Final Post: Course Reflection

Through this course I have gained great insight into multicultural books that represent a wide variety of cultures. The most valuable skill that I took from this course is the ability to evaluate and critique books based on their authenticity regarding the culture they are representing. Although there is no way to catch all the stereotypes and negative representations in every book, I learned how to question literature to the best of my ability and notice the details in the text that may portray the culture inaccurately.

While reflecting back on my Questioning the Text papers, I can see a vast difference in my writing from the beginning of the semester to the end. When I first starting writing the papers I was unsure of exactly what to look for when evaluating multicultural texts and was nervous that I was going to miss something important while reading the books. When the time came to write my final papers I had numerous ideas about what to write about that I could support with examples from the text and the accompanying articles. I now find myself evaluating media all around me – whether it be literature, magazines, television, movies, etc. I look at the multicultural aspects of the world that surrounds me and I am more apt to be sensitive to stereotypes or misrepresentations than I was prior to this course.

The articles that we read to accompany the books were very helpful in providing additional insight as we read. They helped me to identify characteristics of the books that should be questioned and provided a model for me to look to as I created my own critical essays of the works. By reading the articles and seeing the wide range of valuable information they provided concerning diversity in literature, I will be sure to seek this type of resource in the future as I choose and evaluate books to include in my classroom library.

By reading the books assigned for the course and completing the final project, both my own as well as listening to others’ discuss their findings, I feel confident that I will be able to find literature that will depict underrepresented cultures and include these books in my classroom library. It is important that students in my classroom can look to the books as both a mirror, to see a reflection of their own culture, and a window, to gain insight into the cultures of those who they may not be familiar with. I never paid much attention to the representations of various cultures within books unless it was specifically stated as the book’s purpose to teach about a certain culture. I now can look at literature with a different lens.

My biggest concern about incorporating multicultural literature in my classroom is the reaction of parents and others in the community to books that may be controversial. Although it is sad, the truth is that not everyone is open minded enough and ready to see certain cultures represented positively in literature meant for children. Some parents may complain that it is their responsibility to teach their children about various cultures in a way that reflects their own family’s values and beliefs. As a teacher, I know that students will be exposed to a variety of cultures starting at a young age and it is important that they have had positive exposure about cultures that may be different than their own – and an excellent source for this exposure is literature.

After taking this course I am much more aware of the importance of incorporating books that portray a variety of underrepresented groups accurately and without associating stereotypes in a negative way. I now know how to critically look at books and identify portrayals that may offend the culture they are representing and deciphering whether the negative representation is enough to remove the book from my library or if it would suffice to find a companion reading to refute the negative images. When I am building my classroom library I will constantly be looking for how the books represent various cultures and will make a conscious attempt to include books that depict numerous groups, not just those dominant within my classroom or community.

Final Project Reflection

I was happy to find that there were a significant number of picture books to choose from while researching GLBTQ literature. I decided to focus on picture books rather than novels because I believe it is important for children to be exposed to this culture at a young age, and I do not think that happens in most schools and homes. GLBTQ issues are a touchy topic for many adults to talk about with children, and quality picture books can serve as an excellent resource to start a conversation.

Out of the five picture books I read, three of them included homosexual characters without ever specifically talking about their homosexuality in blatant terms. Emma and Meesha My Boy only briefly mentioned that Emma’s mothers’ names were Mommy and Mama, which served as clarification for readers that in the following pages ‘Mommy’ and ‘Mama’ were two separate people – not just one mother who was called different names. Beyond that one page, the story just includes Emma’s lesbian mothers as a background for the story – their homosexuality could be erased from the book and the story would remain the same. King and King and And Tango Makes Three never mention that the characters are gay. Instead, the author describes how the male characters are attracted and fall in love with other male characters and both books end with same-sex couples living “happily ever after.”

The other two books, Daddy’s Roommate and Molly’s Family address the issue of homosexuality more directly. Both books discuss how the characters spend time with their homosexual parents in the same ways that children with heterosexual parents do. However, Molly’s Family is the only one of the five books that addresses issues that may arise when others discover that you live in a family with homosexual parents. Molly’s Family describes the questions that Molly faces from her classmates about why her family is different than theirs. The book ends with an overall message that there are a variety of different types of families, but all are equally important and valid.The rest of the books seem to portray an idealistic view of what life is like for those who are homosexual and their families and do not include the negative aspects, such as discrimination, ridicule, and denial of acceptance, which may occur.

