Reflecting back on a semester of diverse literature, I’ve begun to realize just how much I’ve grown. Now, I look so critically at every text I read. I strongly believe that each and every classroom should be equipped with a diverse library. I also believe that every person should have the opportunity to learn and be exposed to all types of literature. Children should have the chance to look at literature with people they can relate to and people who are quite different than them. Every book should be a learning experience in one way or another. This class has really opened my eyes to that, though I’d like to think I was at least semi-conscious of it before.
I find myself browsing children’s books in hopes I will find a new piece of quality literature. In researching pieces of Latino/ Chicano literature for the final project, I found myself criticizing the selection availability. I also found myself lost in reading book upon book realizing just how important it really is for students to be exposed to other cultures and traditions. I’ve also realized how much people who are aware and educated about diverse children’s literature need to voice their requests for diverse texts. It will only take a few of us to really spark an interest in others around us.
Educating students on diversity issues using quality texts is an extremely important aspect to every classroom. As a future educator, I now feel I am better prepared to do just that. I know that I still have a lot of learning to do but I’m willing to put the effort in to continue to educate myself in order to educate my future students. It is refreshing to take a class that provides information that is refreshing, interesting and useful.
Monday, April 28, 2008
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Reflection
Choosing my texts was not an easy task. I thought Latino/Chicano American texts would be among the easier to find. I was incorrect and the texts are not as abundant as I expected. The texts I found easily were stereotypical, not written by insiders, or irrelevant to the culture. It is very surprising that so many children's books are written simply to say they include Latino/Chicano American children. Just because the illustrations show a child who is not caucasian does not mean the book is authentic. Including diversity for the sake of saying you are including it does not count.
When texts are genuine and authentic they are meaningful to children. A text that is considered diverse should educate the reader. The child should walk away from reading the book with new knowledge about a culture other than their own. This is much harder to find than I originally thought it would be.
At the same time, most of the texts that are authentic and written by insiders are quite informative. This is important to bring into a classroom and into children's lives. Diverse literature should not be hard to find. It should be prominent on the book shelves and children should want to read about others who are different than them and those who they can identify with.
If someone is willing to do the research to be sure they have a book that is qualified and meets the criteria of an authentic piece of diverse literature then it is not as hard to find books. Searching for books at the book stores, ordering them online and requesting them at the local libraries are all ways to bring books, such as the Latino/Chicano American literature I found, into the eyes of readers all over.
When texts are genuine and authentic they are meaningful to children. A text that is considered diverse should educate the reader. The child should walk away from reading the book with new knowledge about a culture other than their own. This is much harder to find than I originally thought it would be.
At the same time, most of the texts that are authentic and written by insiders are quite informative. This is important to bring into a classroom and into children's lives. Diverse literature should not be hard to find. It should be prominent on the book shelves and children should want to read about others who are different than them and those who they can identify with.
If someone is willing to do the research to be sure they have a book that is qualified and meets the criteria of an authentic piece of diverse literature then it is not as hard to find books. Searching for books at the book stores, ordering them online and requesting them at the local libraries are all ways to bring books, such as the Latino/Chicano American literature I found, into the eyes of readers all over.
Review of a review
In the article I found was one documenting Gary Soto's works. I found the review at inspirechildren.worldpress.com. This site proved to be helpful in my own critiques but also brought great points. The review calls Too Many Tamales a celebration of ethnic pride. It also states that this story is "rooted in cultural tradition and the physicalness of happy family life." I agree with these statements and believe that Gary Soto writes wonderful children's stories, though some are not as authentic as this one.
It was more difficult than I imagined, not only to find books, but to find reviews about this selection of diverse literature. The review that I found was basic and did not provide any significant insight. It did document the synopsis of the story and it commented on Soto himself. It also discussed a few traditions present in the book and the language learning opportunity for the children reading the story.
It is hard to believe that we live in such an educated world in some aspects and such an uneducated world in other aspects. It is difficult to find diverse children's literature and it is difficult to find people with an interest in looking for it, writing it and discussing it. Hopefully, in the future, this will become a more prominent topic and one that many people are educated about.
