the writer Judith Ortiz Cofer and then moves to Vista, California, where Akiko Morimoto and her students read short stories from Cofer's collection, An Island Like You.
The study of novels and poetry is essential for senior secondary students | EduResearch Matters The serious dumbing down of the senior English syllabus in NSW will have significant repercussions for students, employers, writers, poets, and Australian culture. The changes have been widely criticized. The worst ones are the reduction in texts to be studied, the study of both novels and poetry becoming optional and the formerly non-ATAR English course now becoming assessable for the ATAR. Yes we understand the importance of STEM education and why it needs special attention these days. So why worry about our HSC students skipping novels and poetry in their final year of school? So much, so very much. Why studying novels and poetry should be compulsory The intensive study of multiple texts, written from diverse points of view and cultural heritages, gives a vicarious glimpse of the worlds of others. Novels This lowering of standards by NSW represents a lowering of expectations and is a sad reflection of our impoverished educational philosophy. In a few years we’ll (suddenly!) Poetry
Multicultural Music and Songs that Build an Appreciation of Diversity Add some interest to your Social Studies curriculum by supplementing your lesson plans with Multicultural Songs! Whether you need educational music for teaching about diversity, songs from around the world or songs for embracing our differences, you'll find a varied selection below. These Multicultural Songs are for children of all ages... and many will also appeal to grown-ups. These song lyrics about diversity are available from a variety of albums: Songs About Diversity and Embracing our Differences A Train Ride to the Great Wall – Ella Jenkins All Over This World – Two of a Kind All the Children Sing - Wendy Rollin Asikatali - Children of Africa – Traditional Folk Song Because We're Friends – Music with Mar. – Two of a Kind We Are The Children of The World – Donna & Andy We're All Different – Caroline and Danny We're Just Like Crayons – Stephen Fite What Does Peace Mean? Multicultural Songs from Around the World
School Library Guidelines - Effective school libraries An effective school library enhances student learning outcomes by providing a range of programs, services and resources which support teaching and learning. It also supports and encourages students' reading experiences. Effective school libraries Offer quality programs that support the curriculum. Requirements Skilled, well-trained and enthusiastic library staff. Guiding principles Information literacy: The school library is a learning environment central to the development of an information-literate school community. Research Research links effective school libraries to improved student learning and academic success. This suggests school libraries should have access to a qualified teacher-librarian. The Students Need School Libraries campaign, an initiative of a coalition of library associations, effectively outlines the benefits of school libraries and provides links to supporting research. Further reading Give feedback about the School Library Guidelines