Daddy’s Roommate is the only book that uses the term “gay” when describing the main character’s father and his “roommate.” The term is offered by the character’s mother and is defined as “just one more kind of love.” The rest of the books implied the homosexuality, but never delve into an explanation or definition of the term. Because of this, Daddy’s Roommate can be used as a learning tool for discussing GLBTQ terms. The explanation that the book gives can be used as a starting point for a conversation that addresses what it means to be “gay,” “lesbian,” etc.

As a whole, the books steer clear of including stereotypes in their depictions of alternative families, both in the written text as well as the illustrations. And Tango Makes Three, Daddy’s Roommate, and Molly’s Family, are pieces of quality GLBTQ literature and would be a valuable asset to include in a classroom library. Emma and Meesha My Boy is not a bad book, but it does not give enough attention to the fact that Meesha has two mothers to be considered a valued piece of multicultural literature. The characters could have been easily replaced and the mothers’ orientation was not a central focus of the story. King and King should not be immediately discarded either. Although it is not the best representation of GLBTQ literature for children due to its simplistic nature, children will most likely be able to connect with the book because of their familiarity with fairy tale stories.

After my first trip to the library I came home with eight books that were all about homosexual males. I was surprised to discover this and wondered whether this was because there were more published books about gay men or if it was purely coincidental. I made another trip to the library and specifically searched for books about homosexual women. This time, I came home with two books about lesbian mothers and two books that depicting a vast array of different family structures that included gay, lesbian, and transgender people. While building my own library I would be interested to look beyond the books I found for this project and would like to see what literature is available concerning all aspects of the GLBTQ culture.

Be Careful, Little Eyes

Collum, Jason. “Be careful, little eyes.” American Family Association Journal May 2004. Accessed 2 April 2008 on the World Wide Web:

<http://www.afajournal.org/2004/may/504be_carful.asp>

The article Be careful, little eyes by Jason Collum talks about the uproar that occurs after a young girl brings home the book King and King from her school library. Her parents could not believe that this book, which depicts two princes marrying one another, was available for students and demanded that it be taken off the shelves. Their reasoning was that, “My child is not old enough to understand something like that, especially when it’s not in our beliefs.”

The article provides information about a web-site, www.parentsaware.net, that will educate parents, teachers, and librarians about certain books that “may seem innocent and are intended for children” but “really deserve a stern review from parents first.” This website reviews books that are of a “questionable” nature to make parents aware of the material that their children may be exposed to. Although this could be a useful resource for children’s books that depict violence or overt sexual actions, it seems outrageous that GLBTQ books would also be considered necessary to “review.”

Collum goes on to discuss the book King and King in more detail and states that the authors of the book did not intend for the story to have homosexual undertones. King and King co-author Stern Nijland stated that, “It’s a happy story – it’s just two princes, that’s it.” The president of the American Freedom Association responded to this claim by saying, “I realize the authors live in the Netherlands and homosexuality – rather, sin – is accepted in that culture, but to say such a book isn’t an endorsement of that lifestyle is ludicrous.”

The American Family Association claims that its goal is not to get books such as King and King banned from libraries and bookshelves because “Freedom of speech in the United States allows for such fare, no matter how tasteless or disgusting, to exist.” Instead, it is the goal of AFA, as well as the creator of the website www.parentsaware.net to educate parents so they know “that not all books in the children’s section of the library or bookstore should be considered safe.”

While reading this article, I was struck by disbelief that there continue to be people who can be this naïve in today’s world. It saddens me to think that there are people working against making multicultural literature a valued part of libraries and bookstores. Parents need to realize that with or without books, children will not be able to avoid coming into contact with people from various cultures and that books provide a resource for children to become knowledgeable about those who may differ from themselves. This is not to say that parents don’t reserve the right to share their beliefs with their children, but they should do so in a way that does not shut the door and dismiss the diverse body of people who make up our nation. Children’s books such as King and King should be embraced as a learning opportunity and discussion tool rather than seen as a curse to society.

Emma and Meesha My Boy: A Two Mom Story

Considine, Kaitlyn. Emma and Meesha My Boy: A Two Mom Story. Philadelphia: Xlibris Publications, 2003.

Emma and Meesha My Boy: A Two Mom Story is about a young girl, Emma, who likes to take care of and play with her cat, Meesha My Boy. When Emma starts playing inappropriately with the cat, such as trying to paint it brown, her two mothers, Mommy and Mama, take turns telling her to stop. When she is nice to the cat both mothers praise her and give her advice as to how to take care of her pet.

The book is written for young children and is appealing for beginning readers due to its large font and cartoon illustrations. The text also has a rhyming scheme that makes it fun and interesting to read. Children reading the story may be able to relate to Emma and she learns how to care for her pet appropriately.