It was more difficult than I imagined, not only to find books, but to find reviews about this selection of diverse literature. The review that I found was basic and did not provide any significant insight. It did document the synopsis of the story and it commented on Soto himself. It also discussed a few traditions present in the book and the language learning opportunity for the children reading the story.
It is hard to believe that we live in such an educated world in some aspects and such an uneducated world in other aspects. It is difficult to find diverse children's literature and it is difficult to find people with an interest in looking for it, writing it and discussing it. Hopefully, in the future, this will become a more prominent topic and one that many people are educated about.
Book Reviews
In searching for Latino/Chicano American literature, I realized just how many non-realistic books were out there. Many of the books I came across attempted to teach the reader something but used such a stereotypical way to do it that the book almost seemed useless. I did find books that were more current and relevant to children of today’s society but I also reviewed a book that portrayed Latino people in quite a negative way.
The first book I read is called Barrio: Jose’s Neighborhood. Jose is a young boy living in a Latino neighborhood in San Francisco. The neighborhood is full of immigrants from Mexico and they refer to their neighborhood as El barrio. The text discusses Jose’s everyday life and the customs and traditions that live on in his neighborhood. This book gives children an insight on neighborhoods that are, perhaps, quite different from theirs. They learn about Jose’s family and his school routine. They learn about his town and the food that the Latino people eat. It is a picture book full of real pictures and real insight into a Latino community. The author of this text followed Jose around in order to write his story and he is a resident of Santa Fe, New Mexico. I believe that this is a very beneficial book to share with children because it narrates the everyday life of a boy living in a Latino community.
The second book I read, Tomas and the Library Lady, by Pat Mora, is a story about a boy who moved from his Latino community in Texas to move with his family to Iowa. This book portrays Latino people in a very stereotypical way. Tomas’s mother and father are both farm workers. The family is poor and the children play with things like a ball made from an old teddy bear. Tomas discovers a library and meets a librarian who introduces him to books upon books. Tomas gets lost in the stories he reads and introduces his grandfathers to the story as well. Mora is an author who has written many books about children who are a part of the Latino culture. This book may be an enjoyable book for children but it is not beneficial in any way in teaching children about the Latino culture.
The third book, Juana Ines, by Georgina Lazaro, is written in both Spanish and English. The story is about a young girl living in a small village in Mexico. Her family cares for the few animals they have and they grow food for themselves. These facts are not portrayed in a stereotypical way, it simply states facts about Juana’s life. Juana cares very much about school and seems to be studying whenever she is not helping her family out. She enjoys going into town with her grandmother as well. It is a book that can teach children about a different culture and a different life. It discusses food, customs and traditions of her family and her town. This book sheds light into a small Mexican village that is very different from society in the United States. Lazaro grew up in a larger city in Mexico.
My Little Car, by Gary Soto is the fourth children’s book I read. Soto is a Mexican-American who has written many books about Mexican-American children. Although this book has a great story for children to read, it could not get much more stereotypical. Teresa receives a little car, mi carrito, from her grandfather. The car is a lowrider and has chili peppers for headlights. The people are illustrated to be very cartoonish but stereotypical at the same time. Teresa’s father drives a lowrider truck with a license plate that says Rosa. This book does little, besides including Spanish words and a glossary, to teach children about the Latino culture.
Too Many Tamales by Gary Soto is another book I chose to review. I chose the same author twice because he is an insider to the Mexican-American culture. This story is about a little girl helping her mother make tamales. She thinks she looses her mother’s wedding ring in the tamale dough and decides the only way to find the ring is to eat all of the tamales. She realizes her mother is wearing the ring and so the family returns to the kitchen to make more tamales. This book does a much better job in portraying a Latino family. It teaches about holiday traditions, the Mexican culture and the importance of family. This is a book that children can also learn a few basic Spanish words from.
The first book I read is called Barrio: Jose’s Neighborhood. Jose is a young boy living in a Latino neighborhood in San Francisco. The neighborhood is full of immigrants from Mexico and they refer to their neighborhood as El barrio. The text discusses Jose’s everyday life and the customs and traditions that live on in his neighborhood. This book gives children an insight on neighborhoods that are, perhaps, quite different from theirs. They learn about Jose’s family and his school routine. They learn about his town and the food that the Latino people eat. It is a picture book full of real pictures and real insight into a Latino community. The author of this text followed Jose around in order to write his story and he is a resident of Santa Fe, New Mexico. I believe that this is a very beneficial book to share with children because it narrates the everyday life of a boy living in a Latino community.