This book does not touch on issues of homosexuality at all beyond stating that Emma has two mothers. Mommy and Mama play a very small role in the story as the plot mainly explains the misadventures of Emma and Meesha My Boy as she learns how to take care of her pet. The book represents both mothers as a central part of Emma’s life and each seem to play an equal role in disciplining Emma as well as praising her good deeds. Mommy and Mama are a part of the backdrop to the story and their sexual orientation does not affect the story either positively or negatively. Although the book is attractive for young readers, I do not believe that it should not be considered a quality piece of GLBTQ literature since Meesha’s mothers’ sexual orientation was not central to the story. The child friendly text and illustrations can, however, make the book useful for teaching young children the importance of caring for their pets and can be used to start a discussion about non-traditional families that goes beyond the content of the book itself.

Daddy's Roommate

Willhoite, Michael. Daddy’s Roommate. California: Alyson Publications, 1990.

Daddy’s Roommate is a story told by a young boy about his father and his new “roommate.” The narrator tells about how his dad lives with Frank and describes the kind of things that they do together: work together, eat together, sleep together, etc. The boy also tells about the things that he does with his dad and Frank when he sees them on weekends: going shopping, going to the beach, going to ball games, etc. The character is happy when he spends time with his dad and Frank.

Daddy’s Roommate quickly became one of the most challenged and banned books in the decade between 1990 and 2000. It is known as one of the first children’s book to portray homosexuality in a positive light. It is praised for showing a real-world depiction of homosexual relationships as a compliment to the more traditional mom-and-dad model. However, it is criticized for showing the relationship as completely untroubled – which makes the story more unbelievable.

This book is appealing for young readers as the text consists of short phrases on each page. Every page tells about something that the character enjoys doing with his day and includes a realistic cartoon illustration containing vibrant colors that attracts the reader's attention. Since the phrases on each page are so short, the illustrations help to tell the story.

Daddy’s Roommate portrays the life of a homosexual couple in ways similar to what one might expect from a more commonly depicted heterosexual couple. The character’s mother explains that his dad and Frank are gay and that “being gay is just one more kind of love, and love is the best kind of happiness.” It excludes any discrepancy that may exist due to his father’s homosexual relationship, both from outside society as well as between his mother and father. The book does a good job depicting that life with a parent who is homosexual is just like the “average” person’s experience.

King and King

Haan, Linda and Stern Nijland. King and King. Berkeley: Tricycle Press, 2000.

King and King is a book about a prince who is ordered by his mother, the queen, to find someone to marry so he could become king. The prince is dissatisfied with all the princesses that who arrive at the castle hoping to be chosen to be his wife. It wasn’t until a princess arrived with her brother, Prince Lee, that the prince fell in love. However, he did not wish for the princess; he instead wanted to marry the Prince Lee. The two were wed and became known as “King and King.” There is a sequel to the book entitled King and King and Family which follows the two kings on their honeymoon, where they find a orphaned girl and decide to raise her as a princess.

The text and illustrations in King and King are interesting and attractive for young readers. The text is not written in straight lines and plain font; instead, it is curved around the page and uses different fonts and sizes throughout the book. The illustrations are cartoons but are somewhat abstract. The “messy” fashion of the illustrations truly draws attention to the pictures as the story is read.

King and King has been challenged in many schools and libraries. The most notable confrontation against the book was in 2006 when a lawsuit was filed against an elementary school that contained the book in its library. The lawsuit claimed that the book constituted sexual education without parental consent and that young children were presented with a positive view of homosexuality, which may not be the beliefs of the students’ families. Luckily, the judge dismissed the case and celebrated the book for its depiction of diversity within our society.

King and King told an interesting spoof of more commonly known fairy tales as the prince searches for his soul mate in order to take the throne. The book never calls the prince “gay” and does not reveal any hesitation or disappointment from others when he decides to marry another male instead of the females that are brought to the castle. The book ends by saying that “everyone lives happily ever after” as the two kings enjoy their life together. Although the narrative is rather simplistic, the story captures the idea that it is okay to go against other’s expectations (i.e. the prince marrying a woman) if what you choose to do remains true to yourself.

Molly's Family

Garden, Nancy. Molly’s Family. New York: Farrar Straus Giroux, 2004.

Molly’s Family is a story about a kindergartener who is preparing for Open School night with her classmates. She draws a picture of her family, which consists of her Mommy, her Mama Lu, and her puppy Sam. When one of her classmates saw her drawing he told her that she couldn’t have two mommies. Molly’s classmates started discussing their families – one student just had a daddy, another had a grandma, a mommy, a daddy, and two brothers – but no one else had two mommies. Molly went home and talked with her Mommy and Mama Lu and they explained that there were many different kinds of families and that not everyone’s family looked the same. For back to school night Molly brought her picture to school and hung it on the wall for everyone to see.

Although this story would be appropriate and enjoyable for young children, the format of the book makes it a better read aloud for beginning readers. Each page contains a paragraph of the story and the text is written in small font and includes a lot of dialogue. Young children would benefit from listening to the story while looking at the beautiful illustrations with soothing pastel colors.

This book did a good job depicting the kind of conflict and confusion that may occur in a school setting when a student has same-sex parents. The words “lesbian” and “homosexual” were not used in the book directly as the book’s message is not stated overtly; Molly’s parents’ homosexuality was implied through the text. The story seemed very realistic as the main character struggled to identify her family as “normal.” Molly’s classmates didn’t understand how she could have two mothers since they were never exposed to a family like hers. The book’s main message was that there are many different kinds of families, and all should be considered equally important and valid. The book serves as a great resource for students to look at who are questioning their own family identity and face ridicule from those outside their family who do not take the time to understand their differences.

And Tango Makes Three

Parnell, Peter and Justin Richardson. And Tango Makes Three. New York: Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2005.

And Tango Makes Three is a book based on a true story about two male penguins that fall in love in New York’s Central Park Zoo. Roy and Silo do everything together and act similarly to couples consisting of a male and a female. Before long, Roy and Silo realized that the other couples could do something they couldn’t – the female penguin would lay and egg then the male and female would take turns sitting on the egg to keep it warm until it hatched. Seeing their disappointment in their inability to start a family, the man who took care of the penguins gave them an egg that needed to be cared for. The egg hatched and the baby penguin was cared for and loved by her two dads.

And Tango Makes Three has been nominated and granted several awards on the national level. It was named a “Notable Children’s Book” in 2006 by the American Library Association; named “Book of the Year” by the Nick Jr. Family Magazine; and was also a finalist for the 2006 Lambda Literary Award – a reward reserved specifically for books categorized at GLBTQ. Unfortunately, a high amount of controversy has been coupled with the awards that the book has won. The American Library Association named And Tango Makes Three to be the most controversial book of 2006. Numerous libraries and parents have fought to remove the book from children’s sections of libraries and the book has also been threatened to be banned completely due to its perceived promotion of homosexuality.

Young children may have a difficult time reading the text of this book on their own so it might be beneficial to read the book aloud to young readers as they look at the accompanying illustrations. The illustrations include realistic drawings of penguins in their habitat at the zoo and follow the story very well. The illustrations are an asset to the book and make the story more enjoyable.

Throughout the book, authors Peter Parnell and Justin Richardson never use the terms “gay” or “homosexual” when describing the lifestyles of Roy and Silo. Instead, they emphasize the fact that the penguins are “just like the other penguins” – a phrase that is repeated numerous times throughout the book. The story makes the point clear that the two characters can lead a happy life with one another. The book does not discuss how homosexual relationships may be difficult for some to understand or appreciate. Towards the end of the book the authors state that, “… And all the children who came to the zoo could see Tango and her two fathers playing in the penguin house with the other penguins.” This statement seems to demonstrate the author’s point that even though Roy and Silo may have been different than the other penguins, there was no reason for them to be singled out or treated differently due to their orientation. The authors successfully convey this message without being “preachy,” which makes the story more likely to be read by a variety of people.

Transgender Issues

I have been following the news story recently about the pregnant man. Thomas Beattie is a former woman who legally changed his gender from female to male but decided to keep his female sex organs in case he ever decided he wanted to conceive a child. Thomas is married to a woman and the couple decided they wanted him to become pregnant via artifical insemination. Thomas has been all over the news and was interviewed on the Oprah Winfrey show where, I believe, she asked the most important question there is - "Do you think that the world is ready for this?"

By reading Oprah's message boards, it appears that the answer is no, the world is not ready to accept Thomas and his child, which is the disgusting truth about the society we live in. One post stated that "Thomas was born a female, and genetically will always be female." Another replied by saying, "I'm pregnant so if I say I'm a cat does that mean tha I'll get to be on Oprah?" Yet another responded by saying, "Obviously this is a transgendered person who is pregnant, not a 'man'." A parent stated that "Now I'm trying to explain this to my 6 year old son who heard this on a commercial."

I am happy that Oprah decided to invite Thomas to be on her show. Not only is it an interesting story that deserves to be discussed in a respected setting, it addressed an issue that is so hushed within our society. It makes me sick that Oprah's message board filled so quickly with hate messages and that the episode did not help people to understand people like Thomas. Thomas IS a transgendered person, but he IS a man. He stated that, "being pregnant does not make me feel any more female or feminine ... I'm a man, I just happen to be a pregnant man."