The second book I read, Tomas and the Library Lady, by Pat Mora, is a story about a boy who moved from his Latino community in Texas to move with his family to Iowa. This book portrays Latino people in a very stereotypical way. Tomas’s mother and father are both farm workers. The family is poor and the children play with things like a ball made from an old teddy bear. Tomas discovers a library and meets a librarian who introduces him to books upon books. Tomas gets lost in the stories he reads and introduces his grandfathers to the story as well. Mora is an author who has written many books about children who are a part of the Latino culture. This book may be an enjoyable book for children but it is not beneficial in any way in teaching children about the Latino culture.
The third book, Juana Ines, by Georgina Lazaro, is written in both Spanish and English. The story is about a young girl living in a small village in Mexico. Her family cares for the few animals they have and they grow food for themselves. These facts are not portrayed in a stereotypical way, it simply states facts about Juana’s life. Juana cares very much about school and seems to be studying whenever she is not helping her family out. She enjoys going into town with her grandmother as well. It is a book that can teach children about a different culture and a different life. It discusses food, customs and traditions of her family and her town. This book sheds light into a small Mexican village that is very different from society in the United States. Lazaro grew up in a larger city in Mexico.
My Little Car, by Gary Soto is the fourth children’s book I read. Soto is a Mexican-American who has written many books about Mexican-American children. Although this book has a great story for children to read, it could not get much more stereotypical. Teresa receives a little car, mi carrito, from her grandfather. The car is a lowrider and has chili peppers for headlights. The people are illustrated to be very cartoonish but stereotypical at the same time. Teresa’s father drives a lowrider truck with a license plate that says Rosa. This book does little, besides including Spanish words and a glossary, to teach children about the Latino culture.
Too Many Tamales by Gary Soto is another book I chose to review. I chose the same author twice because he is an insider to the Mexican-American culture. This story is about a little girl helping her mother make tamales. She thinks she looses her mother’s wedding ring in the tamale dough and decides the only way to find the ring is to eat all of the tamales. She realizes her mother is wearing the ring and so the family returns to the kitchen to make more tamales. This book does a much better job in portraying a Latino family. It teaches about holiday traditions, the Mexican culture and the importance of family. This is a book that children can also learn a few basic Spanish words from.
Diverse Literature?
In searching for books about Latino/Chicano American literature, I've realized so many of the books that are available are inaccurate, stereotypical and quite basic. There is not a wide variety of diverse literature that is informing and accurate. This leaves me asking, why is this? If our country is a melting pot, where are the books that go along with it? How are children supposed to live an unsheltered life if their books are even sheltered?
It is a teacher's job to educate their class but it should also be a parent's job to educate their children. As a future parent, I plan to buy a diverse selection for my children. I don't want to read books that simply portray caucasian children.
It should be required by a school or even the district to bring diverse literature into each classroom. Children should be taught about others who are different than them and also they should have resources available about children who are like them and who they can identify with. These are all such important ideas and now it's up to the educated ones to bring these ideas to life and to make them happen in schools.
It is a teacher's job to educate their class but it should also be a parent's job to educate their children. As a future parent, I plan to buy a diverse selection for my children. I don't want to read books that simply portray caucasian children.
It should be required by a school or even the district to bring diverse literature into each classroom. Children should be taught about others who are different than them and also they should have resources available about children who are like them and who they can identify with. These are all such important ideas and now it's up to the educated ones to bring these ideas to life and to make them happen in schools.
Philosophy
As this semester has quickly passed, I have really started to think about how diverse literature should be brought into my future classroom. My personal philosophy on literature in the classroom is one that focuses a great deal on literacy. Students need to be literate, in all areas, and need to be well informed. My job as a future teacher is to inform my students. Bringing all types of literature into my classroom is a way that I plan to help inform my students.
I not only want to have a diverse library but I want to hold discussions around people who are different than my students, people who are the same in which they can identify and people who are like their friends. My students will be educated about others and will learn to accept people for who they are. I am willing to research to answer their questions and to be informed, myself. A classroom is a place for academic learning but should also be a place to learn about the world around us. It is not all about numbers and letters but about learning to be a positive citizen in our society.