If nothing else, the story of Thomas Beattie shows how far our world has to go. It proves even more how important it is for information and resourced to be available so people can become educated about the diverse society in which we live.

Choice for Final Project - GLBTQ literature

When deciding what option to choose for my final project I was really interesting in finding a topic that I have had very little exposure to. GLBTQ literature was a perfect choice that matched that goal. Throughout my entire education, including college, I have not read a single GLBTQ book and have never even heard of any books that existed concerning this topic. Because of this, I decided to complete my project by researching and reading GLBTQ books.

I started the project by searching on-line and was happy to see that there was a large variety of books available that were considered to include aspects of the GLBTQ culture. I wasn't sure if these books would be found easily at my local library, but was pleased when I was able to check out all of the books on my list. (Although I have mixed feelings that none of these books were checked out by others). When I came home from my first trip to the library I skimmed through the books I had checked out and realized that all eight of them were about homosexual males and none about lesbian females, bisexuals, or transgendered. I still wonder if this was merely coincidence or if there are more books published about gay males. I made a second trip to the library and searched specifically for GLBTQ books that were not about homosexual males. I found two books specifically about lesbian mothers, and two that included many illustrations of a variety of characters who would identify as GLBTQ.

While reading through the books I find that most seem to accurately depict those within the GLBTQ community without including stereotypes or other negative portrayals. As a future teacher, I am interested in obtaining my own personal copies of some of the books to keep in my classroom library. I feel like a hypocrite, but I am afraid to make such books available for my students. I know that some parents will be very upset that their children are exposed to such literature. This fear will not stop me from including a vast array of multicultural literature in my classroom because I feel it is absolutely necessary for children to be exposed to all cultures, not just those that are familiar to them. Literature is a window for students to look through as they learn about various cultures. In addition, there will no doubt be at least one student in my class with a GLBTQ parent, family member, friend, or is GLBTQ themselves, and it is important that they see that those within that culture are represented and validated through literature as well.

This project serves as a great resource for me to become exposed to a type of literature that I have previously not had the opportunity of exploring. By reading a variety of GLBTQ literature while preparing for the project, I have learned a lot about how these books can be incorporated into a classroom setting.

Project Mulberry

While our group was discussing the book Project Mulberry we starting talking about the purpose of the text that Linda Sue Park included where she had a conversation with her main character, Julia, between chapters. We thought this could have potentially been a great asset to the book as the reader would gain insight into the author's thoughts beyond what was presented in the actual story. It was an incredibly unique idea that I have never seen in a book before. However, I was disappointed with the way that the author used these excerpts. I felt as though they were completely unnecessary to the text itself and I did not gain any deeper understanding of Park's motives or the character herself through their conversation.

When I first starting reading the excerpts between chapters I was interested in finding out why the author chose to write the way she did or why she included details and created the plot as it appears in the book. However, the author didn't disclose any new information - when the character would ask why she wrote something the way she did she would simply say something along the lines of "You'll see." This frustrated me so much, especially since the reader never did "see." The book could have been read the same whether those excerpts were included or discarded; they added nothing new to the text.

I would be interested to read another book that uses this concept. I think it is a great idea for an author to include their thought processes within their writing for the reader to gain a more thorough understanding of what the intentions of the book were from the author's point of view. Talking with the main character is a great way to do this, especially in a children's book. However, I do not think that Park made adequate use of these excerpts in a way that enhanced the story for the readers.

Language Use in Chilren's Literature

In our last class we discussed the use of language within text for children, specifically the use of Spanish. My discussion group looked at numerous books that included the Spanish language and we could never seem to agree completely as to which books used the language authentically. The only time we came to an overall consensus was when the books wrote the entire text in both Spanish and English so bilingual readings could have the choice of the language they wished to read the book.

What our group talked about most was how to include only some Spanish vocabulary and do so authentically. To me it seemed as though it is unrealistic to have dialogue in which a character would say a word in Spanish and then immediately translate it. That is not the way people would really talk. However, a point was brought up that this method of including both languages could be helpful for both bilingual and monolingual readers. The words will be presented in both forms and the reader can make use of this in whatever way works best for him/her.

Another thing that our group noticed when reviewing the books was that many used the strategy of writing a phrase in Spanish immediately followed by the English translation, but the next time the phrase was used in the book, the translation would not be provided. We thought this was a good way to incorporate both languages. The book would not become redundant for either the bilingual or monolingual reader.

After our discussion, I still feel like I am unsure of the best way to include another language in an English text and do so authentically. I don't think there is only one right answer, but I am nervous that I will choose books for my classroom library that may not be of high quality due to a inauthentic portrayal of another language.