I not only want to have a diverse library but I want to hold discussions around people who are different than my students, people who are the same in which they can identify and people who are like their friends. My students will be educated about others and will learn to accept people for who they are. I am willing to research to answer their questions and to be informed, myself. A classroom is a place for academic learning but should also be a place to learn about the world around us. It is not all about numbers and letters but about learning to be a positive citizen in our society.
Boy Meets Boy
After our class discussion and some personal reflection on Boy Meets Boy, I began thinking about the utopian world they seem to live in. I wonder if there will ever be a place that is that accepting of people who go against the "norms". Will there ever be a place where everyone is accepted? The town that Paul lives in is one in which no one cares (well, besides Tony's parents) who identifies with what group. People are accepted and seen as the people they are on the inside. It seems as though our world will never be like that.
The society we live in is one that has come a long way but at the same time is still so judging and unaccepting. It shouldn't matter if someone is homosexual, biracial or different than you by something as simple as their hair color. No one should be judged for who they are. People should be recognized for who they are. Everyone needs to take a step back and realize that the differences in this world are what makes it so great, not what makes it awful. The unacceptance is the only thing that should be intollerable.
The society we live in is one that has come a long way but at the same time is still so judging and unaccepting. It shouldn't matter if someone is homosexual, biracial or different than you by something as simple as their hair color. No one should be judged for who they are. People should be recognized for who they are. Everyone needs to take a step back and realize that the differences in this world are what makes it so great, not what makes it awful. The unacceptance is the only thing that should be intollerable.
Using the word, gay
This class has really opened my eyes to the ignorance of people but this is one thing that has always bothered me. Why do people use the word gay to mean dumb or stupid? When I hear someone saying, "that's gay" when they are not talking about anything (even closely) related to being homosexual, I just want to scream at them. Why don't they understand how offensive that is? There are people who really are gay. Some people are still uncomfortable with sharing who they are and others are proud to express their identity but either way, this is offensive. How can people be so inconsiderate? Do I have a place to speak up? And who started this terrible phrase?
Thursday, March 27, 2008
Asian Pacific American
After the class discussion about Asian Pacific Americans, I started thinking about common generalizations. Why do people group certain Asian backgrounds together? Why would someone who is Korean be referred to as Chinese? How have people become so ignorant? You wouldn't refer to someone who was Italian as Swedish. You probably wouldn't even refer to someone who was German as French. Why can ignorant Americans tell European Americans apart but don't seem to care to educate themselves with people who are different than "just white"? The Asian American umbrella shouldn't be any different than the European American umbrella. People from different places have their own identities and their own cultures. When did certain groups of people get bundled into the same group?
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Response to the film on Autism
Without much background knowledge on autism, I was quite surprised by many aspects of the film we viewed in class. Hearing autism described by a girl who has been dealing with it her whole life was fascinating. To know that she realized she couldn't control herself and that she felt like there was nothing she could do about the actions and movements that took over her body is something that I can not imagine.
Sue is a girl who has overcome a huge portion of her autism. She can communicate now, thanks to something that resembles a translator box. She said that before she was able to communicate, she was a non-person. She was thought to have the mental ability of a two and a half year old and once she learned to successfully communicate, it was discovered she was quite an intelligent individual who was very interested in learning.
I began to think about a few of the questions that were posed in class. Besides with having to deal with a disability, what would it be like to have so much inside of you, like she has, and not be able to express it to the world around you? She said she felt trapped at times and like she was her own worst nightmare. She was experiencing feelings and opinions that she was unable to express in ways that others could interpret. The world around her was moving so fast and didn't seem to have the time or patience to wait for her. Luckily, she had a great support system that backed her up from the very beginning and always looked out for her best interest. Without caring people on her side, Sue may still be in a world where she was unable to communicate with those around her. Able-bodied and able-minded people can not even begin to imagine what a world that is so unreceptive to those different than the norm is like. Will there ever be a way to make the lives of those with disabilities as "normal" as our everyday lives?
Sue is a girl who has overcome a huge portion of her autism. She can communicate now, thanks to something that resembles a translator box. She said that before she was able to communicate, she was a non-person. She was thought to have the mental ability of a two and a half year old and once she learned to successfully communicate, it was discovered she was quite an intelligent individual who was very interested in learning.
I began to think about a few of the questions that were posed in class. Besides with having to deal with a disability, what would it be like to have so much inside of you, like she has, and not be able to express it to the world around you? She said she felt trapped at times and like she was her own worst nightmare. She was experiencing feelings and opinions that she was unable to express in ways that others could interpret. The world around her was moving so fast and didn't seem to have the time or patience to wait for her. Luckily, she had a great support system that backed her up from the very beginning and always looked out for her best interest. Without caring people on her side, Sue may still be in a world where she was unable to communicate with those around her. Able-bodied and able-minded people can not even begin to imagine what a world that is so unreceptive to those different than the norm is like. Will there ever be a way to make the lives of those with disabilities as "normal" as our everyday lives?
Saturday, February 23, 2008
Children's Book Awards
After discussing the variety of book awards that exist in children’s literature, I have begun to think more in depth about whether or not those awards are necessary. With the existence of the Caldecott and Newberry book awards, it seems as though the other awards only make it more acceptable that diverse literature does not get the recognition it is worthy of. These awards consider only diverse literature of a certain category which almost sets an allowance for the Newberry and Caldecott awards to look right over this type of literature. It is important to “mainstream” this diverse literature and keeping it separate in one aspect just furthers the separation in all aspects of literature.
Some may argue that these separate awards allow the book to gain recognition but if this type of literature is to be gaining the same type of respect that all other children’s literature is, it should be considered on the same level. The authors that are reaching out to readers to educate them in ways that are sparsely available and that is important. At the same time, these authors need to put themselves at the same level that other authors are at in terms of their expectations concerning literature recognition. All children's literature should be recognized and appreciated in the same ways and these extra book awards are just unnecessary and make that hard to do.
Some may argue that these separate awards allow the book to gain recognition but if this type of literature is to be gaining the same type of respect that all other children’s literature is, it should be considered on the same level. The authors that are reaching out to readers to educate them in ways that are sparsely available and that is important. At the same time, these authors need to put themselves at the same level that other authors are at in terms of their expectations concerning literature recognition. All children's literature should be recognized and appreciated in the same ways and these extra book awards are just unnecessary and make that hard to do.
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Reflecting on the African American Literature Discussion
After a really in-depth small group and class discussion, I began thinking about Bronx Masquerade, by Nikki Grimes, in a different way. A lot of important points were brought up but most of the topics that stand out have to do with dealing with stereotypes.
It seems as though Grimes has created and reinforced the stereotypes in the characters that are portrayed in her story. She creates students that begin as young people who fit into very stereotypic "African American" roles. Does she break these stereotypes? Does she force us to look at them more deeply? These have become ideas that are understood and accepted and it is a concern that the readers will walk away from the book thinking this is the way all inner-city students are. Tyrone is the character whose voice carries throughout the whole story. He acts as the one who links all of these students together and leads the realization that no one is only skin deep. He comes right out and says that the students he once used to think fit into a certain "box" no longer fit into the same place anymore. The students reveal deep thoughts about themselves through poetry and prove to be so much more than their outward appearance.
Considering all of that, the question still exists, does Grimes break through those stereotypes or only reinforce them more for her readers? How can we even begin to come up with an answer?
It seems as though Grimes has created and reinforced the stereotypes in the characters that are portrayed in her story. She creates students that begin as young people who fit into very stereotypic "African American" roles. Does she break these stereotypes? Does she force us to look at them more deeply? These have become ideas that are understood and accepted and it is a concern that the readers will walk away from the book thinking this is the way all inner-city students are. Tyrone is the character whose voice carries throughout the whole story. He acts as the one who links all of these students together and leads the realization that no one is only skin deep. He comes right out and says that the students he once used to think fit into a certain "box" no longer fit into the same place anymore. The students reveal deep thoughts about themselves through poetry and prove to be so much more than their outward appearance.
Considering all of that, the question still exists, does Grimes break through those stereotypes or only reinforce them more for her readers? How can we even begin to come up with an answer?