Michigan Reading Association Annual Conference

I attended the Michigan Reading Association’s annual conference Saturday, March 15^th. The seminars I chose to attend at the conference were all extremely interesting and I learned a lot about incorporating literature in the classroom during each session. One of my favorite sessions corresponded to this class and was entitled Beyond Heroes and Holidays: Teacher’s Enactment of Multicultural Education throughout the Year.” This seminar discussed a middle school teacher’s ideas about how students’ cultural identity can be included in the curriculum throughout the year – not just during Black History Month, for example.

One thing that the speaker discussed was the fact that some students may have difficulty identifying themselves as part of a specific culture. For example, she shared her experiences in the classroom as several of her Caucasian students claimed that they did not have a culture, they were “just white.” This view is most likely a result of the educational system traditionally regarding multicultural education as paying attention to and respecting those thought of as the “other” while whites are seen as the cultural “norm.” This connects to Peggy McIntosh’s article “White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack.” In her article, McIntosh claims that those who identify themselves as “white” do not realize the advantages that are given to them based on their race alone. One of these advantages is that they are considered the “norm” by many. However, this could be detrimental as students who claim to have no culture at all will not connect to and understand their heritage.

A common thing teachers attempt to do to solve the perceived dilemma of incorporating and respecting each individual student’s culture is to claim that they are “colorblind” and are able to ignore race and teach all students the same. Although this may sound positive on the surface, the speaker made an insightful claim: teachers who teach all students exactly the same are like doctors treating all their patients the same and prescribing the same medicine regardless of unique conditions. Instead, teachers should allow each student to identify with their own unique culture and make use of the diversity that exists in the classroom.

In order to respect the various cultures that are present in any given classroom, one suggestion is to provide opportunities for students to use their home language in school, specifically during reading and writing. This idea can be seen in Bronx Masquerade as the students in the novel are encouraged to express themselves using language that is most comfortable to them. This allows students to better connect with new information as they become more involved and interested in their learning.

Another suggestion is to implement a whole year project where students would intimately learn aspects of different cultures – including but not limited to their own. One aspect of this project would be to have students create a scrapbook page that depicts the important aspects of their culture. The teacher would encourage parents to assist their children in the construction of the page, which would add another dimension to the task. The entire class would combine their scrapbook pages and keep the completed book on display in the classroom library throughout the year.

Another aspect of the ongoing project would be to have students read multiple multicultural texts and write responses to their reading in a journal. These books would be chosen by the students, not the teacher, and there would be no limitations as to what novels should be used. The only requirement of this component would be to have the students choose one book that corresponds to their own culture. When the speaker implemented this in her classroom, student responses were highly positive and students were excited to be given to opportunity to explore these books. One student claimed that it was her “first experience with a book like this” and she was “very happy to have found and read it” because she “learned a lot about my culture that I didn’t know before.”

Although the seminar was short and only a few ideas could be discussed about how to incorporate multicultural literature throughout the curriculum, it got me to start thinking about how the books we read in this class can be used in an actual classroom. I was happy to hear a teacher share her story about how these strategies worked for students to learn about their own, as well as other, cultures. I learned how important it is to make students understand that their culture is valuable and respected at all times, not just on holidays that celebrate a particular culture.

Extra Credit - LGBT Safe Schools Seminar: LGBT Teachers and Education Issues

I attended the LGBT Safe Schools Seminar on March 13, 2008. During this seminar the speaker, Jay Kaplan from ACLU of Michigan, discussed the issues that arise in schools due to students, teachers, and parents who identify themselves as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgendered. He described numerous laws that are currently in place and bills that are being presented to Congress, but I learned that there is not nearly enough protection or rights given to people of this culture.

One part of the seminar that caught my attention more than anything were the statistics presented in regards to harassment concerning LGBT issues in the school. Homophobic remarks are so common in school that 90% of students report that they hear comments such as “that’s so gay” or “faggot” on a regular basis. In addition, 67% of students claimed they were harassed because they were thought to be lesbian, gay, or bisexual and 60% claimed they were harassed due to their gender expression. Unfortunately, even with these extremely high statistics the rate of students reporting these incidents is less than 40%. Most students claim that they choose not to tell a school authority because they don’t think adults would take them seriously. This claim may hold some validity as statistics also show that less than 30% of teachers or other staff intervene when they hear derogatory remarks used in the school setting. This is thought to be because teachers are worried that if they do choose to intervene they could risk their own job security or that others may think that they are LGBT themselves.

One of the most shocking things I learned at the seminar is that there is no federal law prohibiting harassment or discrimination against those who identify as LGBT. There have been numerous cases where people have lost their teaching job once their sexual identity was disclosed and their termination could not be fought. Although the Michigan law states that every school must have a harassment policy concerning sexual harassment, this does not include LGBT issues unless the specific company incorporates gender and orientation in their personal harassment policy. The “Matt’s Safe Schools” bill has been passed by the Michigan House of Representatives and is waiting for a hearing in the Senate. This bill calls for anti-bullying policies to be adopted in schools. If the bill is passed it is expected to help the unfair discrimination and treatment of LGBT members of the school community.

I was not aware that there is currently no law prohibiting unequal treatment of those who identify with the LGBT community. The fact that firing people based only on their sexual orientation can be justified makes me very angry. Our society has progressed so much over the years and I don’t understand how after the struggles of African Americans and women to gain equal treatment in society (although there is still much progress to be made in those areas as well) our culture continues to deny rights to human beings just because they may be different than what is seen as the “norm.” This seminar opened my eyes and made me realize how far our society has to go. As a teacher, I will make a point to address harassment that occurs in my classroom and not push it under the rug and allow students to continue to ridicule one another using homophobic terms. I will make it clear to my students that that language will not be tolerated and will work hard to create a respectful classroom environment.

Towards Developing a Personal Philosophy

So far this semester, this class has helped me grow and develop as a future educator of a diverse body of students. I chose to take this class to enlighten me as to how to incorporate a variety of multicultural literature in my classroom that will allow all students to be able to see themselves and relate to the stories that are provided in the classroom library. In addition to being able to relate to the books, a collection of literature from a wide range of cultures will act as a window for students to learn about others who may be different than themselves. This is a difficult task for teachers to adequately provide quality multicultural literature for their students. I took this class to help me understand what to look for while evaluating these texts and do get insight as to what makes a piece of diverse literature valuable. In addition, this class will help me learn how to incorporate multicultural literature in everyday discussion and lessons. Although pedagogy is rarely discussed, I can take what I learn from our class discussions and transfer it to my own pedagogical practices in the future.

As a teacher, I hope to be able to make all students, of all cultural backgrounds, feel confident and comfortable in my classroom. In order to do this these students must feel that their cultural identity is valued and respected. A good way of showing students this is by incorporating literature that represents their culture and heritage accurately. This class will teach me how to evaluate literature and assess its accuracy so I know how to choose books to include in my classroom.

Issues of diversity are an important aspect in teaching literature. Students who are unable to see themselves in the texts that are read are more likely to disregard it and lose appreciation of reading. On the other hand, when books are available for students to use as a resource for seeing their own identity as well as a tool for learning about other cultures, they will become more interested and involved in their growing knowledge. Diverse literature can be used as an instrument to broaden students’ understanding about the world that surrounds them. When multicultural texts are shared in the classroom students will most likely gain appreciation for both themselves as well as others.

My philosophy concerning multicultural education is that students of all cultures, and of all subcultures, should have an equal opportunity to learn in an environment that fosters their growth as individuals and respects the differences among all students. Children’s literature can be used as students utilize it to gain knowledge about the world. Although children’s books do not contain a complete illustration of a specific culture, if the portrayal is accurate it will still help to develop a classroom that respects all students, regardless of their cultural background.

When I think about actually implementing my philosophy in a classroom filled with a diverse body of students, I get really nervous that the literature I choose will offend some students. Although I am learning a lot in this course regarding assessing quality literature and addressing issues that may arise from diverse books, I am sure I will not be able to catch all the possible misrepresentations that may be present in a text. I will feel terrible if I choose to incorporate a text in the curriculum that contains stereotypes or distorted images that may lead my students to believe the inaccuracies or take offence to the representations in the book. Because of this, I will try to seek another opinion aside from my own as to how the book represents the culture it is about. Although I will try to avoid books with any obvious offensive stereotypes, I’m sure they will come up. In cases like this, I will use the book to spark a discussion as to why the stereotypes may be incorporated in the text and the harm they can cause for those who read the text. This course has made me feel more confident in my ability to choose quality literature and I am excited to implement what we have learned so far in my future classroom.

Blogging So Far

This is the first time I have ever used a blog, and so far I really like the experience. I think this is a very unique way to have conversations about topics that are discussed in class, as well as issues that we didn't have time to cover. Often I find it difficult to say everything that I had thought about a particular book or article, and the blog allows me to share these thoughts and reflect on ideas that were brought up during class that I had not thought about on my own. I am glad that I have this opportunity to become familiar with blogging and I think it would be great to incorporate blogs in my future classroom. I think using a blog like this would be beneficial for a teacher to have as a means of keeping in touch with parents. The teacher can post upcoming events, homework assignments, and general information on a blog and it can be much easier than sending notes home with students.