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Insider/Outsider
I strongly believe that multi-cultural literature is important for people of all ages to read. It is especially important to begin teaching diverse literature in the classroom at a young age. One of the most important factors to influence the authenticity of the literature is the author. Knowing the writer makes a big difference in the way diverse literature should be looked at.
There is an ongoing debate about whether or not diverse literature can be considered authentic and reliable if the author is not an "insider". An insider is someone who is part of a culture and chooses to write about it. They have first-hand experience and can relate to what they are writing. An outsider does not have this experience and therefor may not be considered reliable by some.
I believe that it is important for someone to have experience with the culture they are writing about in order to accurately inform readers. It is an important aspect of diverse literature, to me, to be as authentic as possible. An author with first-hand experience and knowledge of a culture is more likely to write accurately about that culture. I will be sure to choose diverse literature for my own, personal library written by authors sharing authentic information.
There is an ongoing debate about whether or not diverse literature can be considered authentic and reliable if the author is not an "insider". An insider is someone who is part of a culture and chooses to write about it. They have first-hand experience and can relate to what they are writing. An outsider does not have this experience and therefor may not be considered reliable by some.
I believe that it is important for someone to have experience with the culture they are writing about in order to accurately inform readers. It is an important aspect of diverse literature, to me, to be as authentic as possible. An author with first-hand experience and knowledge of a culture is more likely to write accurately about that culture. I will be sure to choose diverse literature for my own, personal library written by authors sharing authentic information.
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Native American Discrimination
After watching the video in class today about the controversy of Native American mascots in schools, I've gained a whole new perspective on the topic. Mostly, I was outraged. The comments made by ignorant people in the Chief Illini debate blew my mind.
One man said that the mascot antics of the University were honorable and dignified. He said they did not use plastic heads or the tomahawk chop. They are making a mockery of the American Indian people and they don't even realize it. The ones that do have a slight realization do not seem to care. They care about the tradition of the school and can't seem to open their minds to make the rightful change. The woman speaking about her American Indian background said that it would be better if they were outwardly mocking the heritage and making it into more of a joke with a cartoon character. Instead, they are making a mockery of an honorable tradition and culture.
Another man made a comment that shocked me even further. He said that minority rights aren't always right. Did he really say what I think he said? He actually thinks that minorities should have even less rights than they already have? It is absolutely ridiculous to think that this man thinks the rights of these people should be further taken away. It seems as though he could not be any more ignorant.
The way some people think is mind blowing to me. It is really hard to believe that so many people are as uneducated and as ignorant as they actually are. This is a controversy that should never have become one. Something needs to be done for these people and changing mascots is a small step towards them gaining the respect they deserve.
One man said that the mascot antics of the University were honorable and dignified. He said they did not use plastic heads or the tomahawk chop. They are making a mockery of the American Indian people and they don't even realize it. The ones that do have a slight realization do not seem to care. They care about the tradition of the school and can't seem to open their minds to make the rightful change. The woman speaking about her American Indian background said that it would be better if they were outwardly mocking the heritage and making it into more of a joke with a cartoon character. Instead, they are making a mockery of an honorable tradition and culture.
Another man made a comment that shocked me even further. He said that minority rights aren't always right. Did he really say what I think he said? He actually thinks that minorities should have even less rights than they already have? It is absolutely ridiculous to think that this man thinks the rights of these people should be further taken away. It seems as though he could not be any more ignorant.
The way some people think is mind blowing to me. It is really hard to believe that so many people are as uneducated and as ignorant as they actually are. This is a controversy that should never have become one. Something needs to be done for these people and changing mascots is a small step towards them gaining the respect they deserve.
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Introduction
My name is Julie and I'm a senior at Michigan State University. My major is elementary education and I have a focus in language arts. I am very interested in the material presented in TE448 for many reasons. I believe that all children should be exposed to diverse literature in the classroom. In order for this to be possible, diverse literature first needs to be presented to future teachers. Educating teachers leads to educating students. Presenting diverse literature brings about an awareness that many students may be lacking. Awareness leads to acceptance and knowledge of others. These are important things for students to gain in order to be a successful citizen in society. This class has a lot to offer all of us as future teachers and also as people who wish to be a positive influence on today's society. I hope to gain a new perspective from this course as the semester goes on.
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