So far, so good!

Habibi Book Talk

Talking with my group today was very beneficial to extend my thinking about the book Habibi. Our group was fortunate to have two members write a Questioning the Text paper, so we were able to have a thorough discussion about two very different issues from the text. My paper was about the representation of Israel and how the fragmented pieces of historical information throughout the book made it seem like a very dangerous place to live. I wondered whether this would lead to very negative stereotypes about the country.
The other writer in my group brought up a point that I had only briefly considered, and I was glad she brought it into our conversation so I could explore it more. The main character in the book, Liyana, frequently refered to herself as "half-half," half Arab and half American. Taking this into consideration, which culture, if any, would Liyana be thought of an "insider" to. This issue led us to recall some arguments made in last week's debate. My thoughts after leaving the debate were that as long as someone is intimately familiar with the culture they are representing through their book, and they portray the culture accurately, they need not be a complete "insider." That is to say, they don't have to be born into that culture in order to be considered an "insider." In this way, I would argue that Liyana is an insider to both the Arab and American cultures. She could give accurate depictions of both cultures since she has experienced both intimately.
In addition to our group's discussion, the video we watched that discussed the stereotypes and negative representations of Jewish people within the text allowed me to look at the book in yet another way. Overall, today's discussion of Habibi broadened my thoughts about the novel and the effects it may have on its readers.

Insider/Outsider Debate

I am having a difficult time stating a definite opinion regarding the insider/outsider debate because I don't believe anyone can believe one is better or worse in every given situation. What I am sure about is that in order to write a piece of literature that addresses issues within a particular culture, the author must be fully aware of ALL aspects of the culture and be conscious of any statements or depictions that could be interpreted as being stereotypical. In order to do this, the author must emerse themselves within that culture. This does not a mean the writer should interview a few "insiders" of the community and visit a couple cultural landmarks. It means that the author must spend a significant amount of time interacting and become involved in that particular culture. An immense amount of research must be done in order to give an accurate portrayl of the culture. It may be obvious that the best person to take on this task would be an "insider" themselves, but I think it is also possible for "outsiders" to create an accurate piece of literature as long as they take the time to be positive that they are doing it correctly and their work will not offend anyone else. At the same time, I think it is very beneficial for authors from underprivileged cultures to have their own voice heard. Many may struggle to achieve this goal, but when literature is available from a variety of sources, perspectives, and voices, it can serve the purpose of informing and developing discussion around the issues that arise from a diverse array of cultures.

Thoughts after reading The Heart of a Chief

For this weeks class, I read the assigned articles prior to reading the novel The Heart of a Chief by Joseph Bruchac. I'm glad I did my readings this way because I was able to connect so much of the book to the topics covered in the articles. The first thing I noticed was the way the author chose to discuss the issue of stereotyping through the thoughts of his protagonist. The quote that appears on the very first page, and again on page 24, addresses stereotypes that many people may have about Native Americans without bluntly stating that purpose.

"... We know what kind of Indian we are. The kind of Indian you don't see in Hollywood movies. No noble savages. No horses or headdresses. No tipis and no buffalo. No Tonto (which means "idiot" in Spanish) to the Lone Ranger ..."

This quote reminds me of the autobiographical poem we read in class from Stories I Ain't Told Nobody Yet by Jo Carson. The narrator of the novel addresses the misconceptions that people have of Native Americans. The stereotypes that are identified in this quote are also similar to those that Debbie Reese discusses in her article Native Americans in Children's Literature. Through her writing, the reader can see the potential dangers of leaving these stereotypes unaddressed. A novel like The Heart of a Chief is a great resource to begin a discussion that can broaden the perspectives of young readers.

I feel that the author addresses the touchy issues related to the Native American culture very well as he describes the issues with gambling and alcoholism. I believe he was very smart when he chose to set the story in a fictional land rather than focus on a specific place, which could have led to controversy with his novel.

After reading the book I feel as though I gained insight about the lifestyle of this particular Native American tribe through an interesting and engaging story.

Diversity in Literature

My name is Emily Lewalski and I am a senior at Michigan State University majoring in Elementary Education with a concentration in Language Arts. I believe that providing diverse literature for students in extremely important for their development in today's world. Many children are not exposed to the vast diversity that exists, and it is essential that they see accurate and nonstereotypical depictions of cultures that may differ from those that they most directly experience. I am really looking forward to exploring the texts in TE 448 and broadening my own perspective as I prepare to enter the teaching world. Previous to this course, I have not really concentrated on books in relation to their cultural characteristics (except for those that are written specifially to address issues of a particular culture) and I am excited to develop a new lens for reading and interpreting texts.